Brick Coral

About

Brick coral (Sarcodictyon catenatum) is a sessile soft coral native to the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, where it inhabits subtropical waters and anchors itself to hard substrate. As an anthozoan rather than a hard coral builder, it belongs to the broader group of colonial cnidarians and takes its common name from the patterned, interconnected appearance of its colony structure. Because it originates from subtropical rather than tropical waters, it can be a particularly good fit for cooler reef or species-specific tanks that struggle to support purely tropical livestock. Its care requirements are relatively modest. Moderate lighting and moderate water movement are generally sufficient to keep it healthy, and it is considered reef safe with no known tendency to harm neighboring corals or invertebrates. The beginner-friendly rating reflects how forgiving this coral tends to be compared to more demanding photosynthetic species, though like all cnidarians it still needs stable, clean water and consistent conditions to thrive over the long term. If you are running a Mediterranean biotope or a cool-water reef system, this is one of the more accessible options available to you.