North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher

Bunodosoma cavernatum is a robust species with a muscular trunk covered with 96 vertical rows of small, rounded, wart-like vesicles. The oral disc is smooth and the approximately 96 tentacles are arranged in five cycles. Each tentacle is of moderate length, smooth and tapering, the inner tentacles being longer than the outer ones. At their base are about 48 rounded lobular projections called acrorhagi which are armed with stinging cells.

The colour of the trunk varies, being some shade of olive green, orange, red or brown. The tentacles are olive green, pale orange or reddish, with the oral disc being yellowish-brown, reddish-brown or olive green, sometimes with faint pale radial striping. When fully extended this sea anemone can reach 15 mm (0.6 in) in height, and the tentacles and oral disc when extended can reach 40 mm (1.6 in) in diameter. less ↑

Seriatopora hystrix is a species of colonial stony coral in the family Pocilloporidae. It forms a bushy clump and is commonly known as thin birdsnest coral. It grows in shallow water on fore-reef slopes or in sheltered lagoons, the type locality being the Red Sea. It is native to East Africa, the Red Sea and the western Indo-Pacific region. It is a common species and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation... less ↑

Acropora gemmifera is a species of acroporid coral found in the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea, the central Indo-Pacific, the southwest and northern Indian Ocean, southeastern Asia, Australia, the East China Sea, Japan, the oceanic central and western Pacific Ocean, and northwestern Hawaiʻi. It occurs on exposed upper reef flats and slopes, from depths of 1–15 m. It was described by Brook in 1892. less ↑

Depending on the species and location, Acropora species may grow as plates or slender or broad branches. Like other corals, Acropora corals are colonies of individual polyps, which are about 2 mm across and share tissue and a nerve net. The polyps can withdraw back into the coral in response to movement or disturbance by potential predators, but when undisturbed, they protrude slightly. The polyps typically extend further at night to help capture plankton and organic matter from the water.

The species are distributed in the Indo-Pacific (over 100 species) and Caribbean (3 species). However, the true number of species is unknown: firstly, the validity of many of these species is questioned as some have been shown to represent hybrids, for example Acropora prolifera; and secondly, some species have been shown to represent cryptic species complexes. less ↑

Acropora valida is a species of acroporid coral found in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the southwestern, northwestern and northern Indian Ocean, the Persian Gulf, the central Indo-Pacific, Australia, southeast Asia, Japan, the East China Sea, the oceanic western, central and far eastern Pacific Ocean, the northwestern Hawaiian Islands and Johnston Atoll. It occurs in tropical shallow reefs in a variety of reef habitats, at depths of 1 to 15 metres (3 ft 3 in to... less ↑

Acropora echinata is a species of acroporid coral that was first described by Dana in 1846. Found in shallow, tropical, sheltered reefs in marine environments, it is found at depths of 8 to 25 m (26 to 82 ft) in clear water. The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, and has a decreasing population. It is not common but found over a large area, and is listed under CITES Appendix II. less ↑

Seriatopora caliendrum is a species of colonial stony coral in the family Pocilloporidae. It forms a bushy clump and is commonly known as the green birdsnest coral. It is native to East Africa, the Red Sea and the western Indo-Pacific region, the type locality being the Red Sea. It grows in shallow water on reef slopes, particularly back-reef slopes, at depths down to about 25 metres (82 ft). The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed... less ↑

In aquariums, E. quadricolor will reproduce asexually or sexually when in proper care with supplemented minerals such as iodine and other trace elements, usually purchased as an enrichment cocktail by most home aquarists. E. quadricolor is commonly kept in marine aquariums and comes in variety of colors, green and rose being the most common. Without adequate lighting, the anemone will expel its photosynthetic symbiotic zooxanthellae, a process commonly known as "bleaching" which will progressively result in its death. White or excessively translucent specimens are likely in various phases of bleaching and should not be purchased.

Anemones are not easy to keep, and require a knowledgeable aquarist. The aquarium must be at least 6 months old and stable to receive the anemone. The bigger the tank, the easier it'll be to keep a healthy anemone.

A group of individuals

Rose

Green tipped

Bleached (unhealthy) less ↑

P. damicornis is a reef-building coral, grows fast, and is a strong competitor. The polyps extend their tentacles at night to feed on plankton. When colonies are broken apart, chunks can become lodged on the seabed and grow into new individuals, a form of asexual reproduction by fragmentation. This coral also reproduces by sexual means. It is a simultaneous hermaphrodite, and eggs and sperm are retained inside the coral and batches of planular larvae are released into the sea around the time of the new moon. These have a lipid-rich yolk and great dispersal abilities, as they remain viable for as much as 100 days. Although brooding of larvae occurs over most of its range, in Western Australia P. damicornis both broods planular larvae and releases gametes by broadcast spawning, while in the Eastern Pacific, only broadcast spawning takes place.

Cauliflower coral contains microscopic symbiotic dinoflagellate algae (zooxanthellae) living within its tissues. Through photosynthesis, these algae produce energy-rich molecules the coral can assimilate. The density of the dinoflagellates varies depending on seasonal changes in water temperature, light levels, and dissolved nitrate concentration. It is a dynamic process and in extreme environmental conditions results in the complete expulsion of the algae and the bleaching of the coral. However, compared to other corals, this species is resistant to bleaching.

Based on the GeoSymbio Database, Pocillopora damicornis has been known to interact with 30 species (or subclade types) of Symbiodinium, the highest interaction rate of any known coral species along with Stylophora pistillata less ↑