Devil's Hand

About

Found in the waters of the Indian Ocean Exclusive Economic Zone, Lobophytum durum is a lobate leather coral belonging to a genus sometimes called devil's hand or cabbage leather corals, though this particular species lacks a widely accepted common name of its own. Like others in its family, it forms thick, fleshy lobes covered in two types of polyps: larger autozooids that extend to feed and smaller siphonozooids that help move water through the colony's tissue. The overall color tends toward earthy tones, creams, tans, and muted greens, giving it a subtle, textured look rather than the saturated colors you'd see in many stony or zoanthid corals. In the wild it occupies reef environments where it experiences moderate light and reasonable water movement, and those same conditions translate well to the home aquarium. It is generally regarded as a forgiving choice for newer reef keepers, tolerating a range of conditions that would stress more demanding corals. One thing to keep in mind with leather corals as a group is that they periodically shed a waxy coat and may close up for several days during this process. Perfectly normal behavior that can alarm newer keepers who aren't expecting it.