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Large Polyp Stony Corals
Photo © Animal-World Hard corals are generally broken down into two categories; large polyp and small polyp. Both types of corals lay down calcium on a hard skeleton via the polyps. This means they require adequate levels of calcium to thrive. Generally a level above 400 ppm is desirable and many authors recommend 430-480 ppm calcium for these corals. Other elements needed for many of these corals to thrive is strontium, iodine, and trace elements. Many of these corals can be fed small bits of seafood (shellfish, crustaceans, squid, fish) but because they contain zooxanthellae it is usually not necessary. Corals like these will propagate either by spawning or by "budding" which means the parent will grow small corals that will separate from the parent, or the parent will simply separate into multiple corals. Many of these corals have long stinging tentacles called 'sweeper tentacles' which serve to cut down on competing corals in the nearby vicinity so you must give them plenty of room in the aquarium. See the Frogspawn coral for a picture of sweeper tentacles.
Click on the small images below to access more info on each type of coral:
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