Green Devil’s Hand Lobophytum is the coolest leather coral we’ve seen in a long time

By on Sep 29, 2010

It’s not too often we get excited about a new soft coral strain but this neon green devil’s hand leather coral, a Lobophytum species, is most certainly an exception to that rule. With bright green polyps and an even brighter green base, this is one devil’s hand coral which nearly all reef tanks could entertain. The base coloration of the green lobophytum can be a rich neon green like the specimen above in bright lighting but in other, dimmer conditions the dark green base helps to bring out the bright colored polyps.

The green devil’s hand was first spotted in a maricultured shipment of soft corals, probably from Pacific Aqua Farms, over a year and a half ago, and it has since grown into quite a beauty in a large 600 gallon mixed reef bow front aquarium. We have some frags of the colony pictured above and it retains a high fidelity to the green base coloration. The large colony of green devil’s hand coral above is enjoying the rich blue light of several blue led spot and striplights and ours look great under a range of blue LED striplights. We’ve since spotted the green devil’s hand Lobophytum promoted in advertisements for Pacific Aqua Farms where their specimen looks more like a shimmering green SPS than the leather coral it really is. We hope this Lobophytum strain can rekindle old reefers and turn on new reefers alike to the exquisite beauty of many soft coral species. It’s time for a softy comeback!

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  • jake harvey

    Love to see the softie props from time to time!

    It might be something different, but I’ve had a green devils hand similar to that in my tank for a few years. Mine’s more of a light neon color instead of the grass green of that one. Might just be lighting….

    It’s actually gotten so big it’s pressing against the glass and is in need of a serious trim with a large knife.

  • jake harvey

    Love to see the softie props from time to time!

    It might be something different, but I’ve had a green devils hand similar to that in my tank for a few years. Mine’s more of a light neon color instead of the grass green of that one. Might just be lighting….

    It’s actually gotten so big it’s pressing against the glass and is in need of a serious trim with a large knife.

  • jake harvey

    Love to see the softie props from time to time!

    It might be something different, but I’ve had a green devils hand similar to that in my tank for a few years. Mine’s more of a light neon color instead of the grass green of that one. Might just be lighting….

    It’s actually gotten so big it’s pressing against the glass and is in need of a serious trim with a large knife.

  • Ray

    Wow!!! Very nice!!! where can I find a frag of that one?

  • Ray

    Wow!!! Very nice!!! where can I find a frag of that one?

  • Ray

    Wow!!! Very nice!!! where can I find a frag of that one?

  • paul whitby

    Having seen, and grown a frag of that coral, I can honestly say it is the most vivid green of any soft coral I have seen. When I first saw it several month ago I was convinced it was a stoney coral, until i got a good look at it.

    Great picture Jake- but still doesnt do justice to its color.

    Paul.

  • paul whitby

    Having seen, and grown a frag of that coral, I can honestly say it is the most vivid green of any soft coral I have seen. When I first saw it several month ago I was convinced it was a stoney coral, until i got a good look at it.

    Great picture Jake- but still doesnt do justice to its color.

    Paul.

  • paul whitby

    Having seen, and grown a frag of that coral, I can honestly say it is the most vivid green of any soft coral I have seen. When I first saw it several month ago I was convinced it was a stoney coral, until i got a good look at it.

    Great picture Jake- but still doesnt do justice to its color.

    Paul.

  • Chris

    NICE POLYPS!
    :)

  • Chris

    NICE POLYPS!
    :)

  • Chris

    NICE POLYPS!

    :)

  • Fishtron-5000

    Used to get this coral alot at my store. No one ever bought one. Now it will probably be super popular. People are funny.

  • Fishtron-5000

    Used to get this coral alot at my store. No one ever bought one. Now it will probably be super popular. People are funny.

  • Fishtron-5000

    Used to get this coral alot at my store. No one ever bought one. Now it will probably be super popular. People are funny.

  • Mike

    wonder if it fissions off little daughters like the “tan” colored devil’s hand.

  • Mike

    wonder if it fissions off little daughters like the “tan” colored devil’s hand.

  • Mike

    wonder if it fissions off little daughters like the “tan” colored devil’s hand.

  • http://reefbuilders.com Jake Adams

    Mike I can confirm that the green devil’s hand does fissionate off little daughter pieces. That’s where my colonies came from.

  • http://reefbuilders.com Jake Adams

    Mike I can confirm that the green devil’s hand does fissionate off little daughter pieces. That’s where my colonies came from.

  • http://reefbuilders.com Jake Adams

    Mike I can confirm that the green devil’s hand does fissionate off little daughter pieces. That’s where my colonies came from.

  • Ray
  • Ray
  • Ray
  • Scott Fellman

    Awesome to see softies given their props again! How cool will it be to see some dedicated “high end” softie tanks! Thanks for the post, Jake!

  • Scott Fellman

    Awesome to see softies given their props again! How cool will it be to see some dedicated “high end” softie tanks! Thanks for the post, Jake!

  • Scott Fellman

    Awesome to see softies given their props again! How cool will it be to see some dedicated “high end” softie tanks! Thanks for the post, Jake!

  • http://www.fusedjaw.com Tami

    I love unusual soft corals. I have a tank dedicated to softies and I’m always sad that at frag swaps there are so few soft corals, and rarely anything note worthy. It makes me wonder how much we’re missing out on because people thing of them as beginner corals and don’t pay much attention to them.

  • http://www.fusedjaw.com Tami

    I love unusual soft corals. I have a tank dedicated to softies and I’m always sad that at frag swaps there are so few soft corals, and rarely anything note worthy. It makes me wonder how much we’re missing out on because people thing of them as beginner corals and don’t pay much attention to them.

  • Craig

    Beautiful!

  • Craig

    Beautiful!

  • mike

    i absolutly love that piece, i have been in the hobby about 15 years and after a few large sps sytems and mixed reefs i have finally settled on two 70 gallon softie tanks that i care for. One has been running about 7 years the other a year. Im always looking for new softy strains, now i gotta hunt a frag of this down. Thanks for the pic

  • mike

    i absolutly love that piece, i have been in the hobby about 15 years and after a few large sps sytems and mixed reefs i have finally settled on two 70 gallon softie tanks that i care for. One has been running about 7 years the other a year. Im always looking for new softy strains, now i gotta hunt a frag of this down. Thanks for the pic

  • Angella

    anyone selling frags of this? or know any california distributers/shops who do???

  • Angella

    anyone selling frags of this? or know any california distributers/shops who do???

  • Angella

    anyone selling frags of this? or know any california distributers/shops who do???