{"product_id":"blue-cyphastrea","title":"Blue Cyphastrea","description":"\u003cp\u003eCyphastrea is a classic encrusting coral that has been a staple in the reef hobby for years. As a member of the family Merulinidae, it shares traits with more familiar chalice corals but forms its own distinct, bumpy colonies with small, evenly spaced corallites. This particular variety has a deep blue base tissue that offers a cool contrast to the brighter polyps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a home reef, Blue Cyphastrea grows as an encrusting sheet, covering rockwork and conforming to the shape of the hardscape. The base tissue is a rich blue, while the individual polyps are typically a contrasting colour, often red or orange, creating a striking pattern across the colony's surface. Under lower light, the polyps will extend further, giving the coral a slightly fluffier look. It is a peaceful coral, but it grows steadily and will encrust over anything in its path.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCare for Cyphastrea is straightforward, making it a good candidate for those new to LPS corals. It prefers lower to moderate lighting, somewhere in the 75-150 PAR range, as intense light can cause the tissue to fade. Flow should be moderate and indirect to keep the surface clean without stressing the polyps. It can be placed on lower rockwork or even on the sandbed if it's attached to a plug or rubble. While it gets most of its nutrition from its zooxanthellae, it will benefit from occasional spot-feeding with fine coral foods. Maintain stable water parameters with calcium around 420-440 ppm, alkalinity at 8-9 dKH, and magnesium at 1300-1400 ppm. Because it's an encruster, give it space to grow away from other corals to avoid territorial battles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBlue Cyphastrea is an excellent choice for adding a splash of cool colour to the lower and middle regions of a mixed reef tank. Its steady but manageable growth rate means it can cover bare rock areas or frag plugs with a unique texture and pattern. Provided it has its own space and stable conditions, it will thrive and become a permanent feature of the aquascape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a WYSIWYG item, so you'll receive the exact specimen pictured.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Eastern Marine Aquariums","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42429159407671,"sku":"EMA-SPS-20260903-IH6W","price":50.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1849\/1739\/files\/66bf1b14-418d-474e-b4f1-bed6b4a380de-_MG_4705.png?v=1788468762","url":"https:\/\/easternmarineaquariums.co.nz\/products\/blue-cyphastrea","provider":"EasternMarine Aquariums","version":"1.0","type":"link"}