This guide is structured for reef keepers who want the husbandry targets first, then the inventory. Use it to decide whether the coral fits your system before you buy or move it.
What this coral wants
Micromussa and blastomussa corals do best in stable, lower-energy zones where the flesh can stay inflated and feeding response stays reliable. They reward measured nutrients, gentle flow, and restraint more than aggressive lighting.
At a glance
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Coral Type: LPS
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Scientific Name: Micromussa spp. / Blastomussa spp.
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Care Level: Moderate
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Light: 60 to 120 PAR
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Flow: Low to moderate, indirect flow
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Placement: Lower to mid-level ledges with gentle tissue movement
Target water chemistry
These are Lunar Tide Aquatics holding targets for stability, then cross-checked against peer-reviewed coral physiology literature on flow, calcification, feeding, and nutrient stress.
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Temperature: 77 to 78.5 F
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Salinity: 1.025 to 1.026 specific gravity
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Alkalinity: 8.0 to 9.0 dKH
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Calcium: 420 to 460 ppm
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Magnesium: 1280 to 1380 ppm
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Nitrate: 5 to 15 ppm
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Phosphate: 0.03 to 0.10 ppm
Light, flow, and placement
Light: 60 to 120 PAR. Flow: Low to moderate, indirect flow. Placement: Lower to mid-level ledges with gentle tissue movement.
Use a lower-to-mid placement with enough indirect flow to keep the tissue clean without folding it back over sharp skeleton. If a colony looks tight or faded, reduce light and confirm the coral is not being overpowered by nearby pumps or nighttime aggression.
Small, repeatable feeding sessions and a stable alkalinity band usually do more for tissue expansion than constant repositioning. Let the coral settle, watch nighttime extension, and adjust slowly.
Feeding and acclimation
Feeding: Target feed fine meaty foods 1 to 2 times weekly.
Acclimation: Start lower, confirm polyp inflation, then move upward only if the coral asks for more light.
What to watch
Stability target: Stable alkalinity and measurable nutrients support inflation and color.
Watch for: Too much direct light, tissue abrasion, and hungry neighbors after lights out.
How Lunar Tide uses this guide
We use these ranges as decision support, not as random numbers to chase. Stable chemistry, predictable placement, and consistent observation usually outperform aggressive adjustments after a coral lands.
If you are ready to compare this husbandry target against what is currently available, browse the current LPS Corals. There are currently 83 pieces in that group.
Scientific references
- Jokiel PL (1978), Effects of water motion on reef corals
- Anthony KRN and Fabricius KE (2000), Shifting roles of heterotrophy and autotrophy in coral energetics under varying turbidity
- Houlbrèque F and Ferrier-Pagès C (2009), Heterotrophy in tropical scleractinian corals
- Holcomb M, Tambutté E, Allemand D and Tambutté S (2014), Light enhanced calcification in Stylophora pistillata
- Jokiel PL (2013), Coral reef calcification: carbonate, bicarbonate and proton flux under conditions of increasing ocean acidification
- Page TM, D'Angelo C, Wiedenmann J and Foster GL (2025), Changes in host gene expression patterns underpin responses of the coral Stylophora pistillata to nutrient stress
Current availability
Use this guide against live inventory
The care guidance lives here. When you're ready to compare it against the corals currently available from Lunar Tide, jump straight into the matching collection.
