Sarcophyton

Sarcophyton, universally known as toadstool or leather corals, are among the hardiest and most rewarding soft corals in the hobby. They grow into impressive mushroom-shaped colonies with a broad cap covered in retractable polyps, making them excellent centrepiece corals even in beginner tanks. Place them in the mid-section of your tank under moderate PAR (75–200 PAR) with moderate, alternating flow. They tolerate a wide range of conditions — standard reef parameters of alkalinity 7.5–9 dKH, calcium 400–440 ppm, and temperature 25–27°C are ideal. Australian summers can push tank temps, but toadstools handle brief heat spikes better than most corals.

Toadstools periodically shed a waxy film from their cap, during which the polyps retract and the coral looks sick — this is completely normal and part of their natural growth cycle. The film peels away within a few days, revealing fresh tissue underneath. Gentle flow helps the shedding process. Do not attempt to pull the film off manually. Sarcophyton release terpenes (chemical compounds) that can inhibit the growth of nearby SPS corals, so run quality activated carbon if you keep them in a mixed reef.

Fragging is straightforward — slice sections from the cap with a sharp blade or scalpel, thread the frag onto a toothpick or rubber band it to a frag plug, and it will attach within a couple of weeks. Toadstool frags are among the most traded corals in Australian reef communities due to their fast growth. Locally propagated specimens are widely available and extremely affordable, making them one of the best first corals for any Aussie reefer setting up a new tank.