Intermediate Valley Coral

About

The intermediate valley coral (Oulophyllia bennettae) is a large-polyp stony coral that forms heavy, rounded colonies with a distinctly architectural look. Each corallite is angular and generously sized, and what really sets it apart is the alignment of septa between neighboring corallites, giving the colony surface a continuous, almost geometric ridge pattern. The teeth along those septa are large and rounded, and you may notice up to three columellae per corallite if you look closely. In terms of color, this one leans toward muted greenish-grey tones with green oral discs. Understated compared to many of the flashier large-polyp stony corals, but genuinely attractive in a mature display reef. In the wild it occupies upper reef slopes across a wide swath of the Indo-West Pacific, from the surface down to around 40 meters. It is not an especially demanding coral, landing in the intermediate care category rather than the difficult end of the spectrum. Moderate lighting and flow suit it well, and it is considered reef safe. Keepers with some experience managing water quality and stable calcium and alkalinity levels should find it a rewarding addition. It is not commonly seen in the hobby, so finding a well-established frag is worth the effort.