Leather Coral :

Family:Sarcophyton spp.

Leaf Size:1.023 to 1.025

Origin:Tropical Indo-Pacific

Difficulty level: With an ample amount of lighting, good filtration and moderate flow, the leather coral is very adaptable to aquarium conditions and holds up well under care doled out by rookie reefkeepers. Leather corals are known as octocorals. Why octocoral? Individual polyps have eight tentacles, that’s why.

Hardiness: Leather corals are typically found in shallow reef areas in the wild, where they are blasted by intense solar radiation and pounding surf. Therefore, leather corals require similar conditions in aquaria. Very high output (VHO) fluorescent lighting allows leather corals to retain their optimal colors, while greatly aiding their symbiont zooxanthellae in photosynthetic food production. Most of the food needed by leather corals is manufactured by the zooxanthellae they host. Metal halides can be used with these corals, but leather corals should be slowly acclimated rather than exposed to full-intensity lighting from the get-go.

A moderate in-tank current clears waste products away from leather corals while delivering complementary “second helpings” of planktonic foods afloat in the water column.

Physical description: With their stalk and mushroomlike cap, which tends to take on a more folded look as these soft corals grow, leather corals can easily become one of the visual focal points in a nicely laid-out reefscape. The color palette of leather corals trends toward brown, tan or green, while polyps are white- or gold-colored. When fully extended, larger leather coral specimens have a 5- to 7-inch diameter or larger.

Climate and range: Sarcophyton spp. are widespread in the tropical Indo-Pacific. They range from the Fiji Islands to the central Indian Ocean.

Compatibility: Leather corals release toxins into aquaria from time to time. These toxins inhibit the growth of some of the more delicate LPS corals and SPS corals. Good chemical filtration can greatly lessen the effects of these leather coral toxins on hard coral growth. As with most corals, maintain space between leather corals and other cnidarians; otherwise, leather corals are good tankmates for a variety of sessile reef fauna.

Aquarium conditions: Water temperature for the leather corals should be kept at between 72 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit; specific gravity 1.023 to 1.025, pH 8.1 to 8.4, dKH 8 to 12. Water flow should be maintained in the moderate range.

Care considerations: The periodic introduction of trace elements (e.g., strontium, iodine, etc.) into the water column keeps leather corals healthy.

Propagating in aquaria: Fragging guidelines for leather corals are available from a bevy of online resources. Leather coral frags are not only a great source of trade for other corals, but they can provide supplemental income that can be put back into one’s own hobby.

Special notes: Leather corals periodically retract and close up while forming a mucus layer, which is later shed. This is part of the leather’s normal life function; it is thought to be a self-cleaning mechanism that keeps harmful algae from growing on the coral’s surface. The shed mucus layer should be promptly removed in order to maintain pristine water quality. Leather corals begin eating soon after they shed.

Leather Coral Profile :

Leather coral, or toadstool coral (Sarcophyton spp.) represent the perfect gateway cnidarians for those wanting to try their hand at keeping corals. Leather coral (they don’t have the hard exoskeletons like large polyped and small polyped stony corals) are much more forgiving than more difficult-to-keep stony corals. The leather corals were some of the first cnidarians to be kept in aquaria; leather corals were also some of the first to be propagated through fragging, which is where a piece of the “mushroom cap” is cut off and attached to a plug or placed directly in the substrate, where it quickly grows into a full-sized clone of the original. While first appearing fragile, leather corals are quite robust, and fragging — a natural process for them that occurs in the wild — doesn’t seem to have any lasting effects.

GOOD CORALS FOR BEGINNERS – LEATHER CORALS

courtesy to : www.reefaquarium.com

Leather corals are another very hardly coral making them a very good choice for people that are new to the hobby. They are readily available throughout the hobby and they can also grow to become a great looking addition to any set-up if kept in the correct conditions. These corals are very popular with both new hobbyist starting with corals for the first time, and advanced hobbyist as well making them among the most popular corals in the hobby today.

Generally speaking, leather corals are a soft skinned coral with visible polyps all over their skin. The do not have a calcified skeleton structure making them a little more tolerant of some water parameters like calcium. There are hundreds of different species of leather corals. Properly identify the exact species can sometime be very difficult as their shape can altered due to environmental factors such as temperature, salinity, light intensity and water movement to name a few. A leather can look one way in a aquarium and then (over time) look very different when placed in another tank.

Some General Guidelines for Leather Coral Care:

Just as with any coral, you water parameters should be in line and stable for your corals to thrive and grow.

Lighting: Moderate, although leathers are tolerant of higher a lower levels of lighting as well

Flow: Moderate flow, but most are tolerant of higher lighting levels.

