Coral species · Acan Coral

Micromussa lordhowensis

The classic Acan Lord: colourful, hardy and endlessly varied. Formerly Acanthastrea lordhowensis.

Overview

Micromussa lordhowensis is the coral most hobbyists call the Acan Lord. It was reclassified from Acanthastrea lordhowensis, and its name refers to Lord Howe Island, off the east coast of Australia.

It is one of the best-selling LPS corals worldwide thanks to its hardiness and the huge range of colour combinations available.

Appearance and colour

Colonies are made up of fleshy, rounded polyps packed closely together. Almost every colour is possible: reds, greens, oranges, purples and multi-coloured “rainbow” pieces with contrasting centres and rims.

Care in the aquarium

Acan Lords do well under low to moderate light and gentle flow, placed low to mid-level on the reef. They respond quickly to target feeding with small meaty foods, which helps colonies fill out. They extend short sweepers at night, so leave a little space between them and their neighbours.

At a glance

Acan Coral

Type LPS (large polyp stony)
Also known as Acan Lord, Acan (formerly Acanthastrea lordhowensis)
Lighting Low to moderate
Water flow Low to moderate
Placement Lower to middle of the reef
Feeding Small meaty foods
Care level Easy
Temperament Mildly aggressive at night

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

Responsibly sourced

How we source Micromussa lordhowensis

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.



Limited, selective harvest

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



Stewardship and certification

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



Towards 100% aquacultured

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

Read our story →

Explore more species →