Encrusting Devil's Hand Care Guide
Lobophytum pauciflorum is an encrusting Indo-Pacific leather coral forming flat pads with finger-like lobes. It is photosynthetic and beginner friendly.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Lobophytum pauciflorum is a soft leather coral of the family Alcyoniidae from the tropical Indo-Pacific. As an encrusting member of the devil's hand group it forms low, flat pads bearing finger-like lobes that make good cover over rockwork. Colonies consist of tiny polyps in a shared leathery tissue and the coral is hardy enough for beginning aquarists.
Taxonomy
- Class: Octocorallia
- Family: Alcyoniidae
- Genus: Lobophytum
- Scientific name: Lobophytum pauciflorum
- Authority: (Ehrenberg, 1834) (WoRMS, order Malacalcyonacea)
Habitat
The genus is found in shallow water across a wide area of the tropical Indo-Pacific, on reef crests, lagoons and slopes. Like other leather corals it hosts symbiotic zooxanthellae that supply much of its nutrition through photosynthesis.
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
Place the colony on rock under moderate light and flow, where its encrusting form can spread across the surface. Like other leathers it periodically develops and sheds a surface film over a few days to remove algae.
Diet
Lobophytum pauciflorum is photosynthetic and obtains most of its energy from zooxanthellae, supplementing this by absorbing nutrients from the water column. Active target feeding is not required, though occasional amino acids or microplankton can aid growth.
Compatibility
It is reef, fish and shrimp safe and peaceful in temperament, but as a leather coral it can chemically suppress nearby corals, so allow ample spacing.
Lobophytum pauciflorum Propagation Guide
Overview
Lobophytum pauciflorum is an encrusting leather coral of the family Alcyoniidae (class Octocorallia). It is one of the devil's hand corals, but its form tends to spread as flatter pads bearing finger-like lobes rather than a tall trunk. The genus is widespread in shallow tropical Indo-Pacific reefs, and the coral relies on symbiotic zooxanthellae for most of its nutrition.
Reproductive Mode
In aquaria the coral is multiplied asexually. Cuttings regenerate into independent colonies, and leather corals also spread on their own by shedding small tissue fragments, budding off projections, or migrating across a surface and leaving attached pieces behind. Because the growth form is encrusting, edges of the pad can be divided where they meet the rock.
Fragging / Asexual Propagation
Cut a lobe or an edge section with coral scissors or a blade; including a chip of the underlying rock gives the frag a firm base to bond to. Expect the coral to release slime, which should be basted off and kept out of the main system. After drying the surfaces, glue the frag to a plug, or hold it with a rubber band or a thread of monofilament line until the tissue grips on its own.
- Cut a lobe or a pad edge, ideally with a sliver of rock.
- Baste away the slime before it spreads.
- Dry, then glue, band, or tie the cutting to the substrate.
- Keep the frag in gentle flow until it heals and holds.
Conditions for Propagation
Low flow during the first days lets the adhesive set and the wound close. Once the frag is anchored and polyps reopen, it can be moved to brighter light and stronger current matching the colony's usual position on the reef.
Common Challenges
Mucus from cutting can briefly degrade water quality, so a water change or extra filtration is sensible afterward. A frag that stays shut for a few days is healing normally; persistent closure combined with tissue breakdown indicates a problem rather than the propagation cut itself.