The Frogspawn Coral is a very beautiful coral to look at. It is a large Polyp Stony Coral that is very easy to aquaculture. The Frogspawn Coral needs to be fed periodically for it to gain proper growth. It requires moderate to high lighting levels and moderate water flow levels. The Frogspawn Coral can be very aggressive and therefore it is suggested to keep them at a distance from other corals. You can put them in the bottom of the tank. The Frogspawn Coral can be provided with calcium supplements, and with proper levels of salinity and stable pH that will give them a perfect environment to grow. Its flowing tentacles and tips are very colorful and look very pleasing in any aquarium. The Frogspawn Coral is also known as Honey Coral, Wall coral, Zig-Zag coral and fine grape coral. Its tentacles can give protection to some shrimps by providing them tasty meals with the help of their stinging tentacles. The Frogspawn Coral can be propagated in captivity. They are found in muddy substrates and reef slopes to depths of 130 feet. The Frogspawn Coral generally forms small colonies in waters that are turbid, yet gentle and enjoy indirect bright light. Its polyp grows larger during the day and only partially at night. These tentacles has thick and lumpy polyps with ??tips?? dotted over it and branched with some single heads. The tentacles of the Frogspawn Coral have a variety of colors from chocolate brown to tan, and green to yellow with pink, white or cream tips. They possess a symbiotic relationship with marine algae, known as Zooxanthellae, and receive their nutrients and in return the coral provides shelter to the algae.
The Frogspawn will either have a continious exoskeleton or it will be branching. This coral resembles a mass of frog eggs, with numerous tiny balled tentacles branching out from the tissue.Corals are part of a biological group known as Cnidaria. Most Cnidaria have a mouth, or mouths, that opens into one big body cavity. Due to the lack of a true digestive system, this cavity acts in its place and after the food is broken down the nutrients are then sent through the rest of the body as food. There is also no excretory system; therefore the waste is sent back through the mouth or secreted into the surrounding water.Tentacles of varying size will usually surround the mouth of Cnidaria. Most Cnidaria have tentacles with stinging cells that can shoot tiny poison darts into their prey or can even be used as a defense mechanism. Some corals lack tentacles and instead cover themselves with a thin layer of mucus and use that to collect bacteria and plankton as food. Some corals even use both of these methods. Cnidaria can either be an individual animal or members of a complex colony. These Colony Corals share the food and nutrients taken in by each individual.Corals have tiny living organisms that actually live in their tissue. These are called zooxanthellae and they are the reason why such strong lighting is needed in the saltwater aquarium. These algae-like creatures provide the coral with oxygen and other nutrients that are produced during photosynthesis. During this process, the zooxanthellae take up carbon dioxide and provide nutrients to the coral.Corals can use two different types of defense mechanisms. One of which is a sweeper tentacle wherein the coral reaches its tentacles out to try to damage another coral with nematocysts. The other is when the coral releases a minute amount of toxin into the water to poison another coral within certain proximity. Most Hard Corals should not be placed within reach of another coral.Photo by Saltwaterfish.com member, zanclus: John Scott
