Acropora cervicornis like to live in warm, marine water close to the surface. The tropical western regions of the oceans are where there is most of the coral diversity of coral reef organisms (Birkeland 1997). The polyps that form the coral need tropical waters where the temperatures are higher than 20 degrees centigrade and there is adequate light. They also require a hard surface for which the coral polyps can settle. Staghorn corals, as well as all other corals, need very oxygenated water containing adequate supplies of small planktonic animals. Corals also need clear water, because apart from reducing the light, and heavy rain of sediment would smother them (McGregor 1974)

Aquatic Biomes: coastal