Torch, Hammer, Frogspawn: What Euphyllia Really Costs
Current market prices for the hobby's most wanted large-polyp corals, and why torches command what they do.
Published July 29, 2026 · figures recomputed from data through September 5, 2026 · by Reef Price Index
Torch, hammer, and frogspawn — the big three Euphyllia (taxonomists have moved torches to Euphyllia proper and the other two to Fimbriaphyllia, but the hobby still shops them as one family) — are the most reliably in-demand large-polyp corals in the trade: flowing movement, big personalities, and a permanent spot on "dream tank" lists. Here's what the market actually charges for them.
The trio, priced today
| Type | Low | Median | High | Listings | Vendors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Torch Coral (Euphyllia) | $99.99 | $249.99 | $1,299.00 | 80 | 3 |
| Hammer Coral (Fimbriaphyllia, formerly Euphyllia) | $59.99 | $126.10 | $399.99 | 68 | 3 |
| Frogspawn Coral (Fimbriaphyllia, formerly Euphyllia) | $79.99 | $179.10 | $269.10 | 30 | 2 |
The ordering is the market's long-standing verdict: torches command the family premium (median $249.99, against $126.10 for hammers and $179.10 for frogspawn). Torches carry the family's most dramatic named strains, the strongest social-media presence, and the most aggressive collector demand — and a torch head is the unit the whole LPS market prices itself around.
What you're actually paying for
- Per head. Euphyllia sell by the head (polyp). A "3-head torch" at a higher sticker can be cheaper per head than a single-head frag. Always divide.
- The name. Named strains — the holy grails, dragon souls, and their successors — carry most of the top half of each range. An unnamed "gold torch" and a famous named strain of near-identical appearance can differ by hundreds of dollars; the name is provenance, and provenance is what collectors resell.
- Aussie vs. Indo provenance. Collection origin is a standing price factor in this family — check what the listing states rather than assuming from color.
- WYSIWYG. Head count, extension, and coloration are exactly what a representative photo can fudge — this family is where the exact-piece photo earns its premium (measured here).
Buying strategy the data supports
Because half of today's 80 torch listings sit at or below $249.99, the median is a genuinely attainable price for a healthy, ordinary torch — the four-figure listings at the top of the range are a collector market stacked on top of a pet purchase, not the price of entry. If you want Euphyllia movement on a budget, the data is unambiguous: frogspawn delivers the same flow at the family's friendliest prices, and hammers sit in between. And since prices step rather than drift, a torch you're watching won't quietly get cheaper — but the strain you want eventually will, once enough keepers have fragged it.