Yellow Fiji Toadstool (Sarcophyton elegans)
A variant of Toadstool leather coral (Sarcophyton sp.)
Representative Toadstool leather coralphoto — a dedicated image of this exact morph isn't available yet.
A genuinely yellow leather, ranging from pale beige-yellow to vivid banana/golden-yellow, with a heavily frilled, undulated crown and numerous fine extending polyps. The color is natural (not dyed) and is uncommon among leathers.
📜 Backstory
Sold as wild-collected 'Yellow Fiji Toadstool' or 'Fiji Yellow Leather,' this is the species *Sarcophyton elegans*, offered by Quality Marine, Tidal Gardens, LiveAquaria and Blue Zoo Aquatics and discussed on Reef2Reef and Reef Builders. There is hobby consensus on the *S. elegans* ID, and it is widely noted as one of the most difficult leathers to keep, which keeps it scarcer and pricier than common green or brown toadstools.
Keeper tips for this variant
Much more demanding than other toadstools: it behaves more like an SPS coral, needing high light and high flow plus stable, clean water to hold its yellow color. It is sensitive to shipping and acclimation, so drip-acclimate slowly and treat it as a delicate specimen, not a hardy beginner softie.