Acropora jacquelineae

Acropora jacquelineae grows as a tabling or corymbose plate made up of fine branches, forming an elegant, relatively delicate colony that spreads into a table over time. In aquaculture it is seen in green with blue to purple tips, colours that read best under high, well-balanced light. Growth is moderate, with the table widening steadily once the colony is established.

Care

An advanced species for a mature, stable SPS system. Hold alkalinity as steady as possible — stability is the priority — and keep calcium and magnesium consistent alongside it. Give it high light, roughly PAR 250–400, acclimating new frags gradually, and strong random flow that moves across the table and lifts detritus from its surface rather than a constant jet underneath or on top. Fine-branched tables can suffer in the centre if flow is poor, so watch the middle of the colony as well as the growing edge. An encrusting base and even polyp extension are good health signs.

Placement and growth

Place it high, with wide room reserved for a table — this growth form needs lateral space well beyond its frag size. Keep at least 2 in of clearance from neighbours, and much more in the direction of spread, taking care that the developing table does not shade everything beneath it. Mount it level and secure, and choose its position with its adult footprint in mind.