As the marine hobby progresses, coral species that just a few years ago were not available or even known to hobbyists are becoming available in the trade. Caring for these newcomers — in fact, some of these have been accessible for decades but are only now becoming popular — is still not fully understood or it simply hasn’t been accomplished properly, in some instances. The problem may have begun about 100 years ago when corals were thought to be plants, not animals. But as science progressed, it was realized corals are in fact animals, and there are basically two different forms: those that contribute to reef building and those that do not help make reefs.
Want to read the full story? Pick up the April 2010 issue of Freshwater And Marine Aquarium, or subscribe to get 12 months of articles just like this.