Knob Coral

About

Knob Coral (Dipsastraea rotumana) is a large polyp stony coral native to the Indo-West Pacific, found across a broad tropical band stretching from the eastern coast of Africa out to the western Pacific. In the wild it grows on reef structures at depths ranging from just a few meters down to around 25 meters, making it a species accustomed to variable light and flow conditions depending on where exactly it settles on the reef. Its common name gives you a good visual cue. The colony surface is marked by distinct raised corallites that give it a lumpy, knobbed texture, distinguishing it from the smoother brain or plate corals you might otherwise compare it to. In the aquarium, this is a species best suited to hobbyists who have moved past the beginner stage. It does not demand the intense lighting that some SPS corals require, but it still needs stable, clean water and consistent husbandry to thrive long term. Moderate flow helps keep detritus from settling on the colony without stressing the tissue. Like other members of its genus, it is reef safe and unlikely to cause problems with neighboring corals given reasonable spacing. A solid mid-tank placement usually works well.