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Euphyllia Care Guide
Last updated on June 8th, 2023
Hammer, Torch, and other Euphyllia Coral Care Guide
Euphyllia are a category of Large Polyp Stony (LPS) coral. Euphyllia are known for their large stone like skeletons and tenticle-like polyps, known as heads. Some common Euphyllia Coral include Hammer Corals, Torch Corals, Octospawn, and Frogspawn.
There are a few important topics involved in Euphillia Coral Care, such as aggression, flow, and lighting. These are great coral for beginners looking to expand beyon soft corals and Zoantids. That being said, beginners should hold off until they are successful at caring for a soft coral such as zoanthids or leather coral before keeping Euphillia.
What are Euphyllia
Euphyllia are a category of LPS coral with stony skeletons and tentacle-like polyps known as heads. Common Euphyllia coral include Hammer Corals, Torch Corals, Frogspawn, and Octospawn Coral. All of these Euphillia have sweeper tenticles that have a sting much like that of an anemone. These coral use that sweewer tenticle to hunt for food, as well as fight off other coral for space to grow.
Best Flow for Euphyllia Coral
Euphyllia prefer low to medium flow, between 40 and 100 times turnover. Generally a gyre or pulsing flow type is best for these coral. This flow allows the tenticles to pulse with the current. Too much flow can cause the polyps of the Euphyllia Coral either stay retracted, or hit the skeleton and cause damage to the coral. You want just enough flow to allow the polyps to gently flow in the current but not crash against the skeleton.
Learn More About Flow in the Reef Tank
Best Lighting for Euphyllia Coral
Propper Euphyllia care requires moderate to strong lighting. This includes high par options such as T5s or High End LEDs. Somewhere around 100 - 150 PAR is more than sufficient for Euphillia! To prevent coral stress when adding Euphyllia coral to the tank, start with lower light areas of the aquarium and move the coral to higher, more intense lighting slowly, over a week or so, until you find the location the coral likes best.
When you find the location where the Euphyllia has full polyp extension, it's best to let that be its home. Too much light will cause the coral to bleach. Too little light will cause the coral to shrivel up and die. When the lighting is just right, you'll be able to enjoy beatiful tenticle polpys pulsing in the current.
Learn More About Reef Tank Lighting
Euphyllia Coral Aggression - Best Coral Placement For Euphillia
A guide to Euphyllia Care wouldn't be complete without mentioning their aggression. The sweeper tenticles from Euphyllia coral can sting other nearby corals. The sweeper tenticles are longer than the regular coral flesh, and are generally clear, making them dificult to see. These sweepers can cause severe damage or death in nearby coral of nearly any type. The most important tip for Euphyllia care is to give these coral enough space, far from other coral.
Interestingly enough, most Euphyllia coral will not sting other Euphyllia coral. This means you may be okay placing euphyllia of similar types near each other without stinging each other. This is why you see many beautiful hammer and torch gardens without the coral all dying.
The 6 inch Rule for Euphillia
The 6 inch rule is that there should be 6 inches between a euphyllia coral and any other coral. When the euphyllia coral is small, this may be easy. But as the coral grows, this can be quite dificult. The key is that euphyllia coral tend not to sting other euphyllia coral. So they can be closer than 6 inches apart. This is why the nicest looking euphyllia corals are othen found in a species tank, without SPS or other types of coral.
Some larger Euphyllia coral have been known to have sweeper tenticles up to 12 inches long. Most often, however, the sweeper tenticles will be less than 6 inches. This has led to what is known as the 6 inch rule. Though if you notice the sweepers are longer than that, you may want more space.
Best Parameters for Euphillia Care
When it comes to Euphyllia Care, the most important factor with parameters is stability. Maintaining temperature within about 1 degree F above or below your target temperature, maintaining stable alkalinity within 0.5 dKh, and calcium within about 25ppm will give you more success than any specific numbers. That being said, there are some general, quick guidelines for Euphillia care that lines up with most other coral.
