The Bubble Coral Block is a purple coral block that spawns naturally in warm ocean biomes. You can’t craft it or smelt it. You have to track it down underwater and mine it with a Silk Touch pickaxe, otherwise it drops as a dead (gray) version instead. This guide covers how to get the living block in both Creative and Survival.
Where to Find Bubble Coral Block in Creative Mode
Java Edition (PC/Mac)
In Creative, just pull it straight from the inventory menu:
| Platform | Version | Creative Menu Location |
|---|---|---|
| Java Edition (PC/Mac) | 1.13 to 1.19 | Building Blocks |
| Java Edition (PC/Mac) | 1.19.3 to 1.19.4 | Natural Blocks |
How to Get a Bubble Coral Block in Survival Mode
You need to find a Coral Reef in a Warm Ocean biome and mine the block with a Silk Touch pickaxe. No Silk Touch means you get a Dead Bubble Coral Block, which is just a flat gray block. Worth nothing for decoration.
Step 1: Find a Bubble Coral Block
Head to a Warm Ocean biome and look for a Coral Reef. Bubble Coral Blocks are the purple ones, usually growing in dense clusters alongside other coral types. They’re easy to spot once you’re in the right biome.
Step 2: Equip a Silk Touch Pickaxe
Any pickaxe material works. Wood, stone, iron, gold, diamond, netherite. The only requirement is the Silk Touch enchantment. If you mine the block with your fist or a tool without Silk Touch, you get nothing useful back.
Step 3: Mine the Block
Hold down your mine button on the coral block. Controls depend on your platform:
- Java Edition (PC/Mac): left click and hold
- Pocket Edition (PE): tap and hold
- Xbox 360 / Xbox One: hold RT
- PS3 / PS4: hold R2
- Nintendo Switch / Wii U: hold ZR
- Windows 10 / Education Edition: left click and hold
Once the block breaks, a smaller item version floats in the water. Grab it quickly before it drifts to the surface.
Step 4: Pick It Up
Walk over the dropped block to collect it. It goes straight into your hotbar. Keep it in your inventory since it dies (turns gray and lifeless) if you place it anywhere that isn’t touching water.
Item ID and Name
Java Edition (PC/Mac)
| Description (Minecraft ID Name) | Stack Size | Platform | Version(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bubble Coral Block (minecraft:bubble_coral_block) | 64 | Java | 1.13 to 1.19.4 |
Give Command for Bubble Coral Block
Java Edition 1.13 to 1.19.4
/give @p bubble_coral_block 1
Other Coral Types in Minecraft
Bubble Coral is one of five coral types. The others are Tube Coral (blue), Brain Coral (pink), Fire Coral (red), and Horn Coral (yellow). Each type comes as a coral plant, coral fan, coral block, and dead coral block. All of them need Silk Touch to collect the living version.