Larger Star Coral

About

The Larger Star Coral (Paragoniastrea russelli) is a reef-building stony coral found across a wide sweep of the Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea and East African coast out through the Philippines and into the central Pacific. In the wild it grows across shallow reef flats down to around 40 meters, placing it among the more adaptable large-polyp stony corals in terms of depth tolerance. Its colony structure is typically massive or submassive, with the characteristic star-shaped corallite patterns that give this group their common name. Neat, repeating geometric septa visible across the colony surface. Coloration tends toward muted greens, browns, and grays, reflecting the zooxanthellae that supply much of its energy through photosynthesis. In the aquarium, Paragoniastrea russelli falls into intermediate territory. Not a beginner's first coral, but not a demanding specialist either. It appreciates moderate light and a steady, gentle flow that keeps detritus from settling on the colony without blasting the tissue. Like other large-polyp stony corals it benefits from occasional target feeding, though it's primarily photosynthetic. Give it space, stable water quality, and consistent conditions and it tends to reward patience with slow, steady growth.