Carnation Coral
Dendronephthya sp. · den-droh-NEF-thee-a
Not Evaluated
Friendly
Superpower
Inflates with water into a glowing pink-and-white tree only when the current runs.
At a glance
- Size
- typically 20 cm, up to 50 cm
- Depth
- 5–40 m
Habitat
Current-swept walls and overhangs.
Diet
Filters plankton — it has no symbiotic algae, so it relies on the current.
Can I eat it?
No — this one is not eaten.
Fun facts
- It has no algae, so it feeds entirely by filtering plankton.
- It puffs up with water to feed, then deflates when the current stops.
- Tiny glassy spikes support its soft, tree-like body.