How fast do moon (pineapple) corals grow?

[Kevro]

Given good parameters & calcium at appx. 460ppm, with metal halide & VHO lighting, at appx. what rate do they grow? WHat are your experiences.

I got a very nice 3.5" diameter one from Jeff's Exotic Fish as part of the 9 for $99 deal and would like to knokw what to expect.

Thanks!
Kevro

 

[esmithiii]

Do you mean acanthastrea or do you mean Blastomussa wellsi or maybe even favia/favites?

Ernie

 

[Kevro]

I'm 95% sure that it's a Favites
Flexuosa.

 

[esmithiii]

Reasonably fast. They are quite hearty given stable water conditions. It helps if you feed them.

Ernie

 

[KenH]

I've had one that has about doubled in size in five years (3" to about 6"). It has had a hard life at times and I almost killed it twice, once with UV burns and a second time when a large hammer coral overgrew it and killed a large portion of it. I guess it's lucky it has grown at all! I would expect normal growth to be significantly faster than that, but they are probably not super fast growers under any conditions.

--- Ken