Hammer, Frogspawn or Torch: Which Euphyllia Fits Your Reef?

Hammer, frogspawn and torch corals are among the most popular corals with moving polyps. Shops often group all three under “Euphyllia”. But the label is only a starting point: polyp shape, possible extension and the free space needed in an aquarium differ. This comparison is about choosing a coral before buying it. For the ongoing care of a torch, see our separate torch coral guide.

How can you recognise each type?

• Hammer: Tentacles often end in broad hammer- or anchor-shaped tips. Depending on the individual, they may look compact or longer and strongly animated by the flow.
• Frogspawn: Its tentacles usually carry several rounded buds, giving an open polyp a more branched look than a typical hammer.
• Torch: Long, generally slimmer tentacles often have a distinct tip and can reach well beyond the skeleton.

Growth form deserves a second look. In a branching specimen, each large polyp sits on its own skeletal branch. In a so-called wall form, the tissue extends along one connected, winding skeleton. So consider the photograph, head count, size and growth form as well as the trade name. In current taxonomy, hammer and frogspawn corals are often placed in Fimbriaphyllia, while the familiar torch remains Euphyllia glabrescens. The common trade names are still useful when shopping.

Which look suits your reef?

A hammer adds broad, structured polyps. Frogspawn often looks particularly soft and bushy because of its clustered tips. A torch brings pronounced motion with its long tentacles. These are visual differences, not a ranking of the “best” coral. If the planned position has little free room around it, pay particular attention to how far a torch can extend.

Do not measure available space against the bare skeleton. All three can touch and sting neighbouring corals, and some torches may reach especially far. A crowded “Euphyllia garden” therefore does not guarantee compatibility. Allow room for fully open polyps, and check after introduction whether corals really touch each other. If a neighbour visibly reacts, it needs more space.

Consider light and flow before buying

For all three, indirect water movement is a sensible starting point. Tentacles should sway gently rather than remain pinned in one direction. A direct pump jet can push delicate tissue against the coral's own skeleton. No universal pump percentage is useful because aquarium shape, pump design and placement differ.

Lighting also needs to suit the individual coral's previous conditions and your fixture. Our experience at CoralPrime: Our torch corals grow well at around 80–120 PAR and show no signs of light stress there; they can tolerate stronger light after gradual acclimation. This is an observation of our animals, not a target for every torch or for hammer and frogspawn corals. If the new position differs substantially, start cautiously and acclimate the animal in stages. Watch polyp extension and tissue over several days. Making large changes to both light and flow at once makes it hard to tell what helps. Stable temperature and salinity, plus a meaningful trend for alkalinity and calcium, matter to these stony corals as much as position does.

Five questions about the actual listing

1. Which coral will arrive? A WYSIWYG photograph shows the offered specimen. If the image is illustrative, ask about the actual coral's appearance and size.
2. How large is it when open? The head count and skeleton size do not fully describe the space it will use.
3. Is its tissue intact? Examine the edge where the polyp meets the skeleton. Visible recession or injury deserves clarification before purchase.
4. Does the growth form fit? A branching specimen and a wall form differ in placement and future growth.
5. Is there enough room? Consider neighbours above and below the planned position as well as the coral directly beside it.

Browse our current Euphyllia selection to compare available hammers, frogspawns and torches. Colour can look different under another aquarium light. Polyp shape, condition and available space are at least as important as a colour name. After delivery, our acclimation guide can help you give the coral a calm start.

Common questions

Can I put a hammer and a torch right next to each other?

Allow space to begin with. Contact is not automatically harmless even within the group sold as Euphyllia, particularly with torches. Observe open polyps and both corals' reactions before deciding on a permanent arrangement.

Is an expensive torch automatically harder to keep?

Price does not describe care requirements. Consider the condition and previous husbandry of the individual coral, and whether your aquarium offers a suitable open position.

Choosing between two specimens? Send a photograph of the planned position, your tank dimensions and recent water test results to info@coralprime.de, and we can discuss the options with you.

Further reading: Bulk Reef Supply: Euphyllia Garden; Bulk Reef Supply: Euphyllia Comparison.