SARCOPHYTON GLAUCUM

Common name: Choral of scalp, mushroom of long polyp.

Origin: Zone indicate-peaceful tropical.

Morphology: Aspect of mushroom when his polyps are retracted. His foot is in shape of column that attaches to the coral and denominates him Mesogloea. This column allow him bear the currents that hit it and that play a fundamental paper in his maintenance. His skeleton in addition to for the foot is formed by spicules that they are small ramifications of calcic carbonate. The body receive the name of crown and is where situate his polyps that can reach measure until the 4 cm in function of the species and his location  in the reef. The body is compound of 8 arms the mission of which is to allow that the water flow until the centre of the coral where finds the mouth of the animal and for where will enter the water with the nutrients. To the zone of the polyps exist small canalisations that contribute to the circulation of the water.

Maintenance: It is one of the corals less demanding and suitable for beginners, this no us exempt to have the best conditions of possible water to keep it. They produce a big quantity of wastes for what will have to install a good skimmer effectively  installed. Only situate to the average zone-low of the aquarium or on a rock in the substrate. Source of illumination efficient .Need an average circulation for can see in all his fullness.

PH: 8.3                   Salinity: 1024 -1026                          Temperature: 24-27 ° C

Behaviour:  A data to highlight is that these animals every time that they grow tend to molt the skin, for what can reach be some days with the polyps closed and many new amateurs in the hobbie often worry  for his animal thinking that is ill and only is molting.

This coral is adopted as a house for some species of clowns when is missing a anemone in the aquarium.

Feeding: The sarcophyton is an animal that almost the whole of his diet bases the photosynthesis, although also can consume tiny particles of aliment  in shape of zooplankton and phytoplankton.

Reproduction: The sexual reproduction no usually occurs in the aquarium  but if the asexual reproduction. Whenever it keep in good conditions will be able to realise cuttings of shape very simple. These animals present a big capacity of recovery for what the pieces sectioned root easily in new localizations.