Diaseris Plate Care Guide
Diaseris Plate (Cycloseris distorta) is a LPS coral. Care covers 50-150 PAR, low flow, reef parameters and feeding; intermediate level.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Diaseris Plate (Cycloseris distorta) is a LPS coral in the family Fungiidae. Tiny disc-coral often fragmenting naturally; produces multiple daughter polyps. Hardy if fed.
Taxonomy
- Family: Fungiidae
- Genus: Cycloseris
- Scientific name: Cycloseris distorta
- Common synonyms: Cycloseris distorta
Habitat
In the wild, Cycloseris distorta is reported from Indo-Pacific, where it occupies mid to lower reef slopes and lagoons (typically 5-30 m). The species adopts a plating growth form on hard substrate within zooxanthellate reef communities.
Tank requirements
- Salinity (specific gravity): 1.024-1.026
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Carbonate hardness (dKH): 8-11
- Calcium: 400-450 ppm
- Magnesium: 1280-1350 ppm
- Phosphate (max): 0.03 ppm
- Nitrate (max): 5 ppm
- Minimum system age: 3 months
Placement and lighting
- PAR (placement zone): 50-150 PAR
- Water flow: low
As a free-living plate coral, place this specimen directly on the sand bed rather than on rock; it can inflate, shift position, and right itself if toppled. Keep flow gentle and indirect — strong jets tear the expanded tissue — and avoid letting it slide against rock or other corals, where abrasion invites infection.
Feeding
Cycloseris distorta hosts symbiotic zooxanthellae and derives most of its energy through photosynthesis. Supplemental target feeding accelerates growth and supports colouration; commonly accepted items include mysis, reef-roids. Feed once or twice per week after lights-out, when polyps are extended.
Compatibility
This coral is passive toward neighbours. Reef-safe with most fish and invertebrates.
Care notes
Difficulty level: intermediate. Reported skeletal growth in well-tuned reef tanks is approximately 0.1-0.3 cm/month. Propagation by fragmentation is straightforward for plating colonies — separate branches or polyps with a bone cutter, glue to plug, allow 1-2 weeks for healing. Maintain stable alkalinity (avoid swings above ±0.5 dKH per day) to preserve tissue health.
Diaseris distorta (Cycloseris distorta) Propagation Guide
Overview
The coral sold as Diaseris distorta is now Cycloseris distorta, a disc coral in the family Fungiidae. It is a free-living, solitary coral native to the tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific, found on soft sediment in shallow water. In 2011, research using molecular methods resulted in Diaseris being absorbed into the genus Cycloseris, so the names refer to the same animal.
Reproductive Mode
This species is the textbook example of asexual propagation by self-fragmentation among the Fungiidae. The disc is built of wedge-shaped segments radiating from a central mouth, and these segments are the units that detach and regrow.
Fragging / Asexual Propagation
The coral is capable of autotomy, causing itself to break apart through selective weakening of certain parts of the skeleton. The fan-shaped segments can break off and form a new polyp, a form of asexual reproduction; it may also be fragmented by physical forces such as storms. In aquaria, mature specimens commonly self-divide, so propagation is largely a matter of allowing detached wedges to settle and regenerate.
Conditions for Propagation
Mimicking its natural soft-sediment habitat with a fine sand bed and gentle flow encourages healthy self-fragmentation and lets detached wedges regrow without abrasion. Stable, clean water and feeding support the rapid tissue regeneration that drives population growth.
Sexual Reproduction
Sexual reproduction in fungiids occurs by spawning gametes into the water, but in this species asexual self-fragmentation is so prolific that large clonal aggregations can build up. For the aquarist, the asexual route is both the natural and the practical method.
Common Challenges
Tiny wedge fragments can be lost in detritus, blown into low-flow corners, or smothered if the sand bed is dirty. Keeping the substrate clean and flow gentle prevents the small clones from being buried before they regrow.