Scleronephthya gracillima Care Guide
Scleronephthya gracillima is a bright pink-red azooxanthellate soft coral resembling a strawberry that requires a demanding feeding regimen.
Overview
Scleronephthya gracillima, often sold as a strawberry tree coral, is a bright pink-red azooxanthellate soft coral. The genus hosts no zooxanthellae and needs a constant food source, making it an expert-level coral.
Taxonomy
- Family: Nephtheidae
- Genus: Scleronephthya
- Scientific name: Scleronephthya gracillima
- Authority: (Kükenthal, 1906); originally described as Alcyonium gracillimum
- Common synonyms: Strawberry Coral
Habitat
The species originates from the Indo-Pacific. As a non-photosynthetic soft coral it is not restricted to brightly lit reef zones and instead occurs in shaded, current-fed positions. Studies of the genus have found large quantities of phytoplankton in the gastrovascular cavity, indicating that plankton carried by water flow is central to its nutrition.
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: high
- Minimum tank maturity: about 1 year
Feeding and compatibility
As an azooxanthellate coral it depends entirely on food particles in the water column and must be fed fine planktonic foods such as phytoplankton, supplemented with amino acids, frequently. It is passive, lacks potent stinging tentacles, and is reef-safe, shrimp-safe and fish-safe. Reported growth is roughly 0.1-0.3 cm per month.