Toadstool leather
Sarcophyton
Also known as Toadstool Coral, Mushroom Leather, Sarco, Leather Coral
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
- 20 gal
- 75 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Very common
- Reef safe
- Reef safe
- Family
- Alcyoniidae
- Origin
- Indo-Pacific reefs
Overview
The toadstool leather is a soft leather coral for the lower rockwork of a reef tank. It is easy to keep.
Caring for the toadstool leather
Give the toadstool leather moderate light of roughly 100 to 200 PAR. It likes brisk, somewhat chaotic flow but dislikes a single hard, direct jet. Place it low to mid on the rockwork of a reef of 20 gal (75 L) or larger.
Keep the water at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. Leave open space around it, since a mature cap gets large and needs room away from sensitive neighbors.
The toadstool leather does not sting its neighbors. It competes with chemicals instead, and its terpene compounds can stunt or harm nearby corals. SPS and other soft corals are most at risk, especially when crowded in a small system. Run activated carbon and a skimmer to keep these toxins in check. It is fine near others of its own kind.
Good to know
Sarcophyton is a leather coral in the family Alcyoniidae, also sold as toadstool coral, mushroom leather or sarco. It grows as a stalked cap shaped like a toadstool, with a wide, polyp-covered crown on a thick trunk. It is well documented for allelopathy, releasing compounds such as sarcophytoxide that irritate or suppress neighboring corals.
In the wild
The toadstool leather grows on reefs across the Indo-Pacific.
Common questions
What size tank does a toadstool leather need?
A toadstool leather needs at least 20 gal (75 L).
What temperature and pH does a toadstool leather need?
A toadstool leather is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.
How big does a toadstool leather get?
An adult toadstool leather reaches about 11.8 in (30 cm).
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