Starry Cup Coral

About

Starry Cup Coral (Acanthastrea minuta) is a small colonial stony coral native to the reefs of Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands in the Western Central Pacific. Like other members of its genus, it forms compact, sessile colonies that stay put once established, making placement decisions important from day one. The individual polyps have a textured, almost knobby appearance characteristic of acanthastreas, and colonies tend to grow in encrusting or dome-like forms rather than branching outward. In the wild it occupies tropical reef environments, and in captivity it adapts reasonably well to aquarium life given stable water conditions. It does well under moderate lighting and appreciates lower flow compared to many other LPS corals, which makes it a practical choice in areas of the tank where stronger currents are hard to avoid reducing. For a stony coral, it earns its beginner-friendly reputation. It is more tolerant of the minor fluctuations that newer reef keepers occasionally encounter than some of the more demanding LPS species. That said, all stony corals require a well-maintained reef system with consistent parameters and adequate calcium and alkalinity to support skeleton growth. As a CITES-listed species, any specimens in the hobby should come from reputable, legally sourced stock.