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Corals

Corals are a group of exclusively marine, polyped animals in the phylum Cnidaria. As one can see from their basic body form, they are distant relatives of jellyfish. They can take the form of either individual polyps or colonies of perhaps hundreds or thousands of individual polyps.

They are divided into two basic groups, namely the hard corals and soft corals. Some may be surprised to find that these two groups aren’t very closely related; in truth, stony corals are more related to “normal” anemones whereas soft corals are more related to tube anemones (i.e. cerianthids).

They occur in many ocean habitats from deep waters, temperate waters or shallow tropical waters. However, it is the latter type that most aquarists are familiar with. It is in tropical reefs that stony corals predominate. These produce a hard, stone-like skeleton made of crystalline calcium carbonate called aragonite. They are the so-called reef-building types and are primarily responsible for the formation of the reef itself (the crusts, shells or tubes of certain algae, mollusks, worms, etc., which are also made of calcium carbonate, make some smaller contribution). Chunks of these deposits are known (especially by aquarists) as live rock.

Soft corals, including the gorgonians and sea fans, produce no such calcium hard skeleton. They may, however, produce a leathery (e.g. leather corals) or horny (e.g. gorgonians/sea fans) “skeleton.”

Most reef-building corals and many tropical soft species have a mutually beneficial relationship with special unicellular algae (called zooxanthellae). These algae live within the host’s gastrodermis. Up to 90% of the carbon fixed by the algae via photosynthesis is taken up by the coral. Similarly, certain bacteria known as diazotrophs supply a source of fixed nitrogen to the animal and its algal symbiont, and in return feeds on their organic waste products. Increasingly, the coral animal and its many, diverse microscopic partners are viewed as a single super-organism referred to as the coral “holobiont.”

In addition to these symbiotic relationships, many prey on zooplankton or even tiny fish (depending upon species and size). The coral uses its tentacles, armed with stinging cells (i.e. nematocysts) to stun, hold and kill its prey as it moves the item into its mouth. Following digestion, the waste is excreted from the same opening.

Success with these fascinating and beautiful creatures in captivity requires regular feedings of each species’ preferred food source(s) as well as intense illumination to promote photosynthesis of the zooxanthellae.

In this section you will learn which corals prefer which types of light and foods, as well as how to create the environment (e.g. water conditions) that they need to survive and grow.

45 Posts

Enhancing Coral Nutrition with Purple Non-Sulfur Bacteria

Most people who are familiar with corals--whether admiring them in the wild or displaying them in a glass box--understand quite well
Read More about Enhancing Coral Nutrition with Purple Non-Sulfur Bacteria

A beautiful Mixed coral Reef

A Quick Guide to LPS and SPS Corals

There comes a time in this hobby when many aquarists grow bored of their beginner corals and they become interested in small and large
Read More about A Quick Guide to LPS and SPS Corals

Keeping and Feeding the Sun Corals

Reef aquarium keepers are always looking for that one oddball “piece” of coral that will really make their aquarium display shine.
Read More about Keeping and Feeding the Sun Corals

Carnation Coral

Carnation Corals in the Home Aquarium: A New Hope of Success?

Advancements in the reef aquarium hobby have been developing at a dizzying pace. As our understanding of coral reef biota (and how to
Read More about Carnation Corals in the Home Aquarium: A New Hope of Success?

Clownfish hosting an Anemone

Aquariums: The New Medicine

Aquariums: The New Medicine You enter the waiting room of your doctor’s office and you know she’s not going to be happy about your
Read More about Aquariums: The New Medicine

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