Elephant Ear Coral

About

Elephant ear coral (Sarcophyton trocheliophorum) is one of those soft corals that genuinely earns its common name. The colony spreads into a broad, ruffled disc that really does resemble an elephant's ear as it matures. It belongs to the leather coral group, and like its relatives it has a distinctive two-part structure: a thick, stalk-like base topped by a wide, fleshy cap studded with tiny polyps that extend when conditions are good. Coloration tends toward yellowish-green tones, though this can vary with lighting and zooxanthellae density. In the wild, this species is found across the Indo-Pacific, from tropical reef systems down into subtropical waters. A range that hints at its adaptability. In the aquarium, that adaptability really shows. It tolerates moderate lighting and moderate flow without much fuss, and it doesn't require the intense conditions that many stony corals demand. New reef keepers often do well with leather corals for exactly this reason. One thing worth knowing: Sarcophyton corals periodically shed a waxy mucus coat and may close up for days at a time during this process. It looks alarming but is completely normal. Give it some space, as it can release compounds that irritate neighboring corals.