What do coral reefs eat?
algae
Corals get their food from algae living in their tissues or by capturing and digesting prey. Most reef-building corals have a unique partnership with tiny algae called zooxanthellae. The algae live within the coral polyps, using sunlight to make sugar for energy.
What fish can eat coral?
Parrotfish
Parrotfish Fast Facts Parrotfish are colorful, tropical creatures that spend about 90% of their day eating algae off coral reefs. This almost-constant eating performs the essential task of cleaning the reefs which helps the corals stay healthy and thriving.
How is coral a primary consumer?
Primary Consumers: The second trophic level in coral reef ecosystems are primary consumers such as zooplankton, coral polyps, sponges, mollusks, sea urchins, starfish and smaller fish. Secondary Consumers: The third trophic level in a coral reef ecosystem are the secondary consumers that eat primary consumers.
Can I feed my corals daily?
Too much food will simply go to waste. It is possible to over-feed the aquarium and stimulate algal blooms and nitrate spikes. Some aquarists feed once a month, others every day. The best approach is to carefully feed small amounts once or twice a week and see how the corals respond over several weeks.
What are the different types of coral reefs?
There are three main types of coral reefs: Fringe reef – Fringe reefs grow close to the shore line. It can be attached to the shore or there may be a narrow strip of water called a lagoon or channel between the land and the coral reef. Barrier reef – Barrier reefs grow further from the shore line, sometimes several miles from the shore.
Who are the primary consumers of the coral reef?
What kind of life can you find in a coral reef?
Shore or inner reef zone – This area is between the crest and the shoreline. Depending on the shape of the reef, this area can be full of life including fishes, sea cucumbers, starfish, and anemones. Crest reef zone – This is highest point of the reef and where the waves break over the reef.
Where does the energy from the coral reef come from?
All of these organisms are photosynthetic organisms that get their energy from the sun. Primary Consumers: The second trophic level in coral reef ecosystems are primary consumers such as zooplankton, coral polyps, sponges, mollusks, sea urchins, starfish and smaller fish.
What kind of animals live in coral reefs?
Coral polyps, the animals primarily responsible for building reefs, can take many forms: large reef building colonies, graceful flowing fans, and even small, solitary organisms. Thousands of species of corals have been discovered; some live in warm, shallow, tropical seas and others in the cold, dark depths of the ocean.
What kind of food does the coral reef eat?
Primary consumers: Heterotrophic. Herbivorous. Eat primary producers. Commonly filter feeders and browsers. Examples: zooplankton, coral polyps, sponges, mollusks and small fish.
Who are the consumers of the coral reef?
The primary consumers are the coral polyps, some mollusk species, the zooplankton species, the starfish, the crabs, the sea urchins, the green sea turtle and some smaller fish living in the coral reef system. The primary consumers feed on the producers.
All of these organisms are photosynthetic organisms that get their energy from the sun. Primary Consumers: The second trophic level in coral reef ecosystems are primary consumers such as zooplankton, coral polyps, sponges, mollusks, sea urchins, starfish and smaller fish.