- Temperature: ~78-80 Degrees F
- Alkalinity: 8-10 dKh
- Calcium: 400-450 ppm
- Nitrate: 1-10 ppm
- Phosphate: 0.01 ppm - 0.05 ppm
Feeding Euphyllia Coral
Like many other LPS coral, Euphyllia coral will thrive best when fed. These coral especially enjoy meaty foods such as mysis shrimp, though they will also eat coral food such as Reef Roids. Even though feeding euphyllia will help them grow and thrive, it is not necessary for success keeping these coral. Euphillia such as hammers, torches, and frogspawn are all photosynthetic, meaning feeding is optional.
Euphyllia Care - Coral Stress
Most coral don't tell you when they're stressed, but Euphyllia does! You will notice the tenticles retract in to the skeleton of the coral. This lets you know that something is wrong. The first things to look into are flow, lighting, and alkalinity. It is important to consider pests and aggression from other fish and coral as well.
Torch Coral Euphyllia
One of the most desired types of euphyllia coral are torches. Torch coral have long colorful tenticles that pulse in the waterflow. In the last couple years, these corals have become a colector's coral of sorts. The varieties in color have made them very popular lately. Of all of the types of euphyllia, torch corals are typically the most expensive and slightly more difficult to keep than other varieties.
Torch Euphyllia Care from Tidal Gardens
Hammer Coral Euphyllia
Hammer coral get their name from the tenticles looking like a hammer. These colors have beautiful polyps that tend to be very close together, but can also be longer and flowy. Hammer coral are found in a variety of colors, though there are many that are much more rare than others.
Hammer Euphyllia Care from Tidal Gardens
Frogspawn Euphyllia
Frogspawn Euphyllia coral get their name from the appearance of their tenticles being similar to that of frog eggs. These coral have beautiful, oddly shaped polyps and are often found in purple and green varieties. Though recently, there have been other colorations available.
Frogspawn Euphyllia Care from Tidal Gardens
Euphillia Pests and Common Problems
Angelfish
Angelfish are nutorious for nipping at corals. The best idea is to prevent keeping both angelfish and euphyllia in the same tank. Most Angelfish are not reef safe partly for this reason.
Euphyllia Eating Flatworm
Euphyllia Eating Flatworms are small blob like worms that are often discovered by the bite marks or eggs on the coral. These flatworms are handled in the same way as any other saltawter flatworm. Learn more about Flat Worms.
Euphyllia Care Guide - Cheet Sheet
Temperature
- Euphyllia strongly prefer stable temperature (~0.5 F) around 78-80 degrees F.
Alkalinity
- Focus on stability, maintaining within 0.5 dKh
- Most success between 7-10 dKh
Calcium
- Focus on stability, within 25ppm.
- 400-450ppm is the ideal range.
Magnesium
- Between 1200-1400ppm. Targeting 1300ppm.
Nitrates and Phosphates
- The below numbers are ideal, but euphyllia can tolerate a range of nutrient levels.
- Nitrates: 1-10ppm
- Phosphates: 0.01 - 0.05ppm
Lighting
- Euphyllia are not overly picky on lighting. Provided the PAR is at least 100-150, you should be fine. You may need to experiment with what the particular euphyllia coral likes best.
- Blue and Actinic spectrum are best for color and growth.
Additional Coral Care Reading:
- Reef Stable - Acropora Care Guide
- Reef Stable - Montipora Care Guide
- Reef Stable - Euphillia Care Guide
- Reef Stable - Zoanthid Care Guide
Conclusion
In general, euphyllia are very cool, colorful and easy coral for almost anybody. Some varieties are more difficult than others, but they are a great option for beginners looking to expand beyond zoas and other soft coral. I highly recommend these coral, especially lower cost, simple hammer coral for beginners and high end, colorful torches for those with experience!
See What Euphillia Reef Stable Is Offering!
About the Author
John Krenzer
John is a Software Engineer with a passion for saltwater aquariums, as well as the founder and president of Reef Stable. He started in the aquarium hobby as a child with a 20 gallon freshwater aquarium. His interest in aquarium life grew and in 2008, John set up his first saltwater aquarium.
Today, John maintains a 120 gallon mixed reef aquarium as well as a 210 gallon aggressive species aquarium. These large tanks are contained within the same system, sharing a sump as a means to reduce total maintenance and increase total water volume.
John writes articles for the blog as a means to learn about more reef aquarium topics. These articles act as a reference for the readers as well as himself. John updates these articles frequently to provide additional information or make corrections as new information becomes available.
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