QUICK STATS

Care Level: Easy to Moderate
Coral Type: Encrusting Stony Coral / LPS-SPS Style Coral
Temperament: Peaceful to Semi-Aggressive by Growth
Photosynthetic: Yes
Placement: Lower / Shaded Rockwork
Lighting: Low to Moderate
Water Flow: Moderate, Indirect
Approximate Purchase Size: Varies by Frag Size
Approximate Max Size: Encrusting Colony Growth Depends on Stability, Space, Lighting, and Flow

RAH CYPHASTREA CORAL

The RAH Cyphastrea Coral is a colorful encrusting coral variety known for its tightly packed corallites, glowing contrast, and ability to spread over rockwork, plugs, and other hard surfaces once established. Depending on the specimen and lighting, it may show a colorful base with contrasting polyps, growth edges, or speckled texture that becomes especially noticeable under blue-heavy reef lighting.

Cyphastrea corals are popular because they are generally hardy, adaptable, and easier to keep than many more demanding SPS corals. They offer the look of a stony encrusting coral without requiring the extreme lighting demands of Acropora or other high-light SPS. In other words, it gives you glowing reef texture without immediately requiring you to become a full-time alkalinity accountant.

The RAH Cyphastrea Coral is photosynthetic and receives much of its energy from reef lighting. It can also benefit from dissolved nutrients and fine particulate foods in the water column. It usually does best in lower-light areas with moderate indirect flow, especially on shaded rockwork, lower rock faces, vertical surfaces, or areas that would be too dim for many high-light corals.

This coral is generally considered peaceful, but it can compete for space as it encrusts outward. It does not usually have long sweeper tentacles, but it can slowly grow into neighboring corals or be damaged by stronger-stinging corals nearby. Basically, it is not a brawler. It is more of a slow-moving real estate problem.

Note: Image is a representation of what to expect. The coral you receive may vary slightly in size, color intensity, base coloration, polyp coloration, growth edge, encrusting shape, and overall appearance.

AQUARIUM REQUIREMENTS

AQUARIUM SIZE

A minimum aquarium size of 10-20 gallons or larger can work for RAH Cyphastrea, provided the aquarium is mature and stable. Larger systems provide better water stability and more flexibility with placement.

Cyphastrea does not need a large aquarium, but it does need stable chemistry and appropriate flow. Small aquariums can work well, but they also turn small parameter swings into full-blown reef drama because apparently water volume is the closest thing this hobby has to mercy.

PLACEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

RAH Cyphastrea is best placed in the lower or shaded areas of the aquarium where it receives low to moderate lighting and moderate indirect flow. It often does especially well on lower rockwork, vertical rock faces, shaded ledges, or areas that receive reflected light rather than direct high intensity.

Rock Placement: Place on stable rockwork where the coral has room to encrust outward. It can spread over rock surfaces, plugs, rubble, and other hard surfaces over time.

Sandbed Placement: Temporary sandbed placement can work during acclimation, especially if the coral is newly shipped or light intensity is high. Long-term placement is usually better on rockwork or a secured frag mount.

Shaded Areas: Cyphastrea is a great option for lower-light areas of the reef where brighter corals may struggle. Avoid placing it directly under intense lighting unless it has been acclimated very slowly.

Growth Space: Leave open rock around the frag if you want it to spread. Cyphastrea can encrust steadily once happy, which is charming right up until it starts annexing nearby territory like a glowing colonial government.

Spacing: Leave space between RAH Cyphastrea and nearby corals. It is not usually highly aggressive, but it can grow into neighboring tissue or be damaged by stronger-stinging neighbors.

WATER PARAMETERS

RAH Cyphastrea does best in clean, stable reef conditions. Stability is more important than chasing perfect numbers. Sudden swings in alkalinity, salinity, nutrients, or temperature can cause fading, tissue stress, recession, or stalled growth.

Temperature: 75-80°F
pH Level: 8.1-8.4
Salinity: 1.024-1.026 specific gravity
Alkalinity: 8-10 dKH
Calcium: 400-450 ppm
Magnesium: 1250-1350 ppm
Nitrate: 2-15 ppm
Phosphate: 0.03-0.10 ppm

Avoid ultra-low nutrient systems. Cyphastrea can do well in clean aquariums, but a completely stripped reef may cause pale coloration, weak growth, or poor tissue health. “Clean” and “starved” are different words, despite reef keepers constantly trying to make them roommates.

LIGHTING

RAH Cyphastrea generally prefers low to moderate lighting. It can adapt to a range of lighting levels, but it is usually safer to start it in lower light and increase exposure slowly if needed.

LIGHTING RECOMMENDATIONS

Low to Moderate PAR: A general target range of 50-125 PAR works well for many Cyphastrea corals. Some specimens may adapt higher, but lower light is usually a safer starting point.

Light Acclimation: New frags should be acclimated gradually to your lighting. Start lower, shaded, or partially indirect, then adjust slowly based on coloration and growth.

Color Display: RAH Cyphastrea often shows its best contrast under blue-heavy reef lighting, especially when the base and polyps fluoresce differently.

Too Much Light: Signs may include bleaching, fading, pale tissue, reduced polyp visibility, tissue recession, or stalled growth.

Too Little Light: Signs may include dull coloration, slow growth, or muted contrast over time.

Do not throw a fresh Cyphastrea directly under intense lighting because it looked bright in a product photo. That is not coral care. That is photon-based bullying with a receipt.

