Bushy Coral
Cladocora caespitosa
Also known as: Caespitose tube coral, cladocora, Mediterranean Pillow Coral, Thin Tube Coral
The Mediterranean's only reef-building coral, forming dense tubular clumps in shallow water.
About
Bushy coral (Cladocora caespitosa) holds a unique place in the coral world as the only reef-building species native to the Mediterranean Sea. In the wild it grows on shallow rocky substrates where light is plentiful, though colonies can also be found at greater depths. At those darker levels they lose their zooxanthellae and shift to a fully heterotrophic lifestyle. Colonies are phaceloid in structure, meaning the individual corallites grow as separate tubes clustered tightly together into dense clumps that can reach roughly half a metre across. Each corallite is narrow, just a few millimetres in diameter, giving the colony its characteristic bushy, bundled appearance. Coloration is fairly understated. Cream to brown with matching brown tentacles, so this isn't a coral you'd keep for bold color. What it offers instead is genuine biological interest and a connection to European marine habitats that most reef tanks never touch. In the aquarium it needs good light and moderate flow to support its zooxanthellate symbionts, and intermediate-level experience is recommended. It's not a beginner coral, but for the hobbyist who wants something genuinely different from the usual Indo-Pacific fare, this species makes a compelling conversation piece.
Similar species
Other coral you might consider
Good tank mates
Species that tend to coexist peacefully with Bushy Coral
From the same region
Share the same natural habitat. Great for a biotope-themed tank
Frequently asked questions
- What does the Bushy Coral eat?
- The Bushy Coral is a filter feeder. It eats tiny particles suspended in the water and usually needs target feeding in a home tank.
- Is the Bushy Coral reef safe?
- The Bushy Coral is generally considered reef safe.