Blastomussa Care Guide: The Underdog LPS

Blastomussa: The LPS Nobody Talks About (But Should)

Blastomussa doesn't have the marketing department that Euphyllia does. No one's posting "blasto garden" updates on reef forums. But these chunky, colourful corals are some of the best LPS to keep, and they deserve way more attention.

Two Species, Both Great

Blastomussa wellsi

Larger polyps — each head roughly the size of a 10p coin or bigger
Fleshy, puffy appearance when fully inflated
Brilliant reds, greens, oranges, and some multicolour morphs
The one most often seen in shops

Blastomussa merletti

Smaller, more numerous polyps
Branching growth form
Often vivid red or green
Sometimes confused with Favia at a glance

Why Blastos Are Brilliant

Genuinely easy: Low light, low flow, tolerant of parameter fluctuations
Beautiful when inflated: A well-kept colony puffs up like little cushions with rich, saturated colours
Peaceful: No sweeper tentacle drama. Won't start wars with neighbours
Affordable: Even the nicer morphs won't break the bank
Responds to feeding: They visibly inflate and colour up with regular feeding

Care Requirements

Light: Low. 30–80 PAR is ideal. Perfect for those dim lower spots where nothing else wants to live.

Flow: Low and indirect. Just enough to prevent detritus settling on them.

Water parameters: Standard reef. Slightly elevated nitrates seem fine and may even help with colouration.

Feeding

Smaller food works best — Reef Roids, powdered coral food, finely chopped mysis. Feed at night when they extend their feeding tentacles. Target feeding with a pipette gives the best results. Twice a week is a good frequency.

Placement and Growth

Stick them low in the tank — sandbed level or lower rockwork. They need flat or gently sloping surfaces and room to expand outward. Growth is by budding new polyps from the base — not fast, but steady. A frag of 3–4 heads will become a nice mini colony within a year with consistent feeding.

Have a look at what's available from UK sellers. The colour range might be surprising, and at the price point, there's no reason not to try one.