Long Tentacle Plate Coral

 Quick Care Facts

• Care Level: Moderate   • Temperament: Aggressive   • Waterflow: Medium
• Placement: Bottom   • Lighting: Moderate   • Color Form: White, Beige, Brown, Gray, Green
 • Supplements: Calcium, Strontium, Trace Elements   • Water Conditions: 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.023-1.025
• Origin: Indo-Pacific   • Family: Fungiidae   • Species: LPS Hard Corals

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The Long Tentacle Plate Coral is a large polyp stony (LPS) coral,which is often commonly referred to as a Heliofungia Plate, Mushroom, or Disk Coral. Its genus name, Heliofungia, was derived from the Latin words helios (sun) and fungus (mushroom), which describes its calcareous skeleton shape. When the long tentacles are extended, the Long Tentacle Plate Coral takes on the appearance of an anemone.

The Long Tentacle Plate Coral is a solitary and aggressive coral, which uses its long tentacles to search for food, but they can also damage other corals that it comes in contact with. When placement within the aquarium, it is important to keep in mind that it will often inflate itself with water and expand to twice its size, with sweeper tentacles extending well beyond its base.

It will do best on the bottom of a reef aquarium, preferably lying on a fine sandy substrate. The Long Tentacle Plate Coral is easy to maintain in the reef aquarium and makes an excellent candidate for the beginner reef aquarist. It does require moderate lighting combined with moderate water movement within the aquarium.

The Long Tentacle Plate Coral should be fed micro-plankton or brine shrimp 2 to 3 times a week. For continued good health, it will also require the addition of calcium, strontium, and other trace elements to the water.