Peppermint Candy Acan Lord – Vibrant Red and White LPS Coral

About This Coral

Add a sweet splash of color to your reef aquarium with the Peppermint Candy Acan Lord, a stunning large-polyp stony (LPS) coral featuring eye-catching red and white patterns reminiscent of classic peppermint candy.

This beautiful coral is prized for its thick, fleshy polyps, contrasting coloration, and captivating appearance under reef aquarium lighting. Many specimens display bold red and white striping, sometimes accented by subtle green or pink highlights that make each frag unique.

The Peppermint Candy Acan Lord belongs to the group commonly known as Acan Lords, generally identified as Micromussa lordhowensis, formerly classified as Acanthastrea lordhowensis.

Acan Lords are favorites among reef aquarium enthusiasts because of their impressive coloration, manageable care requirements, and fascinating feeding responses.

Under suitable aquarium conditions, the coral’s fleshy polyps expand into rounded, colorful formations that create an attractive focal point. As the colony matures, additional polyps can develop, gradually forming a larger display.

The Peppermint Candy variety is especially appealing to hobbyists creating colorful Acan gardens or mixed LPS reef aquariums. Its bright patterns provide beautiful contrast alongside other coral varieties.

With stable water chemistry, appropriate lighting, gentle water movement, and occasional supplemental feeding, this coral can become a long-lasting addition to an established marine aquarium.

Multiple frags may be available. Individual colors, patterns, sizes, and polyp counts may vary.

Features

• Peppermint-inspired coloration featuring striking red and white patterns.
• Possible green or pink accents add variation to individual specimens.
• Large, fleshy polyps create an attractive rounded appearance.
• Beautiful under blue aquarium lighting with vivid color contrast.
• Popular LPS coral suitable for established mixed reef systems.
• Ideal for Acan gardens alongside appropriately spaced Micromussa varieties.
• Low-to-moderate lighting preference makes it suitable for many reef aquarium layouts.
• Gentle-to-moderate water flow supports healthy polyp expansion.
• Strong feeding response when appropriate foods are offered.
• Photosynthetic coral that also benefits from supplemental nutrition.
• Potential colony growth as additional polyps develop under stable conditions.
• Moderate care requirements suitable for attentive beginners and experienced reef keepers.
• Unique natural coloration ensures individual frags may look different.
• Excellent for coral collectors seeking distinctive red-and-white LPS specimens.

Specifications

Specification	Details
Product Name	Peppermint Candy Acan Lord
Coral Type	Large-Polyp Stony Coral (LPS)
Common Name	Acan Lord / Micromussa
Scientific Identification	Micromussa lordhowensis (typical Acan Lord classification)
Former Scientific Name	Acanthastrea lordhowensis
Coloration	Red and White, Sometimes Green or Pink Accents
Care Level	Easy to Moderate
Lighting	Low to Moderate
Suggested Starting PAR	Approximately 50–120
Water Flow	Low to Moderate, Indirect
Placement	Lower to Middle Aquarium Areas
Temperament	Generally Peaceful, but Can Sting Nearby Corals
Feeding	Photosynthetic; Supplemental Feeding Beneficial
Growth Form	Encrusting Colony with Fleshy Polyps
Frag Size	Varies by Available Specimen
Typical Supplier Frag	Approximately 2–3 Polyps; Not Guaranteed
Aquarium Type	Established Saltwater Reef Aquarium
Multiple Available	Subject to Current Inventory

Recommended Water Parameters

Parameter	Recommended Range
Temperature	75–80°F (24–27°C)
Salinity	1.024–1.026 Specific Gravity
pH	8.0–8.4
Alkalinity	8–9 dKH
Calcium	420–450 ppm
Magnesium	1300–1400 ppm
Nitrate	Approximately 2–20 ppm
Phosphate	Approximately 0.03–0.10 ppm
Lighting	Approximately 50–120 PAR to Start
Water Movement	Gentle to Moderate, Indirect

These are general care guidelines. Stability is more important than trying to maintain one exact number within each range.

Lighting Requirements

The Peppermint Candy Acan Lord generally thrives under low-to-moderate reef aquarium lighting.

A starting range of approximately 50–120 PAR is appropriate for many Acan Lord specimens, although individual corals may respond differently depending on their previous lighting conditions.

Blue-spectrum aquarium lighting can emphasize the contrasting colors of this coral, giving its red, white, and occasional green or pink markings an especially vivid appearance.

Avoid introducing newly arrived specimens directly into intense lighting.

