The Bubble Coral, is quite popular in home reefs, and it's not hard to see why. These corals have a strange, unique appearance and can be quite impressive under ideal conditions.

During the day, the Bubble Coral uses light to perform photosynthesis. Brighter colored Bubble Corals may have been exposed to more light than lighter colored specimens. Bubble Corals will need light according to the lighting in their origin. Many specimens from the Red Sea are found in shallow, well-lit waters. These may be placed in brighter lighting; however, they should be gradually acclimated to it. However, specimens collected from other areas are often found on shaded ledges or in turbid waters. A Bubble Coral from such an area will require less light than other individuals, and may be placed at the bottom of a tank. At night, it will extend stinging tentacles known as sweeper tentacles to keep other corals from growing too close. This behavior is similar to many herd corals. Unfortunately in an aquarium, neighboring corals may be stung accidentally if placed too close. If you notice damaged or dying tissue on coral near your Bubble Coral, you may need to move it further away from the Bubble Coral.

The Bubble Coral is composed of fleshy tissue residing in a protective hard skeleton, made from calcium deposits that the tissues, or polyps, secrete. The walls of this skeleton are rather sharp. The Bubble Corals gets its name from its bulbous tentacles. These are used to absorb light needed for photosynthesis, and they expand during the day. Other tentacles are used to sting predators or to capture food particles for the coral. These are most often seen at night. Bubble Corals may be light green, tan, gray, or white.

The Bubble Coral is native to the Indo Pacific, including waters surrounding Australia, the Indian Ocean, and to the Red Sea. It is quite popular in captivity.

Bubble Corals normally require moderate lighting, though specimens from the Red Sea may accept bright lighting, if they are acclimated to it. Temperatures should remain in the upper 70 degrees Fahrenheit (mid 20 degrees Celsius), and the pH should be 8.3 to 8.4. The specific gravity should measure between 1.023 and 1.025. Water movement should be low to moderate, and any significant current should not be directed toward this coral. In an aquarium, there should be at least a 6 inch margin between a Bubble Coral and any neighboring corals, or they may be stung by the coral. As with almost all corals, it is generally not necessary to feed this coral. In fact, feeding this coral can overload its ability to process food and kill it. When selecting a Bubble Coral to purchase, try to choose a specimen whose polyps appear evenly grown over the calcified skeleton. The Bubble Coral's polyps may be injured in transport, if the coral is jostled, because they can be cut against the walls of the hard skeleton. This can give bacteria and protozoans an opportunity to infect the Bubble Coral, particularly during the stress of capture and transport. Algae may also infect Bubble Corals and may be visible on areas that would normally be covered by the tissue of the coral. Keeping the coral out of the light for a few days will help this problem.

There is currently no special breeding information in our databases for this animal. To submit breeding / propagation information that is specific to this animal please click here.