Leathers

Leather corals include toadstool, finger, cabbage and lobed forms with very different mature outlines. Choose a form that has room to expand without shading the rest of the reef, and leave access around the base for inspection and maintenance.

Many leathers are photosynthetic and do well with moderate light and circulating water that keeps their surfaces clear. A colony may periodically retract its polyps and develop a waxy film before shedding it. Good flow can help the film clear; avoid peeling living tissue or assuming every period of contraction is normal if tissue is deteriorating.

Fine suspended foods may provide supplementary nutrition, while large meaty meals are generally unnecessary for common photosynthetic leathers. Consider their chemical interactions with stony corals as well as physical contact. Sensible stocking, space, water changes and suitable filtration help maintain a mixed reef as these colonies grow.