Temp : 77 to 78F

Salinity : 1.025 to 1.027

Nitrates : less than 5 ppm is best for long term health, however they tolerate much higher levels for a period of time

Phosphates : less than 0.05ppm

Alkalinity (dKH), Calcium, Magnesium, and PH, all should be balance with each other as described in the below link:

http://reefaquarium.com/2012/ph-in-marine-aquariums/

As leathers do not have a calcified skeleton structure, they can be more tolerant of swings in the alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium when compared to other corals. However, they will not be very tolerations to swings in PH, Temp, or salinity which is no different than any other coral or fish.

Most leathers have some very effective defensive abilities. Leathers commonly have the ability to sting other corals and some fish along with emitting chemicals to ward off other corals from entering their space. For this reason it is very important to understand how big your leather coral can get and plan for enough space between your leather coral and other corals. Just leaving a few inches may not always be enough as some leathers can get surprisingly large. It would also be a good idea to have some carbon in your set-up in case your leather will start to emit defensive chemicals. This is one coral that will be the least likely to be picked on by most fish in the hobby.

As these corals contain zooxanthellae inside their body, they will be able to get most of their required nutrients through your tank lighting. This is why it is important to have at least moderate levels of lighting in your tank. Leathers can also get nutrients from the water. They can collect microplankton and zooplankton with their polyps to obtain the nutrition they require. They would certainly benefit from the occasional spot feeding. You can compensate for lower lighting with manually feeding a leather to sustain for short periods of time. Most leathers will do best when they get their needed nutrition from both the water and your tank lighting

Just as with most corals, leather do not like to be handled and/or moved a lot. This will cause them stress and retract when handled and it can take them a few days to fully extend. At times when are disturb, they will develop what looks like a light colored wax coating on them. This can happen after being handled, or if they are being bothered by algae starting to grow on them or pests such as flat worms. They will later shed this coating to rid themselves of what every was bothering them which can also be a normal process for a leather coral provided it only happens occasionally. Frequent build up and shading of this coating can be a indication the water parameters/water quality may be off.

All of the hardy, easy to care for leathers can fragged with a very high success rate.

One thing you need watch for is artificially died corals. This is the unethical practice of injecting die into the leather coral in order to make it appear more colorful and sell it at a higher cost. Leather corals are among the easier corals to die and one of the hardest corals for someone new to the hobby to identify as a potentially died coral. The reason to avoid buy these corals is for two reasons, 1) the coral will almost always die within a few weeks, and, 2) not supporting the practice through not purchasing a died coral will help to stop the practice of dying corals. The most common sign of a potentially died coral is it’s bright coloring. In most cases this will be bright enough to look almost un-natural as well as almost neon. The best approach to help you identify a potentially died coral is to research the coral before purchasing it so you will have a good idea of how it should look. The below link can help you identify died corals

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=87011

Some Suggested Easier Leather Corals:

1-Long Pollyp Leather (Sarcophyton):

This is among the more hardier leather corals. They are often called long polyp toadstool leathers due the appearance of this coral. There will be a short base with a head structure on top that will make it look a lot like a mushroom. This is a brow colored coral which has longer polyps that can range in length of up to a inch. The polyps can be gold or brown in color. The head of this coral can get as big as 5” so you should leave at least 5 “ of space all around this coral to help prevent any defensive response from this coral. My long polyp leather has been doing good and grown a far amount in the year that I have had it. It was one of my first corals. I have included a picture above

2-Green Palua Neptha (nepthea SP):

This is another hardy coral. They will look like a little tree with fat branches and are green in color. The coloring can range from bright almost neon green to a darker green. The branches of this coral will be covered in short polyps a little lighter in color than the base which, at times, can make it look almost “furry”. This coral should ideally get around 10 inches of tank space for its long term growth. I have had one of these for almost a year now. Before getting a anemone for this tank, my clown fish hosted in it for about 3 to 4 months. Normally, clown fish hosting in corals can add a lot of stress to the corals but this seemed to have no effect at all on the leather. Mine is a little higher up in the tank and is a really nice light green almost neon color. This one was also among my first corals that I have kept. I have include a few pics (above) of mine.

3-Finger Leather. (Sinularia SP):

This is another very tough leather coral. This is among the most common leathers found in the hobby. They can have a wide range in color from browns, to reds, purple, and almost blue like colors. The polyps will be a little different in color than the base. These leathers can get up to 8 inches in height and around 12 inch wide along the base. This coral will need anywhere from 10 to 14 inches of space in a aquarium. Due to their size and coloring, many hobbyist have used them as a center pc coral. I got a purple/pink finger leather coral close to a year ago now and have found it to be one of the fastest growing leather corals that I have kept. I had fragged it once and it recovered very quickly. Above is a pic of my finger leather.

