Saltwater Food and Coral Facts for a Beautiful Aquarium

Corals are amazing marine animals and are a crucial part of our oceans health. Coral facts reveal that these animals are colonial, which means each coral polyp can live its life in the reef structure it has built with its fellow coral polyps. In the ocean or in home aquariums, corals need to survive on its balance of light, water condition and food sources. They are home to a multitude of species both marine and other, making them one of the corner stones of ocean ecosystems. But they are in symbiotic relationships with tiny algae known as zooxanthellae that give them the ability to make food through photosynthesis.

The Role of Saltwater Food

Coral can power themselves with sunlight energy, but they also need sea salt water food for extra nutrients. Saltwater food, in a home aquarium, also cannot be relied upon entirely on light as to provide the correct type of food. Once that saltwater food reaches the corals, it helps them to grow and rebuild their inherent vibrant colors, supporting the reproduction and health of all of your reef inhabitants. Coral species, though, are filter feeders, which means they can catch plankton and bits of other particles in the water. For corals, some hobbyists add to this with liquid or frozen food. If corals are not fed properly, they can experience so much stress and even turn a different color, or die.

Why Nutrition Is Important

The success of a coral reef tank is solely dependent on the provision of the right food. Nutrient dense food should be, phytoplankton and zooplankton although coral foods are specialized and specific to the needs of different species. Besides regular feeding, keeping water parameters intact is also necessary: temperature, salinity and pH are the parameters that must be perfect for corals to digest and absorb the nutrients the way they should. Coral require regular maintenance and care: water changes and monitoring the coral’s growth to stay healthy and keep on thriving.