Aquarium corals
Reviewed – The Different Kinds Of Aquarium Corals And Their Needs
Aquarium corals were earlier difficult to keep, the reason being lack of knowledge about their requirements,
habitat, degrees of light sensitivity and other reasons that were responsible for their quick degeneration in
aquariums. However, with time and knowledge gained through success and failures, some of the so called ‘easy’
varieties are currently being cultured in many home aquariums.
Why You Need Aquarium Corals
Corals, which look like soft sponges are actually live animals themselves and they look lovely in the aquarium.
But they serve another very important purpose. Corals in the aquarium allow the small fish to hide in them. If you
want to replicate a complete ecosystem at home, you might want to keep both predator and pray. Sometimes big fish
will hide in the corals to chase the smaller ones, and sometimes the small fish will hide to take evasive action.
Even if you do not want both predator and pray within the aquarium, you will still be providing natural environment
to your fish with these corals.
Here Are Some Aquarium Corals And Their Settings – There Is A Wide Selection To Choose From
1. Mushroom Corals thrive well when exposed to low lighting conditions, preferably fluorescent or indirect
lighting, and when there are fewer disturbances in the water. Although safe with crustaceans, fish and other
invertebrates, you should not place these mushroom corals with other soft corals.
2. Cladiella Corals, also called Colt coral, Cauliflower and Finger Leather are well suited to aquarium life.
These corals need indirect lighting and low water movement.
3. Discosoma (Actinodiscus) Corals are commonly called Disc Anemones. They can consume fish food left uneaten
and can thus clean your aquarium.
4. Pachyclavularia Corals, commonly called Star Polyps, Daisy Polyps and Green Star Polyps thrive well in
medium to high degree of lighting. They spread and reproduce rapidly in aquariums or at the fish tank, but are
sensitive to iodine exposure and aluminum oxide.
5. Palythoa Corals grow rapidly under brilliant lighting conditions and are not affected by strong water
current. However, these corals release a potent toxin called Palytoxin and thus you will need to take good care of
them.
6. Sarcophyton Corals, commonly called Toadstool, Toadstool mushroom, Mushroom Leather or Trough coral are
very hardy and they do not mind low to moderate water current. They can keep the surface free of debris and feed by
absorbing nutrients from the sea water.
7. Zoanthus Corals, commonly called Zoanthids are fond of bright light. These corals rely on their
zooxanthelle for nutrition but at the same time, feed on dissolved organic compounds, bacteria and algae. However,
these corals are also capable of releasing Palytoxin which is harmful to humans.
8. Alcyonium Coral, often confused with Colt coral need bright light and adequate water current in the
aquarium. Even though they contain zooxanthelle, they should be provided with proper phytoplankton for better
growth.
Myths About Corals Exposed
There was a time when it was believed that a vast majority of corals are autotrophic, meaning that they are able
to produce their own foods from inorganic materials extracted from the surrounding environment. It was believed
that they just needed light for survival.
Studies however have revealed that corals as a group gain 20% to 50% of their food from heterotrophic feeding
from plankton and other dissolved organic materials. In some cases, corals have been observed to get 200% to 300%
of their primary energy needs from heterotrophic feeding. In fact, Octocorals and Zoanthids meet most of their
needs in this way. These studies have helped aquarists in a big way to cultivate aquarium corals in fish tanks and
aquariums world.
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