Yellow Fiji Leather coral

Common name(s): Yellow Fiji Leather coral

Scientific name: Sarcophyton elegans

Family: Alcyoniidae

Location: Fiji

Temperament: Peaceful

Tank Placement: Any level in the tank

Water Flow: Medium to high

Light: moderate to high

Care: The Yellow Fiji Leather is a beautiful coral and one of my favorites. It has a nice yellow color and when the polyps are extended, the coral almost looks like a sponge. The edges become ruffled as it increases in size and usually sits on a short stalk. They can grow to large sizes and some sites recommend a tank of at least 30 gallons. This leather in my experience is very sensitive to water conditions and is a good barometer for when water conditions deteriorate. The leather closes up and contracts. Although this softie does not have sweeper tentacles, it does need clearance between other corals.

Feeding: Yellow Fiji leathers contain zooxanthellae (symbiotic algae) and are therefore photosynthetic. However, they will benefit from occasional feedings of plankton and baby brine shrimp.

Propagation: This leather is usually propagated by cutting off a piece of the coral and securing it to a piece of live rock with either a rubber band or a marine safe gel glue.