{"id":5009,"date":"2026-02-17T05:26:30","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T05:26:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/product\/fringe-hard-coral-merulina-sp\/"},"modified":"2026-02-17T05:26:30","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T05:26:30","slug":"fringe-hard-coral-merulina-sp","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/?product=fringe-hard-coral-merulina-sp","title":{"rendered":"Fringe Hard Coral Merulina Sp"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fringe Hard Coral (Merulina sp.)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

(Also known as Lettuce Coral, Ruffled Coral, or Ridge Coral)<\/em><\/p>\n

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

The Fringe Coral (Merulina<\/em> sp.) is a visually striking small-polyp stony (SPS) coral<\/strong>, admired for its ruffled, leafy plates and ridged growth pattern<\/strong> that create elegant, wave-like forms. Colonies typically begin as encrusting bases<\/strong>before developing upright, frilled, or scroll-shaped plates<\/strong>, giving them a delicate, textured appearance. Colours range from cream and tan<\/strong> to green, purple, or pink<\/strong>, often with glowing edges under actinic lighting. Merulina<\/em> is relatively hardy for an SPS coral, thriving under strong flow and bright light, making it a beautiful mid-to-upper reef display coral.<\/p>\n

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

Native to the Coral Sea, Great Barrier Reef, Fiji, Tonga, and throughout the Indo-Pacific region<\/strong>. Found on upper reef slopes and lagoon edges<\/strong>, where it experiences strong, variable flow and bright natural sunlight.<\/p>\n

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

The Fringe Coral is photosynthetic<\/strong>, housing zooxanthellae<\/strong> that provide the majority of its energy through photosynthesis. While it does not require direct feeding, occasional supplementation supports growth and colour. Offer weekly feedings<\/strong> of:<\/p>\n

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    Marine snow or planktonic coral foods<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Phytoplankton and microplankton<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Amino acid and trace element supplements<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

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

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

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      PAR range: 150\u2013300 \u00b5mol\/m\u00b2\/s<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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

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      Blue-spectrum lighting enhances fluorescence and highlights the coral\u2019s frilled edges.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

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

      Moderate to strong, turbulent flow.<\/strong> Consistent water movement is vital to keep detritus from settling between folds and to promote gas exchange. Avoid direct laminar flow, which can stress the tissue along the ridges.<\/p>\n

      Placement<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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        Position in the middle to upper regions<\/strong> of the aquarium where both light and flow are strong.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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        Secure on flat or sloped rockwork<\/strong>, allowing space for horizontal and upward plate growth.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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        Avoid shaded areas, as reduced light can inhibit colouration and slow expansion.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

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

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

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

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          Invertebrates such as shrimp, snails, and hermit crabs<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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          Other SPS and peaceful LPS corals at appropriate spacing<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Avoid:<\/p>\n

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          • \n

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

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

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

            Peaceful.<\/strong> Merulina<\/em> does not possess long sweeper tentacles and will not harm nearby corals, but its delicate tissue can be damaged by more aggressive species. Maintain 5\u201310 cm (2\u20134 inches)<\/strong> of space from neighbours.<\/p>\n

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

            Intermediate.<\/strong> While Merulina<\/em> is more forgiving than some SPS corals, it still requires stable water parameters<\/strong>, strong flow<\/strong>, and consistent lighting<\/strong>. Suitable for aquarists with prior experience maintaining SPS or advanced LPS corals.<\/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

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

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

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

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

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              Nitrate:<\/strong> <5 ppm<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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              Phosphate:<\/strong> <0.03 ppm<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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              Tank Size:<\/strong> Minimum 100 gallons (380L)<\/strong> for stability and growth space<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              Strong nutrient control, consistent alkalinity, and excellent water quality are key to maintaining colour and preventing tissue recession.<\/p>\n

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

              Fully reef safe.<\/strong> The Fringe Coral is an eye-catching SPS species that adds unique structure and movement to reef aquariums. Its elegant, frilled plates create a natural reefscape effect and provide a beautiful contrast to branching and encrusting corals. When given space, light, and flow, Merulina<\/em> becomes a stunning highlight coral for established reef systems.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              Fringe Hard Coral (Merulina sp.) (Also known as Lettuce Coral, Ruffled Coral, or Ridge Coral) Overview The Fringe Coral (Merulina sp.) is a visually striking small-polyp stony (SPS) coral, admired for its ruffled, leafy plates and ridged growth pattern that create elegant, wave-like forms. Colonies typically begin as encrusting basesbefore developing upright, frilled, or scroll-shaped […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":5008,"template":"","meta":[],"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[74],"product_tag":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-5009","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\/5009","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\/5008"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5009"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_brand&post=5009"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_cat&post=5009"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_tag&post=5009"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}