Paumotu Plate Care Guide
Paumotu Plate (Fungia paumotensis) is a LPS coral. Care covers 75-175 PAR, low flow, reef parameters and feeding; intermediate level.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Paumotu Plate (Fungia paumotensis) is a LPS coral in the family Fungiidae. Pacific plate coral with slightly tonguelike shape and bold septa coloration.
Taxonomy
- Family: Fungiidae
- Genus: Fungia
- Scientific name: Fungia paumotensis
- Common synonyms: Tahitian Plate
Habitat
In the wild, Fungia paumotensis is reported from 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): 75-175 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
Fungia paumotensis 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.
Fungia paumotensis Propagation Guide
Overview
Fungia paumotensis is a member of the family Fungiidae, the mushroom or plate corals. Members of this family range from solitary individuals to colonial species, and most remain fully detached from the substrate in adulthood as free-living, mobile polyps. As a plate coral it is a single large polyp rather than a colony, which sets propagation apart from the methods used on branching or encrusting reef corals.
Reproductive Mode
Like other Fungia, the species attaches to rock as a juvenile and then detaches to live freely as a larger adult; juveniles leave a scar marking the former point of attachment. Reproduction occurs both sexually and asexually, and the asexual route is the basis of practical propagation.
Fragging / Asexual Propagation
Fungiids are not conventionally cut into multiple frags the way colonial LPS are. Instead, Fungia reproduce asexually: daughter polyps may form, and offspring develop from broken pieces of the skeleton, which show regeneration. In aquaria this is induced by deliberately injuring or removing tissue so that the remaining skeleton or detached fragment regenerates new polyps, a process tied to the anthocaulus stage of the life cycle.
Conditions for Propagation
Successful regeneration depends on a mature, stable system and clean water that supports healing of the cut skeleton. Because Fungia draw heavily on captured food, regenerating fragments benefit from regular feeding alongside their photosynthetic input.
Sexual Reproduction
Sexual reproduction in Fungiidae proceeds by release of gametes into the water column. Some mushroom corals, such as Fungia repanda and Ctenactis echinata, are able to change sex. Larval settlement and culture are not practical in a home aquarium, so asexual regeneration remains the realistic option for hobby propagation.
Common Challenges
Tissue recession from rough handling or sand abrasion is the main risk, and injured plate corals are prone to infection if water quality is poor. Regeneration of new polyps is slow, so propagation should be viewed as a long-term process rather than a routine fragging operation.