{"id":3582,"date":"2026-02-16T23:29:02","date_gmt":"2026-02-16T23:29:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/product\/coral-sea-moon-hard-coral-gonlastrea-sp\/"},"modified":"2026-02-16T23:29:02","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T23:29:02","slug":"coral-sea-moon-hard-coral-gonlastrea-sp","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/?product=coral-sea-moon-hard-coral-gonlastrea-sp","title":{"rendered":"Coral Sea Moon Hard Coral Gonlastrea Sp"},"content":{"rendered":"

Coral Sea Moon Hard Coral (Goniastrea sp.)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

(Also known as Moon Coral, Brain Moon Coral, or Honeycomb Coral)<\/em><\/p>\n

Overview<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Coral Sea Moon Coral (Goniastrea<\/em> sp.) is a beautiful and durable large-polyp stony (LPS) coral<\/strong>, admired for its distinctive polygonal corallite structure<\/strong> that forms intricate, honeycomb-like patterns across rounded or encrusting colonies. Colours range from vivid green and brown<\/strong> to metallic teal, gold, or bicolour morphs<\/strong>, often with glowing mouths under blue or actinic lighting. This coral\u2019s dense skeletal structure and moderate care requirements make it a popular and reliable addition to both LPS and mixed reef aquariums.<\/p>\n

Origin<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Native to the Coral Sea, Great Barrier Reef, Fiji, Tonga, and Indonesia<\/strong>. Commonly found on shallow to mid-depth reef slopes<\/strong> and lagoonal reef flats<\/strong>, where it is exposed to moderate water movement and bright sunlight.<\/p>\n

Feeding<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Moon Coral is photosynthetic<\/strong>, containing symbiotic zooxanthellae<\/strong> that meet most of its nutritional needs. Nonetheless, supplemental feeding helps maintain vibrant colour and encourage growth. Feed 1\u20132 times per week<\/strong>with:<\/p>\n

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    Finely chopped meaty foods (mysis, brine shrimp, krill)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Marine snow or zooplankton blends<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    LPS coral micro foods or powdered plankton<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Feed at night or when the coral\u2019s feeding tentacles are visible.<\/p>\n

    Lighting<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Moderate to high lighting.<\/strong> Goniastrea<\/em> thrives under full-spectrum illumination from LED, T5, or metal halide<\/strong>systems.<\/p>\n

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    • \n

      PAR range: 100\u2013250 \u00b5mol\/m\u00b2\/s<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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      Gradually acclimate to higher light levels to prevent bleaching.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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      Blue and actinic lighting enhance its fluorescent mouth and ridge colours.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Water Flow<\/strong><\/h3>\n

      Moderate, indirect flow.<\/strong> Provide enough movement to keep detritus from settling while allowing polyps to expand comfortably. Avoid strong, direct currents that can cause tissue damage.<\/p>\n

      Placement<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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      • \n

        Position in the lower to middle regions<\/strong> of the aquarium.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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        Place on flat or gently sloping rockwork<\/strong> or sandy substrate<\/strong>, ensuring stable contact.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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        Allow 7\u201310 cm (3\u20134 inches)<\/strong> of spacing from other corals, as Goniastrea<\/em> can extend short sweeper tentacles at night.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Tank Mates<\/strong><\/h3>\n

        Reef safe with caution.<\/strong> Compatible with:<\/p>\n

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        • \n

          All reef-safe fish (clownfish, tangs, gobies, blennies, etc.)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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          Peaceful invertebrates (snails, shrimp, hermits, etc.)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

        • \n

          Other LPS and soft corals placed at a safe distance<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Avoid:<\/p>\n

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          • \n

            Aggressive corals (e.g., Galaxea, Euphyllia, Hydnophora)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

          • \n

            Large angelfish or butterflyfish that may nip at coral tissue<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            Aggression<\/strong><\/h3>\n

            Moderately aggressive.<\/strong> Goniastrea<\/em> can deploy short sweeper tentacles<\/strong> and allelopathic chemicals to defend its territory. Maintain adequate spacing to prevent coral warfare.<\/p>\n

            Experience Level<\/strong><\/h3>\n

            Beginner to intermediate.<\/strong> Hardy and adaptable, the Coral Sea Moon Coral is tolerant of a range of conditions provided water quality is stable. A great coral for aquarists expanding their LPS collections.<\/p>\n

            Water Parameters<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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            • \n

              Temperature:<\/strong> 24\u201327\u00b0C (75\u201381\u00b0F)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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              pH:<\/strong> 8.1\u20138.4<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              Salinity:<\/strong> 1.024\u20131.026 SG<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              Hardness (dKH):<\/strong> 8\u201312<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              Calcium:<\/strong> 400\u2013450 ppm<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              Magnesium:<\/strong> 1250\u20131350 ppm<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              Nitrate:<\/strong> <10 ppm<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              Tank Size:<\/strong> Minimum 75 gallons (280L)<\/strong> for stability and room to grow<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              Consistent alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium levels are vital for proper skeletal development and vibrant colour retention.<\/p>\n

              Reef Compatibility<\/strong><\/h3>\n

              Fully reef safe.<\/strong> The Coral Sea Moon Coral is a durable, eye-catching coral ideal for both beginner and experienced reef keepers. Its compact, patterned colonies provide texture and colour variation in reef displays while remaining peaceful and easy to maintain with proper spacing and lighting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              Coral Sea Moon Hard Coral (Goniastrea sp.) (Also known as Moon Coral, Brain Moon Coral, or Honeycomb Coral) Overview The Coral Sea Moon Coral (Goniastrea sp.) is a beautiful and durable large-polyp stony (LPS) coral, admired for its distinctive polygonal corallite structure that forms intricate, honeycomb-like patterns across rounded or encrusting colonies. Colours range from […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":3581,"template":"","meta":[],"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[74],"product_tag":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3582","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"product_cat-hard-corals","8":"first","9":"instock","10":"taxable","11":"shipping-taxable","12":"purchasable","13":"product-type-simple"},"group_of_quantity":0,"min_quantity":0,"max_quantity":"","exclude_order_quantity_value_rules":"no","exclude_category_quantity_rules":"no","combine_variations":"no","exclude_global_add_ons":[],"addons":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/product\/3582","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3581"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3582"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_brand&post=3582"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_cat&post=3582"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_tag&post=3582"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}