Marine Invertebrates: Care For Corals

Coral reefs are one of nature’s most diverse and spectacular ecosystems, so it’s no wonder that many people want to keep a part of these amazing life forms in their homes.

The secret to maintaining a successful reef aquarium includes having patience, reading widely, gaining knowledge, exercising caution and practicing common sense to prevent waste of money from losing your aquarium stock.

It is imperative for marine hobbyists to learn as much as they can about different coral/invertebrate species before purchasing them. Talk to seasoned marine hobbyists and not just aquarium shop owners as they may not give you the full picture.

You should not even consider keeping invertebrates if you are not willing to spend money on proper lighting, pumps, and filtration. For what is worth, none of these essentials are cheap.

Special Considerations Concerning Invertebrates

There are two types of corals: those that secrete a hard calcium carbonate skeleton (hard corals called LPS or SPS) and those that do not (gorgonians and soft corals). The “softies” usually secrete a soft flexible skeleton.

Hard corals possess a hard stone-like base from which their polyps extend. The polyps (which are actually individual living organisms) of both kinds of corals live as a colony inside these skeletons.

Many corals, anemones, and clams posses symbiotic microscopic organisms called zooxanthellae that use light and waste produced by the animals for photosynthesis. The algae then share the sugars they produce with the polyps.

For corals, you need to pay extra attention to various water chemistry parameters such as pH, race elements (particularly calcium), alkalinity and dissolved compounds and nutrients levels.

This means testing several parameters regularly and applying corrective measures.

Aquarium Tank Environment

Some corals are harvested from different tropical locations such as reef flats, lagoons, and reef crests, which can be exposed to both strong and weak tidal currents, and strong sunlight, depending on the depth of the water or whether the water is clear or turbid.

Do your research so you know exactly what kind of corals would suit your budget, and the time and effort you can afford to invest in setting up a proper environment for each species.

It is possible to mix different kinds of corals but generally they do not do too well together as most demand an environment unique to their species. Some corals demand either strong or moderate lighting while others require strong currents to survive. Having the right knowledge could mean the difference between death and survival for these creatures.

Compatibility and Aggression Issues

Corals and other invertebrates compete for space to grow and may engage in chemical or physical warfare by stinging each other. Some exude toxic chemicals to destroy other corals or invertebrates. Experience is needed in identifying species and preventing a situation where excessive aggression may occur.

Invertebrates encompass reef animals such as snails, nudibranches, shrimps, sponges, crabs, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers. Some are predatory towards corals or each other, and some are scavengers or filter feeders. Read up as much as you can about them before introducing them into your reef tank.

Conscientious Reefkeeping

Generally, corals and invertebrates are delicate creatures. More and more of them are being collected from the wild. Remember that corals are responsible for building the reef, so the fewer corals there are, the more slowly reefs will grow.

Soft corals generally do better in captivity than hard corals, so if you want to keep corals, they make a better alternative.

As reefkeeping is far more complex than marine fish-keeping and a lot more costly, it is prudent to do it right the first time—in areas such as tank setups, choosing of compatible specimens, feeding requirements, and so forth.

Endeavor to be a conscientious marine hobbyist as you try to duplicate the beautiful world of a coral reef at home! Remember to be patient. The results will be worth it!

Mermaid Highly Recommends: