Fast Aquatics

Lineage history

Walt Disney Tenuis was introduced to the hobby by Mike Biggar (BigR Corals) in the late 2000s. The lineage is named for the Disney-multicolor polyp expression - a rainbow palette across a single colony that no other tenuis has matched at scale. The original Biggar mother colony has been propagated outward through the SPS keeping community for over a decade.

What distinguishes Walt Disney from other multi-color tenuis: the polyp colors stay distinct rather than blending. Most "rainbow" Acropora cultivars produce polyps that are individually multi-colored. Walt Disney produces blocks of polyps that are each a different solid color, creating a stained-glass effect.

Authenticity is everything: "Walt Disney Tenuis" is one of the most counterfeited cultivar names in the hobby. Many vendors sell pretty multi-color tenuis as "Walt Disney" without lineage documentation. The true BigR-traced lineage commands a 3-5x premium over generic multi-color tenuis. Fast Aquatics' verified-lineage badge program will track BigR-documented frags.

Distinguishing characteristics

  • Polyp coloration: distinct solid-color polyps in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple, often in clusters by branch position
  • Body color: deep purple to plum base under heavy blue light
  • Growth form: classic tenuis - delicate branching, fine corallites, tabling at maturity
  • Polyp extension: moderate, polyps stay open during day in stable systems

Care notes

Walt Disney is among the more demanding tenuis cultivars. Color expression requires high stable parameters and 6-12 months of established system time before full multi-color polyp display develops. New frags often arrive in transition coloration; patience is required.

For full Acropora tenuis husbandry, see the parent species page.

  • Light: 350-450 PAR, blue-heavy spectrum (Radion XR30 G6 spectrum AB profile, or equivalent)
  • Flow: high turbulent flow, no dead spots
  • Placement: upper third of the tank
  • Sensitivity: very high alkalinity sensitivity - run 8.0-8.3 dKH stable, no swings over 0.3 dKH per day
  • Feeding: light amino acid dosing; small frozen feeds 2x weekly to express full polyp color
  • Pest dipping: mandatory AEFW dipping before introduction

Pricing benchmarks

BigR-documented Walt Disney Tenuis is among the highest-priced tenuis cultivars in the hobby. Generic "Walt Disney" tenuis (undocumented lineage) trades at substantially lower prices.

  • BigR-documented mini-frag: $200-400
  • BigR-documented standard frag (1 inch): $400-800
  • BigR-documented colony piece (3+ inch): $1,500-3,500
  • Generic "Walt Disney" multi-color tenuis: $80-180 (caveat emptor)

Compatibility with similar cultivars

Display alongside other expert-tier multi-color tenuis cultivars for a "rainbow garden" approach:

  • Holy Grail Tenuis: red base with multi-color polyps
  • Tropic Marin Tenuis: similar palette, different texture
  • Pengs Heart of the Ocean: blue-leaning multi-color expression
  • Tyree Superman Tenuis: red/blue solid contrast
  • Maleficent: dark base with bright polyps - good visual contrast

Pairing in display

Walt Disney commands a center-tank position when fully developed. Surround with neutral-color SPS (Acropora millepora ORA Pearlberry, generic green slimer, sky blue tenuis) to let the rainbow polyps pop. Avoid placing alongside other equally chromatic Walt Disney-class cultivars - the visual fights itself.