Toadstool Leather Coral (Sarcophyton  spp.)

 

 Leather corals are a soft coral with a rather tough leathery skin. They come in all sorts of attractive shapes and can be quite dynamic in the reef  aquarium. They can change form by expanding and deflating their body or extending and retracting their tentacles.

They are considered to be some of the best soft corals for  beginners. Many of the readily available species are easy to keep with great success. Yet advanced reef keepers also favor these soft corals, as they offer a nice visual balance to the tank. Many types of Leather Corals are easy to care for, especially corals in the  Sarcophyton,  Lobophytum,  Sinularia, and  Cladiella  genera.

A number of the well-known “true” Soft Corals can also make great  beginner  corals. Besides the Leather and Soft Corals, there are hundreds of other different types of soft corals. These include  Gorgonians  and other unique  Octocorals  like the  Blue Coral,  Organ Pipe Coral,  Green Star Polyps, and the  Sea Pens. Each of these beautiful corals will have care requirements that are just as diverse as the animals they are; consequently not all soft corals are easy keepers. It is very important to learn about the species you are keeping for a successful reefaquarium.

 

Info from http://animal-world.com/

Pic from http://www.janetsreef.com/