TIA Maraschino Tenuis: A Deep-Red Tenuis That Colored Up Over Nearly Two Years
The TIA Maraschino Tenuis mother colony — the coral your frag is cut from — under Actinic Radion Mobius lighting. Colors shift under different lighting; each piece is cut to order.
What is TIA Maraschino Tenuis?
TIA Maraschino Tenuis is an Acropora tenuis with deep maraschino-red polyps set over a cool blue-teal base. It arrived a soft light pink, then transformed over nearly two years in TIA's display reef into the high-contrast red-on-teal coloration it shows today. This kind of color evolution is part of why tenuis is loved by SPS collectors.
The story
TIA Maraschino Tenuis has an interesting story in TIA's system. When first acquired, this piece displayed a soft light pink coloration. After nearly two years growing in the display reef, the coral gradually transformed into what you see today — a striking combination of deep maraschino-red polyps over a cool blue-teal base. This kind of color evolution is one of the reasons Acropora tenuis is so loved by SPS collectors: under stable reef conditions, strong lighting, and time, the coral continues to deepen in contrast and develop richer pigmentation.
Care requirements
TIA Maraschino Tenuis is an SPS Acropora tenuis, recommended for reef aquarists experienced with SPS corals and stable reef systems. | Parameter | Target | |---|---| | Lighting (PAR) | Moderate to High, PAR 250–400; strong blue-spectrum reef lighting (Radion, Hydra, or other SPS-focused LEDs) develops best coloration | | Flow | Moderate to Strong, turbulent; randomized circulation encourages healthy tissue and full polyp extension | | Placement | Upper half of a mature reef aquarium where lighting and flow support SPS growth | | Temperature | 76–79°F | | Salinity | 1.025–1.026 | | Alkalinity | 8–9 dKH | | Calcium | 400–450 ppm | | Magnesium | 1300–1400 ppm |
Reef safe.
Buying a Maraschino Tenuis frag
Every piece is cut to order from the mother colony. After we cut your frag, we send you a video of it, and we recommend allowing about 14 days of heal time before expecting full recovery. Every order is covered by TIA's 3-day live-arrival guarantee, and TIA has grown and named collector corals since 2008.
→ See the current Maraschino Tenuis release Related in the TIA Acropora collection: All TIA Signature Acropora →
Frequently asked questions
What makes TIA Maraschino Tenuis special? Its color earned in-system. It came in a soft light pink and, over nearly two years in TIA's display reef, transformed into deep maraschino-red polyps over a cool blue-teal base. That in-tank color evolution is one of the reasons Acropora tenuis is so prized by SPS collectors.
What colors does it show? Deep maraschino-red polyps over a cool blue-teal base — a high-contrast combination that developed over nearly two years. Under stable conditions, strong lighting, and time, it continues to deepen in contrast and develop richer pigmentation.
How much light does it need? Moderate to high, PAR 250–400. Best coloration develops under strong blue-spectrum reef lighting such as Radion, Hydra, or other SPS-focused LED systems.
Is it beginner-friendly? It is recommended for reef aquarists experienced with SPS corals and stable reef systems. Target 76–79°F, salinity 1.025–1.026, alkalinity 8–9 dKH, calcium 400–450 ppm, and magnesium 1300–1400 ppm, with moderate-to-strong turbulent flow in the upper half of a mature reef.