Lemnalia tree coral
Lemnalia
Also known as Spaghetti Coral, Feathery Tree Coral
SaltwaterCoral
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–81°F
- 24–27°C
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Adult size
- 7.9 in
- 20 cm
- Minimum tank
- 11 gal
- 40 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- Easy
- Rarity
- Common
- Reef safe
- Reef safe
- Family
- Nephtheidae
- Origin
- Indo-Pacific reefs
Overview
The Lemnalia tree coral is a branching soft coral for a reef tank with gentle flow. It is easy to keep.
Did you know
Researchers rank Lemnalia alongside Sarcophyton as one of the most chemically active soft coral genera. For all its delicate, feathery look, it wages real chemical warfare against its neighbors.
Caring for the Lemnalia tree coral
Give the Lemnalia tree coral moderate to high light, roughly 100 to 200 PAR. It needs steady, gentle to moderate flow to stay open and healthy. Strong current can collapse its thin branches, and they may fail to recover. Place it mid-tank on a stable rock where its stalks can sway freely.
Keep the water at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. Avoid splashing it with fresh top-off water, which stresses the tissue. It depends on captured plankton more than most soft corals, supplementing what it gets from its zooxanthellae. Give it occasional fine planktonic feeding.
Its compounds can irritate or stunt nearby stony corals. Give it real distance from sensitive neighbors, and run activated carbon in a mixed reef.
It reproduces mainly by fragmentation, and cut branches reattach readily to become new colonies. Fragging it is easy.
Good to know
The Lemnalia tree coral is a soft coral in the family Nephtheidae, the same family as Litophyton and Capnella. It shares their branching tree shape, though its stalks tend to be thinner and more feathery. It produces terpenoid compounds, which several studies of soft coral defense chemistry have documented.
In the wild
The Lemnalia tree coral grows as a branching colony on reef slopes across the Indo-Pacific.
Common questions
What size tank does a Lemnalia tree coral need?
A Lemnalia tree coral needs at least 11 gal (40 L).
What temperature and pH does a Lemnalia tree coral need?
A Lemnalia tree coral is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.
What does a Lemnalia tree coral eat?
A Lemnalia tree coral depends on captured plankton more than most soft corals, on top of what its zooxanthellae provide. Give it occasional fine planktonic feeding.
How big does a Lemnalia tree coral get?
An adult Lemnalia tree coral reaches about 7.9 in (20 cm).
How does a Lemnalia tree coral breed?
A Lemnalia tree coral reproduces mainly by fragmentation. Cut branches reattach readily and grow into new colonies.
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