Pale Star Coral Care Guide
Pale Star Coral (Dipsastraea pallida) is a LPS coral. Care covers 75-175 PAR, medium flow, reef parameters and feeding; beginner level.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Pale Star Coral (Dipsastraea pallida) is a LPS coral in the family Merulinidae. Common beginner LPS with rounded corallites. Often green or tan; tolerates wide reef parameters.
Taxonomy
- Family: Merulinidae
- Genus: Dipsastraea
- Scientific name: Dipsastraea pallida
- Common synonyms: Dipsastraea pallida
Habitat
In the wild, Dipsastraea pallida is reported from Indo-Pacific, where it occupies mid to lower reef slopes and lagoons (typically 5-30 m). The species adopts a encrusting growth form on hard substrate within zooxanthellate reef communities.
Tank requirements
- Salinity (specific gravity): 1.024-1.026
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Carbonate hardness (dKH): 8-11
- Calcium: 400-450 ppm
- Magnesium: 1280-1350 ppm
- Phosphate (max): 0.03 ppm
- Nitrate (max): 5 ppm
- Minimum system age: 3 months
Placement and lighting
- PAR (placement zone): 75-175 PAR
- Water flow: medium
Mount this LPS coral on the lower or mid rockwork or on the sand bed (for free-living forms) where light is moderate. Strong direct flow can damage the fleshy tissue; aim for indirect, varied movement.
Feeding
Dipsastraea pallida hosts symbiotic zooxanthellae and derives most of its energy through photosynthesis. Supplemental target feeding accelerates growth and supports colouration; commonly accepted items include mysis, reef-roids. Feed once or twice per week after lights-out, when polyps are extended.
Compatibility
This coral is moderately aggressive toward neighbours. It extends sweeper tentacles capable of stinging adjacent corals, so leave generous spacing (10-20 cm) between colonies. Reef-safe with most fish and invertebrates.
Care notes
Difficulty level: beginner. Reported skeletal growth in well-tuned reef tanks is approximately 0.15-0.4 cm/month. Propagation by fragmentation is straightforward for encrusting colonies — separate branches or polyps with a bone cutter, glue to plug, allow 1-2 weeks for healing. Maintain stable alkalinity (avoid swings above ±0.5 dKH per day) to preserve tissue health.
Favia pallida (Pale Star Coral) Propagation Guide
Overview
Dipsastraea pallida, formerly Favia pallida, is a brain coral in the family Merulinidae with rounded plocoid corallites, each having its own wall. Favia colonies are massive or thickly encrusting, dome-shaped or flat, growing on a single connected skeleton. Propagation is therefore by dividing that skeleton, not by separating heads.
Reproductive Mode
The colony grows asexually as polyps bud and the separate-walled corallites multiply across the skeleton, all one genotype. Reef-building Merulinidae also reproduce sexually by releasing gametes for external fertilisation. Aquarium propagation relies on the asexual route.
Fragging / Asexual Propagation
- Choose a healthy colony and cut between the separate-walled corallites rather than through them.
- Saw the massive skeleton with a band saw, keeping several whole corallites per frag.
- Rinse skeletal dust and attach each frag cut-side down to a plug or rock.
- Recover in moderate flow under softened light until the edge tissues over.
Conditions for Propagation
- Stable alkalinity, calcium and magnesium for skeletal repair.
- Moderate, clean flow over the cut.
- Subdued light during early recovery.
- Low nutrients to keep exposed skeleton algae-free.
Sexual Reproduction
In nature these brain corals broadcast gametes into the water during synchronised spawning, with external fertilisation and larval settlement founding new colonies. This is not a routine aquarium propagation method.
Common Challenges
This is one of the more forgiving brain corals, tolerating a wide range of reef parameters, but a fresh cut still exposes skeleton that algae can colonise or that may recede if water quality dips. Cut cleanly between corallites and keep handling brief.