24. Swiftia coral are animals closely related to sea anemones and jellyfish.
The Swiftia coral belongs to a coral family called octocoral, which is a gathering of colonial polyps in an 8-fold symmetry. They are cold corals, which means that they can survive in cold waters rather than their tropical counterparts. Its location makes it a popular choice of residence for salmon as well as mussels. One would think this would create a great symbiotic relationship, but these animals’ presence causes harm to the coral. Their feces settle on the coral and cause blooms of algae that can damage the coral. Soft corals may feed during the night or day. They use their nematocysts, stinging cells, sting passing plankton, or other small organisms to pass to their mouth.