Soft Reef Coral Species Care & Propagation

Coral Propagation Notes from Phyllis
From Phyllis Daniels' Marinereefer Web site, Phyllis has put together a very nice page with lots of photos and profile notes on the many soft and one stony species of corals she has propagated over the years, which are Mushrooms or Disc Anemones, Colt, Xenia, Leather, and Trumpet Corals.

Gorgonian Species Profiles
From Janet's Reef, Janet provides a general overview on the characteristics of Gorgonians and includes photos, such as the Purple Sea Plume and Encrusting Carpet species, that when clicked on displays enlarged views and some basic care information about them.

Gorgonians Profiled
From the Exotic Tropical's Reef Encyclopedia, here ia a complete characteristics overview about Gorgonians, Order Gorgonacea, which includes photos and individual profiles on Finger Corals, Purple Sponge, and Purple Bush species.

Green Star Polyp Coral Profile
From Janet's Reef Polyps & Mushrooms Page, here you will find a general charactertistics profile on these types of corals, but it includes a Green Star Polyp photo (Clavularia viridis) that when clicked on provides an enlarged view and more basic care information about this soft Octocoral species.

Leather Corals Profiled
From the Exotic Tropical's Reef Encyclopedia, here is a complete characteristics overview about Leather Corals, which includes individual photos and profiles on the Devil's Finger, Cabbage, and Common Toadstool species.

Mushroom Coral Profiles (5)

Zoanthid Coral Profiles (5)

Soft Corals Photo Gallery @

Order Alcyonacea Taxonomic Checklist
From the European Register of Marine Species Database, here is a taxonomic list of some of the families, genera, and species of corals found in the Subclass Octocorallia - Order Alcyonacea, which includes Leather & Soft Corals, Mat Polyps, and Gorgonians. No common names are used here, so you need to know your latin!

Soft Coral Species Profiles
From Janet's Reef, Janet provides a general overview on the characteristics of Soft Corals and includes photos, such as Colt, Tree, Carnation, and Pulsing Xenia species, that when clicked on displays an enlarged view and some basic care information about them.

Soft Corals Profiled
From the Exotic Tropical's Reef Encyclopedia, here is a complete characteristics and care overview about Soft Corals, which includes individual photos and profiles on Blue Fire & Colt Corals, Clove & Green Star Polyps, and a few other species that fall into this category.

Xenia Propagation Page
From GARF, on this page you will find valuable information by LeRoy Headlee about propagating soft Xenia species corals that are also known as or Pulse Coral.