 : Acroporidae
|  |
| ||
|
Taxonomy: Scleractinia:
Acroporidae
(Stony Corals) Body Form: All Scleractinia have polyps with 6 tentacles or multiples of 6. All members produce a stony skeleton of aragonite. They have porous skeletons that can be branching, bushy, clustered, or tabletop in form. Diet: Some have zooxanthellae and others are entirely heterotrophic. Care Level: difficult Natural History: The Acroporidae are fast growers and the best reef-builders in the oceans. They are best represented in the Pacific Ocean. The Acroporidae includes almost a third of all reef-building corals. While they are fast growers in reef systems, they are delicant and intolerant of changes in water chemistry, making them vulnerable to the affects of storms and pollution. They are difficult to grow in an aquarium, but require strong back-and-forth water flow, high light intensity, high calcium and strontium levels. They are generally intolerant of temperature fluctuations. |