4-Colt Coral (Cladiella)

The colt coral is also among the easiest corals to take care of. They are also commonly referred to as cauliflower corals. It can look similar to a finger coral, but the shape of the polyps and the tips of the fingers make it look more like cauliflower. They will more commonly range in color from a brownish red to a light pink with the polyps a little brighter color than the base. Colt corals do best with a little more than moderate flow. They don’t get quite as big as a finger leather but will still need 10 to 12 inches of space in your tank based on its size potential and growth rates. The above pic is one colt coral that I have kept. The picture was take shortly after I added him to my tank so his polyps are still not fully extended. I really did like the pink color. It was another very easy to care for coral.

Toadstool leather (Sarcophyton SP) :

Also called the: mushroom leather, cup leather coral, and umbrella leather coral, this is among the toughest leather corals that you can get. There will be a short base with a head structure on top that will make it look a lot like a mushroom or a toadstool. They commonly range in color from brown to yellow and less commonly in shades of green. The polyps will range in color from white to gold and less commonly in green. This coral should get around 6 to 10 inches of space in your tank.

Leather Coral

Types of Leather Corals, Beginner Aquarium Soft Corals

courtesy to : www.animal-world.com

The handsome Leather corals make some of the best beginner soft corals for the reef aquarium!

Leather corals are a soft coral with a rather tough leathery skin. They come in all sorts of attractive shapes and can be quite dynamic in the reef aquarium. They can change form by expanding and deflating their body or extending and retracting their tentacles.

They are considered to be some of the best soft corals for beginners. Many of the readily available species are easy to keep with great success. Yet advanced reef keepers also favor these soft corals, as they offer a nice visual balance to the tank. Many types of Leather Corals are easy to care for, especially corals in the Sarcophyton,Lobophytum, Sinularia, and Cladiella genera.

A number of the well-known "true" Soft Corals can also make great beginner corals. Besides the Leather and Soft Corals, there are hundreds of other different types of soft corals. These include Gorgonians and other uniqueOctocorals like the Blue Coral, Organ Pipe Coral, Green Star Polyps, and the Sea Pens. Each of these beautiful corals will have care requirements that are just as diverse as the animals they are; consequently not all soft corals are easy keepers. It is very important to learn about the species you are keeping for a successful reef aquarium.

Leather Coral Facts

Leather Coral Identification

Like other types of soft corals, Leather Corals are primarily colonial sessile animals, meaning they are anchored firmly to the substrate. They have a surface, a soft membranous matrix, that is covered with polyps. These corals, as well as all the soft corals, are also part of the Subclass Octocorallia known as the Octocorals. These are defined as corals, that for each polyp, has the characteristic eight pinnate tentacles and eight septa used to gather and distribute food to the colony.

The polyps of different Leather Coral varieties can have long or short tentacles, stalks of different lengths, or no stalks at all. When their polyps are extended they can appear fuzzy, yet have a smooth surface when they are retracted. They come in many colors, with hues of yellow, orange, red, olive, rust, and purple being most predominant.

Soft Corals for Beginners

Types of Leather Corals

Leather Corals are favored by reef aquarists and also by advance keepers. There are a number of readily available species. Some Leather Corals that can be easily kept include:

Colt Coral - Cladiella Sp.
Common Toadstool Coral - Sarcophyton glaucum
Yellow Leather Coral - Sarcophyton elegans
Yellow Toadstool Leather Coral - Sarcophyton tenuispiculatum
Elephant Ear Coral - Sarcophyton trocheliophorum
Cabbage Leather Coral - Lobophytum crassum
Devil's Hand Coral - Lobophytum Sp.
Cabbage Leather Coral - Sinularia dura
Finger Leather Coral - Sinularia notanda

Some Leather Corals that are moderate to care for include:

Yellow Leather Coral - Sarcophyton elegans
Flexible Leather Coral - Sinularia flexibilis
Long Polyp Leather Coral Sarcophyton ehrenbergi

Leather Coral Care:

Leather Corals are generally very hardy and will thrive in a properly maintained reef aquarium. Most need a moderate to strong water flow and tend to do very well under various types of reef tank fluorescent lighting. Metal halides are not needed. They are also easy to propagate in captivity by simply cutting them into coral frags

They frequently contain the marine algae, zooxanthellae, and therefore do well in bright light. Leather Corals also require currents to help them slough off a milky slime on their surface. They produced this to rid themselves of any algae or other irritants that may be present on the skin. Sometimes they will shrink, and may appear to be dying. This is a natural event where they shed their outer layer and then regrow it. When you see this, they are generally fine and it will just take a little time before they are back to normal.

Leather Corals will sometimes become a surrogate host for clownfish, if there is no host anemone available. However Leathers can be toxic to other sessile tank mates. They don't have a strong sting from their tentacles, but they do emit chemicals to ward off other corals competing for the same space. Provide plenty of room between them and other corals, at least a few inches.

