Toadstool Coral

[NicoC16]

I'd like to get a leather toadstool coral for my tank but I have been noticing that some toadstool corals have tentacles that have a crown end shape to them. Do all toadstool corals grow these or do only some species have these?

 

[Sniperhank]

Leathers don't have tentacles. I'm assuming you are talking about their polyps, as some toadstools have longer polyps than others. This won't cause an issue in terms of "stinging" other corals like some LPS have.

 

[NicoC16]

Yes I am talking about the polyps. The individual swaying polyps seem to havea crown tip to them while in some corals they do not. Why is that?

 

[Sniperhank]

Just the individual coral for feeding purposes maybe? I don't know why other than just does. My long polyp'd toadstool has them too.

 

[mkiley0598]

I have 4 relatively young toadstool corals and mine have more rounded tips at the ends of polyps, mine appear to be doing great and look beautiful with the polyps swaying in the current, I'm relatively new to the hobby but they've quickly become one of my favorite coral in my tank, so easy to keep!

 

[NicoC16]

Yeah that's what I'm talking about, meanwhile some other toadstools do not have that. Do they all grow them?

 

[Sniperhank]

Some have long polyps and others have short. When I had them in my first tank, they never extended them.

 

[mkiley0598]

Yeah that's what I'm talking about, meanwhile some other toadstools do not have that. Do they all grow them?

All of mine sprout these polyps. I've seen different toadstools that do have different shapes on the ends of the polyps, however I'm not sure whether this comes with the maturity and aging of the coral, or if it is dependent on species.

 

[NicoC16]

Yeah it might be species. Has your toadstool looked like that ever simce you got it? Or have those formed over time?

 

[mkiley0598]

At the beginning they wouldn't come out as much (during the first week). As time went on they have pretty much come out as soon as the timers turn the lights on each morning. I have noticed that at the beginning the polyps were much shorter when they came out, than they are when they come out now. They also seem to be affected by flow because at my LFS they were in an area of pretty high flow and their polyps weren't very long at all, in my tank I have them in a moderate flow area and they seem much happier.