{"id":4490,"date":"2026-02-17T04:57:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T04:57:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/product\/elephant-skin-hard-coral-pachyseria-sp\/"},"modified":"2026-02-17T04:57:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T04:57:12","slug":"elephant-skin-hard-coral-pachyseria-sp","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/?product=elephant-skin-hard-coral-pachyseria-sp","title":{"rendered":"Elephant Skin Hard Coral Pachyseria Sp"},"content":{"rendered":"

Elephant Skin Hard Coral (Pachyseris sp.)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

(Also known as Elephant Skin Coral, Corduroy Coral, or Ridge Coral)<\/em><\/p>\n

Overview<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Elephant Skin Coral (Pachyseris<\/em> sp.) is a unique and visually intriguing small-polyp stony (SPS) coral<\/strong>, named for its distinctive ridged and folded surface texture<\/strong> that closely resembles the wrinkled skin of an elephant. Colonies grow in thin, encrusting, or plating layers<\/strong> with a rippled pattern and subtle colour variations of brown, green, grey, or blue<\/strong>, often with fluorescent edges under actinic lighting. This coral adds texture and structural complexity to reef aquariums and is relatively hardy for an SPS species, provided stable conditions are maintained.<\/p>\n

Origin<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Native to the Coral Sea, Great Barrier Reef, Fiji, Tonga, and throughout the Indo-Pacific region<\/strong>. Found on reef slopes and walls<\/strong>, usually in areas with moderate light and strong, variable water movement.<\/p>\n

Feeding<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Elephant Skin Coral is photosynthetic<\/strong>, hosting symbiotic zooxanthellae<\/strong> that provide most of its nutrition through photosynthesis. While it does not require direct feeding, supplemental nutrition can enhance growth and colour. Offer occasional feedings of:<\/p>\n

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    Marine snow or coral plankton blends<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Phytoplankton or powdered SPS coral foods<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Dissolved amino acid and trace element supplements<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Lighting<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Moderate to high lighting.<\/strong> Provide bright, full-spectrum illumination using LED, T5, or metal halide<\/strong> systems.<\/p>\n

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      PAR range: 150\u2013300 \u00b5mol\/m\u00b2\/s<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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      Too little light leads to dull coloration and slower growth.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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      Blue-spectrum light enhances the coral\u2019s subtle fluorescent sheen and ridge highlights.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Water Flow<\/strong><\/h3>\n

      Moderate to strong, turbulent flow.<\/strong> Pachyseris<\/em> thrives in dynamic water movement that keeps the surface free of debris and ensures proper gas exchange. Avoid laminar, one-directional currents that can cause uneven growth.<\/p>\n

      Placement<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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      • \n

        Position on mid to upper rockwork<\/strong>, where it can receive bright light and consistent flow.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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        Allow space for lateral spreading \u2014 colonies encrust and expand across rock surfaces.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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        Avoid placement in shaded or low-flow areas, as detritus accumulation can irritate the coral\u2019s tissue.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Tank Mates<\/strong><\/h3>\n

        Reef safe.<\/strong> Compatible with:<\/p>\n

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        • \n

          All reef-safe fish (tangs, wrasses, gobies, blennies, clownfish, etc.)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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          Peaceful invertebrates (snails, shrimp, hermit crabs)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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          Other SPS or peaceful LPS corals<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Avoid:<\/p>\n

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          • \n

            Aggressive stinging corals (e.g., Galaxea, Hydnophora) in close proximity<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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            Butterflyfish or angelfish that may nip its tissue<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            Aggression<\/strong><\/h3>\n

            Peaceful.<\/strong> Pachyseris<\/em> does not have long sweeper tentacles but can be damaged by nearby aggressive corals. Maintain several centimetres of spacing between colonies to prevent competition or shading.<\/p>\n

            Experience Level<\/strong><\/h3>\n

            Intermediate.<\/strong> While more forgiving than many SPS corals, Pachyseris<\/em> requires stable water parameters, good flow, and moderate lighting. Ideal for aquarists looking to transition from LPS to SPS corals.<\/p>\n

            Water Parameters<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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            • \n

              Temperature:<\/strong> 24\u201327\u00b0C (75\u201381\u00b0F)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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              pH:<\/strong> 8.1\u20138.4<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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              Salinity:<\/strong> 1.024\u20131.026 SG<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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              Hardness (dKH):<\/strong> 8\u201312<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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              Calcium:<\/strong> 400\u2013450 ppm<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              Magnesium:<\/strong> 1250\u20131350 ppm<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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              Nitrate:<\/strong> <5 ppm<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              Phosphate:<\/strong> <0.03 ppm<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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              Tank Size:<\/strong> Minimum 100 gallons (380L)<\/strong> for stability and consistent flow zones<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              Maintaining excellent water quality and strong, variable circulation is key to vibrant colouration and healthy skeletal growth.<\/p>\n

              Reef Compatibility<\/strong><\/h3>\n

              Fully reef safe.<\/strong> The Elephant Skin Coral adds a fascinating textural contrast to reef aquariums, complementing branching and plating SPS corals. Its rippled ridges, subtle fluorescence, and encrusting growth make it an excellent background or mid-rock feature coral in mature reef systems.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              Elephant Skin Hard Coral (Pachyseris sp.) (Also known as Elephant Skin Coral, Corduroy Coral, or Ridge Coral) Overview The Elephant Skin Coral (Pachyseris sp.) is a unique and visually intriguing small-polyp stony (SPS) coral, named for its distinctive ridged and folded surface texture that closely resembles the wrinkled skin of an elephant. Colonies grow in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":4489,"template":"","meta":[],"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[74],"product_tag":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-4490","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"product_cat-hard-corals","8":"first","9":"instock","10":"taxable","11":"shipping-taxable","12":"purchasable","13":"product-type-simple"},"group_of_quantity":0,"min_quantity":0,"max_quantity":"","exclude_order_quantity_value_rules":"no","exclude_category_quantity_rules":"no","combine_variations":"no","exclude_global_add_ons":[],"addons":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/product\/4490","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4489"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4490"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_brand&post=4490"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_cat&post=4490"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_tag&post=4490"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}