WATER FLOW

RAH Cyphastrea prefers moderate, indirect water flow. Flow should be strong enough to keep detritus from settling on the textured surface, but not so harsh that tissue becomes irritated.

FLOW RECOMMENDATIONS

Ideal Flow: Moderate, indirect to varied flow that keeps the surface clean and supports gas exchange.

Avoid Harsh Direct Flow: Strong direct blasting can irritate tissue or prevent normal polyp extension.

Avoid Dead Spots: Too little flow can allow detritus to collect on the coral’s textured surface and growth ridges.

Surface Cleanliness: Because Cyphastrea grows as an encrusting coral with tightly packed corallites, debris buildup can irritate tissue over time.

If detritus collects on the coral, increase gentle flow or adjust placement. If the tissue fades, recedes, or stays irritated in strong current, reduce direct flow. Annoyingly, the coral expects observation. Bold behavior from a glowing reef crust, but here we are.

DIET

RAH Cyphastrea is photosynthetic, meaning it receives much of its energy from light through its symbiotic zooxanthellae. It may also benefit from dissolved nutrients and fine particulate foods in the water column.

PRIMARY DIET

Photosynthesis: Proper lighting provides much of the coral’s energy.

Broadcast Feeding: The coral may capture fine particles from the water column during regular fish and coral feeding.

Fine Coral Foods: Powdered coral foods, amino acids, phytoplankton-style blends, and very fine suspended foods may be used carefully in established systems.

Dissolved Nutrients: Moderate detectable nitrate and phosphate can help support color and growth. Avoid stripping the aquarium too aggressively.

FEEDING FREQUENCY

Direct target feeding is usually not necessary. Broadcast feeding or general reef feeding 1-2 times per week can be beneficial if nutrients are not already high.

Avoid heavy feeding in small tanks. The coral does not need a powdered food snowstorm because someone wanted to “boost growth.” That is how nutrients form a government.

COMPATIBILITY

RAH Cyphastrea works well in many mixed reef aquariums, especially when placed with enough room to encrust and spread. It is generally not as aggressive as many LPS corals, but spacing still matters.

COMMON TANK MATES

Fish: Reef-safe fish such as clownfish, gobies, blennies, wrasses, tangs, cardinalfish, firefish, anthias, and other peaceful to semi-peaceful community fish.

Avoid: Fish known to nip stony or encrusting corals, such as some angelfish, butterflyfish, filefish, puffers, and certain triggers.

Invertebrates: Generally safe with cleaner shrimp, snails, hermit crabs, urchins, and most common reef invertebrates. Large urchins or bulldozing snails may move unsecured frags.

Coral: Keep away from aggressive neighboring corals, including torches, hammers, frogspawn, galaxea, favias, chalices, acans, mushrooms, and other stinging LPS unless spacing is carefully managed.

Encrusting Competition: RAH Cyphastrea can spread over rockwork and may compete with other encrusting corals such as leptoseris, psammocora, montipora, favites, or other cyphastrea varieties if placed too close.

BEHAVIORAL NOTES

Temperament: Generally peaceful, but can compete for space as it encrusts.

Growth Pattern: Encrusting growth over rock, plugs, rubble, or surrounding hard surfaces.

Coloration: Color intensity may vary with lighting, nutrients, stress, flow, stability, and photography conditions.

Texture: Cyphastrea often has a fine, bumpy, tightly packed surface made up of small corallites.

Lighting Flexibility: More forgiving than many delicate SPS corals, but it generally prefers lower light than high-light SPS.

Flow Sensitivity: Likes enough flow to stay clean, but not harsh direct blasting.

Growth Speed: Can grow steadily once established, especially in stable systems with appropriate lighting and nutrients.

Frag Handling: Handle by the plug, rock, or dead skeleton edge when possible. Avoid scraping or damaging the living tissue.

Dipping: Coral dipping before introduction is recommended to reduce pests and contaminants. Use coral-safe dips according to product directions.

Pest Awareness: Inspect for nuisance algae, flatworms, nudibranchs, vermetid snails, or other hitchhikers before placing into the display.

Placement Reality: This coral can be a great way to add bright color to shaded rockwork. Just remember that “encrusting” means it may eventually claim more territory than expected, because even the low-light coral has ambitions.

ACCLIMATION PROCESS

This acclimation method helps reduce stress by gradually introducing the coral to your aquarium’s temperature, lighting, and water chemistry.

1. DIM THE LIGHTS

Turn down aquarium lights or place the coral in a shaded lower area at first. This helps reduce stress while the coral adjusts.

2. FLOAT THE BAG

Float the sealed bag in the aquarium for 15-20 minutes to allow the temperature in the bag to equalize with the tank.

3. OPEN BAG, ADD CORAL TO CONTAINER

Carefully open the bag and transfer the coral and shipping water into a clean container. Handle the coral by the plug, rock, or skeleton edge rather than scraping the living tissue.

4. ACCLIMATE USING TANK WATER

Add small amounts of tank water to the container every few minutes for 20-30 minutes. Avoid exposing the coral tissue to air longer than necessary.

5. CORAL DIP

Use a coral-safe dip according to the product instructions. This can help reduce pests and contaminants before the coral enters your aquarium.

6. TRANSFER CORAL TO AQUARIUM

Place the coral in a lower or shaded rockwork area with moderate indirect flow. Discard the shipping and dip water. Do not pour shipping water or dip water into your aquarium.

7. LIGHT ACCLIMATE

Allow the coral to adjust gradually over several days to weeks before moving it into brighter light. Watch for coloration, tissue health, and encrusting growth before making major placement changes.