Octospawn coral (Euphyllia yaeyamaensis) care guide

Group
Corals
Other names
Fimbriaphyllia yaeyamaensis, Octospawn, Octopus coral
Family
Euphylliidae
Origin
Western Pacific; named after the Yaeyama Islands of southern Japan
Water
saltwater
Temperature
22–26°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Hardness
dKH 8–12
Care level
intermediate
Reef safe
with_caution
Lighting
Moderate
Flow
Moderate, indirect

Care

The octospawn is a large-polyp stony (LPS) coral related to the frogspawn. Its polyps are smaller and the tentacles end in several short branches, giving a tufted, octopus-like look. Bright green forms are the most common in the trade. Naming: it was moved from Euphyllia to Fimbriaphyllia in 2017, along with the hammer and frogspawn corals, so Fimbriaphyllia yaeyamaensis is the current name. Placement: lower to middle rockwork, with plenty of space around it. Light and flow: moderate to fairly strong light and moderate flow, enough to keep the polyps moving without tearing them. Water and supplements: stable alkalinity, calcium and magnesium, with strontium and trace elements. Neither source lists this species; the figures here are LiveAquaria's guidance for the related frogspawn coral (Euphyllia divisa). 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/frogspawn-coral). Checked October 2026.

Diet

Photosynthetic: zooxanthellae supply most of its food. It also benefits from micro-plankton or brine shrimp; small meaty foods once a week help growth.

Breeding

Cut a head away at the skeleton, below the tissue, with bone cutters or a saw and glue it to a plug. Colonies also split heads naturally.

Compatibility and tank mates

Aggressive. Like the frogspawn, it puts out sweeper tentacles at night that can reach about 15 cm and sting other corals. Give it its own space. Other Fimbriaphyllia (hammer, frogspawn) usually tolerate it better than other corals do.

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

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