Lighting
60-160 PAR is a starting range; fleshy tissue should expand without paling, stretching, or pulling against skeleton.
LPSIntermediateCare score 6/10
Cynarina Coral
Cynarina lacrymalis
Cynarina Coral care and ID profile for single translucent fleshy polyp, large central mouth, overinflation damage or exposed skeleton, and practical placement decisions for mixed reef compatibility.
Compare single translucent fleshy polyp, 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
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: Liné1
Source: Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Liné1
Source: Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Alexander Vasenin
Source: Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY-SA 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
- 2-15 ppm
- Phosphate
- 0.03-0.1 ppm
Care
Care Notes
Flow
moderate indirect flow should move tissue gently without folding it into sharp skeleton or neighbors.
Stability
For Cynarina Coral, verify salinity and alkalinity trends before changing placement; repeated moves and direct corrective swings can irritate fleshy tissue.
Variability
Cynarina Coral 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
- single translucent fleshy polyp
- large central mouth
- inflated bubble-like tissue
Common colors
- Red
- Green
- Pink
- Teal
Similar coral references
How to tell apart
Often translucent and single-polyped with visible skeletal teeth when contracted. When Cynarina Coral is confused with Scolymia Coral and Bubble Coral, the useful clues are single translucent fleshy polyp, large central mouth, and inflated bubble-like tissue. 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 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.
Cynarina Coral overinflation damage or exposed skeletonOpen for symptoms, likely causes to check, and practical next steps.
Symptoms that may indicate it
- transparent fleshy tissue stretches, deflates, or catches on nearby rock
- Cynarina Coral 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
- sharp placement, excessive flow, or rough handling of delicate tissue
- recent placement, lighting, flow, or chemistry changes affecting Cynarina Coral
- possible irritation from neighbors, pests, detritus, or handling depending on the coral group
Quick checks
- check Cynarina Coral 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
- handle Cynarina Coral by the skeleton and protect its thin inflated tissue
- placing Cynarina Coral before confirming single translucent fleshy polyp and its spacing needs
- using Cynarina Coral color or trade name alone instead of comparing it with Scolymia Coral
- changing light, flow, and chemistry together when Cynarina Coral looks irritated
- ignoring fleshy tissue protection from direct flow when keeping Cynarina Coral
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 Cynarina Coral beginner friendly?
Cynarina Coral is better treated as intermediate because placement, flow, feeding response, or aggression can vary by specimen.
Where should Cynarina Coral be placed?
Start Cynarina Coral 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 Cynarina Coral?
Cynarina Coral 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 Cynarina Coral touch other corals?
Give Cynarina Coral 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 Cynarina Coral looks stressed?
Use this as a troubleshooting check. For Cynarina Coral, transparent fleshy tissue stretches, deflates, or catches on nearby rock and Cynarina Coral shows less normal extension, inflation, or feeding response than its recent baseline can indicate Cynarina Coral overinflation damage or exposed skeleton. Likely causes to check include sharp placement, excessive flow, or rough handling of delicate tissue and recent placement, lighting, flow, or chemistry changes affecting Cynarina Coral. Start with these database checks: check Cynarina Coral alkalinity trend and look for nearby stinging contact and reduce direct flow if tissue is pressed against skeleton.
What stability issue matters most for Cynarina Coral?
For Cynarina Coral, verify salinity and alkalinity trends before changing placement; repeated moves and direct corrective swings can irritate fleshy tissue. 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.
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Compare single translucent fleshy polyp, care range, and nearby lookalikes while checking an ID.
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