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Platygyra sp. Toxic Green Maze Coral Frag
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Platygyra
Platygyra is an uncommon Large Polyp Stony (LPS) coral commonly referred to as Brain Worm Corals or Maze Corals. They tend to be more fragile than brain corals of Lobophyllia or maze corals of the genus Oulophyllia; however, they have a special aesthetic quality that makes them highly sought after. If your reef aquarium specializes in cutting-edge LPS, a Platygyra can be a coral worth considering.
See below for additional care tips for Platygyras.
Location
Platygyras can be found in the islands of the Indo-Pacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef. The most common locations where we see these LPS are Indonesia and Australia.
Lighting
Platygyra does well with medium to low light; however, it does not seem to be as sensitive to light changes as many of its close relatives in the brain coral family. Unlike many types of brain corals, they have consistent coloration despite dramatic changes in light intensity and spectrum. We recommend low to medium light for Playtgyra because it's safer to err on the side of too little light than too much light. Platygyra is known to be a bit fragile and can quickly die if stressed.
Low light |
Low light is between 30 - 50 PAR per unit area |
Medium light |
Medium light is between 50 - 150 PAR per unit area |
|
Intense light |
Intense light is above 150 PAR per unit area |
Water Flow
Moderate water movement is recommended. We have kept Platygyra in reef aquariums with both low and strong flow without significant differences in health. Lower flow is helpful during feeding, as their feeding tentacles are not very long.
Feeding
As with many other LPS, we strongly believe that feeding is the main key to the long-term success of keeping Platygyra brain coral. They can be fed a mix of meaty foods, such as bits of mysis or small pellets. They have a series of small mouths lining the inside of their grooves and cannot consume pieces of food that are too large.
Alert
Platygyra is one of the corals that can extend its long sweeper tentacles. These tentacles are often used as a means of defense against other invading coral colonies. Their white tips contain a concentration of nematocysts that can damage more delicate neighboring corals in the aquarium. Most of the time, this is not a significant issue, but for safety, we recommend placing it initially in a location away from other corals.
