6 Mushroom
The coral consists of one polyp in oval
formation and look like mushroom, having
many septums like a back of hill and it flows
from the side to the center.
C. Coral habitat
In general coral habitat in the islands with much clear beach water area, high oxygen capacity, free of sedimentation and pollution, and free from exceeding
fresh water, more than 95 of islands in Indonesia surrounded by coral. The spread of coral generally found in the water area bordered by the surface
which has 20
° C. The coral usually associated with small and medium islands. The bigger islands and the continent are less supported for the life of coral,
because of the high sedimentation, polluted and low salinity caused by the river flow to the sea. The islands which far from the beaches and located in the
remote place support the coral reef grow well and spread widely. The spread of the coral net in Indonesia is represented well along the beaches of west
Sumatera, the Indonesia island, East of Indonesia and South beaches of Java. The surrounding factors influence the growth and continual life of coral as
follows: 1. Temperature.
The optimum temperature needed for the growth of coral is around 26 - 30 °
C. 2. Light
The light intensity influences much for the life of coral especially on the process of photosynthesis of Zooxanthella where the product then
contributed to the polyp of coral.
3. Water turbidity Turbidity will cause the hindrance of light intensity penetration to the water,
so it will disturb the process of photosynthesis of Zooxanthella.
4. Salinity Salinity influences the life of coral, because of the osmosis pressure on the
net life. The optimum salinity for the life of coral is around 30-35
o oo
. 5. Substrate
Coral Planula needs hard substrate and free from mud, this substrate has a role as a place of coral planula stick, and then it will grow into the coral
and form the strong community.
6. The flow and movement of water mass.
The flow of water mass is tide and or important waves for the transportation of material, larvae, sediment material and oxygen, besides the tide and or
wave may clean the coral polyp and the sticky dirt. That’s why the coral lives in the wavy area or has strong tide grows better than in the protected
and calm wave.
III. CORAL MARICULTURE