For best results:

• Begin in a lower-light area of the aquarium.
• Increase light exposure gradually if needed.
• Watch for healthy polyp expansion and consistent coloration.
• Reduce intensity if the coral shows signs of bleaching, excessive contraction, or tissue stress.

Water Flow Requirements

This coral prefers gentle to moderate, indirect water movement.

Appropriate flow helps transport nutrients, remove waste, and prevent debris from collecting around the polyps.

Avoid placing the coral directly in front of a strong powerhead or return nozzle.

Excessive flow may prevent normal tissue expansion or cause the fleshy polyps to remain retracted.

The ideal location provides gentle movement without forcing the coral’s tissue sharply to one side.

Feeding and Nutrition

The Peppermint Candy Acan Lord is photosynthetic, receiving much of its energy from symbiotic algae living within its tissue.

However, supplemental feeding can support healthy tissue development and encourage colony growth.

Suitable foods may include:

• Finely chopped mysis shrimp
• Small marine meaty food particles
• Quality LPS coral pellets
• Appropriate powdered coral foods
• Specialized reef coral nutrition products

Recommended Feeding Schedule

Offer appropriately sized food approximately 1–3 times per week, adjusting according to the coral’s response and aquarium nutrient levels.

Use a coral feeding pipette or similar tool to place a small amount of food near the coral’s feeding tentacles.

Temporarily reducing water movement during feeding may help prevent food from being carried away.

Do not overfeed. Remove uneaten food when necessary to maintain good water quality.

Placement and Coral Compatibility

Ideal Placement

The Peppermint Candy Acan Lord is well suited to lower and middle areas of many reef aquariums.

Suitable locations may include a stable frag rack, protected lower rockwork, or a secure mounting point near the sand bed.

Its placement should provide:

• Appropriate low-to-moderate light
• Gentle, indirect water movement
• Room for polyp expansion
• Separation from aggressive neighboring corals
• A stable mounting surface

Acan Gardens

This colorful variety can make a beautiful addition to an Acan garden featuring other Micromussa lordhowensis color morphs.

While Acan Lords are often maintained near one another, individual specimens should be monitored for tissue irritation or aggression.

Neighboring Corals

Avoid placing the Peppermint Candy Acan Lord too close to aggressive corals, especially those capable of extending long sweeper tentacles.

Leave sufficient space for the coral to expand and grow.

Acclimation and Introduction Instructions

1. Inspect the shipment: Examine the coral and shipping container upon arrival.
2. Verify aquarium conditions: Make sure temperature, salinity, and major water parameters are stable.
3. Equalize temperature: Carefully acclimate the sealed shipping container to the aquarium’s temperature.
4. Follow appropriate water acclimation procedures: Avoid leaving livestock unnecessarily long in opened shipping water.
5. Inspect for pests: Examine the coral, skeleton, and frag plug for unwanted hitchhikers or tissue damage.
6. Use a suitable coral dip if appropriate: Follow the dip manufacturer’s directions for LPS corals.
7. Quarantine when possible: A separate observation system can help reduce the risk of introducing pests.
8. Begin under gentle conditions: Place the coral where it receives manageable lighting and indirect flow.
9. Allow recovery time: Polyps may remain retracted after shipping and handling.
10. Monitor daily: Observe tissue expansion, coloration, feeding response, and signs of stress.

Never pour coral dip or shipping water directly into the display aquarium.

Important Product Information

This is a live coral product.

The Peppermint Candy Acan Lord is a named color variety of Acan Lord coral. Its name describes its appearance rather than a separate scientifically recognized species.

Each coral is a living specimen, and coloration, pattern, polyp count, and frag size may vary.

The supplier describes typical frags as having approximately 2–3 polyps, but this should not be interpreted as a guaranteed polyp count for every available item.

Photographs may represent a particular specimen or an example of the variety. Unless the listing specifically identifies an individual frag as WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get), customers should not assume they will receive the exact coral photographed.

Colors may also look different depending on aquarium lighting, photographic filters, and display settings.

This coral is intended for established saltwater reef aquariums and is not suitable for freshwater systems.

Availability and Pricing

We ship daily, contact us for availability and price.

Recommended Application

The Peppermint Candy Acan Lord is an excellent addition to established reef aquariums, colorful Acan gardens, and LPS coral collections.

With its striking red-and-white coloration, fleshy polyps, and relatively manageable care requirements, this beautiful coral offers an attractive combination of visual appeal and fascinating natural behavior for saltwater aquarium enthusiast