Knob Coral

About

Knob Coral (Goniastrea stelligera) is a reef-building stony coral belonging to the family Merulinidae, native to the Red Sea along both the Egyptian and Saudi Arabian coastlines. It lives a benthic lifestyle in tropical reef environments, growing close to the substrate as part of the complex structure that makes coral reefs so biologically rich. The colony surface has the characteristically patterned, star-shaped corallite arrangement typical of the Goniastrea genus, giving it that textured, knobby look the common name references. In the aquarium, this species is considered an intermediate-level coral. Not the most demanding Scleractinian you could pick, but not a beginner's first coral either. It appreciates moderate water flow to keep detritus from settling on its surface and moderate lighting rather than the intense output demanded by some other LPS or SPS corals. Like all reef-building corals, it relies on symbiotic zooxanthellae for a significant portion of its nutrition, though target feeding with small meaty foods can support its health. It is fully reef safe, posing no meaningful threat to other inhabitants. Given how little hobbyist-specific information exists for this species specifically, a conservative, stable approach to husbandry is the sensible starting point.