Tropical western Atlantic; now invasive in Hawaii and parts of the Indo-Pacific
Water
saltwater
Care level
beginner
Reef safe
no
Lighting
Not photosynthetic; light only for viewing
Flow
Moderate
Care
Carijoa riisei is a fast-growing, non-photosynthetic stoloniferan coral with tall, branching stems topped by white, eight-tentacled polyps that look like snowflakes. It sometimes arrives as a hitchhiker on live rock. Neither LiveAquaria nor Top Shelf Aquatics lists this species; the figures are general guidance for the genus, not from a source. It is treated as a pest: it is highly invasive in Hawaii, where it smothers native corals, and in an aquarium it can spread through the rockwork, especially in shaded areas with plenty of food in the water. If it appears, remove it early by cutting it off and scraping away the runners outside the tank, and keep the rock in good flow. It should not be released or sold to reefkeepers as a decorative coral. Sources: none found on LiveAquaria or Top Shelf Aquatics; general reef-keeping guidance. Checked October 2026.
Diet
Not photosynthetic: it filter-feeds on plankton and dissolved food, which is why it spreads in heavily fed tanks.
Breeding
Spreads on its own by runners and from fragments; avoid propagating it.
Compatibility and tank mates
A pest: it overgrows and smothers other corals and sponges. Some nudibranchs eat it.
Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.
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