Lighting
60-160 PAR is a practical starting range, but this group is classified inconsistently in the hobby; use observed tissue response over category labels.
LPSIntermediateCare score 6/10
Branching Cyphastrea
Cyphastrea decadia
Branching Cyphastrea reef coral guide focused on thin branching growth, lookalike separation from Meteor Shower Cyphastrea and Porites Coral, and early checks for placement stress or edge recession before changing light or flow.
Compare thin branching growth, care range, and nearby lookalikes while checking an ID.
Snapshot
Quick Care Snapshot
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Care score
- 6/10
- Placement
- Low
- PAR range
- 60-160 PAR
- Flow
- Moderate
- Aggression
- Moderate
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Minimum tank age
- 4 months
- Minimum tank size
- 20 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.
- Hobby grouping is inconsistent; page copy should explain the classification caveat.
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: Kerryn Johns
Source: Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY 4.0
One legally verified reference photo is attached to this entry.
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
- 2-15 ppm
- Phosphate
- 0.03-0.1 ppm
Care
Care Notes
Flow
moderate flow is a starting point; prioritize clean tissue and stable extension over matching an SPS/LPS label.
Stability
For Branching Cyphastrea, treat the listed category as a shortcut only; verify alkalinity, nutrient trend, and tissue response before changing care.
Variability
Branching Cyphastrea 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
- mysis, small meaty foods, LPS pellets
- Frequency
- weekly or when feeder tentacles are extended
ID
Identification
Key features
- thin branching growth
- small raised polyps
- Cyphastrea texture
Common colors
- Green
- Teal
- Orange
Similar coral references
How to tell apart
Separate Branching Cyphastrea from Meteor Shower Cyphastrea and Porites Coral by checking thin branching growth, small raised polyps, and Cyphastrea texture in normal white light. Then confirm growth form, tissue texture, polyp layout, and placement response; avoid using a trade name as the only ID evidence. Broad hobby labels can cover several genera, so keep species-level certainty conservative unless structure supports it.
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 4 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.
Branching Cyphastrea placement stress or edge recessionOpen for symptoms, likely causes to check, and practical next steps.
Symptoms that may indicate it
- edges pale, polyps retract, or tissue looks irritated near neighbors
- Branching Cyphastrea 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
- wrong placement, contact with aggressive corals, or sudden parameter change
- recent placement, lighting, flow, or chemistry changes affecting Branching Cyphastrea
- possible irritation from neighbors, pests, detritus, or handling depending on the coral group
Quick checks
- check Branching Cyphastrea 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
- verify exact care group before treating a mixed-label coral as beginner friendly
- placing Branching Cyphastrea before confirming thin branching growth and its spacing needs
- using Branching Cyphastrea color or trade name alone instead of comparing it with Meteor Shower Cyphastrea
- changing light, flow, and chemistry together when Branching Cyphastrea looks irritated
- ignoring confirming the actual growth form when keeping Branching Cyphastrea
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
Blastomussa
Blastomussa wellsi / Blastomussa merleti
- Category
- LPS
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Aggression
- Low
FAQs
FAQs
Is Branching Cyphastrea beginner friendly?
Branching Cyphastrea is better treated as intermediate because placement, flow, feeding response, or aggression can vary by specimen.
Where should Branching Cyphastrea be placed?
Start Branching Cyphastrea low in the tank or on the sand/low rockwork when its tissue form allows it. Use 60-160 PAR and moderate flow as a starting point, then adjust from tissue extension, color, and nearby coral response.
Should I target feed Branching Cyphastrea?
Branching Cyphastrea may benefit from careful target feeding with mysis, small meaty foods, and LPS pellets. Use the listed frequency as a starting point: weekly or when feeder tentacles are extended. Feed only when the coral accepts food and avoid forcing food into stressed tissue.
Can Branching Cyphastrea touch other corals?
Give Branching Cyphastrea about 4 inches of clearance as a starting point. Its database aggression level is Moderate. Use caution near Favia, Favites, and Chalice Coral. 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 Branching Cyphastrea looks stressed?
Use this as a troubleshooting check. For Branching Cyphastrea, edges pale, polyps retract, or tissue looks irritated near neighbors and Branching Cyphastrea shows less normal extension, inflation, or feeding response than its recent baseline can indicate Branching Cyphastrea placement stress or edge recession. Likely causes to check include wrong placement, contact with aggressive corals, or sudden parameter change and recent placement, lighting, flow, or chemistry changes affecting Branching Cyphastrea. Start with these database checks: check Branching Cyphastrea alkalinity trend and look for nearby stinging contact and reduce direct flow if tissue is pressed against skeleton.
What stability issue matters most for Branching Cyphastrea?
For Branching Cyphastrea, treat the listed category as a shortcut only; verify alkalinity, nutrient trend, and tissue response before changing care. The database lists 4 months as the minimum tank age and 20 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 Branching Cyphastrea.
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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 thin branching growth, care range, and nearby lookalikes while checking an ID.
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