Easy Soft Corals for Reef Aquariums

Common names include: finger leather coral and colt coral

Cladiella are hardy corals that adapt well to aquarium life. They thrive in moderate lighting and water movement conditions. Corals in this genus are slimy to touch rather than having the dry, leathery feel of most leather corals, yet they are not as sensitive to handling as many soft corals, and are easy to propagate. Because they grow and reproduce so well, they may overgrow other sessile (stationary) reef animals in the aquarium.

Common names include: mushroom coral, and disc anemones

Most varieties of discosoma require little light and may, in fact, do poorly under bright lights. These corals obtain much of their energy from active feeding, including trapping and consuming small fish. In an aquarium, they will also consume uneaten food and detritus that is deposited on them by water currents or sand sifting fish.

Common names include: star polyps, green star polyps, daisy polyps

Pachyclavularia are sensitive to iodine additions (in the form of Lugol's solution) and aluminum oxide (found in many phosphate-removing sponges). These corals are tolerant of both low-level and bright lighting, as well as varied water currents, and are capable of reproducing and spreading quite rapidly in an aquarium, to the point where it can overgrow other corals. 

Common names include: sea mat and button polyps

Palythoa do well in areas of rapid water movement. These corals are low light-tolerant but will grow quite rapidly under bright lighting. Their placement in an aquarium should be considered carefully, as they will overgrow most other corals.

Common names include: sea mat and​ button polyps

Protopalythoa corals are tolerant of many lighting conditions but prefer bright light, which may produce fluorescent highlights. Some of these corals are active feeders, feeding on large food items, rapidly engulfing and consuming them.

Common names include: toadstool mushroom, mushroom leather, trough coral

Sarcophyton are hardy corals that prefer low to moderate current, which helps to keep its surface free of parasites and predators. They adapt well to many lighting levels and feed by taking nutrients directly into their cells from the sea water. These corals do well in a reef tank with less-than-perfect water conditions and may suffer in water that has a majority of the dissolved organic compounds (DOCs) removed through protein skimming.

Common names include: zoanthid, sea mat, and button polyps

Zoanthus corals greatly prefer bright light, as they depend on their zooxanthellae for nutrition. They also feed on bacteria, algae, and DOCs. They form colonies of densely crowded polyps attached in a common tissue at the base.

Common names include: finger leather coral

Alcyonium are hardy corals that do well in aquariums, but should be provided with bright lighting and good water movement. These corals contain zooxanthellae, but do need to be fed. They may require phytoplankton for best growth, while consumption of zooplankton is reported to be rare. These corals may overgrow other sessile animals.