250 Blastomussa merletti (often called the pineapple coral) is a popular, hardy Large Polyp Stony (LPS) coral valued for its small, dome-shaped fleshy polyps and bright, contrasting colors.
Optimal Water Parameters
- Temperature: 76°F – 80°F (24°C – 27°C)
- Salinity: 1.024 – 1.026 SG
- pH: 8.0 – 8.4
- Alkalinity (dKH): 8 – 11 dKH
- Calcium: 400 – 450 ppm
- Magnesium: 1250 – 1350 ppm
- Nitrate: 2 – 10 ppm (wants clean water, not zero nutrients)
- Phosphate: 0.02 – 0.1 ppm
Lighting, Flow, and Placement
- Lighting: Low to moderate intensity (50–100 PAR). Blastomussa merletti prefers dim-to-moderate lighting. Too much light can cause bleaching, retraction, or strange fluid-filled bubbles in the flesh.
- Water Flow: Low to moderate flow. The flow should be enough to keep detritus from settling on the fleshy polyps, but not so intense that it damages or tears the tissue.
- Placement: The lower third of the aquarium—either on the sandbed or on lower rockwork. Leave 3 to 4 inches of spacing from aggressive neighboring corals (like torches or hammers) to prevent stinging.
Feeding and Nutrition
- Photosynthesis: They get a large portion of their energy from zooxanthellae (light), meaning direct feeding is optional.
- Target Feeding: Feeding 1 to 3 times a week accelerates growth, deepens colors, and keeps the polyps plump. Use meaty foods like mysis shrimp, enriched brine shrimp, finely chopped krill, or coral foods like Reef Roids.
Temperament and Tank Mates
- Temperament: Peaceful and non-aggressive with a very mild to non-existent sting.
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