Capnella imbricata (Kenya Tree Coral)

Source: liveaquaria.com

QUICK STATS

• Care Level: Easy
  
• Temperament: Semi-aggressive
  
• Lighting: Moderate to High
  
• Waterflow: Medium to Strong
  
• Placement: All
  
• Water Conditions: 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.023-1.025
  
• Color Form: Black, Green, Tan
  
• Origin: Indo-Pacific
  
• Family: Nephtheidae
  
• Insert Date: 23 July 2011

The Kenya Tree Coral, also referred to as a Cauliflower Soft Coral, Nephthea, or Nephthya, is similar to the members of both the Litophytonand Nephthea genera. It lives in a wide range of the Indo-Pacific. It has a thick trunk, like a tree, and many branches giving it an arboreal appearance.
It is not normally considered a threat to hard corals, but may itself be disturbed by their presence. The Kenya Tree Coral relies less on the symbiotic algae within it, and depends more on obtaining outside food. Microplankton, marine snow, and dissolved materials should make up the bulk of its diet.

A method I have been using more often more recently. My first test for this blog was on July 23 2011. Our Kenya Tree had a natural fragment which I removed as soon as possible.

The result, a small inflated piece of Kenya Tree.

Next we get a nice piece of rock and a rubber band. We put the Kenya tree on the rock and wrap the rubber band around it. Make sure you don’t put it around to tight or it will cut the Kenya Tree in parts which can result in 2 pieces floating off. An alternative to a rubber band is a tie-wrap, they are easier to avoid being to firm around the fragment, just make sure it doesn’t have any metal strips in it.

Place the whole package in your aquarium and wait. Normally it takes anywhere between a week and 2 weeks.

This is the one on the left. It moved one shelf down.

On the far left