Lettuce Coral care guide
Lettuce Coral (Pectinia paeonia) — reef coral, 24-26 °C, PAR 50-150, salinity 1.024-1.026.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Pectinia paeonia is a foliose-plate LPS with spiky, carnation-like edges. The colony often displays striking metallic green or red colouration and forms broad multi-layered plates as it grows.
Taxonomy
- Family: Merulinidae
- Genus: Pectinia
- Scientific name: Pectinia paeonia
- Common synonyms: Carnation Coral, Pectinia
Habitat
Native to the tropical Indo-Pacific. Wild colonies occur on protected reef slopes at moderate depth, where they form broad shaded canopies.
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): 50-150 PAR
- Flow: low
- Recommended tank age: 3 months
- Growth rate: 0.2-0.4 cm/mo
Mount on rockwork in the lower to middle aquarium with low flow and moderate light. Avoid strong direct light, which causes tissue retraction and bleaching; the spiky edges are fragile and should not touch other corals.
Feeding
Primarily photosynthetic. Spot-feeding is generally not required; occasional reef-roids around the colony is sufficient if used.
Compatibility
Moderately aggressive — stinging tentacles can damage neighbours. Maintain a small buffer of a few centimetres around the colony. Reef-safe with shrimp and fish.
Care notes
Sensitive to detritus and rapid parameter swings. Maintain low nutrients and stable alkalinity. The fragile edges chip easily during handling; minimise movement once placed.
Pectinia paeonia Propagation Guide
Overview
Pectinia paeonia, commonly called lettuce or hibiscus coral, is a foliose large-polyp stony coral in the family Merulinidae. It grows as thin, spiky-edged plates and is one of the most recognizable members of the genus. Its internal structure dictates a careful fragging approach.
Reproductive Mode
Stony corals of this family reproduce sexually by spawning and asexually by fragmentation. In aquaria, Pectinia is multiplied by fragmenting the foliose plate.
Fragging / Asexual Propagation
Pectinia has an unusual internal anatomy: large fluid-filled flesh spaces are suspended between parallel blades of skeleton that radiate from a central growth point. The key to cutting it is to preserve those gaps, so cuts are made either parallel with the blades or perpendicular to them, keeping the blades in groups that hold the flesh together. A band saw with iodine-tinted saltwater as cooling liquid disinfects the cut as it is made and improves frag survival. Every fragment should keep a mouth.
- Plan each cut so the fragment retains a mouth.
- Cut parallel with or perpendicular to the skeletal blades to keep them grouped.
- Use iodine-tinted saltwater as saw coolant to disinfect cuts.
- Dip the finished frags in iodine to guard against bacterial infection.
Conditions for Propagation
Pectinia prefers low to medium light and gentle flow, and frags recover best in those same stable conditions. Consistent water chemistry helps the cut edges close.
Common Challenges
The thin, blade-built skeleton is fragile, and cut edges are prone to bacterial infection during healing. Careful planning, clean iodine-disinfected cuts, and a finishing dip are the difference between a frag that recovers and one that fails.