COTM Nov 2009 - Sinularia spp (Polydactyla?)

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Phylum: anthozoa
Class: octocorallia
Sub-class: alcyonacea
Order: alcyoniina
Family: sinularia
Genus: ssp - unsure any help on ID would be great but possibly polydactyla?
Common names: thick branched finger coral
Origin: Madagascar, red sea, Seychelles
Temperament: semi aggresiv
Reef parameters and recommended/desired levels. - Normal reef parameters - but very tolerant IME
Hardiness: Easy
Flow:. good to high IME
Foods/feeding: - not required IME
Lighting requirements: Medium HO is OK- but can stand high
Frag difficulty: Easy - scalpel, or very sharp scissors netting and vacant rock - Clean cut, rinse in tank water in bucket to remove resulting slime production, use bridal veil or similar netting and tie to rock, leave in area of low flow for 14 - 20 days and frag should have stuck itself to rock and netting can be removed - IME the larger the piece you cut, the better your chances of the frag surviving.
Personal observations:

A Great beginners coral IMO
they are tolerant of a wide range of conditions in terms of light and flow, require no special attention in terms of feeding ( I do add microvert, Accel and Chromoplex to the tank every so often but do not directly feed this coral)



This image added for all the people who worry 1st time they see their coral closed up, mine does this every night within 2 hours of lights out, but most days is open again before lights on following day

the only exception being when it sheds its skin and then it may be closed for between 3 days and a week

NB - the more flow you can put around it - the easier it finds shedding skin

mine has a Sieo prop pointed at it close range
and resists my attempt to move it from there

Steve

 

Good looking leather you have there Steve, been thinking about getting one,whats the growth rate on leathers? Thanks for the info.

 

Hi Geoff - IME the growth rate is reasonable but not weed like
its not the sort of coral like Anthelia or GSP that can spread and take over your tank

it can be pruned / fragged with relative ease , so again you do have an amount of control on how large it gets

Steve

 

great article, Steve!

 

great write up steve. I like seeing things like this after being gone for a while

 

thank you Reef Sparky and Daniel

Im going to frag this coral at the weekend and photo document 2 different methods of frag treatment (Directly using elastic band to rock and also cocktail stick through frag and stick banded to rock so no direct elastic contact with coral )

I will start article on 1st cut Saturday PM - and then update weekly on mother coral and frags progress

Steve