Stylophora

Stylophora pistillata

Care Level	Intermediate — hardy SPS
Lighting	Moderate to high
Water Flow	Moderate to high
Placement	Mid to upper rock
Aggression	Peaceful
Coloration	Pink, green, purple; "Cats Paw" morphs

Overview

Stylophora (the “Cat’s Paw” or “Club Finger” coral) forms sturdy, rounded branches and is one of the hardiest, most forgiving SPS corals — an excellent stepping-stone toward Acropora. It colors up in pinks, greens, and purples.

Care & Placement

Give moderate-to-high light and moderate-to-high flow. Mount mid-to-upper on rock. More tolerant of minor parameter swings than Acropora, which makes it a reliable early SPS. Stable alkalinity still matters.

Feeding

Photosynthetic; feeding is optional. Stable calcium/alkalinity/magnesium and good light drive growth and color far more than feeding.

Propagation

Very easy to frag — cut or snap a branch and glue to a plug.

Cautions

Hardy for an SPS but still sensitive to big alkalinity swings. Provide good flow to keep the branches clean. Peaceful toward neighbors.