Yellow Toadstool Leather Coral

The yellow toadstool is a Sarcophyton species that resembles other toadstool leather corals but is immediately set apart by its lemon-yellow color. Its cap is usually small and folded, and its polyps are short. While related species tolerate almost any conditions, this species is very sensitive to transport, handling and sudden change; wild-collected colonies often suffer losses while adapting to a new aquarium. If possible, choose an aquacultured colony and do a long, slow acclimation.

• Strong light (about 200–350 PAR, acclimating slowly); in weak light the yellow color fades to a pale, brownish tone.
• Strong but indirect, changing flow; the pump should not hit the cap directly.
• The upper zone of the rockwork; there should be no stinging LPS corals or anemones nearby.
• Stable KH, calcium and magnesium, salinity 1.024–1.026; it is one of the leather corals that react most strongly to sudden changes. It is also not as tolerant of cutting and disease as its relatives.

It meets most of its nutritional needs through photosynthesis; supplementing with fine planktonic food or phytoplankton 1–2 times a week helps its development. Food should be offered so that the current carries it over the cap.

Its chemical defenses are not as strong as those of its relatives; it is more often the one attacked than the attacker. Keep it away from long-tentacled LPS such as Euphyllia and Galaxea and from anemones, and leave 15 cm of clear space around it. Butterflyfish and some dwarf angelfish may pick at the polyps.