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Hard Corals and Soft Corals are not so easily defined because some corals which fall into the Soft Coral category are not actually soft.
The basics are like this:
Corals start out as free-floating larvae. The larva eventually attaches itself to a hard surface and becomes a polyp (individual coral). The polyp is a very tiny animal (a few millimeters in diameter) looking something like a sea anemone.
Coral polyps live side by side in colonies.
The Hard coral (such as Brain Coral) polyp secretes a limestone skeleton cup around itself and lives inside for protection. When a polyp dies, its skeleton or "house" remains intact.
The name "hard coral" comes from skeleton around the polyp.
Hard corals are the reef builders
Soft coral (such as gorgonians or sea fans) are more tree-like and flexible. The skeleton of soft corals is located within their bodies, giving them form but allowing them to move with the waves.
When you look at a coral formation you are looking at a colony of corals or lots of polyp "houses" (in the case of hard corals). Many identical coral individuals next to each other, forming a texture, pattern or structure. The pattern's characteristics are determined by the coral's species.
Besides the skeleton location, most hard corals have 6 tentacles where most soft corals have 8.
What else can I help you with?
Why soft corals live in deeper water than hard corals?
soft corals live deeper water than hard corals because soft corals do not create a hard outer skeleton as the hard corals do.
What is the difference between hard corals and soft corals?
The difference is in the name; soft corals have a soft body, with no bony or hard parts. In contrast, hard corals have a hard endoskeleton made of calcium carbonate.
Do hard corals have vertebrate?
Corals do not have spines witch is counted as an invertebrate
What is the main difference Between hard and soft corals?
The difference is in the name; soft corals are soft have body ; with no bony or hard Parts
What is the temperature for corals to survive in?
Usually 72 - 76 degrees F, but most corals prefer different temps, when answering this question it depends on if it is soft corals or hard corals, but this is the average temp
Why do hard corals live in relatively shallow depths?
the hard corals are in the shallow waters which means that there are more nutrients making it healthier and stronger against predators
How do hard corals grow?
they grow by building reefs
How do corals catch plankton?
no corals do not catch plankton even though they are an animal Actually, both hard and soft corals do catch plankton. A coral polyp (the individual coral animal) has a mouth surrounded by stinging tentacles. Hard corals stretch out their tentacles at night, when the plankton are drifting in the water. (Soft corals may catch plankton both at night and in the daytime.) The corals use their tentacles to sting the plankton and stuff it into their mouths.
Are corals porifera?
no! that is just not possible. corals are cnidarians. when the minute creatures called polyps die, they secrete a hard exoskeleton consisting of calciumcarbonate. they secrete it around them to form a hardened structure called corals. corals are basically dead and hardened polyps.
What do corals and bones have in common?
what they have in common is they are both hard, cold, and they are white. (sometimes corals are white.) THATS NOT THEY HAVE IN COMMON. THE CORAL HELPS REPAIR THE BONES
What is the substance that make a coral reef hard?
Corals are hard because the individual animals, called polyps, each secrete calcium carbonate which hardens into a shell around each polyp.
What is hard and soft coral?
Hard Corals and Soft Corals are not so easily defined because some corals which fall into the Soft Coral category are not actually soft. The basics are like this: Corals start out as free-floating larvae. The larva eventually attaches itself to a hard surface and becomes a polyp (individual coral). The polyp is a very tiny animal (a few millimeters in diameter) looking something like a sea anemone. Coral polyps live side by side in colonies. The Hard coral (such as Brain Coral) polyp secretes a limestone skeleton cup around itself and lives inside for protection. When a polyp dies, its skeleton or "house" remains intact. The name "hard coral" comes from skeleton around the polyp. Hard corals are the reef builders Soft coral (such as gorgonians or sea fans) are more tree-like and flexible. The skeleton of soft corals is located within their bodies, giving them form but allowing them to move with the waves. When you look at a coral formation you are looking at a colony of corals or lots of polyp "houses" (in the case of hard corals). Many identical coral individuals next to each other, forming a texture, pattern or structure. The pattern's characteristics are determined by the coral's species. Besides the skeleton location, most hard corals have 6 tentacles where most soft corals have 8.
