Pachyseris

Pachyseris, commonly known as Elephant Skin coral, is a plating SPS with a uniquely ridged surface texture that sets it apart from all other stony corals. The parallel ridges running across its plates are instantly recognisable and create a tactile, organic appearance. Maintain calcium at 400–440 ppm, alkalinity at 7.5–9 dKH, and temperature between 25–27°C. Pachyseris are moderately hardy and tolerate a range of conditions, sitting comfortably in the intermediate SPS category.

Place Pachyseris in the mid sections of your tank where they receive moderate light (PAR 100–250) and moderate, indirect flow. In the wild, Pachyseris inhabit reef slopes and deeper areas, so they do not require the intense lighting and flow demanded by reef crest SPS like Acropora. The plates grow in overlapping formations that can become quite large over time — allow space for expansion. Pachyseris typically display green, brown, or grey-green coloration, with some specimens showing attractive fluorescence under blue light.

Fragging Pachyseris requires a bandsaw or tile saw due to the dense, plating skeleton. Cut pieces encrust well onto frag plugs or rock. While not the most colourful SPS, Pachyseris add unique texture and form that contrasts beautifully with branching and encrusting corals. They are found throughout the Indo-Pacific including the GBR, and are occasionally available from Australian coral farms. Pachyseris are a solid choice for reefers wanting to diversify their SPS collection beyond the usual Acropora and Montipora offerings.