Branching Frogspawn Coral

The branching frogspawn is a species whose tentacles are almost identical to those of the frogspawn coral, but whose skeleton is branching like the torch's; each head sits at the end of its own branch. Thanks to this structure, it is easily propagated by cutting a branch. With the 2017 molecular revision it was moved from Euphyllia to the genus Fimbriaphyllia. Its trade is subject to CITES Appendix II; choose an aquacultured frag.

• Light: Moderate, about 75–200 PAR; increase the light gradually.
• Flow: Moderate, indirect and variable; the tentacles should wave softly.
• Placement: The middle zone of the rockwork, with 15 cm of space around it.
• Water parameters: Salinity 1.024–1.026, KH 7–10 dKH, calcium 400–450 mg/L, magnesium 1250–1350 mg/L. Sensitive to KH swings; keep nitrate around 2–10 mg/L.

It is photosynthetic, but catches food well. If mysis or fine-grained LPS food is given to the tentacles once or twice a week with the flow turned down, new heads appear more often.

At night it puts out stinging "sweeper" tentacles that extend 10–15 cm; leave at least 15 cm between it and neighboring corals. It can often sit next to hammer and frogspawn corals, but keep it away from the torch coral. Dwarf angelfish, butterflyfish and hermit crabs may pick at the tentacles. If brown jelly appears, cut off the affected branch and remove it immediately.