Tongue coral (Herpolitha limax) care guide

Group

Corals

Other names

Slipper coral, Herpolitha

Family

Fungiidae

Origin

Indo-Pacific, including the Red Sea, on sand and rubble

Water

saltwater

Temperature

22–26°C

pH

8.1–8.4

Hardness

dKH 8–12

Care level

beginner

Reef safe

yes

Lighting

Moderate

Flow

Low to moderate

Care

Herpolitha limax is a free-living, elongated plate coral shaped like a tongue or slipper. Unlike single-mouthed plate corals, it has many mouths along a central groove. It is usually brown, green or tan. Neither LiveAquaria nor Top Shelf Aquatics lists this species; the figures are general guidance for the genus, not from a source. The figures come from LiveAquaria's plate coral (Fungia repanda) page, a close relative in the same family. Place it on the sand bed, never on rockwork, with moderate light and low to medium flow; it can inflate to about twice its size, so allow room. Water: LiveAquaria gives dKH 8–12, pH 8.1–8.4 and 22–26 °C for plate corals, with trace elements, strontium and calcium. Growth is slow. 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/plate-coral-purple-short-tentacle). Checked October 2026.

Diet

Photosynthetic. LiveAquaria suggests feeding plate corals brine or mysis shrimp and small chopped meaty foods a few times a week, only when the tentacles are fully out.

Breeding

Not normally fragged. Fungiids sometimes grow small buds from damaged or old skeletons, which can be detached once they have their own skeleton.

Compatibility and tank mates

Semi-aggressive: its short tentacles can harm corals it touches, and it can move slowly across the sand, so keep it clear of other corals.

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