TankBud

Octospawn coral

Fimbriaphyllia yaeyamaensis

Also known as Euphyllia yaeyamaensis, Octospawn

SaltwaterCoral

Octospawn coral (Fimbriaphyllia yaeyamaensis)
Biota · Used with permission

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
Common
Reef safe
Reef safe
Family
Euphylliidae
Origin
Indo-Pacific

Overview

The octospawn coral is a large polyp stony coral that looks partway between a frogspawn and a hammer. It is reef safe and a step up from the easiest corals.

Did you know

The octospawn coral takes its name from the way each tentacle tip splits into roughly eight small points. Hobbyists use that detail to tell it apart from frogspawn at a glance.

Caring for the octospawn coral

Give an octospawn coral moderate light, around 80 to 150 PAR, with low to moderate indirect flow. Place it on the sandbed or on the lower to middle rockwork.

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. Like the rest of its family, it does best in calm, stable water.

Symbiotic zooxanthellae supply most of its energy, topped up by the meaty particles it captures. Target feeding once or twice a week is optional.

Like its relatives, it sends out stinging sweeper tentacles. Leave about 6 inches of space from non-Euphylliid neighbors, though it usually sits peacefully next to hammer, frogspawn and torch corals. Colonies are propagated by cutting individual heads from their branches.

Good to know

Fimbriaphyllia yaeyamaensis belongs to the family Euphylliidae and was described from the Yaeyama Islands of southern Japan. It was long sold as Euphyllia yaeyamaensis. Taxonomists then moved it into Fimbriaphyllia along with hammer and frogspawn, leaving only the torch coral in Euphyllia.

In the wild

The octospawn coral grows on protected Indo-Pacific reef slopes and in turbid lagoons, often alongside hammer and frogspawn corals. Each head sits on its own branch of skeleton.

Common questions

What size tank does an octospawn coral need?

An octospawn coral needs at least 20 gal (75 L).

What temperature and pH does an octospawn coral need?

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

What does an octospawn coral eat?

An octospawn coral gets most of its energy from symbiotic zooxanthellae, topped up by the meaty particles it captures. Target feeding once or twice a week is optional.

How big does an octospawn coral get?

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

Related species