Toadstool Leather Coral

Sarcophyton glaucum is the toadstool leather most people start with, and for good reason — it's hardy, grows fast, and has a classic umbrella form that fills space quickly. Mid-tank under moderate light with medium flow suits it well; it adapts to a range of conditions once it's settled in and past the initial stress of shipping. The predictable frustration is the shedding cycle — it closes, goes dull, looks awful for a few days, then opens back up looking better than before; don't touch it during this phase. Run carbon continuously to handle the terpene output, and your neighboring LPS and stony corals will thank you.