Slipper coral (Polyphyllia talpina) care guide

Group
Corals
Other names
Mole coral, Tongue coral, Sandal coral
Family
Fungiidae
Origin
Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea and East Africa to the central Pacific; sandy lagoon floors and reef slopes
Water
saltwater
Care level
intermediate
Reef safe
yes
Lighting
Moderate
Flow
Low to moderate

Care

Polyphyllia talpina is a free-living stony coral: an elongated, slipper-shaped colony that lies loose on the sand. Many mouths run along its upper surface, and short tentacles cover it during the day, giving it a furry look. It is usually brown, green or cream. Place it on the sand bed, never wedged into the rock; it needs to sit upright and may slowly move. Give it moderate light and gentle to moderate flow. Water: keep a standard reef: about 24–26 °C, pH 8.1–8.4, alkalinity around dKH 8–11, calcium about 400–450 ppm and magnesium about 1250–1350 ppm. Growth is slow. Neither LiveAquaria nor Top Shelf Aquatics lists this species; the figures are general guidance for the genus, not from a source. 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: general reef-keeping guidance; neither LiveAquaria nor Top Shelf Aquatics lists this species. Checked October 2026.

Diet

Photosynthetic, but it takes meaty foods well. Offer mysis, brine shrimp or chopped seafood to its tentacles once or twice a week.

Breeding

Rarely fragged. Like other free-living corals it can produce small buds from damaged areas, which can be grown on.

Compatibility and tank mates

Mildly aggressive: its tentacles sting corals it touches, so leave 10–15 cm around it on the sand. Keep it away from other plate and mushroom corals. Some angelfish and butterflyfish nip it.

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

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