Aussie Pink Tree Coral (Stereonephthya cundabiluensis) Care Guide
Stereonephthya cundabiluensis is a bright pink Australian tree soft coral of the family Nephtheidae; photosynthetic but benefiting from heavy phytoplankton feeding.
Overview
Stereonephthya cundabiluensis is a bright pink Australian tree soft coral of the family Nephtheidae, marketed among the carnation tree corals. According to Reef Builders, Stereonephthya are photosynthetic, but their tissue is not particularly well populated with zooxanthellae, so they appreciate a generous amount of food captured from the water column.
Taxonomy
- Class: Octocorallia
- Family: Nephtheidae
- Genus: Stereonephthya
- Scientific name: Stereonephthya cundabiluensis
- Authority: Verseveldt, 1965 (WoRMS)
Habitat
Per Reef Builders, this pink Nephtheid originates from the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and reached the aquarium trade in only small quantities. It is part of the Indo-Pacific Nephtheidae fauna of reef slopes and current-swept zones.
Tank requirements
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Salinity: 1.024-1.026 SG
- dKH: 8-11
- Calcium: 380-450 ppm
- Magnesium: 1280-1350 ppm
- Nitrate: below 15 ppm; Phosphate: below 0.1 ppm
- Lighting: 50-150 PAR (moderate; Reef Builders notes it is undemanding of light levels)
- Flow: medium
- Minimum tank age: 6 months
Feeding
It hosts symbiotic algae but, per Reef Builders, is not heavily populated with zooxanthellae and does not grow fast. A more nutrient-rich aquarium with regular feeding of phytoplankton and small zooplankton encourages better, faster growth, so frequent target feeding is recommended.
Compatibility
Passive and reef-safe with no stinging tentacles, safe with fish and shrimp. It is best added to a mature, nutrient-rich system; place it where it receives steady flow to keep the polyps clean and extended.
Propagation
As a Nephtheid tree coral it can be propagated by cutting a branch and attaching the fragment to rock, though slow growth means propagation is gradual.