Cauliflower colt coral
Klyxum simplex
Also known as Neon Colt Coral, Colt Coral, Soft Finger Leather Coral, Seaman's Hands Coral, Klyxum
SaltwaterCoral
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–81°F
- 24–27°C
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Adult size
- 9.8 in
- 25 cm
- Minimum tank
- 26 gal
- 100 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- Hard
- Rarity
- Common
- Reef safe
- Reef safe
- Family
- Alcyoniidae
- Origin
- Found on shallow Indo-Pacific reefs and lagoons across the Indian Ocean and western Pacific.
Overview
Keep it in a 100 liter or larger reef with medium to bright light and medium to strong flow, gluing the base to rock. It is a very easy, fast-growing beginner soft coral that needs no target feeding, though it benefits from added iodine, strontium, and trace elements. Like other leathers it engages in chemical competition, so run activated carbon and give it space from stony corals. It periodically closes up and sheds a surface film, then reopens looking fresh.
In the wild
A soft coral that grows as a stalked base branching into stubby, finger-like arms tipped with fuzzy polyps, giving it a cauliflower or gloved-hand shape. It is usually cream, tan, or a soft neon green and stays soft and rubbery, swaying in the current. When the polyps retract the colony shrinks down and firms up. It looks much like the colt corals sold as Cladiella and Alcyonium, which causes plenty of name confusion in the hobby.
Good to know
Klyxum is a soft coral genus in the family Alcyoniidae, and many colonies once labeled Cladiella or Alcyonium belong here instead. Klyxum simplex is the species usually sold as neon or cauliflower colt coral. It relies on symbiotic zooxanthellae and takes in some dissolved and particulate food from the water.
Did you know
The colt coral name gets attached to at least three different soft coral genera, so two corals sold as the same thing can actually be Klyxum, Cladiella, or Alcyonium.
Common questions
What size tank does a Cauliflower colt coral need?
A Cauliflower colt coral needs at least 26 gal (100 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a Cauliflower colt coral need?
A Cauliflower colt coral is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.
How big does a Cauliflower colt coral get?
An adult Cauliflower colt coral reaches about 9.8 in (25 cm).
Related species
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