Leather Coral

Common names: leather coral, colt coral, toadstool/mushroom coral, tree coral, etc.

Difficulty Level: Leather corals are some of the best beginner corals available. They are usually very tolerant to most conditions, cheap and easily found.

Feeding: Most of these corals have very well adapted feeder tentacles that can capture small particles. Many also have the ability to absorb nutrients directly from the water.

Lighting (Level 2 to 8): Leather corals can be adapted to almost any lighting though faster growth will be seen under higher lighting conditions.

Water flow: They will also adapt to almost any flow conditions, but moderate to high flow is best to keep the surface clean.

Placement: Leathers have strong toxins that can be deadly to stony corals. It’s best to keep them in separate tanks, but keeping leathers downstream from stony coral may also be possible. Be sure to keep adequate amounts of carbon in the system when keeping both.

General: Leathers are great beginner corals and should do well in most aquariums. When adding them to a new tank, leathers may shut down for a period and not open their polyps. Be patient and they will usually return. They may also exhibit this behavior when growing.