Jelly Bean Favites

Jelly Bean Favites: The Festive Multicolored Brain Coral

The Jelly Bean Favites is a popular and cheerful collector strain of Favites coral, a type of Large Polyp Stony (LPS) coral. Favites species are often known as "Brain Corals" or "War Corals" and are valued for their durability and high-contrast, patterned appearance.

This specific strain is named "Jelly Bean" for its vivid and complex polychromatic coloration, which mimics a pile of brightly colored candies. It typically features a dazzling mix of colors within the same colony, often including a base of deep red, pink, or purple that is accented by individual corallite mouths (centers) in neon green, yellow, or blue. The walls (septa/coenosteum) often retain a highly contrasting color.

The Jelly Bean Favites grows in an encrusting and massive or dome-shaped morphology, with the corallites tightly packed in a honeycomb pattern. It is considered a Hardy LPS coral, making it an excellent choice for intermediate hobbyists. Its bright colors are best displayed under moderate light and require stable, clean water for maximum vibrancy.

Diet & Compatibility:

• Diet: This coral is a Mixotroph, meaning it is primarily Photosynthetic (deriving most energy from symbiotic algae) but is also a capable Carnivore.
• Feeding: Supplemental target feeding is highly beneficial for promoting dense tissue and vibrant growth. Its mouths are receptive to fine particulate foods, especially when polyps are extended at night. Feed 2-3 times per week with meaty foods, such as mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, cyclops, or fine coral foods like Reef Roids and amino acid solutions.
• Reef Compatibility: It is Reef Safe but is Aggressive. Favites corals, like many other brain corals, extend long, powerful sweeper tentacles at night to stake their territory. It is crucial to give the Jelly Bean Favites at least 3-4 inches of clear space from all neighboring corals to prevent stinging and tissue damage.
• Temperament: Peaceful toward fish and motile invertebrates, but Aggressive/Territorial toward other corals. It should be positioned on mid-to-lower rockwork where it receives moderate, indirect light and moderate water flow. Avoid directing strong, laminar flow directly onto its fleshy tissue.
• Water Requirements: Requires stable parameters. The tank should be mature with low to moderate nutrient levels (Nitrate 5-10 ppm, Phosphate 0.05-0.1 ppm). Critical parameters: Alkalinity (dKH 8.0-9.5), Calcium (400-450 ppm), and Magnesium (1250-1350 ppm). Demands Moderate PAR lighting (100-200 PAR).

Quick Facts

• Scientific Name: Favites sp. (Specific Strain)
• Primary Common Name: Jelly Bean Favites
• Other Common Names: Multicolored War Coral, Festive Favites
• Origin: Cultured/Maricultured (Originals from the Indo-Pacific)
• Max Size: Can grow into large, dome-shaped colonies (8-12+ inches)
• Temperament: Aggressive (Territorial, uses potent sweeper tentacles)
• Diet: Photosynthetic and Carnivore (Benefits greatly from target feeding)
• Minimum Tank Size: 20 Gallons (Established reef)
• Reef Compatibility: Yes, but requires strict spacing.
• Care Level: Moderate