Doughnut Coral

About

Doughnut Coral (Lobophyllia vitiensis) is a large polyp stony coral found across a wide stretch of the Indo-Pacific, from Madagascar eastward to Polynesia and ranging from the Ryukyu Islands down to Australian waters. In the wild it occupies reef environments from the shallows down to around 50 meters, giving it a natural tolerance for variable light conditions that makes it reasonably adaptable in captivity. The name comes from its rounded, fleshy polyp form. Thick, lobed tissue that gives each corallite a distinctly meaty appearance. Like other lobophylliids, it relies on zooxanthellae for much of its nutrition, but it will also benefit from occasional target feeding with meaty foods when the opportunity arises. Its care requirements are pretty straightforward: moderate lighting and gentle water movement are the keys, and it does not appreciate strong, direct flow that can stress the tissue. For a large polyp stony coral, it is considered a beginner-friendly option, provided the tank is established and water quality is consistently stable. It is reef safe and generally non-aggressive, though like most LPS corals it can extend sweeper tentacles at night, so leave some buffer space between it and nearby corals.