← All groups · Corals
Small-polyp stony — the advanced tier
SPS Corals
SPS corals — acropora, montipora, birdsnest and friends — are the reef's high-light, high-flow showpieces and the reason keepers obsess over their numbers. They punish parameter swings hard, so they belong in a mature, stable tank with rock-steady chemistry and pristine, low-but-not-zero nutrients.
5 in our library · 5 with a full care guide.
💧 The one thing to get right: A mature tank with rock-stable alk/Ca/Mg, high light and strong turbulent flow — acclimate every frag slowly.
- Acropora Acropora spp. Advanced ✓ Care guide The reef-keeper's trophy coral — dazzling growth, but only in a mature, ultra-stable tank.
- Birdsnest Coral Seriatopora hystrix Intermediate ✓ Care guide Delicate needle-thin branches — a fast, relatively forgiving intro to branching SPS.
- Montipora Montipora spp. Intermediate ✓ Care guide The forgiving first SPS — plates and encrusts fast once your parameters are stable.
- Pocillopora Pocillopora damicornis Beginner–Intermediate ✓ Care guide The forgiving, fast-growing SPS — the classic bridge from LPS to a full SPS reef.
- Stylophora Stylophora pistillata Beginner–Intermediate ✓ Care guide The "cat's paw" — one of the toughest, most beginner-friendly branching SPS.
Plan a sps corals tank
Our free tools run on these species' real, sourced care data — no guessing:
Coral placement guide →Dosing calculator →Parameter targets →Tank volume calculator →