Coral species · Pineapple Coral

Acanthastrea echinata

A bold, fleshy Acan with large polyps and rich colour, collected from the southern Great Barrier Reef.

Overview

Acanthastrea echinata is one of the classic Acans: a colonial large polyp stony coral with thick, fleshy polyps that sit over a spiny skeleton. Each polyp is clearly defined, so a healthy colony reads as a mosaic of rings, centres and contrasting rims.

It is a robust, rewarding coral for retailers to stock and for hobbyists to keep, and a dependable seller in any LPS range.

Appearance and colour

Polyps are larger than most other Acans and puff up well under good conditions. Colours range from deep reds, greens and purples to multi-toned pieces with bright centres. The fleshy tissue retracts at night or when disturbed and opens again within minutes.

Care in the aquarium

Place it low to mid-level in gentle, indirect flow so the tissue can expand without being pushed around. Moderate lighting brings out the best colour; too much light can bleach the centres. It responds well to target feeding with small meaty foods once or twice a week, which supports steady growth. At night it extends short sweeper tentacles, so leave a little room between it and neighbouring corals.

At a glance

Pineapple Coral

Type LPS (large polyp stony)
Also known as Acan echinata, pineapple coral
Lighting Low to moderate
Water flow Low to moderate
Placement Lower to middle of the reef
Feeding Accepts small meaty foods
Care level Easy to moderate
Temperament Mildly aggressive; allow space

Every coral is unique. Photos are representative of the species; each colony varies in shape, size and colour.

Responsibly sourced

How we source Acanthastrea echinata

Our corals are collected on the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef, from the northern areas of the Reef down to Bundaberg, our home. Our diving collection vessels are equipped for long-distance travel, so we can find the best corals and keep them in pristine condition on the way to our holding facility.

Jeremy leads our harvesting team, which is extensively trained in safe, sustainable collecting techniques. We work to a strictly limited quota across broad reef areas within specific zones, taking small numbers of corals of limited size and premium quality and leaving the majority of the coral intact.

At our Bundaberg holding facility, Travis and the team fine-tune feeding, lighting and husbandry so every coral is in top condition before it is carefully packed and shipped. Our growing aquaculture program supports our vision of offering a 100% aquacultured source of premium corals.

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Limited, selective harvest

A strictly limited quota, taken from broad reef areas in specific zones. Small numbers, limited sizes and premium quality.

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Stewardship and certification

We participate in Provision Reef, an industry stewardship program, and maintain CITES certification for responsible sourcing.

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Towards 100% aquacultured

Our growing aquaculture program in Bundaberg supports our vision of a fully aquacultured source of premium corals.

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