Soft corals

beginner

Leather corals

Sarcophyton / Sinularia / Lobophytum spp.

Quick reference

Min tank size

20 US gal

20 gal — leather corals get big. 10 gal viable for finger leathers / small toadstools only.

PAR

75–200 µmol/m²/s

Flow

medium

Placement

Mid to upper rockwork. Needs space — Sarcophyton can reach 12+ inches across.

Temperature

75–82 °F

Salinity

1.024–1.026 SG

8.0–8.4

Alkalinity

7–10 dKH

Calcium

400–450 ppm

Magnesium

1,250–1,400 ppm

Feeding

Photosynthetic. Larger leathers will catch zooplankton at night.

Compatibility

Releases terpenoid compounds that suppress neighbors — particularly hard on SPS in small tanks. Run carbon if mixing with SPS.

What kills it

Sudden environment change. Some leathers reject after long transport stress.

Common mistakes

•Panicking when it sheds the waxy film — that's normal cleaning behavior every 1–4 weeks.
•Placing too close to SPS — leathers leak terpenoids that stunt acro growth.

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Equipment & food for this species

Soft corals don't strictly need feeding. Reef Roids help if you want faster growth.

CoralRx Pro coral dip

Iodine-based dip. Kills AEFW, red bugs, flatworms.

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Polyplab Reef Roids coral food

Powder coral food. LPS / chalice / Goniopora staple.