back
Sinularia is a genus of leather corals. They are found in the Indo-Pacific where they like to grow on reef slopes, sometimes in massed populations as the only coral species. Ranging from completely cabbage-leaf flat to bulbous or dangling with long, spaghetti-like appendages, Sinularia occur in a variety of shapes. Like other soft corals, they have calcareous needles called sclerites that support their tissues - distinguishing individual species is often only possible by microscopic examination of these. Sinularia leptoclados deserves special mention, as its sclerites are so densely packed that they build reef structures, making it the (only) reef-building soft coral. There are 166 described Sinularia species, more than Acropora! Species names based on sight are therefore rather to be considered as educated guesses.Sinularia
Sinularia possess zooxanthellae and thus can live on light. They are tolerant of dirty water and well suited for beginners and newly established aquariums. They get along with little light and like strong currents. Color ranges from beige, brown or purple-gray to yellow and toxic green. Like other leather corals they can be propagated well via cutting and trimming when they get too big - just cut them off with a (ceramic) knife, attach them loosely to a frag stone with a toothpick and rubber band or on a syringe needle with a rubber stopper, let them attach on coral rubble or clamp them in a suitable crevice.
