Rounded Bubblegum Coral

About

The rounded bubblegum coral (Plerogyra cauliformis) is a relatively obscure species first described from Sabah, North Borneo, and known from the waters of Malaysia in the Western Central Pacific. Unlike many of its more commonly traded cousins, this coral grows in a phaceloid form, meaning the corallites extend in branching, finger-like columns rather than forming a fused mound. Each corallite is mostly monocentric, and the septa are notably large, solid, and prominently raised above the skeleton with smooth edges. What really sets this species apart visually is the texture of its extended polyps. They carry a distinctly warty surface and display a red-brown coloration offset by paler wart tips, giving the colony an unusual, almost tactile appearance when fully inflated during the day. In the wild it has been documented living on soft mud substrates, which is a departure from the hard reef surfaces most coral keepers are used to thinking about. In aquarium care it falls into the intermediate category, appreciating moderate light and gentle, low-intensity flow that won't stress or deflate those characteristic vesicles. It is considered reef safe. Because it is rarely collected and not widely documented in the hobby, finding detailed captive care accounts can be a challenge, so existing experience with other Plerogyra species is your best reference point.