Devil's hand leather coral
Lobophytum
Also known as Devil's Hand Coral, Hand Leather Coral, Finger Leather, Lobophytum Leather
SaltwaterCoral
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–81°F
- 24–27°C
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Adult size
- 11.8 in
- 30 cm
- Minimum tank
- 40 gal
- 150 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Diet
- Photosynthetic
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- Hard
- Rarity
- Common
- Reef safe
- Reef safe
- Family
- Alcyoniidae
- Origin
- Widespread across shallow reef flats and lagoons of the Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea and East Africa to Fiji.
Overview
The Devil's hand leather coral is a hardy soft coral that sits low on the rockwork of a reef tank. It is a good beginner coral, as long as it has room away from stony corals.
Caring for the Devil's hand leather coral
Give the Devil's hand leather coral moderate to bright light and moderate to strong flow. Keep it in a reef of 40 gal (150 L) or larger, anchored to rock.
Hold the water at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. Keep the salinity stable, near 1.025. It relies on symbiotic zooxanthellae for most of its energy, so it needs no target feeding, though it takes fine particulate foods.
Leave open space around it, because it spreads into a wide colony over time. It also releases terpene chemicals into the water that can kill nearby stony coral tissue without touching it. Run activated carbon and keep small stony corals away. It is fine near others of its own kind.
Good to know
Lobophytum belongs to the family Alcyoniidae, the same soft coral group as the Sarcophyton toadstools. It grows as a thick, fleshy base topped with stubby lobes or finger-like projections. That shape is where the hand in the common name comes from. Small feeding polyps cover the upper surface and retract when the colony is disturbed. Colors run from cream and tan to olive green, often with paler polyp tips.
In the wild
The Devil's hand leather coral is widespread across shallow reef flats and lagoons of the Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea and East Africa to Fiji. It anchors to rock in bright, moving water.
Common questions
What size tank does a Devil's hand leather coral need?
A Devil's hand leather coral needs at least 40 gal (150 L).
What temperature and pH does a Devil's hand leather coral need?
A Devil's hand leather coral is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.
What does a Devil's hand leather coral eat?
A Devil's hand leather coral gets most of its energy from symbiotic zooxanthellae. It needs no target feeding, but it will take fine particulate foods.
How big does a Devil's hand leather coral get?
An adult Devil's hand leather coral reaches about 11.8 in (30 cm).
Related species
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