Carnation Tree Coral – Dendronephthya
Common Species: D. aurea, D. gigantea, D. hemprichii, D. mirabilis, D. rubeola and over 250 others.
Common Names: Carnation Tree Coral, Cauliflower Soft Coral, Strawberry Soft Coral
Lighting: Low is best. This coral does not derive its energy from the byproducts of photosynthesis. Dendronephthya can be kept under all light conditions, but may feed more readily under subdued lighting.
Aggressiveness: Low
Current: Moderate to High
Hardiness: Difficult (Expert Only)
Color: Orange, Purple, Red, green, etc
Feeding: Should include live, baby brine shrimp, micro-plankton, and other small foods designed for filter feeding invertebrates, in order to survive in the reef aquarium. These foods must be available almost constantly.
Water parameters: 72-78°F, sg 1.023-1.025, pH 8.1-8.4, dKH 8-12
Origin: Fiji, Indo-Pacific, Indonesia, South Pacific
Propagation: This genus can be successfully fragmented however asexual reproduction in this way is a slow process.
Aditional information:
Members of the genus Dendronephthya exist in many spectacular colors and are some of the most beautiful corals in the world.
There are over 250 different identified Dendronephthya species.
Colonies are brocoli-like with strong upright stalks and branches with bushy or ball-shaped bunches of polyps at the terminal ends.
It is necessary to have a constant current with an abundance of algal plankton. For continued good health, it will also require the addition of strontium, iodine, and other trace elements to the water.
Popularity: 1% [?]
