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Cabbage Leather
Scientific Name
Sinularia dura
Common Names
Cabbage, Flower Leather
Lighting
Moderate Low to High, very adaptable.
Aggressiveness
Moderate
Current
Any
Hardiness
Very hardy, excellent for new reef keepers.
This species is very similar to Lobophytom crassum. The latter has a longer stalk and does not expand as large as S. dura.
This, as with all leather corals, may go through stages in which they shrink and appear to be dieing. They will then shed a waxy coat to remove any built up detritus on their surface and renew themselves. It has been said that this "shedding" contains a toxin called terenoids that can harm or even kill other corals it comes in contact with. Our corals shed on a very regular basis and we have yet to see evidence that this substance harms the other tank inhabitants. Although siphoning any of the shed substance off the coral would not be a totally bad idea, better safe than sorry.
Propagation: By cutting, one of the easiest corals to propagate. Simply use a sharp pair of scissors, box cutter, or razor blade and take off one or more the "heads". These can left as is or divided into sections. Attach to rock by either using super glue gel (must be the gel variety) or by tucking the frag into a hole or crevice in the live rock. Generally only takes a few days to attach. Leathers do not emit a "slime" when cut like many other soft corals thus they are great candidates for gluing.
Christopher Marks
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