Starry Cup Coral

About

The Starry Cup Coral (Sclerophyllia maxima) is a large-polyped stony coral native to the Western Indian Ocean, with its range running from the Persian Gulf down toward the coast of Somalia. In the wild it tends to favor moderately deep, turbid conditions rather than the clear, bright shallows where many reef corals thrive, which makes it a bit of an outlier among SPS corals. Colonies are cerioid in structure, meaning the individual corallites share walls, and each corallite can reach a generous 50 millimeters across. When fully expanded, the fleshy polyp mantle can spread to around 100 millimeters, giving the coral a soft, almost brain-coral look reminiscent of Lobophyllia. Coloration tends toward earthy tones, greens, greys, and browns, rather than anything flashy, but the bold texture of the extended polyps gives it a presence in the tank. The coarsely toothed septa are visible when polyps retract. Because it comes from low-light, low-flow environments in nature, it adapts well to moderate lighting and gentle water movement, and its beginner-friendly care rating reflects that forgiving temperament. It is considered reef safe and should pose no threat to neighboring corals as long as it has room to expand.