Doughnut Coral

 Quick Care Facts

• Care Level: Easy   • Temperament: Peaceful   • Waterflow: Low
• Placement: Bottom to Middle   • Lighting: Moderate   • Color Form: Brown, Green, Red, Pastels
 • Supplements: Calcium, Strontium, Trace Elements   • Water Conditions: 72-78º F; sg 1.023-1.025; pH 8.1-8.4
• Origin: Indo-Pacific   • Family: Mussidae   • Species: LPS Hard Corals

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The Cynarina Button Coral is a large polyp stony (LPS) coral that is also commonly referred to as Cat's Eye, Tooth, Doughnut, Teary Eye, or Meat Coral. The Cynarina Button Coral resembles an artichoke in appearance, it is one of the largest single-polyped coral found in the wild. It's coloration can vary from different forms of bright vibrant pastels to more drab variations. The Cynarina Button Coral is non-aggressive in nature, but like most corals, requires adequate space in which to expand sweeper tentacles and such in order to feed.

In the case of the Cynarina Button Coral a space large enough to allow the coral to expand to twice it's size is required. Compared to many corals available on the market this space consideration is very modest, which allows for a variety of placements for the Cynarina Button Coral within a reef aquarium. The combination of both its hardiness and its ease of placement make this coral an excellent choice for beginning reef aquarists, while its brilliant coloration and unique shape make it an interesting specimen for advanced reef aquarists as well.

The Cynarina Button Coral only expands to about twice its normal size for feeding, which allows for diverse placement within any reef aquarium. The Cynarina Button Coral is a relatively easy specimen to maintain, which makes it an excellent choice for the beginning reef aquarist. It requires only medium lighting and low water movement, which allows for very diverse placement. Like most corals the Cynarina Button Coral will benefit from the addition of calcium, strontium, and other trace elements to the water. Supplemental feedings of brine shrimp or mico-plankton with the aquarium lights turned off will greatly benefit this species.

Along with medium lighting and low water movement the Cynarina Button Coral requires supplemental feedings of micro-plankton, brine shrimp or similar meaty foods. Like most corals the Cynarina Button Coral will also benefit from the addition of calcium, strontium, and other trace elements to the water.