Description

Also known as Cup Coral, Dainty Cup Coral, Graceful Cup Coral, Gracile Cup Coral, Flower Coral, Stony Cup Coral.

Found in caves, beneath ledges, overhangs and in caves, over coral and rocky reefs.
The polyps expand in moderate current during late afternoon in shaded areas and at night.
They feed on plankton.
Width - 20cm
Depth - 10-30m
Widespread Indo-Pacific

Stony corals have hard stony skeletons, their polyps have six tentacles or are made up of multiples of six. These are usually nocturnal, however if the sky's are overcast, then many will feed during the day.
Generally the more robust corals life on exposed areas, while the smaller corals live in sheltered lagoons or deeper waters.
Stony corals are reef building corals and embedded in their flesh are thousands of minute single-celled marine plants called zooxanthellae which accounts for their colour.
These corals support a huge diversity of life, their main predator being the crown-of-thorns sea star. Ref: https://www.sealifebase.ca/summary/Cladopsammia-gracilis.html