Devil's Hand Leather Coral Care Guide
Lobophytum crassum is a hardy Indo-Pacific leather coral whose finger-like lobes resemble a hand. It is photosynthetic and well suited to beginner reef tanks.
Overview
Lobophytum crassum is a soft leather coral of the family Alcyoniidae from the tropical Indo-Pacific. The genus is known as devil's hand or devil's hand leather coral because finger-like lobes rise from the central capitulum, a feature that distinguishes Lobophytum from the related Sarcophyton. Colonies are formed of tiny polyps set in a shared leathery tissue, and the coral is hardy enough for beginners through to expert aquarists.
Taxonomy
- Class: Octocorallia
- Family: Alcyoniidae
- Genus: Lobophytum
- Scientific name: Lobophytum crassum
- Authority: von Marenzeller, 1886 (WoRMS, order Malacalcyonacea)
Habitat
Lobophytum species occur in shallow water across a wide area of the tropical Indo-Pacific, on reef crests, lagoons and slopes. Like other Alcyoniidae they host symbiotic zooxanthellae and contribute to reef communities that, on the Great Barrier Reef, have shown very stable populations with low growth, predation and mortality.
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 in the middle of the tank under moderate light and flow. The coral periodically closes and develops a surface film that it sheds after a few days to clear algae, which is normal behaviour and not a sign of illness.
Diet
Lobophytum crassum is photosynthetic and draws most of its energy from its zooxanthellae; it is a poor active feeder but extracts nutrients from the water column. Occasional dosing of amino acids or microplankton can support growth but is not strictly required.
Compatibility
It is reef, fish and shrimp safe and broadly peaceful, but leather corals release allelopathic chemicals and can shade or chemically suppress neighbours, so generous spacing from other corals is recommended.