Best temp for soft coral

[Kapachuka3]

I have a Kenya tree and gsp in my tank with more to possibly follow. My temperature is set at 75-76f i believe. I have heard that they grow and thrive in higher temps like 79-80f. Is this true? I’m trying to get these corals to take over my tank. But this is not the case in the several months I've had them.

 

[vlangel]

I have a Kenya tree and gsp in my tank with more to possibly follow. My temperature is set at 75-76f i believe. I have heard that they grow and thrive in higher temps like 79-80f. Is this true? I’m trying to get these corals to take over my tank. But this is not the case in the several months I've had them.

I do think most coral grow more in warmer water but I am running my tank around 77°F and my coral are growing. Sometimes softies will take a couple of months to settle in a new tank and then all at once they will start growing like crazy.

 

[World Citizen]

Not every softy is the same. It's not correct to put a temperature number on "soft corals".

Considering where they come from, they all live in different conditions. If you pluck softies around the world... they all have different "ideal" requirements.

On the other hand, softies are mostly easy so the can handle a lot.

Either fetch them from 1 region and search for the specific temp or just put them in 23/25 degrees Celsius.

 

[Quietman]

While I have great luck with leathers/toadstools and colt/kenyas and red xenia I've never had soft polyps (GSP and some other clove polys) take off like the rest. I've actually lost GSP which I didn't think was possible. I replaced an orange polyp a few months ago and now it's finally growing very well, same species, same parameters two different results. Softies may be easier but they're not without their quirks.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have a Kenya tree and gsp in my tank with more to possibly follow. My temperature is set at 75-76f i believe. I have heard that they grow and thrive in higher temps like 79-80f. Is this true? I’m trying to get these corals to take over my tank. But this is not the case in the several months I've had them.

You'll get variable answers but 77-79 is my range

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

my softie tank is at 78 and everything grows well. I didn't know that higher temps supposedly make them grow faster, its just that all my tanks are set at 78.

 

[World Citizen]

@vetteguy53081

Interesting. You rather put them above 77 then under?

If I put out a beginner tank I start at 76 and introduce softies. Maybe I should try this at 78?

Any thoughts would be helpful....

 

[Quietman]

At least with the kenya tree, I don't notice a any changes in branching between summer and winter (I run 80/81 in summer and 74/75 in winter). Growth seems constant. The bigger impact on health, polyp, branching seem to be when I don't mechanically filter - not sure if that has much to do with anything though. It's not scientific, just a perception. Also, I find that even though softies don't require as much light, once they adjust to higher end of range they seem to grow a bit better as well.

 

[snorklr]

when i had kenya tree years ago i think i put it in an area with more flow than it liked...it proceded to pinch off branches and drop them all over the tank and they all adhered wherever they landed and grew...so the original piece never got particularly large but within months i had like 20 of them

 

[vetteguy53081]

@vetteguy53081

Interesting. You rather put them above 77 then under?

If I put out a beginner tank I start at 76 and introduce softies. Maybe I should try this at 78?

Any thoughts would be helpful....

Its in correlation to ocean temps and industry recommendations. Ive been in this range for a couple of decades and works, but ive seen 74 and 81 work for many

 

[bnord]

Temps are all over the place and have dove (diven? dived?) in waters where lots of these corals thrive I have felt distinct sways in water temps in a 30 minute dive, so pick a range and try to keep it there.

As to why your Kenya tree is not flourishing, I trim back toad stools/leathers/various soft coral in my tank almost monthly, and have a green Kenya tree that sits and stares at me for 18 months now without a change... some times they just don't like your set up

good luck

 

[Tlledsmar]

2 things I've noticed. Firstly, colder temperatures didn't seem to stunt my coral growth. Secondly, warmer temperatures caused algae growth to skyrocket.
Ymmv