Colt coral (Cladiella sp.) is a soft, fast-growing branching leather coral with rubbery, finger-like lobes and feathery polyps, one of the hardiest, most beginner-friendly reef softies, tolerant of a wide range of light and flow.
ℹ️
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Soft branching/lobed colony with finger-like stalks; aquarium colonies commonly 8-30 cm tall and wide, can grow larger
Lifespan
10–30 years
Social needs
solo
Native region
Indo-Pacific; reef flats and slopes of the Red Sea, East Africa, and the Western and Central Pacific
Origin
Old World
Climate
🌴 Tropical
Water type
🌊 Marine
Family
Cladiellidae
Genus
Cladiella
Part of the Soft Corals
Soft corals such as leathers, colt, cloves, Anthelia, gorgonians and Sympodium. Non-skeletal octocorals with flexible, often swaying colonies and eight-tentacled polyps; mostly hardy, beginner-friendly reef corals driven by photosynthesis and tolerant of a wide range of light, flow and nutrients.
From the minimum an animal needs to be kept humanely, up to the ideal setup. Bigger is almost always better — minimums are floors, not targets.
Photo coming soon
Minimum
Stable nano reef
10+ gal / SG 1.025 / Alk 8-9 dKH / NO3 5-15 ppm
Hardy soft coral — fine in a stable nano reef with low–medium light and gentle flow. Place low/mid; tolerates higher nutrients than SPS. Colt Coral (Cladiella/Klyxum) — branched soft coral; sheds wax weekly — normal; spreads steadily.
Photo coming soon
Recommended
Established 30-gal reef
30+ gal / cycled 6+ mo / Alk 8-9 / Ca 420-440
Established 30+ gal reef with stable lighting + mid flow. Photosynthetic; no target feeding required. Frag-friendly — grows fast.
Photo coming soon
Ideal
Mature mixed reef
75+ gal / show-quality stability
Mature 75+ gal mixed reef. Tolerant species like this can compete chemically with neighbours (e.g. xenia, GSP spread fast) — give space or contain on isolated rock. Colt Coral (Cladiella/Klyxum) — branched soft coral; sheds wax weekly — normal; spreads steadily.
Life & growth stages
How this animal changes through its life — each stage often has its own care, diet and space needs.
Photo coming soon
Planula larva
Corals begin as a free-swimming planula larva released into the water column after spawning or brooding. The tiny, ciliated larva drifts and swims until it finds suitable hard substrate to settle on.
Photo coming soon
Single polyp
Once settled, the larva metamorphoses into a single founding polyp that secretes a calcium-carbonate (or proteinaceous) base and extends a ring of tentacles to feed. Reef-building corals begin laying down skeleton at this stage.
Mature colony
The founding polyp buds asexually into a colony of many genetically identical polyps, building the species' characteristic growth form — branching, plating, encrusting, or massive. A mature colony can reproduce and contributes to reef structure.
Color & pattern variants
Natural variants occur in the wild; selectively bred (man-made) variants were developed in captivity.
Natural
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Tan/Brown Colt
The most common wild-type form, with tan-to-brown rubbery branches and lighter feathery polyps; extremely hardy and fast-growing.
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White / Cream Colt
Paler cream-to-white colored colonies sometimes sold under names like 'Cauliflower' or 'Finger Leather'; same easy care, lighter coloration.
Keep in an established marine reef aquarium (75+ L) with stable but forgiving parameters: 24-27 C (75-80 F), salinity 1.024-1.026 SG, alkalinity 7.5-9.5 dKH, calcium 380-450 ppm, magnesium 1250-1400 ppm, pH 8.0-8.4. As a soft coral it tolerates higher nutrients than stony corals (nitrate up to ~20-30 ppm and some phosphate are fine). Mount on mid-to-upper rockwork where it can sway.
Substrate
Not substrate-feeding; the colony is attached to live rock or a frag plug. New cuttings are tied or rubber-banded to a plug/rock until they grip (gluing soft slimy tissue is unreliable). A mature reef with live rock suits it. Keep it off the sandbed where detritus would smother the base.
Equipment & setup
Reef hardware: heater (24-27 C), low-to-moderate reef lighting (LED/T5; very adaptable, ~50-150 PAR), moderate, turbulent flow that makes the colony sway and helps it shed its waxy film and stay clean, a protein skimmer, and activated carbon to reduce allelopathic compounds in mixed reefs. Basic dosing or regular water changes maintain parameters; precise calcium/alkalinity control is less critical than for stony corals. RO/DI water and a refractometer are recommended.
Diet
Primarily photosynthetic via zooxanthellae and absorbs dissolved organics, so it generally needs no direct feeding and thrives in slightly nutrient-rich water. Optional fine foods (phytoplankton, coral powders) can be offered but are not required. Strong feeding is unnecessary and overdosing nutrients is more often the risk than starvation.
Behavior & temperament
Sessile colonial soft coral. Colt coral is not aggressive by stinging but competes chemically: like most leathers it releases terpenoid compounds (allelopathy) into the water that can suppress nearby corals, especially SPS, so run good carbon and skimming and give neighbors space. It periodically sheds a waxy surface film and deflates to slough algae/detritus, looking 'melted' for a day or two before re-inflating, which is normal. Not handleable; its mucus can irritate sensitive skin and it should be handled with gloves.
Health
Extremely hardy. The main 'health' events are normal periodic shedding/deflation cycles, which can alarm new keepers but are healthy. Real problems are rare: tissue necrosis from being buried in detritus, prolonged closure from poor water or chemical warfare with other leathers, or damage from nipping fish. Run carbon to offset allelopathy in mixed reefs, and ensure flow keeps the colony clean. It can grow vigorously and may need pruning.
Tips, DIY & hacks
A perfect starter coral, place it in moderate flow and forgiving light and leave it alone. Do not panic during its periodic deflate-and-shed phase; it will re-inflate in a day or two. Run carbon and skim well if you keep it alongside SPS to limit chemical suppression. To propagate, simply cut a branch with a clean blade and band it to a plug; it roots and grows fast, so prune to control size. Keep its base clear of accumulating detritus.
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