Corals Type: Soft Coral
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Soft corals, such as Sarcophyton, Sinularia, Lithophyton, and many others are a diverse group that occupy a wide variety of saltwater environments. They come in many sizes and shapes, and classification can be difficult. One thing that they have in common is the presence of tiny, thorn-like calcium structures inside their bodies. These are sometimes used by scientists in classifying soft coral species. Another soft corals have in common is that most are hardy and thus they are great for beginners, and are more well suited to life in reef tanks than other corals. Scroll down to see information on their care and to find soft coral for sale.
Also, soft corals grow quickly. Sections of live soft corals can be cut of and secured to a rock with string or a rubber band only to find, in a matter of a few weeks, they take hold and start growing into a new live coral specimen.
General: Soft corals benefit from good water quality in the reef tank, as provided by making monthly partial water changes with reverse osmosis. They are not as picky about water quality as some other corals. Good coral for beginners.
Additives: They benefit from the regular addition of reef tank additives to the tank water. Use those containing strontium, calcium, and iodine. They are consumed rapidly. The calcium and strontium help in the formation of the calcium sclerites inside of the coral bodies.
Circulation: Provide moderate circulation to remove slimy coats that form. This is a natural thing that healthy soft corals do to help in the removal of detritus.
Lighting: Many soft coral frags are not picky when it comes to lighting. Some will do well with less light than other corals, but stronger lighting is often beneficial to their proper care.
Food: Soft corals absorb tiny food particles, one celled algae, bacteria, detritus, and dissolved nutrients into their bodies. Add small amounts of liquid coral foods, such as Roti Rich, Kent Marine’s Coral Accel, Kent Marine’s Phyto Plex. Soft corals can go extended periods or possibly indefinitely without being fed in reef tanks.
Placement: In their natural coral reef habitats many soft coral types often grow closely together. They do so without aggression towards each other. This can also be accomplished in a healthy reef tank with soft corals. However, soft corals produce turpentine-like chemicals; so, use activated carbon and perform partial water changes monthly. These chemicals released by soft corals are made into a wide variety of medications for humans. Medical research on chemicals from soft corals continues.
Careful spacing from hard corals is helpful to protect the hard corals from these chemicals, and even more so to protect the soft corals from the sweeper tentacles of hard corals.
Toadstool Leather (Sarcophyton sp)
Yellow Toadstool Leather / Yellow Fiji Leather(Sarcophyton elegans)
This it the real thing. A very bright, lemon- yellow, short-stalked saprophyte,
it is very attractive. Large specimens are extra nice. We sometimes have very large specimens. Provide medium to strong circulation and strong lighting.
Devil’s Hand (Lobophytum sp)
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Like a short-stalked toadstool leather with lobes on top.
Green Finger Leather (Lobophytum sp)
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Colt coral (Alcyonium sp)
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This is a bushy, brown, treelike, soft coral that is most likely the fastest growing of all corals.
Cabbage Leather (Sinularia dura)
Green Cabbage Leather (Sinularia dura)
Lithophyton or Africa Tree or Kenya Tree Coral (Lithophyton sp)
Lemnalia (Lemnalia sp)
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These corals are very easy to propagate, in fact some species of lithophytes will propagate in the aquarium by dropping off branches twice each year.
Green Tree (Nephthea sp)
Nice coral with a soft whitish-greenish sheen.
General Coral Care Information
LPS Coral
SPS Coral
Mushrooms Anemones
Polyp Corals
Gorgonians