ORA Purple Stylophora Coral

Quick facts

Identity

Also known as

Purple Stylophora; Hood coral; Cat's Paw coral

Synonyms

Stylophora milka

Environment

Saltwater

Native to

Red Sea, Indo-Pacific, Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea, Fiji, Tonga, Indonesia

Habitat

Shallow reef crests, reef edges and upper slopes exposed to strong wave action and bright light

Sourcing

Aquacultured

Conservation

Not Evaluated

Care

Care level

Easy

Coral type

SPS

Temperament

Peaceful

Growth form

Branching

Adult size

1 – 8 in (2.5 – 20 cm)

Spread

12 in (30 cm)

Growth rate

Moderate

Placement

High, Middle

Water

Temperature

75 – 79 °F (24 – 26 °C)

pH

8.1 – 8.4

dKH

8 – 9.5 dKH

Salinity

1.025 – 1.026 SG

PAR

200 – 350 PAR

Flow

Moderate-High

Light

High

Reef care

Nutrient preference

Low

Alk/Ca uptake

High

Target feeding

Beneficial

Give it room

4 in (10 cm)

Colors

Green, Pink, Purple, Orange, Blue, Cream, Multicolor

Feeding & breeding

Diet

Photosynthetic

Foods

Coral food, Phytoplankton, Zooplankton

Propagation

Fragging

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Care guide

Overview

Suits reef keepers who want a fast-filling branching SPS without the fragility of Acropora. Thin, open branches carry purple to blue polyps over a tan to pink base, extending fully and thickening into a bushy colony under good lighting and flow. It grows quickly relative to other Stylophora color forms.

Care

This is one of the hardier small-polyp stony corals available in the trade, tolerating a wider swing in parameters than demanding genera like Acropora. It comes from shallow, wave-battered reef flats, so it wants strong, alternating water movement and moderate to high light rather than gentle, laminar flow. Keep calcium, alkalinity and magnesium stable and avoid sudden shifts, since rapid tissue necrosis can set in quickly if chemistry swings too far. New frags should be started at lower PAR and moved up gradually over a couple of weeks to prevent bleaching.

Placement & acclimation

Acclimate new colonies to lighting gradually over two to three weeks, starting around 200-250 PAR before moving to a brighter spot. Mount frags securely on rock with reef epoxy or cyanoacrylate gel on the upper to mid rockwork where flow and light are strongest, and leave several inches of open space around the base since colonies broaden considerably as they mature.

Feeding

Most of its energy comes from zooxanthellae, so direct feeding is not required in a well-lit system with fed fish. Occasional target feeding with fine zooplankton, phytoplankton or powdered coral foods can improve polyp extension and coloration. Feed in moderate flow so particles disperse across the branches rather than settling in one spot.

Neighbors

It lacks sweeper tentacles and stinging power, making it a safe neighbor for most other corals, fish, and reef invertebrates. Still, leave a few inches of clearance from adjacent colonies since its branches thicken and expand with growth and can eventually crowd out slower neighbors through simple contact. Peaceful reef fish, shrimp, and snails all coexist with it without issue.

Fragging

Fragging is straightforward: cut branch tips with a bandsaw, coral cutters, or shears and mount the cut fragments on plugs or rubble until they encrust and begin new growth. Cut in flowing water to reduce tissue stress and let fresh cuts rest in low-moderate light for the first days to heal before returning them to full flow and light.

Pests & problems

Pale or washed-out coloration usually signals either too much light too soon or a nutrient imbalance, while browning can indicate excess nutrients. Tissue recession along the branch tips is the main danger sign and often follows a sudden swing in alkalinity, calcium, or temperature. Inspect new frags for skeleton exposed at the base or torn tissue before adding them to a system, as damaged tissue is an entry point for infection.

Sources

1. Stylophora pistillata – Korallen-Steckbrief | Toms Korallen
2. Stylophora Coral Care Guide - Lighting, Flow & Growth
3. Thorn Hard Coral Stylophora Sp
4. ORA Green Stylo (Stylophora pistillata) - The Reef Farm

Varieties in the catalog

ORA Green Stylophora CoralORA Pink Stylophora CoralORA Rainbow Stylophora CoralORA Stellar Stylophora Coral