Cynarina Coral – Green & Gold
The Cushion Coral (Cynarina lacrymalis) is a beautiful solitary LPS coral known for its oversized fleshy polyp, inflated appearance and rich colouration.
Available in Green and Gold, these corals make fantastic feature pieces for the lower areas of a reef aquarium. When fully expanded, the tissue can extend well beyond the underlying skeleton, giving the coral its distinctive soft, cushion-like appearance.
Care Information
Scientific Name: Cynarina lacrymalis
Common Names: Cushion Coral, Button Coral, Meat Coral
Coral Type: LPS
Care Level: Easy to Moderate
Lighting: Low to Moderate
Recommended PAR: Approximately 50–150
Water Flow: Low, gentle and indirect
Placement: Sandbed or lower rockwork
Temperament: Generally Peaceful
Feeding: Photosynthetic with supplemental feeding recommended
Aquarium Placement
Cushion Corals are best positioned on the sandbed or very low in the aquarium, where they receive gentle lighting and minimal direct flow.
Avoid placing them against sharp rockwork, as the large fleshy polyp can expand considerably and may be damaged if repeatedly rubbed against rough surfaces.
Gentle indirect flow should provide enough water movement to keep the coral clean while allowing it to remain fully inflated.
Feeding
Although photosynthetic, Cynarina lacrymalis responds well to occasional target feeding.
Suitable foods include:
- Mysis shrimp
- LPS coral pellets
- Finely chopped marine seafood
- Enriched brine shrimp
- Other appropriately sized meaty coral foods
Feeding once or twice per week can help maintain strong tissue condition and healthy growth.
Impressive Polyp Expansion
One of the defining features of Cushion Coral is just how much it can inflate.
A healthy specimen may expand significantly beyond the visible skeleton during the day, creating a large, soft-looking polyp with translucent or intensely coloured tissue.
Make sure to allow plenty of room around the coral when choosing its permanent position.
Stable Reef Conditions
Maintain consistent:
- Calcium
- Alkalinity
- Magnesium
- Salinity
- Temperature
- Nitrate and phosphate
As with most fleshy LPS corals, stability is particularly important. Avoid sudden changes in lighting, salinity or alkalinity.
With its large inflated polyp, bold Green or Gold colouration and impressive foreground presence, the Cushion Coral is an outstanding feature LPS for a mature reef aquarium.
Colour, pattern, expansion and exact size may vary between individual specimens.
