Toadstool Leather Coral WhiteTips. XXX-Large Colony
 
The soft coral species commonly known as leather corals (various and sundry Sarcophyton, Lobophytum, Sinularia, and Alcyonium species among others) are often among the first invertebrates budding reef hobbyists select for their systems—and with good reason. The leather corals, so named for their tough, leather-like texture, tend to be extremely hardy, adaptable, and easy to grow. They may not be the most colorful corals in the ocean, but they’re attractive and interesting to observe nonetheless.