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The following is a list of organisms in the Reef Tank. To view a larger image of the organism, either click on the index image or the common name of the organism.
Brittle Star
Scientific Name: Ophiure protoreaster
Size: Disk/Body up to 3 inches; Arms up to 8 times the size of the disk
Habitat: Rocky or sandy substrate; within a reef
Diet: Plankton, Detritus, and Small Crustaceans
Behavior: Likes to hide within the reef
Button Polyp
Scientific Name: Zoanthus spp.
Size: vary in size; the polyps in our tank range up to 1 inch
Habitat: Rock surfaces
Diet: photosynthetic; can survive without feeding; food, such as plankton, will help with growth
Behavior: Peaceful; low aggressiveness
Candy Cane or Trumpet Coral
Scientific Name: Caulastrea echinulata
Size: 3 inches
Habitat: Reef surfaces or sandy areas
Diet: Strong light, strong flow; also brine-shrimp or photoplankton
Behavior: Peaceful
Carpet Anemone
Scientific Name: Stoichactis gigas
Size: up to 1 m in diameter & tentacles only up to 0.4 inches
Habitat: Anchor themselves in the sandy substrate
Diet: Plankton, small fish, & crustaceans
Behavior: Do not tolerate other anemone
Chocolate Clownfish
Scientific Name: Amphiprion clarkii
Size: 1-4 inches
Habitat: Anemone and Rocky Reefs
Diet: food can be either dried or frozen, or small live organisms (note that this is the same as the damsel’s diet – this is because clownfish are part of the damsel family)
Behavior: uses the anemone to protect itself from predators; territorial; semi-aggressive toward other fish
Colt Coral
Scientific Name: Cladiella spp.
Size: up to 7 inches
Habitat: Rocky surfaces or sandy areas
Diet: Bacteria & Plankton
Behavior: Semi-aggressive towards other corals
Crocus or Boring Clam
Scientific Name: Tridacna crocea
Size: 6-9 inches (the smallest of giant clams)
Habitat: sandy/rocky sediment bed
Diet: Phytoplankton (or a substitute can be Marine Snow)
Behavior: Very peaceful towards other species; burrowing habits
Note: the shell is empty because of the brittle star's predacious behavior.
Devil’s Hand Leather Coral
Scientific Name: Lobophytum spp.
This coral can be found in reef systems in the Indo-Pacific region. It receives much of its nutrition from symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae which utilize light for photosynthesis.
Giant Green Metallic Mushroom Anemone
Scientific Name: Rhodactis spp
This is a tricky genus for taxonomists to work out, and the end is not close at hand due to a lot of minor variations in its many different species. They form colonies in lagoon reefs normally from 10 to 50 polyps in a colony. This anemone fluoresces at nighttime.
Grape Caulerpa or Macroalgae
Scientific Name: Caulerpa taxifolia
Size: may completely take over an aquarium since it doubles in size under strong lighting conditions
Habitat: Surfaces of Rocks, Sandy Substrate, or the walls of the aquarium
Diet: Photosymthesis
Behavior: Grows rapidly
Kenya Tree (or Tree Coral)
Scientific Name: Capnella sp.
Size: Can grow up to 1 ft. in height and diameter
Habitat: Rocky surfaces or Reef surfaces
Diet: Energy from photosynthesis & Phytoplankton
Behavior: Peaceful; may shed a mucous tunic to rid of any algae
Montipora (Large)
Scientific Name: Montipora spp
Montipora consist of colonies of polyps that align themselves in hard ridges. The polyps can extend to trap zooplankton, but they also gain energy through photosynthesis by symbiotic algae called zooxanthella.
Montipora (Small)
Scientific Name: Montipora spp
Montipora consist of colonies of polyps that align themselves in hard ridges. The polyps can extend to trap zooplankton, but they also gain energy through photosynthesis by symbiotic algae called zooxanthella.
Mushroom Anemone or Elephant Ear
Scientific Name: Discosoma spp.
Size: Can range up to 17 inches
Habitat: Rock surfaces; low currents preferred
Diet: Brine shrimp (or other plankton), mysis, chopped shrimp
Behavior: Peaceful
Pulsing Xenia
Scientific Name: Xenia elongata
Size: Stalks grow up to 3 inches long; feathery polyps can grow up to 2 inches long
Habitat: Typically on the surface of rocks
Diet: Photosynthesis
Behavior: Very peaceful
Download Video to see the movement of the Pulsing Xenia. This video will work with Windows Media.
Purple Mushroom Anemone
Scientific Name: Discosoma spp.
Size: Can range up to 17 inches
Habitat: Rock surfaces; low currents preferred
Diet: Brine shrimp (or other plankton), mysis, chopped shrimp
Behavior: Peaceful
Toadstool Leather Coral
Scientific Name: Sarcophyton trocheliophorum
Size: up to 1m for the carpet and the polyps can grow up to 1cm
Habitat: Attachment to Rock/Reef near drop-offs or near current
Diet: Zooplankton and algae
Behavior: Peaceful toward other corals
Worm/Snake Polyps
Scientific Name: Isaurus tuberculatus
There is much variation in the Snake Polyp body throughout the species, and there are several morphs. They live in tropical waters all over the world where they attach themselves to rubble, coral, or even the shells of bivalves.
Yellowtail Damselfish
Scientific Name: Chrysiptera parasema
Size: 3.5 inches
Habitat: Rocky
Diet: food can be either dried or frozen, or small live organisms
Behavior: Territorial toward other damselfish of either similar color or those of the same species; not a threat for invertebrates