{"id":10338,"date":"2026-02-17T19:11:44","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T19:11:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/product\/plate-short-tenticle-hard-coral-fungia-sp\/"},"modified":"2026-02-17T19:11:45","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T19:11:45","slug":"plate-short-tenticle-hard-coral-fungia-sp","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/?product=plate-short-tenticle-hard-coral-fungia-sp","title":{"rendered":"Plate Short Tenticle Hard Coral Fungia Sp"},"content":{"rendered":"

Plate Short Tentacle Hard Coral (Fungia sp.)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

(Also known as Plate Coral, Disc Coral, or Short Tentacle Fungia)<\/em><\/p>\n

Overview<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Plate Short Tentacle Hard Coral (Fungia<\/em> sp.) is a captivating large-polyp stony (LPS) coral<\/strong>, known for its flat, circular shape<\/strong> and vibrant colours<\/strong>, ranging from pink, orange, purple, and green<\/strong> to metallic and fluorescent combinations. Its short, fleshy tentacles extend across the surface, giving the coral a soft, textured look during the day and a gentle waving motion under current. As a free-living coral<\/strong>, Fungia<\/em> rests unattached on the substrate and can move slowly to adjust its position. Hardy, peaceful, and visually striking, it\u2019s a long-time favourite for both novice and experienced aquarists seeking a unique coral for the aquarium floor.<\/p>\n

Origin<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Native to the Indo-Pacific region<\/strong>, including the Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea, Fiji, Tonga, Indonesia, and the Maldives<\/strong>. Typically found on sandy reef flats, lagoon beds, and lower reef slopes<\/strong>, where it lives independently on soft substrate or rubble.<\/p>\n

Feeding<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Plate Coral is photosynthetic<\/strong>, housing zooxanthellae<\/strong> that supply most of its nutrition. Supplemental feeding encourages growth and recovery, particularly after fragmentation or transport. Feed 1\u20132 times per week<\/strong> with:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • \n

    Mysis or brine shrimp<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    Finely chopped seafood or coral plankton<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    LPS-targeted coral foods<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Feed when tentacles are visible (usually during the evening or after lights dim).<\/p>\n

    Lighting<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Moderate lighting.<\/strong> Provide bright, diffused illumination using LED, T5, or hybrid lighting systems<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

      \n
    • \n

      PAR range: 100\u2013200 \u00b5mol\/m\u00b2\/s<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

    • \n

      Avoid high-intensity direct light, which can cause bleaching.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

    • \n

      Blue-spectrum lighting enhances the coral\u2019s fluorescent pigments, especially greens and oranges.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Water Flow<\/strong><\/h3>\n

      Low to moderate, indirect flow.<\/strong> Gentle, alternating currents help keep the coral free of debris while allowing full polyp expansion. Avoid strong flow that can dislodge or flip the coral.<\/p>\n

      Placement<\/strong><\/h3>\n
        \n
      • \n

        Place on the sandy substrate<\/strong> or a flat, open rock ledge<\/strong>, where it can expand freely.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

      • \n

        Do not glue or wedge into rockwork \u2014 Fungia<\/em> is free-living<\/strong> and should be able to move slightly.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

      • \n

        Provide at least 10\u201315 cm (4\u20136 inches)<\/strong> clearance from other corals to prevent stings or crowding.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

      • \n

        Avoid sharp rock or shell fragments beneath the coral to prevent tissue damage.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Tank Mates<\/strong><\/h3>\n

        Reef safe.<\/strong> Compatible with:<\/p>\n

          \n
        • \n

          Peaceful reef fish (gobies, wrasses, clownfish, tangs, etc.)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

        • \n

          Snails, shrimp, and small hermit crabs<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

        • \n

          Other peaceful LPS and soft corals<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Avoid:<\/p>\n

            \n
          • \n

            Aggressive stinging corals (e.g., Galaxea, Euphyllia, Hydnophora) nearby<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

          • \n

            Butterflyfish, large angelfish, or puffers that may nip at polyps<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

          • \n

            Burrowing animals that might disturb the coral\u2019s position in the sand<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            Aggression<\/strong><\/h3>\n

            Peaceful.<\/strong> Fungia<\/em> does not actively sting other corals but should be given space, as its short tentacles can irritate nearby tissue on contact.<\/p>\n

            Experience Level<\/strong><\/h3>\n

            Beginner to intermediate.<\/strong> The Plate Short Tentacle Coral is hardy and adaptable but benefits from stable parameters and occasional feeding. It\u2019s ideal for aquarists of all levels and a must-have for sandbed or lagoon-style aquascapes.<\/p>\n

            Water Parameters<\/strong><\/h3>\n
              \n
            • \n

              Temperature:<\/strong> 24\u201327\u00b0C (75\u201381\u00b0F)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              pH:<\/strong> 8.1\u20138.4<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              Salinity:<\/strong> 1.024\u20131.026 SG<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              Alkalinity (dKH):<\/strong> 8\u201312<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              Calcium:<\/strong> 400\u2013450 ppm<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              Magnesium:<\/strong> 1250\u20131350 ppm<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              Nitrate:<\/strong> <10 ppm<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              Phosphate:<\/strong> <0.03 ppm<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              Tank Size:<\/strong> Minimum 80 litres (20 gallons)<\/strong> for a single specimen; larger tanks preferred for open sand areas<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              Stable water chemistry ensures healthy tissue and vibrant colouration.<\/p>\n

              Reef Compatibility<\/strong><\/h3>\n

              Fully reef safe.<\/strong> The Plate Short Tentacle Hard Coral adds elegance, movement, and colour to the aquarium floor. Its free-living nature and unique shape make it ideal for open spaces in mixed or LPS-dominant reef systems. It\u2019s peaceful, low-maintenance, and a perfect choice for diversifying coral textures and forms.<\/p>\n

              \n

              Interesting Fact<\/strong><\/h3>\n

              Fungia<\/em> corals are mobile and self-cleaning<\/strong> \u2014 they can inflate their tissue to right themselves if flipped and even move short distances using subtle water pressure changes beneath their base.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              Plate Short Tentacle Hard Coral (Fungia sp.) (Also known as Plate Coral, Disc Coral, or Short Tentacle Fungia) Overview The Plate Short Tentacle Hard Coral (Fungia sp.) is a captivating large-polyp stony (LPS) coral, known for its flat, circular shape and vibrant colours, ranging from pink, orange, purple, and green to metallic and fluorescent combinations. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":10337,"template":"","meta":[],"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[74],"product_tag":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-10338","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"product_cat-hard-corals","8":"first","9":"instock","10":"taxable","11":"shipping-taxable","12":"purchasable","13":"product-type-simple"},"group_of_quantity":0,"min_quantity":0,"max_quantity":"","exclude_order_quantity_value_rules":"no","exclude_category_quantity_rules":"no","combine_variations":"no","exclude_global_add_ons":[],"addons":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/product\/10338","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/10337"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10338"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_brand&post=10338"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_cat&post=10338"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_tag&post=10338"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}