The Pipe Organ Coral is a soft coral, but due to presence of red calcareous skeleton, it is referred to as hard coral. It is also commonly known as organ pipe coral, or daisy coral. Because of its similar appearance with the star polyps or clove polyps, the Pipe Organ Coral is often confused with it. It doesn?t get spread across the rocks and doesn?t crowd out other species. Since it lacks sweeper tentacles, the Pipe Organ Coral is considered safe and can be placed near other corals. It requires moderate to high light level, along with a medium to strong water movement within the aquarium. The Pipe Organ Coral is docile and fragile, and should not be positioned in currents which could displace or damage it. It also requires calcium, iodine, strontium and other trace elements for its continued good health. The Pipe Organ Coral undergoes photosynthesis with the help of zooxanthellae that dwells inside its tissue, and manufactures food and energy for it. Apart from the photosynthesis, additional food such as phyto and zooplankton or baby brine shrimp for its continued good health. The best way is to keep the Pipe Organ Coral at the bottom of the tank.
This species is a soft coral but with a hard skeleton of calcium carbonate that contains many organ pipe-like tubes. On each tube is a series of polyps which each have eight feather-like tentacles. These tentacles are usually extended during the day, but will swiftly retreat with any sort of disturbance. The skeleton is a bright red color, but is obscured by the numerous polyps, which are green or gray in color. They are restricted to shallow waters and tend to live in sheltered areas.They eat plankton.Do not target feed this coral. Add a quality phytoplankton to the water column.This coral can be placed directly on the sand and should have moderate water flow.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 digestivesystem, this cavity acts in its place and after the food is broken down thenutrients are then sent through the rest of the body as food. There is also noexcretory system; therefore the waste is sent back through the mouth or secretedinto the surrounding water.Tentacles of varying size will usually surround the mouth of Cnidaria. Most Cnidariahave tentacles with stinging cells that can shoot tiny poison darts into their preyor can even be used as a defense mechanism. Some corals lack tentacles and insteadcover themselves with a thin layer of mucus and use that to collect bacteria andplankton as food. Some corals even use both of these methods. Cnidaria can either bean individual animal or members of a complex colony. These "Colony Corals" share thefood and nutrients taken in by each individual.Corals have tiny living organisms that actually live in their tissue. These arecalled zooxanthellae and they are the reason why such strong lighting is needed inthe saltwater aquarium. These algae-like creatures provide the coral with oxygen andother nutrients that are produced during photosynthesis. During this process, thezooxanthellae take up carbon dioxide and provide nutrients to the coral.Corals can use two different types of defense mechanisms. One of which is a sweepertentacle wherein the coral reaches its tentacles out to try to damage another coralwith nematocysts. The other is when the coral releases a minute amount of toxin intothe water to poison another coral within certain proximity.Photo by Saltwaterfish.com member Anonome
