Most corals live in colonies. In some species, the individual animals conjoin themselves in a single mass: While others live as collections of separate polyps joined at the bases. Palythoas (like the coral pictured above) and zoanthid species are among the types that live as separate, conjoined polyps. The colonies normally spread by forming new polyps around the outside edges of the existing colony mass. The colony gets larger and wider over time, until the polyps form a bushy-looking cluster like the brown and teal ones in the photo. But not always. Like many other coral species, a palythoa polyp
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My Favorite Faviids
Although the members of family Faviidae make up the second largest group of stony corals, few people outside the aquarium hobby (and SCUBA divers) recognize them on sight. Brain corals are faviids, as are many other, less quickly recognized species. They tend to be colorful, slow-growing, and fairly easy to raise in captivity (under proper conditions) which makes them ideal specimens for reefkeepers like me. Beaked fish, like triggers and parrotfish, frequently chew on stony corals, but since my aquarium hosts no coral eating species, I can indulge in a faviid or two. One of my very first corals was a
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