ORA Sinularia Finger Leather Coral

Quick facts

Handling caution: Releases irritant terpenoid compounds; wear gloves when handling or fragging

Identity

Also known as

Trough Coral; Cabbage Leather Coral

Synonyms

Sinularia notanda; Sinularia flexibilis; Sinularia dura

Environment

Saltwater

Native to

Indo-Pacific, Red Sea, East Africa, Indonesia, Philippines, Great Barrier Reef

Habitat

Shallow reef flats, lagoon margins, and reef slopes with strong light and brisk water movement, forming large low colonies on rock

Sourcing

Both

Conservation

Not Evaluated

Care

Care level

Easy

Coral type

Soft

Temperament

Semi-Aggressive

Growth form

Branching

Adult size

2 – 12 in (5.1 – 30 cm)

Spread

18 in (46 cm)

Growth rate

Fast

Placement

Middle, High

Water

Temperature

75 – 81 °F (24 – 27 °C)

pH

8.1 – 8.4

dKH

8 – 11 dKH

Salinity

1.024 – 1.026 SG

PAR

75 – 150 PAR

Flow

Moderate-High

Light

Medium

Reef care

Nutrient preference

Medium

Alk/Ca uptake

Low

Target feeding

Beneficial

Give it room

4 in (10 cm)

Colors

Green, Brown, Yellow, Cream

Feeding & breeding

Diet

Photosynthetic

Foods

Coral food, Phytoplankton, Zooplankton

Propagation

Fragging

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Care guide

Overview

Branches grow from two inches up to a foot long, thickening into a broad, low-lying colony as the coral matures. Extended polyps sway freely in moderate flow between waxy shedding cycles. Suited to reef tanks of 30 gallons or more, it tolerates a wide swing in parameters once settled.

Care

Sinularia leather corals tolerate a wide range of reef conditions and are a common recommendation for keepers moving beyond soft coral basics. They do best with moderate to strong indirect flow that helps them shed their periodic waxy film, and moderate lighting in the range of roughly 75-150 PAR, though they can adapt down to lower intensities with slower growth. Stability of parameters matters more than chasing exact numbers, and they tolerate slightly higher nutrient levels than stony corals. Give colonies room to expand since branches thicken and lengthen substantially with age.

Placement & acclimation

Acclimate gradually to lighting by starting new colonies lower in the aquascape and moving them up over one to two weeks to avoid bleaching or stress. Mount on rockwork in the middle to upper reef using coral glue or epoxy, or wedge frag plugs into rock crevices, leaving open space for the finger-like lobes to expand. A brief iodine dip on arrival can help settle newly acquired specimens.

Feeding

Most of its energy comes from zooxanthellae through photosynthesis, so no direct feeding is required for survival. Occasional broadcast feeding of phytoplankton, fine zooplankton, or powdered coral foods can support faster growth, particularly in nutrient-poor systems. Newly introduced colonies should be allowed to settle in for a couple of weeks before supplemental feeding is attempted.

Neighbors

This coral lacks sweeper tentacles and will not sting neighbors directly, but it releases terpenoid compounds that can irritate or suppress nearby corals, especially small-polyp stony species. Leave several inches of clearance from other corals and run fresh activated carbon along with strong skimming to dilute these chemicals in mixed reef systems. It coexists well with reef-safe fish and most invertebrates.

Fragging

Propagation is done by cutting healthy branches from the parent colony with a sharp blade or scissors and allowing the cut to firm up before mounting. Fragments can be attached to live rock rubble, plugs, or tucked into rockwork with rubber bands or mesh until they attach on their own, typically within a few weeks. Cutting during a period of good polyp extension improves survival of the frag.

Pests & problems

Periodic shedding of a waxy surface coating with temporary polyp closure is a normal event and not a sign of illness, and recovery is faster with good flow and stable water quality. Chronic tissue recession, persistent drooping, or stark paling usually point to flow, lighting, or nutrient problems rather than disease. Bristle worms and coral-eating nudibranchs occasionally target leather corals but are not a common issue.

Sources

1. Sinularia Leather Coral Care Guide | Finger Leather Lighting, Flow & Feeding - Extreme Corals
2. Sinularia Finger Leather Coral – LiveAquaria
3. Finger Leather Coral - Care, Temperament & Health | Pawholt
4. Mint Finger Leather Coral – Top Shelf Aquatics

Varieties in the catalog

ORA Neon Green Sinularia Finger Leather CoralORA Yellow Polyp Sinularia Finger Leather Coral

More Leather corals

ORA Fuzzy Lobo Lobophytum CoralORA Long Polyp Leather CoralORA Neon Green Polyp Leather Coral