Cyphastrea

Cyphastrea sp.

Care Level	Easy to intermediate
Lighting	Low to moderate
Water Flow	Moderate
Placement	Low to mid rock
Aggression	Peaceful
Coloration	Neon green, orange, "meteor shower" morphs

Overview

Cyphastrea is an encrusting SPS with small, star-like polyps and striking coloration — the “Meteor Shower” morph (orange polyps on a green base) is a hobby classic. It is hardier and more light-forgiving than most SPS, bridging the gap between easy corals and demanding branching SPS.

Care & Placement

Give low-to-moderate light and moderate flow. Place low-to-mid on rock; it encrusts outward over the rockwork. More tolerant of lower light and minor swings than branching SPS, making it beginner-friendly.

Feeding

Photosynthetic; benefits from occasional fine feeding. Stable parameters keep it growing and colorful.

Propagation

Easy to frag — cut the encrusting rock/skeleton with a piece of the colony and glue to a plug; it re-encrusts quickly.

Cautions

Hardy for an SPS. Provide decent flow to keep it clean. Peaceful and safe near other corals.