TankBud

Pectinia coral

Pectinia

Also known as Lettuce Coral, Carnation Coral, Rainbow Pectinia

SaltwaterCoral

Pectinia coral (Pectinia)
Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE · CC BY-SA 2.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–81°F
24–27°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
11.8 in
30 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Medium
Rarity
Common
Reef safe
Reef safe
Family
Merulinidae
Origin
Indo-Pacific reefs, from Indonesia and the Philippines to the Great Barrier Reef, mostly on deeper reef slopes and lagoon walls

Overview

The Pectinia coral is a ruffled, plate-forming stony coral for the rockwork of a reef tank. It suits a keeper with a little reef experience.

Did you know

Pectinia colonies fluoresce intensely under blue actinic light. The rare Space Invader color morph, named for its jagged green and purple pattern, is one of the most sought-after Pectinia in the hobby.

Caring for the Pectinia coral

Mount the Pectinia coral on rockwork rather than sand, away from the tank's brightest, highest-flow zones. It is not a particularly light-hungry coral and does well under moderate light, around 100 PAR for 8 to 10 hours a day. Stronger light held for more than a few days can cause tissue damage.

Give it gentle to moderate flow, just enough to keep debris from settling in its folds. Strong or direct current can tear its soft tissue. It needs a tank of at least 20 gal (75 L). Keep the water at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) and a pH of 8.1 to 8.4.

Pectinia is photosynthetic but also an active, capable feeder that grabs food with its polyps. It feeds eagerly, taking coral pellets, brine shrimp, mysis and krill directly. Target feed it two to three times a week. It often feeds more readily after dark, but it can be trained onto a daytime schedule.

Pectinia is not a particularly aggressive coral, but its sweeper tentacles can reach several inches. Give it 6 to 8 inches of clearance from its neighbors. The Space Invader morph is notably more aggressive and regularly extends sweepers, so treat it with extra caution. Fragging follows standard LPS practice, cutting between lobes with a bandsaw or nippers.

Good to know

Pectinia is a large polyp stony coral now placed in the family Merulinidae. The older family Pectiniidae was dissolved once genetic studies showed it did not represent a natural group. In the same overhaul, the closely related chalice genera Echinophyllia and Oxypora moved into a different family, Lobophylliidae. Its plate skeleton has tall vertical laminae, or blades, radiating up from the base, which gives the coral its ruffled, lettuce-like structure.

In the wild

Pectinia lives on deeper reef slopes and lagoon walls across the Indo-Pacific, from Indonesia and the Philippines to the Great Barrier Reef. There it forms ruffled plates with tall, spiky ridges that give it a lettuce or carnation-like look.

Common questions

What size tank does a Pectinia coral need?

A Pectinia coral needs at least 20 gal (75 L).

What temperature and pH does a Pectinia coral need?

A Pectinia coral is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.

What does a Pectinia coral eat?

A Pectinia coral is photosynthetic but also an active feeder that grabs food with its polyps. It takes coral pellets, brine shrimp, mysis and krill, target fed two to three times a week.

How big does a Pectinia coral get?

An adult Pectinia coral reaches about 11.8 in (30 cm).

Related species