This is the case off of the coast of Belize. Well oxygenated water - Finally, the water needs to be well oxygenated. This allows for building and maintenance processes to occur. The diagram above shows the distribution of reef corals at certain depths. The barrier reef and atoll coral faunas are typically Caribbean scleractinian fauna.
Corals are in the phylum Cnidaria, the members of which have radial symmetry.
There are a total of 49 species. One way that they get energy is through a symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae. They are a yellow-brown algae that live in the interior of the coral skeleton. The algae provide energy for the coral and the coral provide protection and access to light for the algae. Corals can also capture zooplankton as a food source by suspension feeding.