Sarcophyton Coral Profile

Genus:

Sarcophyton.

Common Species:

S. ehrenbergi, S. elegans, S. glaucum, S. trocheliophorum .

Common Names:

Toadstool Coral, Leather Coral, Mushroom Leather Coral, Trough Coral.

Captive Care Notes:

Tolerating a wide variety of lighting levels, these corals are very adaptive to aquarium life. They tolerate most water currents, but do not prefer strong water movement. Sarcophytons shed a surface layer of dead waxy tissue, a method of removing waste and accumulated algae. Stronger currents in an aquarium help remove these materials, reducing the frequency of shedding.

See Why and How Leather Corals Shed for photos and more information about this process.

Care Level:

Easy. Good starter corals for beginners.

Colors:

These corals tend toward brown or cream colors, occasionally appearing yellow or lemon-cream colored.

See photos of Toadstool, Leather and Mushroom Leather Corals.

Feeding:

Sarcophytons obtain a substantial amount of their nutrition directly from seawater into their cells, thus seeming to fare better in aquariums with a higher dissolved organic content.