Yellow Fiji Leather (Sarcophyton elegans) Care Guide
Sarcophyton elegans is a yellow Fiji toadstool leather with frilled cap edges that demands high light and strong flow, unlike most leathers.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Sarcophyton elegans, the Fiji yellow leather coral, has a bright yellow crown (capitulum) with short yellow polyps and highly undulated, frilled edges that distinguish it from typical toadstool corals. The frilly margin adds surface area compared to standard varieties.
Taxonomy
- Family: Alcyoniidae
- Genus: Sarcophyton (Lesson, 1834)
- Scientific name: Sarcophyton elegans
- Authority: Moser, 1919
Habitat
It was historically known almost exclusively from Fiji and occurs most abundantly in shallow, clear reef environments with open-ocean characteristics. Like other Sarcophyton it hosts symbiotic zooxanthellae and is photosynthetic.
Tank requirements
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- Salinity: 1.024-1.026 SG
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- dKH (alkalinity): 8-11
- Calcium: 380-450 ppm
- Magnesium: 1280-1350 ppm
- Lighting: high intensity, around 75-200 PAR; demands more light than typical leathers
- Flow: strong, with upwelling circulation
Diet
It is photosynthetic and meets most of its energy needs via zooxanthellae. Maintaining its bright yellow coloration in captivity is challenging and depends on strong, broad-spectrum lighting.
Care notes
Unlike most soft corals, S. elegans demands high light and strong flow comparable to SPS coral requirements, and consistent growth in home aquariums has historically been difficult. It is best placed away from other corals that might compete for resources.
Compatibility
It is reef-safe and compatible with reef fish and shrimp. As with other leather corals, it should be given space from neighbors to avoid chemical irritation.
Sarcophyton elegans: Fragging and Propagation
Overview
Sarcophyton elegans is a compact toadstool leather coral in the family Alcyoniidae, formed of a stalk and a neat rounded capitulum. As an octocoral it carries eight-tentacled, dimorphic polyps - feeding autozooids on the cap surface and tiny embedded polyps - and obtains most of its energy from symbiotic zooxanthellae.
Reproductive Mode
Aquarium propagation is asexual: cuttings of the cap regenerate into new colonies and the donor regrows its margin. Sexual spawning occurs on the reef but is not a method used by aquarists.
Fragging / Asexual Propagation
Cut a section from the rim of the rounded capitulum with a clean, sharp blade and divide it into frags. Each piece is banded, held in mesh or an onion bag, or laid on rubble in low flow until it attaches, because the smooth body does not hold glue well on its own. A brief iodine dip followed by a seawater rinse helps clean the cut and clear slime.
Conditions for Propagation
- Lighting: 75-200 PAR (medium)
- Flow: moderate, increased after attachment
- Temperature: 24-26 C
- Mature tank: at least about 3 months old
- Siphon out shed mucus that can irritate neighbours
Sexual Reproduction
On the reef gonochoric octocoral colonies broadcast eggs or sperm; fertilised eggs become planula larvae that drift before settling on hard substrate and budding into colonies. This pathway is natural but not used in home propagation.
Common Challenges
Frags often close and develop a shiny waxy cuticle for a few days, then slough it and reopen their polyps. Sarcophyton defends itself with terpene compounds such as sarcophytoxide that act as an antifeedant and can suppress nearby corals, so cutting slime should be removed from the water.