Cat's Paw Coral (Stylophora pistillata) Care Guide
Stylophora pistillata is a hardy branching SPS coral with blunt-tipped branches, photosynthetic and beginner-friendly, native to the Indo-Pacific and Red Sea.
Overview
Stylophora pistillata, known as cat's paw, hood or smooth cauliflower coral, is a branching small-polyp stony (SPS) coral of the family Pocilloporidae. It has broad, blunt-ended branches that resemble cat paws, and colonies become thicker and more submassive as they grow, reaching about 30 cm (12 in) in diameter. Its conical, hooded polyp cups are sunk beneath the general surface. It is hardy and beginner-friendly, and is one of the corals most commonly used in scientific research.
Taxonomy
- Family: Pocilloporidae
- Genus: Stylophora
- Scientific name: Stylophora pistillata
- Growth form: branching
Habitat
Its range extends from Madagascar, East Africa, the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, through the Indian Ocean to northern Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, New Guinea, Japan and many island groups of the western and central Pacific. It is a reef-building species that favours exposed habitats with strong water movement, occurring down to about 15 m (50 ft).
Tank requirements
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Specific gravity: 1.025-1.026
- Alkalinity (dKH): 7.5-9
- Calcium: 420-450 ppm
- Magnesium: 1300-1400 ppm
- Nitrate: below 10 ppm; Phosphate: below 0.05 ppm
- Lighting: ~150-300 PAR (medium-high)
- Flow: medium-high
- Established tank (minimum age ~3 months)
Placement & lighting
As a less-demanding SPS, it tolerates medium to high light and benefits from medium-high flow, mirroring the strong water movement of its natural exposed habitat. Acclimate gradually to brighter lighting to avoid bleaching, to which the species is prone.
Feeding
Stylophora pistillata is photosynthetic, hosting symbiotic zooxanthellae for most of its energy, so dedicated target-feeding is not essential. Under stress it can expel its zooxanthellae and bleach, so stable lighting and water chemistry are important.
Compatibility
It is a passive, reef-safe coral, safe with fish and shrimp, and is a good way to achieve an SPS aesthetic with less demanding husbandry than Acropora.
Conservation status
The IUCN assesses Stylophora pistillata as Near Threatened; it is traded in the aquarium hobby, with about 10,000 pieces exported in 2005.