Purple Death Toadstool
Sarcophyton sp.
Deep purple toadstool leather known for its vivid coloration and easy-going nature. Frag to order from our house colony.
- Lighting
- Low
- Flow
- Medium
- Placement
- Lower tank
- Temperament
- Peaceful
Out of stock — check back soon or join the restock list.
Care guide
Keeping Sarcophyton in a reef tank
Toadstool leathers are soft corals that build no calcium skeleton, so demand on alkalinity and calcium is effectively nil. They want stable salinity, consistent lighting and modest nutrients, and they will tolerate a considerably wider range of conditions than any stony coral in the tank.
Lighting for Purple Death Toadstool
Adaptable across low to moderate intensity. The cap will orient itself toward the light over time, so a leather lit strongly from one side gradually grows lopsided. This particular frag is rated for low light — roughly 50–100 PAR, on the sand bed or under an overhang.
Water flow
Moderate flow keeps the cap clean and the polyps extended. In slack water debris settles on the upper surface and the coral will shed more often than it otherwise would. Flow for this frag should be moderate and variable.
Placement and tank mates
Lower tank. Peaceful.
What to watch for
Leathers periodically retract their polyps and shed a waxy surface coat for several days before reopening larger — this is normal and not a health problem. They also release terpenoid compounds that suppress nearby stony corals, so run activated carbon and keep water changes regular in a mixed reef.
