How much light and flow does Finger leather coral need?

Soft coral, medium light at roughly 100–160 µmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ PAR, with medium flow. Light and flow must match: high light with weak flow burns tips, strong flow with weak light thins the tissue.

Will Finger leather coral attack neighbouring corals?

It releases chemicals that suppress its neighbours, worst in a small tank with weak flow and stale carbon. Increase flow, change carbon often, and place it downstream.

Does Finger leather coral need feeding?

No. It gets its energy from its symbiotic algae, and extra food only raises nutrients.

What water parameters does Finger leather coral need?

24–26 °C, specific gravity 1.023–1.026, 7–9 dKH, 400–450 mg/L calcium, 1250–1350 mg/L magnesium. That is only 2 dKH wide, so stability matters more than hitting a particular number.

Is Finger leather coral a good beginner coral?

Difficulty: beginner. Growth: fast. Place it in the midground / background. Spacing: 12 cm or more; when several leathers or button polyps share a tank, run carbon to adsorb the toxins.

G-03 / 15Marine

Finger leather coral手指皮革

Sinularia flexibilis · Alcyoniidae

Finger leather: a cluster of fleshy finger-like branches, fast growing and easy, and it suppresses neighbours with toxins just like other leathers.

Illustration to come

G-03 / 15 · Finger leather coral Sinularia flexibilis

SpecificationsCoral atlas

Name: 手指皮革
Scientific name: Sinularia flexibilis
Family: Alcyoniidae
Origin: Reefs of the Indo-Pacific, including Indonesia, the Philippines and the Great Barrier Reef
Type: Soft coral
Light: Medium light
PAR: 100–160
Flow: Medium flow
Aggression: Chemical toxins
Feeding: No feeding needed
Alkalinity: 7–9 dKH
Calcium: 400–450 mg/L
Magnesium: 1250–1350 mg/L
Salinity: 1.023–1.026 SG
Growth: Fast
Placement: Midground / Background
Level: Beginner

Water requirementsMarine

Temp.24–26 °C

pH8.1–8.4

Salinity1.023–1.026 SG

Alkalinity7–9 dKH

Units: temperature in °C, hardness in German degrees (dGH / dKH), marine salinity as specific gravity at 25 °C, volume in litres. These are the values recorded for the species and do not follow the site unit switcher.

Keeping notes

1Spacing: 12 cm or more; when several leathers or button polyps share a tank, run carbon to adsorb the toxins.
2Flow: medium; strong flow helps it shed, but a direct outlet stream flattens the branches and keeps them closed.
3Feeding: no target feeding needed.
4Water tolerance: very forgiving and one of the safest first corals; cut branches glued to rock grow on readily.
5Growth form: new branches keep budding from the base and frags almost always take, so it spreads on its own.

Frequently asked questions

How much light and flow does Finger leather coral need?: Soft coral, medium light at roughly 100–160 µmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ PAR, with medium flow. Light and flow must match: high light with weak flow burns tips, strong flow with weak light thins the tissue.
Will Finger leather coral attack neighbouring corals?: It releases chemicals that suppress its neighbours, worst in a small tank with weak flow and stale carbon. Increase flow, change carbon often, and place it downstream.
Does Finger leather coral need feeding?: No. It gets its energy from its symbiotic algae, and extra food only raises nutrients.
What water parameters does Finger leather coral need?: 24–26 °C, specific gravity 1.023–1.026, 7–9 dKH, 400–450 mg/L calcium, 1250–1350 mg/L magnesium. That is only 2 dKH wide, so stability matters more than hitting a particular number.
Is Finger leather coral a good beginner coral?: Difficulty: beginner. Growth: fast. Place it in the midground / background. Spacing: 12 cm or more; when several leathers or button polyps share a tank, run carbon to adsorb the toxins.