Blushing Star Coral

About

Blushing star coral (Stephanocoenia intersepta) is a small-eyed stony coral native to reef environments across the Western Central Atlantic, where it turns up everywhere from the shallows down to considerable depth. In the wild it forms rounded to encrusting colonies, and the common name comes from a pinkish blush the tissue can display. A subtle coloration that sets it apart from the more muted tones of many similar star corals. The individual corallites are notably small and tightly packed, giving colonies a fine-grained texture that makes identification fairly straightforward once you know what to look for. In the aquarium this is a coral best suited to experienced reefers. It wants strong, consistent water movement and intense lighting to replicate the high-energy reef zones it calls home, and it does not forgive lapses in water quality the way some hardier SPS corals might. It is considered reef safe and poses no particular threat to neighbors, but placement matters. Give it room and keep it away from aggressive neighboring colonies. If you can meet its demands, it is a genuinely interesting and less commonly kept piece of Atlantic reef biology that rewards patient, attentive care.