Plate Echinopora care guide
Plate Echinopora (Echinopora lamellosa) — reef coral, 24-26 °C, PAR 75-175, salinity 1.024-1.026.
Overview
Echinopora lamellosa is a plating, foliose LPS that forms layered tiers of overlapping plates. The colony is a fast grower and typically displays a uniform bright green colour under blue actinic lighting.
Taxonomy
- Family: Merulinidae
- Genus: Echinopora
- Scientific name: Echinopora lamellosa
- Common synonyms: Lamellose Echinopora, Lettuce Echinopora
Habitat
Native to the tropical Indo-Pacific. Wild colonies are typical of reef slopes at moderate depth where they form broad horizontal plates that maximise light capture.
Tank requirements
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- Salinity (SG): 1.024-1.026
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Alkalinity (dKH): 8-11
- Calcium: 400-450 ppm
- Magnesium: 1280-1350 ppm
- Phosphate (max): 0.03 ppm
- Nitrate (max): 5 ppm
Placement and lighting
- Lighting (PAR): 75-175 PAR
- Flow: medium
- Recommended tank age: 3 months
- Growth rate: 0.3-0.6 cm/mo
Mount on rockwork in the middle of the aquarium with medium flow and moderate light. As the colony grows it forms overlapping plates that may shade neighbouring corals — leave generous open space.
Feeding
Primarily photosynthetic. Spot-feeding is not strictly required; occasional reef-roids can be used as an optional supplement.
Compatibility
Moderately aggressive — short polyps can sting after lights-out. Reef-safe with shrimp and fish. Maintain a small buffer from neighbouring corals.
Care notes
Fast growth makes it a good choice for actively growing reefs but requires planning of placement. Stable alkalinity and calcium support the rapidly forming skeleton.