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Garf Bonsai Acropora
£28.00
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£28.00
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GARF Bonsai Acropora
The GARF Bonsai Acropora is a true reef-keeping classic, combining intense purple colouration with striking bright green polyps to create one of the most recognisable contrasts found in Acropora.
As it establishes and begins to grow, the GARF Bonsai develops a compact, branching growth form that can mature into an impressive bushy colony. Under suitable reef lighting, its rich violet to deep purple branches provide the perfect backdrop for its vivid green polyps, giving this coral exceptional colour and texture within an SPS reef.
Despite the endless stream of new designer Acropora entering the hobby, the GARF Bonsai has remained a favourite for good reason. It is an established old-school strain with fantastic colour, attractive growth and plenty of character — proof that sometimes the classics really are hard to beat.
Our GARF Bonsai Acropora is aquacultured by ReefGro and supplied as an established frag, grown within our own systems.
Care Requirements
Care Level: Moderate / Advanced
Coral Type: SPS
Lighting: Medium to High
Water Flow: Strong, varied and indirect
Placement: Middle to Upper areas of the aquarium
Growth Form: Compact branching / bushy
Temperament: Peaceful
Colour: Deep purple/violet with bright green polyps
Like most Acropora, the GARF Bonsai performs best in a mature, stable reef aquarium. Consistent alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, salinity and nutrient levels are considerably more important than chasing individual numbers.
Provide good turbulent water movement around the entire coral rather than placing it directly in front of a powerful wavemaker. Strong reef lighting will support both growth and colouration, although new frags should always be acclimated gradually to higher light levels.
ReefGro Aquacultured
This coral has been propagated and grown within our own aquaculture systems rather than being sold as a freshly imported wild coral. Aquaculturing allows us to continually grow and frag established stock while offering retail customers corals already accustomed to captive aquarium conditions.
Please note that coral colour can vary depending on lighting spectrum, intensity, nutrients and individual aquarium conditions. Photographs should therefore be used as a representation of the coral's potential colouration rather than an exact guarantee of how it will appear under different lighting systems.
🪸 Coral Care Guide
Care Level
Moderate
Lighting
Medium
Water Flow
Moderate, indirect flow.
Placement
Lower to middle areas of the aquarium.
Temperament
Peaceful.
Growth Rate
Moderate, with gradual skeletal growth and increasing polyp density over time.
Frag Size
Typically supplied as a multi-polyp frag unless otherwise stated.
💧 Water Parameters
Purple Goniopora thrive in stable reef aquariums with consistent water chemistry.
Recommended Parameters
- Stable Alkalinity
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Stable Nitrate & Phosphate levels
- Trace elements including iodine and iron are beneficial.
Avoid ultra-low nutrient systems, as Goniopora generally perform best in mature, nutrient-balanced aquariums.
🍤 Feeding & Nutrition
Purple Goniopora benefit from regular supplemental feeding to encourage long-term health, vibrant colour and strong polyp extension.
Recommended Foods
- Fine powdered coral foods
- Phytoplankton
- Micro-plankton blends
- Small particulate coral foods
Feeding Frequency
Feed lightly but consistently 2–3 times per week.
🌊 Placement & Acclimation
Purple Goniopora appreciate thoughtful placement and a gentle introduction to your aquarium.
Placement
- Lower to middle areas of the aquarium.
- Allow plenty of space for full polyp extension.
- Avoid direct contact with aggressive or stinging corals.
- Prevent polyps from rubbing against rockwork.
Lighting
Medium lighting is recommended.
Too much light may cause the coral to retract, while insufficient lighting can reduce extension.
Light acclimation is recommended whenever introducing a new specimen.
Water Flow
Provide moderate, indirect flow that keeps the polyps gently swaying.
Avoid strong, direct flow, which may prevent full extension.
Random, alternating flow patterns generally produce the best results.
🌍 Natural Habitat
Purple Goniopora originate from the Indo-Pacific region and are commonly found throughout:
- Indonesia
- Australia's Great Barrier Reef
- Fiji
- Tonga
- Papua New Guinea
- Central and Western Pacific reef systems
In the wild they inhabit sheltered lagoon environments and protected reef zones with moderate lighting, gentle water movement and nutrient-rich conditions.
Once considered difficult to keep, advances in modern reef keeping—including improved lighting, flow control and nutrition—have made healthy, aquacultured Goniopora far more reliable long-term additions to today's reef aquariums.
⭐ ReefGro Expert Advice
Purple Goniopora is one of our favourite LPS corals thanks to its elegant movement and rich purple colouration.
When fully extended, hundreds of delicate tentacles create constant movement that contrasts beautifully with SPS colonies and other fleshy LPS corals, making it an excellent centrepiece for mixed reef aquariums.
For the best results:
- Introduce the coral slowly using light acclimation.
- Maintain stable water chemistry.
- Feed regularly with fine particulate foods.
- Avoid placing it where neighbouring corals can sting the extended polyps.
- Be patient during acclimation—healthy Goniopora often become more fully extended as they settle into stable conditions.
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