Finger Coral

About

Finger coral (Palauastrea ramosa) is a branching stony coral found across the Indo-West Pacific, spanning depths from the shallows down to around 35 meters. Its growth form is distinctive. Colonies produce blunt-ended, non-tapering branches that interconnect with one another in an anastomosing pattern rather than radiating outward freely like many other branching corals. The corallites sit immersed within the skeletal surface, each one circular and equipped with a short, blunt columella and two cycles of septa. The coenosteum between corallites is textured with fine spinules and can also carry more pronounced style projections. Coloration tends toward cream or pinkish-brown tones. One interesting behavior is that tentacles are sometimes extended during daylight hours, which is less common among stony corals. In the wild, this species shows some habitat flexibility depending on location. Populations in Australian waters tend to be associated with turbid conditions and sandy substrates, while in equatorial regions the species turns up on upper reef slopes. In the aquarium, Palauastrea ramosa is considered an advanced coral to keep, requiring high light and strong flow to thrive. Its relative rarity in the hobby and specific demands make it a better fit for experienced reef keepers rather than newcomers to coral husbandry.