Feeding Leather Corals:

Leather Corals that contain zooxanthellae also derive the majority of their nutrition from it. But many will eagerly accept small foods like brine shrimp and plankton. Some may be fed microplankton, this is especially important if the light is not on the higher end.

Family: Alcyoniidae - Cladiella

1- Colt Coral

Finger Leather Coral, Finger-Tip Cladiella
Blushing Coral, Stubby Finger Leather Coral, Seaman's Hand

The Colt Coral has heavy lumpy looking "fingers" covered with fluffy polyps, and they grow in all directions!

The Colt Coral Cladiella sp. is a popular and easy care leather coral that is readily available for the reef aquarium. It has projections resembling fingers that are round to cone-shaped, and stubby. These thick finger-like projections branch upward from a very short, pale white stalk. They will fork and grow more projections, which grow out in all directions. They have polyps that are fully retractable, yet when extended are well tufted, giving it a very fluffy appearance. All total these characteristics give a "thicker" look to their colonies.

The Cladiella sp. are hardy and fast growing, making them an excellent starter coral. Most specimens are generally cream to gray-white in color, and can have contrasting greenish brown to brown polyps. A distinction of this genus, is that it is slimy to touch rather than having the dry, leathery feel most of the leather corals are known for. Yet they are not as sensitive to handling as many soft corals, and are easy to propagate.

The most common name used for soft corals in the Cladiella genus is Colt Coral, but they are also found under a number of other descriptive common names. Some of these are Finger Leather Coral, Stubby Finger Leather Coral, Blushing Coral, Finger-Tip Cladiella, and Seaman's Hand Coral. Because it is similar in form to other leathers, many of the same common names are used interchangeably such as Leather Coral, Finger Leather, Soft Finger Leather Coral, and Knobby Leather Coral. When ordering this or any other leather coral, its best to make sure you use the scientific name.

The Colt Coral Cladiella sp. is very easy to care for as long as the water flow is not linear or slow. The water flow needs to be moderate to strong and must be a surge or turbulent flow. This is due to their production of copious amounts of mucus, which in turn can quickly collect bacteria, thus affecting the coral adversely.

These corals also need to be fed. If the Colt Coral is shrinking, it is starving. They do well with a mature tank that has a refugium or fully mature sand bed to produce small invert larvae to feed on. A Tang in the tank is also a suggestion, since they tend to loosen detritus and other edible particles for the coral as the fish feeds on rocks, foraging for algae.

Scientific name:

Family: Alcyoniidae
Species: Cladiella sp.

Distribution / Background:

Leather Coral Information: The Cladiella genus, belong to the family Alcyoniidae, which are referred to as octocorals. There is no one person attributed to discovering the Cladiella genus, but there are many who discovered various species. For example, Cladiella australis was described by Macfadyen in 1936. There are over 61 species with some being C. australis, C. daphnae, C. humesi, C. hunisi, C. pachyclados, C. sphaerophora, C. tuberculosa, and C. variabilis. Some common names these corals are know for are Finger Leather Coral, Stubby Finger Leather Coral, Blushing Coral, Finger-Tip Cladiella, and Seaman's Hand Coral.

This genus has been propagated in captivity. The Cladiella genus is one of several genera that have been studied and found to to have an extract that may fight certain oral cancer cells. That being said, these corals deserve our best care in captivity and respect in the wild.

Where Cladiella Corals Are Found: The Cladiella sp. are found in the Indo-Pacific.

Cladiella Coral Habitat: The Cladiella sp. are found in waters that are turbid. They inhabit back reefs to reef slopes, and reef flats and are found growing with other members of the Alcyoniidae family.

Status :

The Cladiella sp. is not listed on the IUCN Red List for Endangered Species.

Description :

What do Cladiella Corals look like: The Colt Coral Cladiella sp. form colonies with projections resembling fingers that are round to cone-shaped, and stubby. These thick finger-like projections branch upward from a very short, pale white stalk. They will fork and grow more projections, which grow out in all directions. Well tufted polyps extend out from the projections giving it a very fluffy appearance, yet these polyps are fully retractable. All total this gives a "thicker" look to their colonies.

Most specimens of Cladiella are generally cream to gray-white in color, and can have contrasting greenish brown to brown polyps. A distinction of this genus, is that it is slimy to touch rather than having the dry, leathery feel most of the leather corals are known for. These corals may grow to 16" (41 cm) in height.

Difficulty of Care :

Leather Coral Care: The Colt Coral Cladiella sp. is very easy to care for as long as the water flow is not linear or slow. The water flow needs to be moderate to strong and must be a surge or turbulent flow. Again, this is due to their production of copious amounts of mucus, which in turn can quickly collect bacteria, thus affecting the coral adversely.

