The ACI Gold Medal Cyphastrea (Cyphastrea sp., cultured and lineaged by ACI Aquaculture) is a vibrant, highly sought-after encrusting Small Polyp Stony (SPS) coral celebrated for its unusual golden pigmentation. While most Cyphastrea varieties display red, blue, or green hues, this cultivar stands out with an intense metallic gold-to-yellow coenosteum (base tissue) studded with raised, bright yellow-green corallites and delicate polyps.
Coloration: Bright metallic gold to chartreuse base tissue, studded with glowing yellow or soft green corallites and fine, pale oral centers.
Growth Pattern: Encrusting (forms a smooth, continuous skeletal sheet that molds tightly over rockwork, ceramic plugs, glass walls, and frag tiles). Sold as a frag on a 0.5 – 1 inch frag plug.
Lighting: Low to Moderate (PAR 50–125).
Water Flow: Moderate to High (Randomized multi-directional current to keep the low-profile polyp mat clean from detritus).
Feeding: Micro-particulate feeder; extends fine feeder tentacles primarily at night to capture liquid amino acids, micro-plankton powders, and fine particulate reef feeds.
Aggressiveness: Peaceful to Semi-Aggressive (lacks long stinging sweeper tentacles, but can steadily encrust over slower-growing static neighbors).
Care Level: Easy to Moderate (Exceptionally hardy and adaptable once acclimated, making it one of the easiest SPS corals to keep in a mature system).
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