Dendronephthya klunzingeri Care Guide
Dendronephthya klunzingeri is a translucent azooxanthellate soft coral that is notoriously difficult, needing near-constant phytoplankton.
Overview
Dendronephthya klunzingeri, a carnation coral, is a tree-like azooxanthellate soft coral with a translucent body and pink-red coloration. The genus is non-photosynthetic, lacking zooxanthellae, and is notoriously difficult in aquaria; this is an expert-level coral.
Taxonomy
- Family: Nephtheidae
- Genus: Dendronephthya
- Scientific name: Dendronephthya klunzingeri
- Authority: Studer, 1888
- Common synonyms: Carnation Coral, Strawberry Coral
Habitat
The genus Dendronephthya is widespread across the Indo-Pacific and Red Sea and contains over 250 described species. These soft corals thrive in current-swept reef environments with limited light penetration, where constant water movement delivers the microscopic food they need. Colonies show divaricate branching, with polyps grouped in bundles.
Aquarium requirements
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- Salinity: 1.024-1.026 SG
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Alkalinity (dKH): 8-11
- Calcium: 400-450 ppm
- Magnesium: 1280-1350 ppm
- Nitrate: below 20 ppm; Phosphate: below 0.15 ppm
- Lighting: low (about 0-50 PAR; no light dependence)
- Flow: very high
- Minimum tank maturity: about 1 year
Feeding and compatibility
As an azooxanthellate coral it derives no nutrition from light and must capture food particles directly. It is a passive suspension feeder requiring a near-constant supply of small foods such as phytoplankton, supplemented with amino acids. Successful long-term husbandry is rare, and the genus is widely regarded as experimental in the hobby. It is passive, lacks potent stinging tentacles, and is reef-safe, shrimp-safe and fish-safe.