Pavona cactus

(Forskal, 1775)

Cactus Coral, Lettuce Coral, Potato Chip Coral

Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Red Sea, including western, northern, and eastern coasts of Australia east to Tahiti, and north to Southern Japan.

Natural Environment: Inhabits lagoons and on upper fringing reef slopes that are somewhat protected from wave turbulence and where turbid conditions exist and usually seen at depths between 10 - 65 feet (3 - 20 m).

General Husbandry: Common in the trade.

If not supplied excellent lighting intensity, it is capable of photo-adapting to lower levels of light, however, this will influence the physical structure or appearance of the coral, e.g., its wavy plates will grow wider and more pronounced.

Moderate water movement seems to serve it well, yet an occasional strong wave of water movement helps to keep detritus from collecting on its surfaces.

It's also a fairly aggressive coral, and capable of developing sweeper tentacles, therefore; provide sufficient distance, especially to its neighbors downstream in the aquarium.

This species can be considered a good beginners small-polyped stony (SPS) coral, as its one of the easier to maintain photosynthetic stony corals.

Even though no direct feeding is required to keep it healthy, should increased growth be desired, direct feeding during daylight hours can be tried. Even though I've never personally tried hand feeding this species, zooplankton-type foodstuffs such as rotifers, newly hatch brine shrimp, or Cyclop-eeze could be applied over the polyps during daylight hours. If tried, water movement should be greatly reduced while attempting feeding.

Easily propagated, with frags generally responding well to placement in various types of putty media.

Maricultured specimens available.

Taxonomy:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Cnidaria

Class: Anthozoa

Subclass: Hexacorallia

Order: Scleractinia

Family: Agariciidae

Genus: Pavona

FYI: Tends to form massive colonies with upright thin contorted frond-like branches with polyps on both sides (bifacial) of the frond-like growths. Generally brown or greenish brown with white margins.

Experience Level: Beginner

Diet: Photosynthetic/Plankton feeder

Temperament: Semi-aggressive

Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium

Coral Safe: With caution

Fish Safe: Yes

Invertebrate Safe: Yes

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Hardiness: Moderate

Calcium (Ca): 380 - 430 mg/l

Alkalinity: 2.5 - 3.0 meq/l

Phosphate (PO4): <0.05 mg/l

Magnesium (Mg): approx. 1350 mg/l (relate to specific gravity)

Strontium (Sr) 8 - 10 mg/l

Temperature Range: 74 - 83°F (23 - 28°C)

Minimum Tank Size: 100 gallons

Lighting: PAR 350 - 450+

Water Movement: WM 2 - 3

Specific Gravity: 1.023 - 1.025

pH: 8.0 - 8.4

Iodine/Trace Elements Monitor/as necessary to maintain quality seawater.