How related are they?
Same family, Lobophylliidae (Lobophylliid corals): close cousins
They split at the genus level: the Acan Lord Coral belongs to Micromussa (Micromussa corals), the Scoly Coral to Lobophyllia (carpet brain coral).
Find the Acan Lord Coral on the tree · Find the Scoly Coral on the tree
Family lines, side by side
Highlighted rows are groups both animals belong to. The marked row is where their lines go separate ways.
| Rank | Acan Lord Coral | Scoly Coral |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia Animals | |
| Phylum | Cnidaria Cnidarians | |
| Subphylum | Anthozoa Corals and sea anemones | |
| Class | Hexacorallia Hexacorals | |
| Order | Scleractinia Stony corals | |
| Suborder | Vacatina Robust corals | |
| Family | Lobophylliidae Lobophylliid corals | |
| Genus split | Micromussa Micromussa corals | Lobophyllia carpet brain coral |
| Species | Micromussa lordhowensis Acan Lord Coral | Lobophyllia vitiensis Scoly Coral |
Care, side by side
| Fact | Acan Lord Coral | Scoly Coral |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Coral · LPS coral | Coral · LPS coral |
| Care level | Easy | Easy |
| Reef safe | Yes | Yes |
| Temperament | Semi-aggressive | Semi-aggressive |
| Diet | Photosynthetic | Photosynthetic |
| Favorite foods | Mysis shrimp, chopped to polyp size, Brine shrimp, Fine coral foods such as Reef Roids | Mysis shrimp, Brine shrimp (enriched), Chopped krill or shrimp |
| Max size | — | 4 in (10.2 cm) |
| Minimum tank | 20 gal | 30 gal |
| Temperature | 75–78 °F | 74–78 °F |
| Salinity (SG) | 1.025–1.026 | 1.023–1.026 |
| pH | 8.1–8.4 | 8.1–8.4 |
| Nitrate | 5–20 ppm | — |
| Lifespan | No fixed lifespan. A colony keeps adding polyps by budding and can persist for many years in a stable aquarium (much longer in the wild) as long as conditions stay good. | No fixed lifespan. A single scoly can live for many years in a stable aquarium if it is fed and kept out of harm's way; growth is slow. |
| Breeding | Moderate | Hard |
| Conservation (IUCN) | Endangered | Least Concern |