Flat Lettuce Coral

About

Flat Lettuce Coral (Echinophyllia orpheensis) is a solid choice for hobbyists who want a visually interesting LPS coral without demanding lighting or high flow. Found throughout the Indo-West Pacific across a wide depth range, it turns up in most reef environments, which partly explains its adaptability in captivity. Colonies stay under half a meter across and tend to grow in a submassive form, flattening out into broad, plate-like extensions toward the edges. The surface is distinctly textured. Individual corallites stand raised above the skeleton over most of the colony, and the costae have a thick, beaded quality that gives the whole animal a pleasingly rough, sculpted look. Paliform lobes are usually visible and well developed, adding to the dimensional quality of the surface. Coloration runs from cream to pale or reddish brown, and many specimens show contrasting green centers to the corallites, which can be quite attractive under reef lighting. For aquarium keeping, this coral is considered manageable for beginners. It appreciates moderate light and low water movement rather than the intense conditions some other LPS corals prefer. Give it space to spread and avoid placing it where it might contact neighbors, and it tends to be a reliable, long-term resident of the mixed reef.