Pipe Organ Coral - Tubipora musica - Organ Pipe Coral

Pipe Organ Coral - Tubipora musica Pipe Organ Coral is a beautiful coral and its deep red colored dead specimens are also used to adorn a reef aquarium. Live Pipe Organ Coral is better handled by experienced aquarists. Taxonomy:
Pipe Organ Coral belongs to the Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Cnidaria, Class Anthozoa, Order Alcyonacea, Family Tubiporidae, Genus Tubipora and species musica. Scientific names:
The scientific name of Pipe Organ Coral is Tubipora musica. Other common names:
Pipe Organ Coral is also commonly called as Daisy Coral, Organ Pipe Coral. Coral Type:
Tubipora musica is a soft coral. Origin or natural range:
Pipe Organ Coral originates from the Indo-Pacific and the South-Pacific regions including Fiji and the Red Sea. Size:
Tubipora musica is moderately sized as compared to the other marine aquarium invertebrates. Color:
Pipe Organ Coral occurs in maroon, red, white, grey, pink and green colors. Compatibility:
Tubipora musica is non-aggressive towards the other marine aquarium invertebrates. Habit & Habitat:

• Pipe Organ Coral is colonial in nature with each colony extending over one meter.
• Tubipora musica is found in sheltered, shallow marine water regions.
• Morphology:
• Pipe Organ Coral has a tubular and calcareous skeleton but an overall delicate structure.
• The skeleton of Tubipora musica consists of mesh like tubular structure.
• Each skeletal tube has many polyps serially attached to it.
• A polyp of Pipe Organ Coral is around three millimeters in width and a few millimeters in length.
• The polyps of Tubipora musica expand during the day time and resemble the shape of a star when open.
• Eight feathery, feeding tentacles of Pipe Organ Coral emerge from the polyps.
• Tubipora musica lacks sweeper tentacles.
• Growth enabling environment in your marine aquarium:
• Temperature of water: Seventy-two to seventy-eight degrees Fahrenheit or twenty-three to twenty-six degrees Celsius.
• Specific gravity of water: 1.023 to 1.025.
• pH of water: 8.10 to 8.40.
• Water flow in the aquarium:
• Pipe Organ Coral requires moderate to strong water flow in the marine aquarium it inhabits.
• Tubipora musica is delicate so avoid direct strong water flow as it can damage the body of the coral.
• Illumination: Pipe Organ Coral needs high intensity lighting in the marine aquarium hosting it.
• Habit & habitat:
• Place Tubipora musica anywhere between the bottom and the medium of your marine aquarium.
• You can place Pipe Organ Coral near to the other non-aggressive corals in your reef tank but at a safe distance from the other aggressive corals.
• Tubipora musica contracts if it gets disturbed.
• Feeding & Nutrition:
• Pipe Organ Coral derives its nutrition mainly through photosynthesis being performed by zooxanthellae, a photosynthetic alga living symbiotically within the coral.
• Tubipora musica is Carnivorous in its feeding habit and filter feeds at least twice per week.
• Pipe Organ Coral feeds upon acellular marine invertebrates, phytoplankton and zooplankton.
• Add Calcium, Strontium, Iodine and other trace elements as the dietary supplements for Tubipora musica.
• Keep the Calcium Carbonate level over twelve DkH in the water
• Breeding: Pipe Organ Coral does not breed in a marine aquarium.
• Care:
• Pipe Organ Coral requires moderate care.
• Take care not to introduce Pipe Organ Coral into a tank containing bristle worm.