These corals will develop heavy mucus coatings when stressed. If the mucus is not immediately blown from the coral, they can develop an accumulation of bacteria, leading to illness. The reason for this is because this coral is completely an autozooid type, which means all of their polyps are used for feeding, and none for movement of water. Thus the need for good water flow.

Foods / Feeding :

Leather Coral Feeding: In the wild, Cladiella corals have developed several feeding strategies. They capture microscopic food particles from the water column and can absorb dissolved organic matter. They are also photosynthetic, having a symbiotic relationship with a marine algae known as zooxanthellae, where they also receive some of their nutrients.

In captivity, if it is shrinking, it is starving. Although, they are zooxanthellate as well (using light to stimulate zooxanthellae growth to provide a food source), they have many autozooid polyps (feeder polyps) and they do need phytoplankton (green water). They do well with a mature tank that has a refugium or fully mature sand bed to produce small invert larvae to feed on. A Tang in the tank is also a suggestion, since they tend to loosen detritus and other edible particles for the coral as the fish feeds on rocks, foraging for algae.

Aquarium Care :

Stable tank conditions are needed to keep the Alcyonium genus. Doing water changes of 20% a month or 10% biweekly is needed. Some have found success by doing a 5% water change once a week, keeping water quality high and reducing the need for most additives. Soft corals do need to have proper chemical levels for good growth as well as additions of iodine.

Iodine is used up quickly in captive environments, and does need to be added to the top off water or to the tank regularly. Make sure you have a test to make sure your levels are sufficient. Frequent water changes are preferred over adding extra supplements.

Suggested levels for Cladiella species are:

Calcium: 400 - 450 ppm (Seachem makes a calcium additive that states 385 as sufficient. Anything over 400 tends to wear on pumps and other moving parts.)
Alkalinity: 3.2 - 4.8 MEQ/L (8 to 12 dKh - 10 is recommended)
Phosphates: 0, zero.
Magnesium: 1200 - 1350 ppm. (Magnesium makes calcium available, so if your calcium is low, check your magnesium levels before adding any more calcium.)
Strontium: 8 - 10. Strontium levels are suggested to keep the coral happy, and a kit for testing proper levels is suggested.

Aquarium Parameters:

A typical live rock/reef environment is what is needed for your Colt Coral, along with some fish for organic matter production. Taller tanks work best since their ultimate height is 16" (41 cm).

Provide proper lighting and water movement. They need a good moderate turbulent water flow, but not a linear flow. They also like moderate to high lighting. The Cladiella genus is peaceful toward other soft corals but grows quickly, so be sure to provide plenty of room.

Minimum Tank Size / Length: 50 gallon (190 L) or larger
Marine Lighting: Moderate to high
Temperature: 72° - 81° F (22° - 27° C)
Salinity / Specific Gravity: 1.023 - 1.025
Water Movement: Moderate and turbulent (never linear)
Water Region: Bottom of the aquarium

Compatibility and Social Behaviors :

The Cladiella sp. is peaceful toward other soft corals. This genus is basically nontoxic as far as chemical defense. They will get along with other soft corals in their family. They can be stung by mushrooms, yet will sting gorgonians. Colt Corals will grow quickly once established and need to be trimmed, so make sure they do not outgrow nearby corals.

Sex - Sexual differences :

Unknown, although being closely related to the Alcyonium genus like the Finger Leather Coral Alcyonium sp., it is possible that like the Alcyonium genus, females may be smaller than the males.

Breeding and Reproduction :

In the wild, the Cladiella genus may release gametes into the water annually. Like other soft corals, the Cladiellagenus may also use several different forms of reproduction, such as fission, fragmenting and/or branch dropping.

In captivitiy there are several methods of propagation, including constriction and cutting (fragging a small piece or fragging a large piece):

Constriction:

Constriction is the suggested procedure for propagating the Colt Coral. The use of constriction is much more tolerated by this easily stressed coral than cutting. This is because the lacerations tend to get infected with these corals. They produce so much mucus when irritated, bacteria can quickly accumulate in the mucus at the wound site. Still, cutting is used for those coral farmers and other propagators that do not have the time for constriction. Attaching to rubble or a plug is the same as below.

Cutting::

Leather corals can be fragged for just a small piece or for a large frag, but with a few variations in procedure. Using either procedure, the coral will more than likely deflate, but with good water flow it will recover. Make sure your Colt Coral is healthy. Corals can emit a nasty and at times noxious odor, so be sure there is good ventilation. Clean up any mucous when finished to prevent any possible health problems. Wash your hands thoroughly if not using gloves.

