Tree Coral

About

Found on shallow reef slopes and walls off Australia, Litophyton verrucosum is a soft coral belonging to the family Nephtheidae. A group sometimes called tree corals or cauliflower corals for their branching, arborescent growth forms. In the wild it occupies a broad depth range from just below the surface down to around 25 meters, suggesting it can adapt to varying light intensities, though moderate lighting tends to suit it best in captivity. The genus Litophyton is largely non-photosynthetic or only weakly so, meaning it relies heavily on particulate foods and dissolved organics rather than zooxanthellae alone. This is the core reason it sits in the intermediate care category rather than being a straightforward beginner choice. Maintaining strong, turbulent flow is important both for keeping the colony inflated and for delivering the fine plankton and mucus it feeds on. Like other nephtheids, it can be finicky about water quality and tends to sulk or shrink in tanks that aren't well-established and nutrient-stable. Hobbyists who already have experience keeping other filter-feeding soft corals will have the best chance of seeing this species thrive and extend its polyps consistently.