How Do Favia Grow?

[Shnabbles]

I have one favia that was a frag that is glued to a rock and is doing some serious encrusting.. so i know they can grow by encrusting on rocks... but i also have 2 nice ones that are just sitting on the sand on no rocks... will these still grow?

Does it grow new mouths at the edges, or do the little cell like circles split and it basically grows larger from the inside?

 

[graveyardworm]

Basically they continually lay down new skeleton under all fleshy areas. New mouths/polyps can grow out anywhere on the coral not just the edges. As the skeleton grows anew coralite is formed at the site of the new polyp.

 

[Shnabbles]

Excellent explanation.... so my half moon sitting straight on the sand will continue to grow larger?

 

[graveyardworm]

Yes it will grow in all directions except down into the sand.