Secret Shelters in the Seas: Corals

You may think at first sight that a coral reef is merely a heap of colorful stones. Yet you would be mistaken because corals are living creatures. Billions of corals live together, attach themselves to others with special secretions and bring this stone-like structure into existence.

Remnants of dead corals become calcified and these residues turn into coral nests in time where many creatures live together. Every fish species living in a coral reef has particular characteristics. For example, fish that hunt in the daytime, such as angelfish, hide in quiet and secluded sections and cracks of the reef as the sun sets.

Patterns of behavior of fish that live in the coral reefs are diverse. For example, some fish, like the parrotfish we mentioned earlier, sleep deeply at nights in their sleeping bags. Some fish species, such as sticklebacks, on the other hand, are half-awake while they rest. Red mullet and some others use very bright colors in daytime and turn their skin color pale at nights.

Sponges, corals and some fish that lay eggs also live in dead coral residues. Besides these, small crabs and shrimps climb onto coral reefs to feed on microscopic plants and animals. Fish such as sharks and moray eels that live in coral reefs use their strong sense of smell to find food in the dark.

Many different creatures that Allah created in the seas and their unique and miraculous features manifest our Lord's matchless artistry and infinite knowledge. In Surat an-Nahl, Allah gives some examples of the creatures He created. In the same surah He states that people should be thankful for them: