If you're starting your first reef, soft corals are the place to begin. They don't build a hard skeleton, so they're far more forgiving of small swings in water chemistry than stony corals. Two great starters are the finger leather coral (Sinularia) and Ricordea, a mushroom coral that's native to the Caribbean and Florida.
| Difficulty | Easy |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 76–80°F |
| Salinity | 1.025–1.026 specific gravity |
| Alkalinity | 7–10 dKH, kept stable |
| Calcium / magnesium | 400–450 ppm / 1250–1350 ppm |
| Nitrate / phosphate | A little is good: about 2–10 ppm / 0.03–0.1 ppm |
| Lighting | Low to moderate (Ricordea), moderate (leathers) |
| Flow | Low to moderate (Ricordea), moderate (leathers) |
Before you add coral
Wait until your tank is cycled and has run stably for a few weeks, with algae under control. A clean-up crew and some live rock help. Corals are much happier in a tank that's settled than in a brand-new one.
Finger leather coral (Sinularia)
- Placement: mid-tank on rock with moderate light and flow. Give it room, as it grows into a tall, branching colony.
- Shedding: every few weeks, leathers close up and shed a waxy skin. This is normal. A little extra flow helps them clear it.
- Chemical warfare: leathers release compounds that can irritate stony corals nearby. Running activated carbon in a mixed reef helps.
Ricordea mushrooms
- Placement: low on the rock or on the sand bed, with gentle flow. Too much light or current makes them shrink or detach.
- Feeding: Ricordea happily take small foods like mysis or reef pellets placed on their surface once or twice a week.
- Growth: healthy Ricordea split into new polyps over time and slowly spread across the rock.
Acclimating and placing new corals
- Float the bag to match temperature, about 15 minutes.
- Slowly add tank water to the bag over 15–30 minutes. Many hobbyists also use a coral dip to remove hitchhiking pests.
- Place the coral low in the tank first and in moderate flow, then move it up over a week or two if needed.
- Attach frag plugs to rock with reef-safe gel glue or putty so they don't tumble.
Keeping soft corals happy
Consistency beats perfection. Test salinity, alkalinity and nitrate weekly, top off evaporation with fresh water, and do regular water changes. Ultra-clean water with zero nitrate and phosphate can actually starve soft corals, so a little of each is good.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest coral for beginners?
Leathers, mushrooms like Ricordea, zoanthids and green star polyps are among the easiest. Start with one or two and build from there.
Why is my leather coral closed?
It is often shedding its waxy skin, which can take a few days. If it stays closed for over a week, check salinity, temperature and alkalinity.
Do soft corals need special lighting?
They need a reef-capable light, but not an extreme one. Most modern reef LEDs at moderate settings work well.
Can I keep corals with clownfish?
Yes. Clownfish are reef safe and often host leathers or mushrooms.
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