TankBud

Branching frogspawn coral

Fimbriaphyllia paradivisa

Also known as Euphyllia paradivisa, Branching Frogspawn

SaltwaterCoral

Branching frogspawn coral (Fimbriaphyllia paradivisa)

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–81°F
24–27°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
7.9 in
20 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Photosynthetic
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Medium
Rarity
Very common
Reef safe
Reef safe
Family
Euphylliidae
Origin
Indo-Pacific

Overview

The branching frogspawn coral is a reef-safe large polyp stony coral. Its tentacles stay out day and night and end in rounded, split tips like a mass of frog eggs. It suits a keeper with a little reef experience.

Did you know

The branching frogspawn makes up nearly all the frogspawn sold in the hobby. Hobbyists rarely see the wall-growing Fimbriaphyllia divisa.

Caring for the branching frogspawn coral

Give a branching frogspawn coral moderate light, around 100 to 150 PAR, and low to moderate indirect flow. Place it in the lower to middle part of the tank.

It needs a tank of at least 20 gal (75 L). Keep the water at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. Zooxanthellae supply most of its energy, and a healthy colony can get by on light alone.

It extends sweeper tentacles at night. Leave around 6 inches of open space between it and any coral other than hammers, torches and other frogspawn. Heads frag easily where the branches divide, which is why aquacultured colonies are so widely available.

Good to know

Fimbriaphyllia paradivisa belongs to the family Euphylliidae. Veron described it in 1990, and it was formerly called Euphyllia paradivisa. It is the branching counterpart to the wall frogspawn, with each polyp on its own corallite instead of a shared, continuous skeleton.

In the wild

Branching frogspawn grows on protected reef slopes and in lagoons across the western Pacific. Its colonies form clusters of heads, each on a separate branch. Wild colonies favor calm water with moderate light rather than exposed reef crests.

Common questions

What size tank does a branching frogspawn coral need?

A branching frogspawn coral needs at least 20 gal (75 L).

What temperature and pH does a branching frogspawn coral need?

A branching frogspawn coral is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.

What does a branching frogspawn coral eat?

A branching frogspawn coral gets most of its energy from its zooxanthellae. A healthy colony can get by on light alone.

How big does a branching frogspawn coral get?

An adult branching frogspawn coral reaches about 7.9 in (20 cm).

Related species