Great star coral
Montastraea cavernosa
Also known as Cavernosa, Great Star, Greater Star Coral, Caribbean Star Coral
SaltwaterCoral
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 73–81°F
- 23–27°C
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Adult size
- 11.8 in
- 30 cm
- Minimum tank
- 53 gal
- 200 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- Hard
- Rarity
- Common
- Reef safe
- Reef safe
- Family
- Montastraeidae
- Origin
- Native to Caribbean and western Atlantic reefs, from Florida and the Gulf of Mexico through the Caribbean to Brazil.
Overview
The great star coral is a large, slow-growing stony coral that sits low in a reef tank. It is easy to keep.
Did you know
The great star coral carries some of the longest sweeper tentacles of any Caribbean coral. It extends them at night to digest and clear away rivals that grow too close.
Caring for the great star coral
Give a great star coral a reef tank of at least 53 gal (200 L), since it grows large. It wants moderate light and moderate flow. Mount it low on the rockwork, where it has room to spread.
Standard reef chemistry suits it, at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C) and a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. Keep the alkalinity and calcium stable.
The coral hosts zooxanthellae but also feeds actively at night, extending its polyps and tentacles. Feed it mysis or other small meaty foods after dark, while the polyps are open.
The great star coral is reef safe and fine with others of its own kind. It still defends its space with sweeper tentacles that reach out after dark, so leave a clear buffer around the colony. It is hard to breed in a tank.
Good to know
The great star coral builds heavy domes and boulders studded with round corallites, each the size of a thumb tip and raised like a bump. By day a colony looks like a bumpy green, brown, red or orange mound. At night each polyp opens into a ring of tentacles that gives it a starry look. Green and orange fluorescent forms are the ones usually seen in the hobby. In current classification, Montastraea cavernosa is the only species in the family Montastraeidae. It is a favorite subject of coral research on bleaching and fluorescence.
In the wild
The great star coral is native to Caribbean and western Atlantic reefs, from Florida and the Gulf of Mexico through the Caribbean to Brazil. It is a major reef builder there, and wild colonies can grow into massive boulders several feet across.
Common questions
What size tank does a great star coral need?
A great star coral needs at least 53 gal (200 L).
What temperature and pH does a great star coral need?
A great star coral is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.
What does a great star coral eat?
A great star coral hosts zooxanthellae, but it also feeds actively at night. Offer it mysis or other small meaty foods after dark, once its polyps open.
How big does a great star coral get?
An adult great star coral reaches about 11.8 in (30 cm).
Related species
11.8 in (30 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Bubble coral
Plerogyra sinuosa
11.8 in (30 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)
11.8 in (30 cm)40 gal (150 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Cabbage leather coral
Sinularia dura
11.8 in (30 cm) · 40 gal (150 L)
11.8 in (30 cm)20 gal (75 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Cactus coral
Pavona cactus
11.8 in (30 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
11.8 in (30 cm)40 gal (150 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Devil's hand leather coral
Lobophytum
11.8 in (30 cm) · 40 gal (150 L)
11.8 in (30 cm)40 gal (150 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Flexible finger leather coral
Sinularia flexibilis
11.8 in (30 cm) · 40 gal (150 L)
11.8 in (30 cm)26 gal (100 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Hedgehog coral
Echinopora lamellosa
11.8 in (30 cm) · 26 gal (100 L)