by Saltwater Smarts | Sep 25, 2015 | Corals, Fish, Invertebrates, Science
Hammer coral (Euphyllia ancora) can be quite variable in colorSeveral of the so-called large-polyp stony (LPS) corals offer the advantages of being very hardy, adaptable, and beautiful and, thus, make excellent reef aquarium candidates, even for relatively new reefkeepers. The hammer coral (Euphyllia ancora), however, I would characterize slightly differently. There’s no question this coral is gorgeous, but I would rate it as rather less forgiving than, say, Trachyphyllia geoffroyi. Still, if its care requirements and aggressive nature are given proper attention, this coral can be a showpiece reef aquarium resident. Physical traitsE. ancora has long, tubular tentacles with tips that resemble, as you might guess, the head of a hammer or an anchor. Most specimens I’ve come across have had brownish to grayish tentacles with the tips being some shade of green, gold, or cream, but the color can be quite variable. Colonies of this coral can get quite large—upwards of 3 feet across—which must be taken into consideration when determining tank size, placement, etc by Matthew Stansbery | Jun 16, 2015 | Corals, Science, Sustainability, Tanks
It’s long been a theory of mine that corals exchange zooxanthellae within our aquariums to combat environmental stressors, and a new study proves this theory to be true in controlled systems as well as in the wild.… by Matthew Stansbery | Aug 15, 2014 | Conservation, Corals, Opinion, Reef
Coral reefs are theorized to annual undergo a “bleaching” event in where corals die off as a result of ecological changes. As climate change rears its ugly head those impacts are slowly becoming a human...