Elephant ear mushroom (Amplexidiscus fenestrafer) care guide

Group

Corals

Other names

Elephant ear, Giant mushroom, Elephant ear coral

Family

Discosomidae

Origin

Indo-Pacific, from the Indian Ocean to the western Pacific

Water

saltwater

Maximum size

30 cm

Temperature

22–26°C

pH

8.1–8.4

Hardness

dKH 8–12

Care level

beginner

Reef safe

with_caution

Lighting

Low to moderate

Flow

Low to moderate

Care

Amplexidiscus fenestrafer is the largest corallimorph ("mushroom coral"), a thick, flat disc that can grow up to about 30 cm across. It is usually brown, olive or green with tiny bumps. It can fold its disc up into a bag. Place it low in the tank on rock or a sandy spot with plenty of room. Like other mushrooms it does best in low to moderate light and gentle flow. LiveAquaria lists a hairy mushroom relative as easy in care with moderate light and medium flow. Water: LiveAquaria gives dKH 8–12, pH 8.1–8.4, specific gravity 1.023–1.025 and 22–26 °C. Note: LiveAquaria covers only a relative, so the figures above are from that page, not from a source on this species. Not CITES-listed. Sources: LiveAquaria (liveaquaria.com/products/hairy-mushroom-coral). Checked October 2026.

Diet

Partly photosynthetic, but it also traps food: it can fold its disc around small fish, shrimp and other animals and eat them. Small meaty foods can be offered now and then.

Breeding

It can divide or regrow from pieces of its foot. You can cut it with a scalpel and hold the pieces in a rubble container until they attach.

Compatibility and tank mates

Use caution with small fish and shrimp, which it can catch and eat. It can also sting or overgrow nearby corals, so give it 15 cm of space.

Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.