Starry Night Merletti (Blastomussa merleti)

The Starry Night Merletti is an attractive LPS coral known for its compact, fleshy polyps and striking contrast under reef lighting. Individual polyps develop on slender branching skeletons, creating a clustered appearance as the colony matures. The Starry Night variety is especially appealing for its darker base coloration contrasted by brighter centers and highlights, producing a speckled, almost star-like appearance when viewed under blue-spectrum lighting.

Compared with the larger polyps of Blastomussa wellsi, Blastomussa merleti produces noticeably smaller corallites and can develop into dense clusters as new polyps form around established growth. Its manageable size, relatively peaceful nature, and ability to thrive without intense lighting make it an excellent choice for both mixed reefs and dedicated LPS displays.

Recommended Care

Scientific Name: Blastomussa merleti
Common Name: Starry Night Merletti, Merletti Blasto
Care Level: Easy to Moderate
Lighting: Low to Moderate — approximately 50–120 PAR
Water Flow: Low to Moderate — gentle, indirect flow that keeps the polyps moving slightly without causing them to remain contracted
Placement: Lower to Middle aquarium
Temperament: Peaceful to Semi-Aggressive
Growth Form: Branching LPS with clusters of individual fleshy polyps
Feeding: Primarily photosynthetic; benefits from occasional supplemental feeding

Placement & Flow

Place the Starry Night Merletti on lower to middle rockwork where it receives gentle, indirect circulation. Its fleshy polyps should remain comfortably expanded rather than being pushed tightly against their skeleton by strong current.

Although Blastomussa is generally less aggressive than many other LPS corals, provide adequate room between it and neighboring corals. This also gives the colony space to develop new polyps around its branching skeleton without being shaded or stung by more aggressive species.

Lighting

The Starry Night Merletti performs well under low to moderate lighting of approximately 50–120 PAR. High-intensity lighting is generally unnecessary, and specimens accustomed to lower light should be acclimated gradually before being exposed to stronger illumination.

Under blue-spectrum reef lighting, the contrasting pigments and fluorescent highlights of the Starry Night coloration can become particularly noticeable. A balanced reef spectrum will provide a more natural representation of its overall coloration.

Feeding

Starry Night Merletti is primarily photosynthetic, receiving much of its nutritional requirements from symbiotic dinoflagellates within its tissue. Supplemental feeding is not essential when maintained under appropriate lighting and stable water conditions, but occasional target feeding can support healthy tissue and colony growth.

Offer small portions of mysis shrimp, finely chopped marine foods, enriched brine shrimp, or appropriately sized LPS coral foods when the feeding tentacles are extended. Because B. merleti has relatively small polyps, appropriately sized foods are preferable to large pieces.

With its compact polyp structure, contrasting Starry Night coloration, and approachable care requirements, the Starry Night Merletti is an excellent choice for adding detailed color and texture to an LPS or mixed reef. As the colony develops, its clusters of smaller fleshy polyps create an increasingly impressive display without requiring the space of many larger LPS corals.