Soft corals
Corals without rigid calcareous skeleton. They are the easiest to maintain in marine aquariums, with bright colours and rapid growth.
Detailed explanation
Soft corals do not build a calcium carbonate skeleton like SPS and LPS. Their body is supported by spicules, small mineral fragments dispersed in the tissue.
The most common genera are Sinularia, Sarcophyton (leather coral), Xenia, Anthelia, Zoanthus, Palythoa, Discosoma (mushroom), Ricordea, Cladiella and Cespitularia.
They are extremely resistant. They tolerate parameter swings that would kill SPSs. They also grow in moderate lighting (50-150 PAR) and gentle flow. This is why they are recommended for those starting out in the marine world.
Zoanthus and Palythoa deserve an important safety note. Some species contain palytoxin, one of the most potent toxins known. They should never be handled with bare hands and you should never boil a rock with Palythoa on it. Vapors can be dangerous.
Soft corals grow quickly and can become invasive. Xenia in particular spread everywhere and are difficult to eliminate once established. Many experienced aquarists avoid them for this reason.
The propagation of soft corals is very simple. A clean cut with scissors or a scalpel produces a fragment that reattaches itself to a new rock within a few days.
In mixed aquariums with SPS soft corals can cause problems. They release terpenes and other chemicals (chemical warfare) that inhibit the growth of stony corals. Activated carbon helps remove these substances.
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