Corals
As our name suggests, at Beyond The Corals, we are crazy about corals! They are the base building blocks of our reef system. Without corals, there wouldn’t be any fish either. Corals form the very core of everything we see during our under-water diving expeditions. Our team at Beyond The Corals goes above and beyond to protect our corals and to aid in coral restoration efforts. Not only are we an active Green Fins member and are all the staff members STINAPA Reef Rangers, we our also proud partners of Reef Renewal Bonaire. Are you just as invested in corals as us and would you like to get involved in our coral nursery? Be sure to sign up for the PADI Reef Renewal Diver specialty with us and become a volunteer!
Staghorn coral
Usually found in calm back reef areas with clear water, staghorn coral provides an important habitat for a range of different coral reef organisms. Their coral polyps feed at night while the zooxanthellae in their tissue photosynthesize during the day. Staghorn coral is the fastest growing coral species and can grow five to six inches per year. You will find this species in our coral nursery at our Bachelor’s Beach house reef!
Elkhorn coral
Elkhorn corals are an important reef-building coral species, producing many large branches that coral reef organisms use as habitat. These corals prefer shallow areas where wave action causes constant water movement. They are one of the primary corals of shallow fringing reefs. You will also find this species in our coral nursery at our Bachelor’s Beach house reef!
Fire coral
Fire coral, also known as stinging coral, can produce a painful burning sensation when touched by bare skin. The pain is usually short-lived and neither severe or dangerous, but unpleasant regardless. Excellent buoyancy is key when diving in an area with lots of fire coral! The hard, calcareous skeleton of fire coral appears relatively smooth. However, close observation, reveals a fuzzy covering which is actually the colony’s tiny, hair-like polyps. There are two types of polyps, sensory/stinging and feeding. The feeding polyps are stout and encircled by five to nine tall, thin sensory/stinging polyps.
