Leaf Coral
Pavona explanulata
A thin, leafy coral in surprisingly varied colors, tolerant enough for beginners.
About
Leaf coral (Pavona explanulata) is one of those low-key corals that tends to get overlooked in favor of flashier species, but it has a quiet charm and a genuinely forgiving nature that makes it worth a second look. In the wild it turns up across most reef environments, growing in forms that range from thin, flat sheets to encrusting mats and occasionally short columns or mounded masses. The individual corallites sit well apart from one another and are typically round, each one featuring a small pillar-like columella at its center with smooth septa radiating outward, sometimes arranged in loose concentric patterns. Color can vary quite a bit from colony to colony. Grey and brown are common base tones, but pink, purple, green, and yellow examples exist, and some colonies show mottled combinations of multiple shades. In the aquarium, this species does well under lower light and modest water movement, which is a bit unusual for a photosynthetic coral and opens it up to placement options that brighter, higher-flow species can't tolerate. That combination of low-demand care and wide natural distribution makes it a reasonable choice for someone earlier in their reef-keeping journey, as long as basic water quality is maintained.
Similar species
Other coral you might consider
Good tank mates
Species that tend to coexist peacefully with Leaf Coral
From the same region
Share the same natural habitat. Great for a biotope-themed tank
Frequently asked questions
- What water parameters does the Leaf Coral need?
- The Leaf Coral does best with a temperature of 72–82°F, a pH of 8–8.4.
- Is the Leaf Coral reef safe?
- The Leaf Coral is generally considered reef safe.