Jingle Bells Cyphastrea (Cyphastrea sp.)

The Jingle Bells Cyphastrea, Cyphastrea sp., is a colourful encrusting stony coral, admired for its festive contrast, bright polyps and attractive textured growth pattern. Cyphastrea corals are popular for adding colour to lower-light areas of a reef aquarium, especially on rockwork, shaded edges and encrusting zones where many other corals may struggle. It is generally hardy once settled, making it a brilliant choice for a mature reef aquarium with stable parameters, gentle-to-moderate flow and lower lighting.

Common Name:
Jingle Bells Cyphastrea, Cyphastrea Coral, Encrusting Cyphastrea, Meteor Shower Style Coral.

Scientific Name (Latin):
Cyphastrea sp.

Coral Type:
LPS Coral

Growth Form:
Encrusting stony coral growth form, spreading across rockwork and hard surfaces with small raised corallites and contrasting polyps.

Water Type:
Marine

Origin / Natural Habitat:
Cyphastrea-style corals are found in Indo-Pacific reef habitats, often growing over hard reef surfaces, shaded rockwork, reef slopes and lower-light areas where they can encrust across stable surfaces. In aquariums, they are best placed on secure rockwork where they have room to spread without being crowded by faster-growing or more aggressive neighbouring corals.

Water Parameters:
Temperature: 24–26°C
pH Range: 8.1–8.4
Salinity: SG 1.024–1.026
Alkalinity: 7–10 dKH
Calcium: 400–450 ppm
Magnesium: 1250–1350 ppm
Nitrate: Low but detectable
Phosphate: Low but detectable

Lighting:
Low
Jingle Bells Cyphastrea generally does best under low to low-medium reef lighting. Avoid placing it directly under intense lighting without very slow acclimation, as excessive light can cause fading, bleaching or tissue stress. Lower placement, shaded edges or indirect light zones are usually safest.

Flow:
Medium
Moderate, indirect flow is ideal. Flow should be enough to keep the surface clean and prevent detritus settling between the corallites, but not so harsh that the tissue is irritated or unable to extend properly.

Placement:
Best placed on stable rockwork, shaded ledges or lower-to-middle areas of the aquarium. Allow space for the coral to encrust naturally across nearby surfaces. Avoid placing directly next to aggressive LPS corals or fast-growing corals that may overgrow or sting it.

Temperament / Aggression:
Peaceful to semi-aggressive
Jingle Bells Cyphastrea is not usually one of the most aggressive corals, but it can encrust over nearby surfaces and may irritate corals it contacts. Give it space from neighbouring corals to reduce competition and prevent tissue damage.

Feeding:
Photosynthetic, but benefits from feeding
This coral receives much of its energy from lighting through its symbiotic zooxanthellae, but it can benefit from occasional fine coral foods. Suitable feeds include powdered coral foods, reef roids-style foods, amino acids, fine zooplankton and other small-particle reef feeds. Feed lightly and avoid excess food settling on the coral.

Growth Rate:
Moderate
Growth is usually steady in stable reef systems with consistent alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, lighting and flow. Once established, Cyphastrea can encrust well across suitable surfaces, especially when kept away from harsh lighting and unstable parameters.

Special Requirements or Care Notes:
Best kept in a mature, stable reef aquarium with consistent water chemistry and lower lighting. Avoid sudden increases in light intensity, unstable alkalinity, detritus build-up and direct coral aggression. Dip and acclimate carefully before adding to the aquarium, and monitor for tissue recession, fading, pest irritation or shading from faster-growing corals.

Suitable for:
Beginner to Intermediate reefkeepers

Availability:
Regularly available in the coral trade / Availability can vary depending on colour intensity, pattern, supplier naming and season.

All images are a visual representation of the coral you will receive, made to be as accurate as possible. Please note that Mother Nature is a wonderful thing, and variation in patterns, colours and growth form will occur — that is part of the unique beauty of these animals.

Jingle Bells Cyphastrea - Cyphastrea sp.