Indo-Pacific and Red Sea; sheltered reef slopes and caves
Water
saltwater
Temperature
22–26°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Hardness
dKH 8–12
Care level
beginner
Reef safe
with_caution
Lighting
Moderate
Flow
Low to medium
Care
A large-polyp stony coral whose daytime polyps are grape-like water-filled bubbles in white, cream or green, covering a ridged skeleton. At night the bubbles shrink and feeding tentacles appear. Naming: LiveAquaria lists it under Euphylliidae; it is now placed in Plerogyridae. Placement: bottom of the tank, on the sand or low rockwork, with plenty of room. Light and flow: moderate light and gentle to moderate flow; strong flow stops it inflating fully and can tear it. Water: LiveAquaria rates it easy. Keep calcium around 400–450 ppm, alkalinity at dKH 8–12 and magnesium around 1250–1350 ppm, and keep them steady; regular dosing of calcium, alkalinity and trace elements (or a calcium reactor in a busy reef) is needed as the coral grows. Handle only by the skeleton, as the bubbles tear easily. Growth: slow to moderate. Selling: this is a CITES Appendix II coral. Frags grown in the UK can be sold freely; wild-collected or imported pieces must have been legally imported with CITES paperwork. Sources: LiveAquaria (liveaquaria.com/products/bubble-coral-1). Checked October 2026.
Diet
Photosynthetic, plus weekly brine shrimp, mysis or micro-plankton, which LiveAquaria recommends.
Breeding
Can be fragged by cutting through the skeleton between valleys with a saw, but it is not often done. Feed well during recovery.
Compatibility and tank mates
Aggressive: its sweeper tentacles can damage nearby corals, so leave 15 cm or more around it.
Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.
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