Fun Frogspawn Coral Facts For Kids

Frogspawn coral (Euphyllia divisa) is a commonly known species of large polyped stony corals, native to the Indo-Pacific Islands. Frogspawn corals have a structure of corallite skeleton with a flabello meandroid 'wall'.

It is native to Southeast Asia, Australia, Solomon Islands, and the  East China Sea. It is also known as octopus coral, honey coral, grape coral, and frogspawn coral.

It is observed that these corals can grow up to almost 10 in (25.4 cm) in length.

Euphyllia species have the power to sting any other corals so whenever they are placed in a different coral it must be well planned. The name corals are received by the polyps which are divided at the end and these polyps resemble eggs.

Their main threat is a brown jelly infection which means a disease of the tissue of a coral that kills the frogspawn and this disease is caused due to dirty water conditions, stress, or injury.

For more relatable content, check out these finger coral facts and soft coral facts for kids.

Frogspawn Coral Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a frogspawn coral?

Euphyllia divisa is a type of large stony coral species commonly found in marine aquariums. Wherever this type of species is kept, the quality of water should be within limits and must be appropriate for a reef aquarium.

What class of animal does a frogspawn coral belong to?

Frogspawn corals are of class Anthozoa and phylum Cnidaria. The temperature of the water should be low to moderate, and the current should be not too strong as none of these corals will stretch or open their tentacles.

How many frogspawn corals are there in the world?

The total population of the frogspawn coral in the world is unknown. However, their population is decreasing due to climate change and water pollution.

Where does a frogspawn coral live?

Frogspawn coral lives in the waters of the Indo-Pacific, Australia, Southeast Asia, Japanese Islands, Fiji, and Palau. These species are also found in the Great Barrier Reef of Australia and the Houtman Islands.

What is a frogspawn coral's habitat?

Frogspawn coral is native to some parts of Asia and Australia, its roots are traced to the Philippines, Fiji, and Indonesia. Natural habitat includes Houtman Islands and the Great Barrier Reef.

Their wild habitats include reef slopes in depths of about 131 ft (40 m) and muddy substrates. Bright indirect light suits them. Frogspawn coral care for themselves with the help of their stinging cells which help them identify their predators and are also used for capturing small prey.

Who do frogspawn corals live with?

Frogspawn coral can be kept in touch with other corals, they can also live individually or in little colonies which comprise a whole reef structure. Corals can be kept close to each other so that they can be in touch with other euphyllia.

How long does a frogspawn coral live?

The lifespan of frogspawn coral is still unknown. Some of the species of frogspawn coral have a lifespan of 500 years and, in recent studies, it is claimed that some corals live for around 100 years.

How do they reproduce?

There are two types of methods used for reproduction that is sexual and asexual reproduction. But mainly they reproduce sexually through their reproductive glands.

Eggs and sperms both are released at once and the fertilized egg forms a free-swimming larva. Planula larva settles at the bottom of the sea in a substrate.

These larvae then later are called plankters. Before developing into a coral the tiny polyps produce calcium carbonate and the planula larva identifies that it is going to be prey and that's why very little of them become able to survive.

When frogspawn corals live in an aquarium or any tank they bud off from small polyp groups. Sometimes they pinch off parts of their tentacles and then stick back together again.

What is their conservation status?

These species of corals are Near Threatened in the IUCN Red List.

Frogspawn Coral Fun Facts

What do frogspawn corals look like?

Corals are the best species for an aquarium or reef tank, it is a large polyp-like coral, also known as octopus coral, frogspawn coral, grape coral, honey coral, and many more. They are green, brown, and tan in color and resemble fish eggs and frog eggs.

They are a good addition to a reef aquarium, they are seen both day and night and in evenings the sweeper tentacles can extend up to 6 in (15.2 cm).

It is not easy to keep these hardy species but they may thrive if kept in proper conditions. Moderate water movement should be there in the tank and aquarium where they are placed.

It is rich in color and flowing tentacles adding value to the tank. Its name is derived from the polyps divided at the end and the tip of the tentacles are bright colors like pink, white, cream, and lavender which contributes to keeping it in a tank for cool display and variations.

There should be a gap of at least 6 in (15.2 cm) between these corals because of their aggressive nature.

During the day the polyps extend completely and at night they extend partially. Tentacles stretch around two to three times their usual length when feeding.

How cute are they?

Corals have a cute, elegant, full-bodied look with gently waving tentacles to be kept in a tank or aquarium. They have an aggressive nature and show aggression to nearby corals.

They are hardy but frogspawn coral care should be taken with proper water parameters like moderate water flow and water movement should be set accordingly and remember corals should not be under stress with too much water flow.

How do they communicate?

It is unknown how they communicate.

How big is a frogspawn coral?

They generally have an overall length of around 10 in (25.4 cm), which is 20 times bigger than forktail rainbowfish.

How fast can a frogspawn coral move?

They do not move fast but can be found under 131 ft (40 m) depths and when they are kept in a tank or aquarium frogspawn coral placement needs to be properly done by the keepers

How much does a frogspawn coral weigh?

The exact weight of this coral is not known, the polyps resemble a mass of frog's eggs.

What are the male and female names of the species?

There are no separate names to describe the male and female.

What would you call a baby frogspawn coral?

The youngs of frogspawn corals are called baby Euphyllia divisa or larvae.

What do they eat?

Feeding frogspawn coral in a home aquarium or tank is not so difficult but full of options. When they are in their natural habitats they get food from organic matter and other food particles which get caught by them whereas algae is another source of nutrition for them.

Frogspawn coral care should be taken during feeding also especially when they are in captivity.

They should be given standard foods like brine shrimp, microplankton, or meaty frozen foods. Pellets can also be given but they do not make any such benefits or loss until the water conditions are not bad which results in causing diseases like brown jelly and ending with frogspawn coral dying.

Are they poisonous?

They are not poisonous and they do not kill or harm humans, however, some people are allergic to them. They are not toxic and people can eat them as they contain nutrients and are safe.

Would they make a good pet?

They can be good pets without harming humans. Frogspawn coral care should be taken properly keeping all the water parameters, feeding habits, and living habitats in order.

The minimum tank or aquarium size should be 30 gal (136.4 L) and the water movement should be set to moderate, water flow should also be minimum and most important, water temperature should be between 59-68°F (15-20°C) and if the water rises above 68°F (20°C), then there is a chance of pollution.

To avoid contamination water should be changed twice a week. They should not be left in water until they reach three to four weeks of age when they hatch or open.

Did you know...

Frogspawn corals are a protected species and if you find any in your local pond, it is illegal for you to take them your home. Frogspawn corals are made up of thousands of single eggs.

Are frogspawn corals hardy?

Yes, these are hardy and large polyps-shaped species, they are relatively easy to take care of when kept in a tank or aquarium with proper water conditions like water flow and other water parameters. It is quite difficult to keep them because adjusting the water temperatures is not easy and everyone can not maintain that.

Water quality should be rich so that it does not harm them.

Caring for frogspawn coral

A proper amount of light, along with moderate lighting is essential for those kept in tanks, as it helps them live more and in peace. They will bleach under extreme lighting and will start starving under low levels of lighting.

They are placed in the middle or the top of the tank and with a gap of 6-8 in (15.2-20.3 cm) between two different species of corals. They are quite simple to keep, as they do not require feeding.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other Anthozoa from our staghorn coral facts and candy coral facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable frogspawn coral coloring pages.