A beautiful but delicate deep water coral. Few aquarists have kept them sucessfully.

Indo-Pacific - Islands of the Indopacific including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.

This coral does not derive its energy from the byproducts of photosynthesis. Dendronephthya can be kept under all light conditions, but may feed more readily under subdued lighting.

Strong water movement is recommended.

Dendronephthya feeds almost exclusively on phytoplankton, and requires both a steady supply of phytoplankton and sufficient flow to carry the food to its polyps. The addition of phytoplankton is also a benefit to rotifer populations that may be consumed by corals.

Dendronephthya are easily one of the most beautiful soft corals in the ocean. They come in a spectacular range of colors and flourish below underhangs and caves. Unfortunately for aquarists, this species has proven difficult to care for and most captive specimens wither away in a matter of weeks. Dendronephthya require constant feeding and are extremely sensitive to changes in water chemistry. We do not recommend this species for all but the most advanced reef keepers.

In terms of propagation, this genus has been successfully fragmented however asexual reproduction in this way is a slow process. While efforts to aquaculture Dendronephthya are to be praised, it has yet to be shown that they can be propagated cost effectively. Perhaps in time new methods of propagation or even sexual reproduction will be available. For now however, it is unlikely that they are a sustainable harvest in captivity.