CAULASTREA

Origin: Seychelles and Maldives, east to Fiji and Tonga. Australia and Coral Sea.

Habitat: It is found in the protected areas of the reef where the substrate is partly sandy. It forms numerous colonies that often exceed 5 meters.

Morphology: Skeletal structure formed by tubular stems that end in a polyp, between 1 and 3 cm in diameter, with short tentacles. Their polyps are fleshy and have a bright coloration that varies from one individual to another between green, yellow and blue, divided by white segments. The stem is usually translucent green.

Maintenance: It is a resistant species, which requires moderate lighting, a non-excessive current and the permanent addiction of calcium and other compounds such as strontium and magnesium.

  Ph: 8.1 - 8.3                    Density: 1.023 to 1.025                 Temperature: 24 - 26 º C

Behavior: This coral can be semi aggressive when other corals are close to it, so it is necessary to place it away from others.

Food: They develop various strategies to feed themselves. Through a symbiotic relationship with the algae zooxanthellae receive part of the nutrients they need. They also capture planktonic organisms, food particles and absorb organic matter dissolved from the water column. You have to feed it with finely chopped pieces of shrimp, crabmeat, fish, squid, mysis and other foods of similar size. Like many other species of coral, its main threat is the filamentous algae that will eventually cover the polyps, preventing them from unfolding so they can not feed themselves.

Reproduction: Its reproduction is asexual through the breaking of fragments. Technique that although it is simple should not be done to avoid damaging its tubular structures.