What is the coral tube?
Tube Coral is a type of asymbiotic camera coral. The term "coral tube" includes several species in the family tubastraea , which is very different from many other stone coral families. This coral, located around the Fiji coast, Solomon Islands and Indonesia, is also popular in the aquariums of Home Reef.
also commonly called Sun Coral, sunflower coral or coral cup, coral tube differs from most corals in many important ways. Unlike most corals, whose small polyps secrete rocky skeletons that are connected together, the tubes have coral large polyps that overshadow the excreted skeletons. Also, instead of being found on the seabed, the coral tubes can most often be found in underwater caves suspended from the ceiling.
Most corals live in symbiosis with micorals called zooxanthellae, which provide nutrient corals through photosynthesis. Tube Coral lacks zooxanthellae and therefore has to provide their own nutrition. Because of this independence isCoral Coral Considered Asymbiotic. Because it does not have to rely on photosynthesis for its food, it has no light requirements and is often found where there is small light.
The coral tubes capture their prey. Their primary source of food is zooplankton, small organisms that are carried along the stream of the ocean. For this reason, the corals of pipes always live in areas that have a strong current.
Like all coral polyps, the coral tube consists of a tube similar to a structure connected to the surface at one end and spilled by the mouth surrounded by tentacles at the other end. When the coral does not feed, the mouth is closed and the tentacles are drawn in. The tentacles spread and the coral is reminiscent of anemone while feeding. Tubular corals are usually orange shades, but one type tubastraea micranthus is black.
popular in domestic aquariums, Tube Coral can usually be purchased in lengths of 2-5 inches (5-13 cm). This coral can be maintained in well -lit or dark places, because it does not need light or not damaged. The Coral tube is considered slightly demanding for the owners of the home aquarium, because its feeding requirements are unusual. Moreover, this coral usually feeds on night, although it can be trained to feed during daylight, so its striking tentacles can only be seen after dark.
captured coral must be placed in the aquarium set to provide at least moderate currents. Coral is then fed from the eye every evening. Shrimp or plankton are common for these corals. Coral of the black tube is rare in captivity due to strong stream and increased availability of food that requires proper feeding.