Leather Coral Care Guide
Leather corals are some of the most rewarding corals to add to a reef tank, especially if you are just starting in the hobby. Hardy and quick to grow, they add brilliant movement and texture to any reef tank. Their flexible, leathery structure (versus a hard calcium skeleton) makes them remarkably forgiving when conditions aren’t perfect, which is precisely why so many reefers pick this coral before moving on to challenging coral species.
Whether you’re starting your first reef tank or adding to your established reef collection, this guide covers everything you need to get the best from your leather corals.
What are leather corals?
Leather corals are soft corals and lack the rigid calcium carbonate skeleton like stony corals such as Acropora or Montipora. Instead, they have a flexible, almost rubbery structure, and that's where their name comes from. They get most of their nutrition from symbiotic zooxanthellae algae living within their tissues, which produce energy through photosynthesis. Leather corals can also utilise dissolved nutrients and organic matter from the water column, and many species are capable of capturing fine suspended food particles.
There is a good selection of leather corals to choose from, with a slightly different appearance but generally similar care requirements:
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Toadstool leathers: A single stem with a smooth mushroom-shaped cap, covered in fluffy polyps.
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Finger leathers: Finger-like, branched projections that flow well.
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Kenya Tree corals: Tree-like soft corals that readily reproduce by dropping small branches, which can attach elsewhere in the aquarium and form new colonies.
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Colt corals: Branching soft corals with a bushier appearance and similar care requirements, though they are generally less prolific self-propagators than Kenya Trees.
Before you start
If you first add a leather coral to your tank and it looks shiny, waxy, and tightly closed, don’t be alarmed. That's perfectly normal. New leathers often develop a protective coating that keeps the polyps retracted while they settle in. Usually it falls off in a few days. Sometimes it can take a couple of weeks. Once it’s gone, you should start to see the polyps extend and the coral will start to look at home.
Acclimating Leather Corals
When introducing a new leather coral to a reef tank, it is important to acclimate it gradually to minimise stress. Begin by floating the sealed bag in the aquarium for 15-20 minutes to equalise temperature. If there is a significant difference between the salinity of the shipping water and your aquarium, gradually mix tank water into the container over 20-45 minutes before transferring the coral. Avoid leaving corals in shipping water for extended periods.
Once acclimated, place the coral in an area with moderate water flow and lower light intensity than its final position. Over the following one to two weeks, gradually move it to its preferred lighting conditions. Monitor for signs of stress, such as excessive shedding or prolonged retraction, and maintain stable water parameters throughout the process.
Leather Care Parameters
|
Parameter |
Target |
|
Difficulty |
Easy |
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Lighting |
Low to moderate |
|
Flow |
Low to moderate |
|
Temperament |
Peaceful |
|
Placement |
Middle to top of the tank |
|
Temperature |
75 - 78°F (24 - 26°C) |
|
Alkalinity |
8 - 9.5 dKH |
|
400 - 450 ppm |
|
|
Magnesium |
1250 - 1350 ppm |
|
Nitrate |
1 - 10 ppm |
|
Phosphate |
0.03 - 0.10 ppm |
As with most corals, stability is more important than hitting an exact number. Keep alkalinity within about 0.5 dKH of your target and calcium within roughly 25 ppm of your target. Sudden swings cause far more stress than parameters sitting slightly outside the ideal range.
Leather Coral Lighting and Flow
Leather corals do well under most modern reef lighting and don’t need anything too bright. A moderate light level is usually sufficient to encourage good polyp extension and enhance coral colouration. Most leather corals thrive at approximately 50 to 150 PAR, although some species can adapt to slightly higher light levels when acclimated gradually.
If you see a leather closing up or the coral is turning brown/losing colour, try moving it lower in the tank or further away from direct light. When you find a place where it opens up fully, that's usually a good sign you've found its home.
Leather corals generally prefer moderate, indirect water movement. Too little flow can allow detritus to accumulate on the coral's surface and interfere with normal shedding, while excessively direct flow may cause prolonged retraction. A gentle swaying motion is usually ideal.
You want just enough movement to give the coral a gentle sway and to move waste away from it.
Feeding Leather Corals
Leather corals get most of their energy from photosynthesis and will not starve if not fed directly. Feeding with a soft coral food such as Vitalis Soft Coral Food once a week may support growth and colouration, particularly in nutrient-poor systems. However, most leather corals obtain the majority of their energy from photosynthesis.
Leather Coral Placement and Compatibility
Leather corals do not typically possess strong stinging tentacles, but many species can release chemical compounds into the water that may inhibit or irritate neighbouring corals. For this reason, it is wise to leave adequate spacing around them and maintain good filtration, particularly when keeping a mixed reef.
They also grow fast, so when you choose where to put a new frag or colony, give it lots of room to grow without running into anything else, including other leathers of the same species.
Many reefers like not to glue or putty leathers in place. Instead, just put the plug in your chosen spot and watch it for a few weeks. This lets you see how the coral reacts to light and flow before you decide its permanent placement.
Common Leather Coral Issues & Troubleshooting
The most common reasons a leather coral may remain closed or appear shrunken are normal shedding behaviour, recent relocation, unsuitable flow, excessive lighting, or irritation from fish and invertebrates. Before assuming a water quality issue, check whether the coral is shedding its outer layer, as temporary polyp retraction during this process is completely normal. If the issue persists, test the water quality parameters.
Summary
Leather corals are about as forgiving as it gets in the reef-keeping world and are a great starting point for new hobbyists and a reliable, low-maintenance addition for experienced reefers too. With stable water parameters, moderate lighting and flow, and a little patience whilst they settle in, leather corals can provide years of reliable growth, movement and colour in a reef aquarium.
Questions about your own setup? Contact the Reefco Aquariums team; we’re always happy to help.
