Cold Shoulder Coelastrea

Name: Cold Shoulder Coelastrea
Brand: New Dawn Aquaculture
Price: 39.99 CAD
Availability: InStock

$39.99

Cold Shoulder Coelastrea

Coelastrea palauensis

Care Level	Easy
Lighting	Low - Medium
Water Flow	Medium

Coelastrea

Coelastrea is a genus of corals that often gets confused and misidentified in the marine aquarium trade. You can find these corals being labelled as Favias, Favities, or Goniastreas. There are 3 species that belong to this genus, C. aspera, C. tenuis, and C. palauensis. One of the main defining features of this genus is the honeycomb shape that the colonies take on as they grow, this is due to the deep polygonal polyps.

Coelastrea palauensis is a relatively uncommon coral in the wild that favours turbid habitats. This is the Coelastrea species most often seen in the hobby as it's sought out by Australian divers for its distinctive and often contrasting colour pattern.

These corals are an easy to keep LPS coral and are a great place for beginners to start. You can also keep multiple palauensis near each other without having to worry about aggression between the colonies. We've grown multiple of our strains together and the polyps from each colony grow into each other like a zipper.

Water Chemistry

Coelastrea is forgiving of swings in water parameters, but they should be kept in a mature reef aquarium that has stable water parameters. While we have our preferred parameters for Alkalinity, Calcium, and Magnesium, Coelastrea will do far better in your system if you just focus on keeping the water chemistry stable. If your Alkalinity, Calcium, or Magnesium is out of line, our recommendation is to get it back to your target levels as slowly as possible.

The parameters we aim for are:

Alkalinity	8.3 dKH
Calcium	440 ppm
Magnesium	1350 ppm

We maintain these levels by use of dosing pumps, with Brightwell Aquatics Reef Code A and Reef Code B.

It's important to understand that these are the levels that we aim for in our LPS system. However, that doesn't mean they are the right levels for your system. All aquariums are different and your system may naturally fall on a different balance. You're better off working with the balance your system tends towards than trying to force the same levels that we run.

Flow

We farm our Coelastrea strains in medium to high flow, unlike a lot of other LPS corals they don't seem to mind high flow and remain nice and puffy even under intense flow conditions. We've also kept our Coelastrea strains in lower flow, they do well in those conditions as well and there was no noticeable difference in colouration. Our recommendation is to provide these corals with enough flow to keep them clear of detritus.

Lighting

These corals do not need a lot of light, while you can slowly adapt them to higher light conditions we find lower light levels of 80-120 PAR is a good range for them and keeps them happy.

Our Water Parameters

Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-78 °F)
Salinity: 1.026 SG, 35 ppt
PH: 8.1-8.4
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppb
Nitrate: 3-15ppm
Phosphate: 0.03-0.15 ppm
Alkalinity: 8 dKH
Calcium: 440 ppm
Magnesium: 1320 ppm

Acclimation

Temperature Match

Float the sealed bag containing the coral in your tank for 15-20 minutes. This allows the coral to gradually reach the same temperature as your aquarium, minimizing temperature-related stress.

Prepare and Dip Coral

To ensure the health and safety of your new coral, prepare a dip solution using tank water and a coral dip product, following the dip’s instructions for dosage and timing. This precautionary dip helps protect your tank by eliminating any potential hitchhikers. Keep an eye on the coral during the process to confirm it’s responding well.

Rinse in Tank Water

After the dip, rinse the coral thoroughly in a separate container filled with clean tank water. This step removes any residual dip solution, preventing it from entering your display tank and ensuring the coral is safe to be introduced.

Introduce Coral

Carefully position the coral in your tank, ideally on a rock or suitable location based on the coral’s needs. Make sure the placement allows proper flow and lighting according to the coral species. Monitor the coral for the next few hours to ensure it adjusts well.

How We Pack Livestock

At New Dawn Aquaculture, we take every step to ensure your marine life arrives alive and thriving!

Carefully Packed for a Safe Journey

Livestock is hand-packed in sealed oxygen-filled bags with fresh saltwater.
Insulated coolers with heat or ice packs keep conditions stable, regardless of weather.
Built to handle up to 48 hours in transit.

Fast Delivery, Every Time

We ship FedEx Priority Overnight so your marine life arrives the next day, reducing stress and maximizing health.

Our Promise

Healthy, vibrant marine life delivered to your door, guaranteed. Shop with peace of mind—your aquarium deserves the best!

Arrive Alive Guarantee Policy

At New Dawn Aquaculture, we guarantee that your livestock arrives alive and healthy—no exceptions. Here's how it works:

What’s Covered

All shipped livestock, including corals, fish, inverts, and live foods.

How It Works

Be present for delivery and follow our acclimation guide.
Report any issues within 48 hours of delivery by emailing info@ndaquaculture.ca with clear photos of the unopened livestock.