Cup Coral

About

Found across tropical Pacific reef environments, Tubastraea faulkneri is a non-photosynthetic cup coral. Meaning it gets zero energy from light and relies entirely on direct feeding to survive. That single fact defines everything about keeping it. Unlike most corals in the hobby, this one actually prefers low-light spots: overhangs, caves, shaded ledges, and the undersides of rockwork. Its bold coloration, typically vivid orange or yellow polyps against a matching skeletal base, makes it a real conversation piece when positioned well in a display. The polyps expand noticeably at feeding time, which usually means after the lights go down, though many hobbyists train them to open during the day with consistent target feeding. And that's the catch. This coral genuinely needs to be fed regularly with meaty foods like mysis, enriched brine, or coral-specific preparations. Skip feedings for too long and the colony will slowly decline regardless of how well everything else is dialed in. It's not an impossible animal to keep, but it demands more active involvement than a typical photosynthetic coral, making it best suited to keepers who are already comfortable with a consistent maintenance routine.