Lighting
40-120 PAR is a starting range; fleshy tissue should expand without paling, stretching, or pulling against skeleton.
LPSBeginnerCare score 4/10
Blastomussa
Blastomussa wellsi / Blastomussa merleti
Blastomussa LPS guide focused on fleshy round polyps, lookalike separation from Acan Coral and Candy Cane Coral, and early checks for fleshy tissue recession or weak inflation before changing light or flow.
Compare fleshy round polyps, care range, and nearby lookalikes while checking an ID.
Snapshot
Quick Care Snapshot
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Care score
- 4/10
- Placement
- Low
- PAR range
- 40-120 PAR
- Flow
- Low
- Aggression
- Low
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Minimum tank age
- 3 months
- Minimum tank size
- 10 gallons
Care note
This entry has low confidence or is marked for expert review. Treat the ranges as conservative starting points and compare them with your own system.
- Verify taxonomy before species-level SEO or care claims.
Images
Reference Photos
Photos are shown only when a source includes reusable license metadata. Always verify appearance against the coral in your own lighting and flow.
Primary reference: Bondolo
Source: Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: IRD - Benzoni, F.
Source: Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY 3.0
Photo: IRD - Benzoni, F.
Source: Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY 3.0
Ranges
Water Parameters
These ranges are approximate starting points from the coral database and should be adjusted to the stability and history of your system.
- Temperature
- 76-80 F / 24.4-26.7 C
- Salinity
- 1.024-1.026
- Alkalinity
- 8-9.5 dKH
- Calcium
- 400-460 ppm
- Magnesium
- 1250-1400 ppm
- Nitrate
- 3-20 ppm
- Phosphate
- 0.03-0.12 ppm
Care
Care Notes
Flow
low indirect flow should move tissue gently without folding it into sharp skeleton or neighbors.
Stability
For Blastomussa, verify salinity and alkalinity trends before changing placement; repeated moves and direct corrective swings can irritate fleshy tissue.
Variability
Blastomussa requirements vary by specimen, aquaculture history, shipping stress, and tank maturity; use these ranges as starting points, not guarantees.
Feeding
Feeding
- Benefits from feeding
- Yes
- Food types
- small meaty foods, mysis, LPS pellets
- Frequency
- weekly if polyps inflate and accept food
ID
Identification
Key features
- fleshy round polyps
- separate skeletal cups
- inflated soft appearance
Common colors
- Red
- Green
- Purple
- Blue
Similar coral references
How to tell apart
Blastomussa often has larger inflated polyps than acans and lacks the trumpet branch shape of candy cane coral. When Blastomussa is confused with Acan Coral and Candy Cane Coral, the useful clues are fleshy round polyps, separate skeletal cups, and inflated soft appearance. Color is secondary; structure, expansion pattern, and the first place tissue irritation appears are more reliable. Because trade photos can exaggerate color, skeleton shape, polyp layout, and expansion pattern are stronger clues than color alone.
Placement
Compatibility
Compatibility depends on specimen size, flow, growth, aggression, and spacing. Use these references conservatively and watch for contact over time.
Usually compatible with spacing
Use caution near
Avoid close placement with
Spacing recommendation: keep about 2 inches of clearance, then adjust based on extension and neighboring coral response.
Troubleshooting
Common Problems
Use these as troubleshooting checks, not a diagnosis. Symptoms may point to more than one issue.
Blastomussa fleshy tissue recession or weak inflationOpen for symptoms, likely causes to check, and practical next steps.
Symptoms that may indicate it
- polyps inflate less, exposed skeleton appears, or feeding response weakens
- Blastomussa shows less normal extension, inflation, or feeding response than its recent baseline
- changes are localized rather than a confirmed single-cause condition
Likely causes to check
- alkalinity swings, direct flow, stinging contact, or abrasion
- recent placement, lighting, flow, or chemistry changes affecting Blastomussa
- possible irritation from neighbors, pests, detritus, or handling depending on the coral group
Quick checks
- check Blastomussa alkalinity trend and look for nearby stinging contact
- reduce direct flow if tissue is pressed against skeleton
- increase spacing and observe the coral under white light and after lights out
Checklist
Common Mistakes
- protect fleshy LPS tissue from direct flow and sharp rock
- placing Blastomussa before confirming fleshy round polyps and its spacing needs
- using Blastomussa color or trade name alone instead of comparing it with Acan Coral
- changing light, flow, and chemistry together when Blastomussa looks irritated
- ignoring fleshy tissue protection from direct flow when keeping Blastomussa
Compare
Similar Corals
Neighbors
Compatible Corals
These corals are usually compatible with spacing, observation, and stable conditions. This is not a guarantee.
Usually compatible with spacing
Acan Coral
Micromussa lordhowensis
- Category
- LPS
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Aggression
- Moderate
Usually compatible with spacing
Candy Cane Coral
Caulastrea furcata
- Category
- LPS
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Aggression
- Low
Usually compatible with spacing
Duncan Coral
Duncanopsammia axifuga
- Category
- LPS
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Aggression
- Low
FAQs
FAQs
Is Blastomussa beginner friendly?
Blastomussa can be beginner friendly in a stable reef, but still needs acclimation, space, and observation after moves.
Where should Blastomussa be placed?
Start Blastomussa low in the tank or on the sand/low rockwork when its tissue form allows it. Use 40-120 PAR and low flow as a starting point, then adjust from tissue extension, color, and nearby coral response.
Should I target feed Blastomussa?
Blastomussa may benefit from careful target feeding with small meaty foods, mysis, and LPS pellets. Use the listed frequency as a starting point: weekly if polyps inflate and accept food. Feed only when the coral accepts food and avoid forcing food into stressed tissue.
How much space does Blastomussa need?
Give Blastomussa about 2 inches of clearance as a starting point. Its database aggression level is Low. Use caution near Chalice Coral, Favia, and Favites. Avoid close placement with Torch Coral and Elegance Coral. Compatibility is not a guarantee, so check contact points as colonies expand.
What should I check if Blastomussa looks stressed?
Use this as a troubleshooting check. For Blastomussa, polyps inflate less, exposed skeleton appears, or feeding response weakens and Blastomussa shows less normal extension, inflation, or feeding response than its recent baseline can indicate Blastomussa fleshy tissue recession or weak inflation. Likely causes to check include alkalinity swings, direct flow, stinging contact, or abrasion and recent placement, lighting, flow, or chemistry changes affecting Blastomussa. Start with these database checks: check Blastomussa alkalinity trend and look for nearby stinging contact and reduce direct flow if tissue is pressed against skeleton.
What stability issue matters most for Blastomussa?
For Blastomussa, verify salinity and alkalinity trends before changing placement; repeated moves and direct corrective swings can irritate fleshy tissue. The database lists 3 months as the minimum tank age and 10 gallons as the minimum tank size. For LPS-style care, protect fleshy tissue from repeated moves, direct flow, and abrupt chemistry corrections.
Coral Identifier
Identify Blastomussa.
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Use the app to compare photos, lookalikes, and key visual clues when you want a second pass on an ID.
Compare fleshy round polyps, care range, and nearby lookalikes while checking an ID.
Photo-based coral IDReference photosLikely matches
