Physogyra is a genus of cnidarians, more specifically stony corals, and is found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. They belong to the Plerogyridae family, along with Plerogyra, Nemenzophyllia and possibly (science is still undecided on this) Blastomussa. The most striking feature is the bloated tissue, which is why it is also called a bubble coral. The growth habit of colonies is flabello-meandroid - with brain-shaped twisted polyp walls forming distinct valleys. It shares this growth form with several species of Euphyllia, which are difficult to distinguish when closed; however, Physogyra usually have even broader tissue layers when contracted, with an overall fleshier appearance, and the color differs significantly.
The difference between Physogyra and Plerogyra is that Plerogyra have rounder tissue vesicles. In Physogyra, on the other hand, these usually have a zipper-shaped protuberance. Aquaristically, almost only the species Physogyra lichtensteinii is common, although there are other species such as P. astraeiformis, P. exerta, P. gravieri and P. somaliensis. Gray and green color forms exist, rarely with speckles. In export the gray variants are often called "pink", but this is a strong euphemism and does not correspond to reality.
In husbandry, one must pay attention to injuries, especially during handling. Physogyra can also develop fighting tentacles, so distance to other corals must be kept - despite the similarities, even to Euphyllia and Plerogyra. They require moderate light and like higher nutrient levels. The current should be gentle and in no case direct, so as not to injure the delicate bubbles. Since mainly larger specimens are found in nature, most animals in the trade are fragmented, i.e. sawed. However, this is rarely a problem if aquarium conditions are not catastrophic.
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