Octospawn Coral Care Guide | Lakeside Reefing

What Is an Octospawn Coral?

Octospawn (Euphyllia paradivisa) is a branching LPS coral closely related to torch corals and hammer corals. It gets its name from its distinctive tentacles, which branch and split at the tips — giving it a feathery, flowing appearance unlike any other Euphyllia. Under good lighting, the tentacles shimmer and sway with the flow, making it one of the most visually striking corals you can keep.

At Lakeside Reefing, our Peach Tip Octospawn is one of our most sought-after pieces — a warm, peachy-toned morph that glows under blue LEDs.

Water Parameters

Octospawn are moderately demanding compared to softies, but very achievable for intermediate reefers:

Temperature: 76–80°F (24–27°C)
Salinity: 1.025–1.026
pH: 8.1–8.3
Alkalinity (dKH): 8–10 dKH — stability is critical; avoid swings greater than 0.5 dKH per day
Calcium: 400–450 ppm
Magnesium: 1350–1500 ppm
Nitrate: 5–20 ppm
Phosphate: 0.05–0.1 ppm

Key tip: Alkalinity stability matters more than the exact number. Swinging alk is one of the most common causes of Euphyllia browning out or receding.

Lighting

Octospawn prefer low to moderate lighting — similar to other Euphyllia:

Ideal PAR: 50–150 PAR
Placement: Lower half of the tank; avoid the top of the rockwork under intense fixtures
Spectrum: Blues bring out the fluorescent tips beautifully; whites show the natural peach/cream tones

If you're acclimating a new Octospawn, start it low and slowly move it up over 2–3 weeks. Sudden exposure to high PAR can cause bleaching or tissue recession.

Flow

Octospawn need gentle, indirect flow to keep their tentacles extended and healthy:

Aim for flow that causes the tentacles to sway gently — not whip around violently
Direct, high-velocity flow will cause the coral to retract and stress
Random, alternating flow patterns (from a wavemaker) are ideal

A good rule of thumb: if the tentacles are fully extended and gently moving, your flow is right.

Feeding

Octospawn are active feeders and will reward regular feeding with faster growth and better coloration:

Target feed 2–3 times per week with mysis shrimp, Reef Roids, or LPS-specific foods
Turn off flow for 15–20 minutes after feeding
Feed at night when tentacles are most extended and the coral is actively hunting
Use a pipette or turkey baster to direct food to the tentacles

Octospawn have strong feeding responses and will visibly grab and pull food into their mouths — it's one of the most satisfying things to watch in a reef tank.

Aggression and Placement

Like all Euphyllia, Octospawn have sweeper tentacles that extend at night to sting neighboring corals:

Keep at least 6 inches of space between your Octospawn and other corals
Euphyllia-to-Euphyllia contact is generally safe (torch, hammer, and Octospawn can touch each other without issue)
Keep away from mushrooms, Acans, Blastos, and other LPS that can't defend themselves

Common Problems

Brown Jelly Disease (BJD): A bacterial infection that can rapidly destroy Euphyllia tissue. If you see brown, slimy tissue, immediately frag below the infection and treat with an iodine dip.
Tentacles not extending: Check flow (too high), lighting (too intense), or water quality. Also check for pests like Euphyllia-eating nudibranches.
Browning out: Usually caused by high nutrients or low light. Increase light gradually or reduce feeding.
Tissue recession: Often caused by alk swings, physical damage, or pests. Stabilize parameters and inspect the base carefully.