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Datasheet
| Care Description | When people imagine soft corals, one of the most popular corals that come to mind is the Toadstool Leather Coral. Like its name-sake, the toadstool leather forms a large, mushroom-like shape from which long tentacles extend. They prefer modest lighting and strong flow in the aquarium and when provided favorable conditions can grow to enormous sizes. Toadstool Leather Corals are one of the few corals that host clownfish well as clownfish gravitate to them more than other types of coral and the coral itself is well adapted to handle the contact from the fish. Please see below for additional care tips for Sarcophyton. |
| Water Flow | Moderate - Strong |
| Temperature | 22.2°C / 71.96°F - 25.6°C / 78.08°F |
| Specific Gravity | 1.023-1.026 |
| Carbonate Hardness | 8-12 |
| pH | 8.1-8.4 |
General Description
The Toadstool Leather Coral, known for its mushroom-like shape with long tentacles, is a popular soft coral in aquariums. It has a purple-pink body with green highlights and cream or pink stalks, belonging to the Toadstool Leather family. This coral is easy to care for and can grow to enormous sizes under favorable conditions.
Demands and Hardiness
Toadstool Leather Corals prefer modest lighting and strong water flow in the aquarium. They rely on liquid and powdery foods such as Phytoplankton and Zooplankton, feeding on microfauna in the water column and products of their zooxanthellae. They are well-suited to hosting clownfish due to their adaptability to the contact from the fish.
Lighting
Sarcophyton leathers have low lighting requirements, tolerating normal output fluorescents without difficulty.
Water Flow
Moderate to strong water movement is recommended for Toadstool Leather Corals, aiding in the removal of the waxy layer it sheds monthly. They can thrive in high flow conditions as well.
Feeding
Toadstool Leather Corals primarily rely on zooxanthellae products but can also feed on phytoplankton and similarly sized microfauna in the water column.
Propagation
The genus is suitable for extensive propagation in captivity and aquaculture, with prospects for achieving sustainable harvests in the future.
Localization & Habitat
Toadstool Leathers are commonly found in the Indo-Pacific islands like Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.