Branching Cauliflower Coral Care Guide
Cladiella sphaerophorum is a hardy branching soft coral with cream-white finger-like lobes. It is photosynthetic and beginner friendly.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Cladiella sphaerophorum is a branching soft coral, one of the leather corals sometimes traded as colt or cauliflower coral. It forms colonies of cream-white finger-like lobes and is regarded as very hardy, making it a common choice for newcomers to reef keeping as well as experienced aquarists.
Taxonomy
- Class: Octocorallia
- Family: Alcyoniidae (KB record)
- Genus: Cladiella
- Scientific name: Cladiella sphaerophorum
- WoRMS revision: accepted as Cladiella sphaerophora (Ehrenberg, 1834), family Cladiellidae, order Malacalcyonacea
Habitat
The species occurs on tropical Indo-Pacific reefs. Like other soft leather corals it hosts symbiotic zooxanthellae that provide much of its nutrition through photosynthesis, allowing it to thrive on light alone in suitable conditions.
Tank requirements
- Temperature: 24–26 °C (75–79 °F)
- pH: 8.1–8.4
- Specific gravity: 1.024–1.026
- Carbonate hardness (dKH): 8–11
- Calcium: 380–450 ppm
- Magnesium: 1280–1350 ppm
- Nitrate: below ~15 ppm; phosphate below ~0.1 ppm
- Lighting: medium, about 75–200 PAR
- Flow: medium
- Minimum tank age: about 3 months
Mount the colony on rock under moderate, indirect flow and moderate light. As a leather coral it periodically closes and sheds a surface film over a few days, which is normal and helps clear settling algae.
Diet
Cladiella sphaerophorum is photosynthetic and meets most of its needs through its zooxanthellae, while also taking up nutrients from the water; it may benefit from occasional microplankton or amino acids but does not require heavy feeding.
Compatibility
It is reef, fish and shrimp safe and peaceful, but like other leathers it can emit chemicals that ward off neighbouring corals, so it should be given room to spread.
Cladiella sphaerophorum Propagation Guide
Overview
Cladiella sphaerophorum is a branching soft coral in the family Alcyoniidae (order Malacalcyonacea, class Octocorallia). Colonies are creamy or pale grey with short rounded or conical lobes and a fluffy look when the polyps are extended. The genus is native to the Indo-Pacific, grows fast, and is notably sticky to the touch because it produces a great deal of mucus.
Reproductive Mode
In the aquarium Cladiella is propagated asexually. A cutting taken from a branch regenerates into a complete colony that is genetically identical to the parent, and the fast growth of the genus means a single specimen quickly yields material to divide.
Fragging / Asexual Propagation
Snip a branch tip or side branch with coral cutters. Because Cladiella sheds copious mucus when cut, baste the slime away and keep it out of the main system; the slime also tends to coat glue, so taking a small piece of rock with the frag gives a cleaner bonding surface. Dry the base, then glue it to a plug or secure it with a rubber band; an unattached piece can also be set into crushed coral or shell in low flow and glued later once it has gripped.
- Cut a branch, ideally with a chip of rock at the base.
- Baste off the heavy mucus and keep it out of the display.
- Dry the base, then glue or band the frag to a plug.
- Hold the frag in low flow until it attaches firmly.
Conditions for Propagation
Keep fresh frags in gentle flow so glue cures and the cut seals without the mucus interfering. After attachment, lighting and current can be raised toward the colony's normal medium requirements.
Common Challenges
The pronounced mucus production is the main obstacle: it can prevent glue from holding and can briefly burden water quality. Cutting with a bit of rock, drying the surface, or banding instead of gluing all help, and a post-fragging water change clears the released slime.