Do Any Animals Eat Corals?
One of the most important predators of corals is the Pacific Ocean’s Crown of Thorns Sea Star. It is estimated that a single Crown of Thorns Sea Star can eat from 2 to 6 square meters (6 to 20 square feet) of corals per year. Many fish species such as parrotfish, butterfly fish and tangs also include corals as part of their diet. Attentive divers and snorkelers hear the crunch of hungry parrotfish as they chew up their delectable meal that includes the skeleton. Other coral predators include some types of marine snails and marine slugs, known as nudibranchs. Interestingly, these coral predators digest the animal tissue and release the symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) in their feces. The nudibranchs may also keep the nematocysts (stinging structures) and symbiotic algae for their own nutritional use.
