美丽，对初学者友好的泡沫珊瑚

最近，我发现自己在很多年前在第一个礁石坦克中的牲畜阵容中沉思。除了各种易于保持柔软的珊瑚和少数耐铁的鱼外，我还回想起我还有一个孤独的大型石质（LPS）珊瑚，这给我带来了很多乐趣 - 一种泡沫珊瑚，在分类学上已知的泡沫作为Plerogyra sinuosa。

For as delicate as this coral looked, and its common name sounded, it proved to be quite a rugged and durable specimen. In my opinion, this wonderfully unusual-looking species is well worth keeping for beginners and experienced reefkeepers alike.

我应该注意，还有其他所谓的泡沫珊瑚PlerogyraandPhysogyragenera, butPlerogyra sinuosais the species you’re most likely to come across and the care requirements for each are pretty much the same.

身体特征

P. Sinuosacomes by its common name honestly, as its tentacles are modified into oval-shaped, bubble-like vesicles, which, depending on the specimen, might be white, tan, green, yellow, or even bluish in color. If you look closely at some specimens, you might also notice interesting fingerprint-like striations or shiny bands on the vesicles.

白天，气泡仍在扩大，但在夜间收缩以露出锥形喂食触角。同样在灯光之后，P. Sinuosa容易产生长长的“清扫”触手，并用刺痛的线虫囊肿，它用来使邻近的珊瑚保持在海湾状态。

The bubble coral’s skeleton is irregularly cone shape and has sharp septa along the top edge, to which the vesicles are attached.

照明需求

一些气泡珊瑚在较低的（甚至阴暗），浑浊的条件下发现，而另一些则出现在光线亮的浅色中，因此该物种非常适合不同的礁石照明方案。每当您将标本从低强度照明转换为时，就必须缓慢，谨慎地适应。

水运动

P. Sinuosadoes not appreciate being subjected to powerful, linear currents. Excessive水运动可能导致珊瑚的组织在锋利的骨骼隔隔片上受伤，或者至少可以阻止珊瑚膨胀。非常温和，湍流的水运动是最好的 - 足以确保碎屑不会放在珊瑚组织上。

放置

The best reef-tank location for a bubble coral is at the bottom of the tank, with its skeleton buried partially in the基质。可以将标本放在储罐中更高的岩石制品上，但这提出了一些挑战。一个是，不规则形状的骨骼可能使在岩石之间实现稳定的位置变得有些困难。另一个是，当这些珊瑚完全扩展时，这些珊瑚往往会非常重，因此它们很容易被驱逐并倒下末端 - 如果它们没有牢固地固定在岩石中，则在此过程中受伤。

同样，该物种生产长扫触手的潜力应提示您在气泡珊瑚和任何其他无脊椎动物标本之间提供大量空间。

喂养

While bubble corals are zooxanthellate (meaning they derive nutrition from the symbiotic zooxanthellae in their tissues), they still require supplemental feedings and will exhibit much better health and growth if actively fed at least a few times a week.

Small meaty items, such as mysid shrimp or chopped seafoods, are ideal. To feed, very gently squirt the food over the coral, preferably in the evening when the feeding tentacles are extended (though it will eat during the day, as well), using a turkey baster, pipette, or eyedropper. Then, sit back and enjoy the fascinating, slow-motion spectacle of the bubble coral ingesting its food.