Small Frag: To frag a small piece you may use a pair of very sharp scissors or a scalpel. Just simply cut a small forked frag away from the mother colony while still in the tank. (1-2" frag size). Loosely rubber band the frag between branches and affix it to a small piece of rubble that has a natural indent or a plug. Some have suggested using "liquid band aid" or super glue at the site to seal the would, or glue the incision sited to a rock or plug to cover it and prevent infection.
Large Frag: For larger fragging, the Finger Leather Coral should have all polyps retracted before proceeding. Remove the coral from the tank and quickly perform the fragmentation from a mother colony with a clean razor, scalpel, or knife. (Scissors can damage tissue from larger fragging cuts.) The frag can be glued, tied, sewn to a rock or plug, or just set on rubble where the current will not take them away, but will help them heal. Provide a bath of clean temperature and salinity adjusted water (same as main tank) with a little iodine before returning to the tank. This bath will help clear out the mucous that the leather will produce from this procedure. Return the Finger Leather Coral to the same spot it was in before fragging and discard bath water. Placement will depend on the size and shape of the frag. But at the very minimum place it close to where the mother colony is located, perhaps using the mother colony to block a water flow that is too quick for the frag.

Potential Problems :

The Cladiella genus can contract disease. Coral diseases are commonly caused by stress, shock (like pouring freshwater into the tank and it coming in contact with the leather), and incompatible tank mates including specific fish, or pests.

Some diseases and treatments include:

Flatworms, Brown Jelly Infections, cyanobacteriaTreat with a freshwater dip of 1 to 3 minutes in chlorine free freshwater of the same temperature and pH as the main display.
Cyanobacteria, Brown Jelly InfectionsThese can also be treated with Neomycin sulphite, Kanamycin and other broad-spectrum antibiotics. The pill can be pulverised into a fine powder, mixed with sea water to make a paste, and then applied to the wound or affected site of the coral with a simple artists brush.
Necrosis, Black Band DiseaseTo prevent necrosis, and fight black band disease, according to one author the corals can be treated with Tetracycline at 10 mg per quart/liter.
Lugol's Solution (as a preventative/cure)Use a Lugol's dip at 5-10 drops of 5% Lugol's solution per quart/liter of newly mixed sea water that has been mixing for 10-20 minutes. Start with a 10 minute dip and observe the reaction of the coral. A daily dip can be done until the coral is cured.
AmputationOne procedure that can save a coral's life if nothing else is working is amputation of the affected area. This must be done in a separate container consisting of some of the tank's water. Cut slightly into healthy tissue surrounding the diseased flesh then reattach the coral to the substrate with the open wound cemented on part of the reef structure.
"Liquid Band Aid"For wounds that are on the side or top, some have used "liquid band aid" or super glue to seal the wound.

Availability :

Soft Corals for Sale: The Colt Coral Cladiella sp. is very easy to find pet shops and on line. Online they can run about $30.00 USD, or more, depending on size and/or color.

References :

Animal-World References: Marine and Reef
Anthony Calfo, Book of Coral Propagation, Volume 1 Edition 2: Reef Gardening for Aquarists, Reading Trees; 2nd edition, 2007
Ronald L. Shimek, Guide to Marine Invertebrates: 500+ Essential-to-Know Aquarium Species, Microcosm, 2005
Eric Borneman, Aquarium Corals: Selection, Husbandry, and Natural History , TFH Publications, 2001
Bob Goemans, Colt Coral Cladiella australis, Animal Library, Saltwatercorner.com

Family: Alcyoniidae - Lobophytum

1-Cabbage Leather Coral

Rabbit Ear Leather Coral, Flower Coral, Lobed Leather Coral

Lobophytum crassum

The cool Cabbage Leather Coral... you can't ask for an easier or more plentiful soft coral!

One of the best known octocorals is the Cabbage Leather CoralLobophytum crassum. They are a soft coral that have a thick and heavy "skin" with lobed projections, and form a low encrusting colony. They resemble a cabbage in that their curved, cupped shape looks like a large ruffled leaf. Some other descriptive common names include Rabbit Ear Leather Coral, Flower Coral, and Lobed Leather Coral.

The Cabbage Leather Coral is a hardy, adaptable coral. They come from a wide variety of environments at depths of 20 to 60 (6 to 18 m). They are found near the shore on shallow waters reef flats, where they are most prolific, as well as turbid lagoons attached to rubble. Some are exposed to low tide as well. The Lobophytum species are some of the first soft corals to enter the aquarium trade because they travel well.

The polyps of the Cabbage Leather Coral are on the outside edge of the "leaves". They look more like tufts instead of the fully developed polyps seen on other corals. When feeding the polyps are out, and as nutrients are captured, the polyps retract. The flesh feels grainy, and can be brittle, so handle with care.

In the wild, the colors of the L. crassum are light brown, with sometimes lighter contrasting colored polyps sparsely scattered across the surface. But they can range from dull gray, pink, cream, brownish, green, yellow and many colors in-between those shades. In captivity Intense greens, yellows and pinks have been specifically used for coral farming. With these pretty colors and their interesting shape, they make great additions to a reef display.

