Class Anthozoa
Subclass Octocorallia
Order Alcyonacea
Family Alcyoniidae
Genus Sinularia
Sinularia are one of my favorite soft corals. There
are several different kinds of Sinularia commonly
available, and each is colorful with an interesting
shape. The most familiar kind of Sinularia is
probably Sinularia dura, commonly known as the cabbage
Sinularia.
This Sinularia grows in a shape much like
a pinkish cabbage. The flesh is translucent and may
have a greenish tint. Often there will be a row of
polyps on the very edges of the "leaf."
Other types of Sinularia grow in finger shapes or even
in a shape like a cauliflower head. The shapes and
colors can be highly variable, but in this genus, they
are always beautiful.
I have recently propagated a lot of a gorgeous and
rare kind of Sinularia. This green Sinularia grows in
a shape like a weeping willow tree. The color is an
unearthly, glowing green.

These Sinularia grow very quickly, and are pretty
adaptable; I have them in several different systems
here, and each one is doing fine. This particular
species tends to prefer fairly strong current and
light, and will look best in a combination of white
and blue actinic VHO lights.

These corals have specialized cells called Amebocytes,
which produce calcium carbonate spicules. A spicule
is like a little spine that grows in the inside of the
coral lending it support. Calcium carbonate is the
same material that SPS corals use to produce
skeletons, although Sinularia are not directly related
to SPS.
Because of these spicules, Sinularia are easy to
propagate. The spicules make the coral tougher than
most other soft corals. They can be sewed onto
plugs, or the bridal veil netting method can be used.
However, the method that I have found easiest is
simply to rubber band them onto GARF plugs.
First procure a handful of these thin, black rubber
bands.

Next, cut a Sinularia into small pieces. Each piece
should be big enough to have at least 1 "fork" and 2
branches. Put these pieces in a dish of water, and
the parent colony can go back into the tank.

Attach each piece to a plug with a thin rubber band.
You should choose plugs that are flat on top (but
textured enough to make it easy for the coral to hold
onto). Other material, like pieces of rubble, could
conceivably be used for attachment sites.
These plugs should be placed into an area with limited
current until they attach; otherwise they might get
blown off the plug. In about a month, the green
sinularia will be attached firmly to the plug.
You can either take the rubber band off then or wait until
the rubber band dissolves in the seawater .
These Sinularia grow so quickly, that in no time you
should be able to cut your cuttings again, producing
more coral!
FOR THE LAST 5 YEARS WE HAVE WORKED VERY HARD TO PURCHASE, TRADE, AND SAVE AS MANY TYPES OF CORALS AS WE CAN.
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