Turbinaria mesenterina

(Lamarck, 1816)

Pagoda Coral, Scroll Coral

Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Red Sea, Eastern Africa, Taiwan, and eastern Australia.

Natural Environment: Inhabits shallow turbid environments where it is seen at depths between 10 to 65 feet (3 - 20 m).

General Husbandry: Occasionally seen in the trade.

Maricultured specimens available.

Some forethought needs to be given to newly received specimens as to their initial lighting requirements. Brightly colored cultured specimens may have been raised in 'very' shallow waters. If not sure of the PAR it was grown under, begin by placing the specimen where it will receive moderate light, e.g., 300 PAR. Move to higher PAR levels only after becoming fully acclimated to initial surrounding conditions.

See Turbinaria frondens for suggested aquarium husbandry.

Taxonomy:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Cnidaria

Class: Anthozoa

Subclass: Hexacorallia

Order: Scleractinia

Family: Dendrophylliidae

Genus: Turbinaria

FYI: In the wild, usually grey-green or grey brown.