Blastomussa merletti (Merletti Blasto)
A variant of Blastomussa (Blastomussa wellsi)
Representative Blastomussaphoto — a dedicated image of this exact morph isn't available yet.
The smaller-polyp sister species, forming dense mats of penny-sized polyps in red, maroon, or green with a contrasting center, more 'colony forming' than the large-polyp wellsi.
📜 Backstory
Not a designer morph but the recognized second Blastomussa species in the trade, distinguished from wellsi by its much smaller, more numerous polyps. Wild-collected from the Indo-Pacific, it is the more affordable, faster-spreading option and is frequently sold as colorful red or green colonies.
Keeper tips for this variant
Give it low light and low flow on the substrate or lower rock; merletti spreads as an encrusting mat, so leave open space around the colony for new polyps.