The Cabbage Leather Corals produce less mucous and are one of the more forgiving of the leather corals. Being quite durable, they can be easy to care for and easy to propagate. They also are not as sensitive to handling, especially when propagation is done.These characteristics not only make them a great beginners coral, but rewarding for advanced aquarists too.

Moderate water movement and a medium to strong light is recommended. For nutrition they use the symbiotic algae, zooxanthellae, that lives within their tissue, and also extract nutrients from the water. In a mature system they really do not need to be fed at all, but do need more intense lighting for good zooxanthellae growth. Some leather corals can be aggressive but this species is easy to contain and keep from touching anything.

Scientific name

Family: Alcyoniidae
Species: Lobophytum crassum

Distribution / Background:

Leather Coral Information: The Lobophytum genus was described by Marenzeller in 1886. They belong to the family Alcyoniidae, which are referred to as octocorals. There are over 43 species of Lobophytum. Some of their common names are Lobophytum Species, Finger Leather Coral, Lobed Leather Coral, Thick Finger Coral, Devil's Hand Coral, and Cabbage Leather Coral. They have been propagated in captivity, and the intense greens, yellows and pinks have been specifically used for coral farming, and make great additions to an aquarium display.

Where Lobophytum Corals Are Found: The Lobophytum genus are found in the Indo-Pacific and Red Sea.

Lobophytum Coral Habitat: The Lobophytum genus inhabits depths of 20 to 60 feet (6 to 18 m). They are found near the shore in shallow waters on reef flats, where they are most prolific, and can also be found in turbid lagoons attached to rubble, and other diverse locations. Some are even exposed to low tide at which time they become flaccid, loosing much of the water contained in the coral, and conform to the contours of the substrate. When the tide comes back in they re-absorb water and become erect again. Solar radiation, high temperatures, and high salinity can be tolerated for a short time.

Status:

The Lobophytum genus is not on the IUCN Red List for Endangered Species.

Description:

What do Lobophytum Corals look like: The Lobophytum are a soft coral that have a thick and heavy "skin" with lobed projections, that form low encrusting colonies. They do resemble cabbage in that their curved, cupped shape looks more like a large ruffled leaf. The polyps are tufted tentacles that can completely retract. They are equally distributed on the coral, or in the case of a Cabbage Leather Coral, on the outside edge of the "leaves" on . When feeding the polyps are out, and as nutrients are captured, the polyps retract. The flesh feels grainy, and can be brittle, so handle with care. Colors range from dull gray, pink, cream, brownish, green, yellow and many colors in-between those shades. It is unknown how long these corals live.

Difficulty of Care:

Leather Coral Care: The Cabbage Leather Coral Lobophytum sp. is very easy to keep and propagate, making them a great coral for the beginner. Most of the Leather corals go through a period of slothing off their mucous layer, during which it fails to expand. It will also shed if conditions are not right or something is bothering it. Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference. This leather can hurt other corals if it is touching them, so be sure to leave enough room between species.

Foods / Feeding:

Leather Coral Feeding: In the wild, Lobophytum corals have developed several feeding strategies. They capture microscopic food particles from the water column, can absorb dissolved organic matter, and have a symbiotic relationship with a marine algae known as zooxanthellae, where they also receive some of their nutrients.

In captivity the Cabbage Leather Coral may be fed phyto- and micro- zooplankton, but do well with extracting nutrients from the water and really do not need to be fed at all in mature systems. For maximum growth, more intense lighting is needed since this type of coral thrives more on light, which supports its zooxanthellae, than foods.

Aquarium Care:

Stable tank conditions are needed to keep the Lobophytum genus. Doing water changes of 20% a month or 10% biweekly is needed, although it is suggested that doing 5% water changes once a week will replenish many of the needed additives. Soft corals still need to have proper chemical levels for proper growth.

Suggested levels for Lobophytum species are:

Calcium: 385 - 450 ppm (Seachem makes a calcium additive that states 385 as sufficient. Anything over 400 tends to wear on pumps and other moving parts.)
Alkalinity: 3.2 - 4.8 MEQ/L (8 to 12 dKh - 10 is recommended)
Phosphates: 0, zero.
Magnesium: 1200 - 1350 ppm. (Magnesium makes calcium available, so if your calcium is low, check your magnesium levels before adding any more calcium.)
Strontium: 8 - 10

Aquarium Parameters :

A typical live rock/reef environment is what is needed for your Cabbage Leather Coral, along with some fish for organic matter production and plenty of room to grow..

Provide proper lighting and water movement. They need a moderate to strong water flow. They also like moderate to high lighting, allow more time to adjust to metal halides. If you have weaker lighting place them closer to the top, but closer to the bottom if you have stronger lights. The Lobophytum genus is semi-aggressive toward other sensitive corals, like the stony corals.

