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Corals & Sessile Invertebrates
Species of temperate corals and sessile invertebrates require minimal lighting in comparison to their tropical cousins. Basic fluorescent light fixtures will often work well with temperate reefs containing these animals.
Most are plankton feeders or get nutrition from other carnivorous food
sources as they lack the zooxanthellae of corals/anemones located in
tropical regions. In other words this means they are non photosynthetic. This allows them to survive in the sometimes dismal weather of temperate regions.
The only true coral commonly available to the temperate hobbyist is the orange cup coral since most coldwater corals are found in deep water. Keep this in mind when searching for coldwater coral specimens.
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Photo by Jamie Canepa |
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| Anemones |
| Corals |
| Aggregating Anemone
| Anthopleura elegantissima | Orange Cup Coral
| Balanophyllia elegans | | Giant Green Anemone | Anthopleura xanthogrammica | Sessile Invertebrates |
| Strawberry Anemone
| Corynactis californica | Stick Hydrocoral | Eudendrium ramosum | | Brooding Anemone | Epiactis lizbethae | Encrusting Hydrocoral | Stylantheca porphyra | | Proliferating Anemone
| Epiactis prolifera | Red Sea Cucumber
| Cucumaria miniata | | Plumose Anemone
| Metridium senile | Sponges |
| | Stubby Rose Anemone | Urticina coriacea | Red Beard Sponge | Microciona prolifera | | White-Spotted Rose Anemone
| Urticina lofotensis | Velvety Red Sponge | Ophlitaspongia pennata |
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| Smooth Red Sponge | Plocamia karykina | |
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