False Knob Coral

About

False Knob Coral (Astrea curta) is a widespread stony coral found across a remarkable range, from Japan and Australia to the Red Sea and as far east as Easter Island. In the wild it favors shallow reef flat environments, typically turning up somewhere between a few meters down and about 40 meters, though it's most at home in those brightly lit, wave-washed shallows. Colony form is variable, you might encounter a rounded dome, a squat column, or a flattened plate depending on the individual, and corallite spacing can range from widely spread to tightly packed together. Calice width also varies considerably, though that variation tends to show up between colonies rather than within a single one. Septa alternate between long and short, and small paliform lobes are typically present around the central area of each corallite. Color is one of the more interesting things about this species: under good light on reef flats, colonies come in cream or orange tones, often with color arranged concentrically around each oral disc. Move it into shadier conditions and it shifts to a darker brown. In the aquarium it's rated intermediate in care difficulty, appreciating moderate light and moderate flow. Reef safe and reasonably adaptable, it's a solid choice for keepers who already have some experience with large polyp or small polyp stony corals.