Minimum Tank Size / Length: 50 gallon (190 L) or larger
Marine Lighting: Moderate to high, allow more time to adjust to metal halides.
Temperature: 76° - 82° F (24° - 28° C)
Salinity / Specific Gravity: 1.023 - 1.025
Water Movement: Moderate to strong, and indirect is best
Water Region: Top placement if you have weaker lights and bottom if you have stronger lights.

Compatibility and Social Behaviors:

The Cabbage Leather Coral is semi-aggressive. Although the Lobophytum sp. is not as toxic as some leathers, they can still be dangerous to sensitive corals like stony corals. It has been stated by experts that the presence of this coral in an aquarium can inhibit growth of certain stony corals, although with an excellent filtration system and large water volume, this problem may not stunt their growth as much.

When slothing off their mucous layer, be sure that the current will not allow this mucous to land on other corals. At first this gel like mucous was thought to be sloughed off to get rid of disease or to regenerate. This is has actually not been substantiated and scientists are still trying to figure out the reason for this behavior. The side benefit is to keep algae from accumulating, but that is not determined as the reason they shed.

In the wild they are frequently gnawed on by snails and free-living bristleworms.

Sex - Sexual differences:

Males of the Cabbage Leather Coral L. crassum are distinguishable once they are 7" across (18 cm), 1-2 years old and weigh at least 3 ounces (83 g). At this point gonads are visible. The oocytes (cell that develops to an ovum) in females require 2 years to mature. All colonies are either male or female and do not change sex.

Breeding and Reproduction :

The Lobophytum genus will bud or pinch out daughter colonies, and will grow quickly with higher lighting intensities that can be achieved with Metal Halide or natural sunlight. The Cabbage Leather Coral have male and female colonies that result in external fertilization. They typically breed from June to August and a temperature of 77° F (25° C) is suggested to encourage breeding.

The Cabbage Leather Coral is very easy to propagate, for just a small piece or for a large frag, but with a few variations in procedure. Using either procedure, the coral will more than likely deflate, but with good water flow it will recover. Corals can emit a nasty and at times noxious odor, so be sure there is good ventilation. Clean up any mucous when finished to prevent any possible health problems.

To frag a small piece:

Make sure your leather is healthy.
You may use a pair of very sharp scissors or a scalpel.
Simply cut a small forked frag (1-2" frag size) away from the mother colony while still in the tank
Loosely rubber band the frag between branches and affix to a small piece of rubble that has a natural indent or a plug.

For larger fragging:

The leather coral should have all polyps retracted before proceeding.
Remove the coral from the tank, and quickly perform the fragmentation from a mother colony with a clean razor, scalpel, or knife. (scissors can damage tissue from larger fragging cuts.)
Provide a bath of clean, temperature and salinity adjusted, water (same as main tank) with a little iodine before returning to the tank. This bath will help clear out the mucous that the leather will produce from this procedure.
The frag can be glued, tied, sewn to a rock or plug, or just set on rubble where the current will not take them away, but will help them heal.
Return the leather to the same spot it was in before fragging and discard bath water.This placement will depend on the size and shape of the frag. At the very minimum place it at least close to where the mother colony is located, perhaps using the mother colony to block a water flow that is too quick for the frag.

Potential Problems :

The Lobophytum genus is generally very hardy and adaptable, but can contract disease. Coral diseases are commonly caused by stress, shock (like pouring freshwater into the tank and it coming in contact with the leather), and incompatible tank mates including specific fish, or pests. Some diseases and treatments include:

Flatworms, Brown Jelly Infections, cyanobacteriaTreat with a freshwater dip of 1 to 3 minutes in chlorine free freshwater of the same temperature and pH as the main display.
Cyanobacteria, Brown Jelly InfectionsThese can also be treated with Neomycin sulphite, Kanamycin and other broad-spectrum antibiotics. The pill can be pulverised into a fine powder, mixed with sea water to make a paste, and then applied to the wound or affected site of the coral with a simple artists brush.
Necrosis, Black Band DiseaseTo prevent necrosis, and fight black band disease, according to one author the corals can be treated with Tetracycline at 10 mg per quart/liter.
Lugol's Solution (as a preventative/cure)Use a Lugol's dip at 5-10 drops of 5% Lugol's solution per quart/liter of newly mixed sea water that has been mixing for 10-20 minutes. Start with a 10 minute dip and observe the reaction of the coral. A daily dip can be done until the coral is cured.
AmputationOne procedure that can save a coral's life if nothing else is working is amputation of the affected area. This must be done in a separate container consisting of some of the tank's water. Cut slightly into healthy tissue surrounding the diseased flesh then reattach the coral to the substrate with the open wound cemented on part of the reef structure.
"Liquid Band Aid"For wounds that are on the side or top, some have used "liquid band aid" or super glue to seal the wound.