Fire Coral Cuts

Bad Bugs Slideshow

• Fire Coral Cuts Overview
• Fire Coral Cuts Symptoms
• Fire Coral Cuts Treatment
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Pictures of Fire Coral and Fire Coral Stings
• Authors and Editors

Fire Coral Cuts Overview

Fire corals are not true corals. Fire corals are members of the Cnidaria phylum, and although fire coral looks like coral, it is more closely related to jellyfish and other stinging anemones.

Fire corals have a bright yellow-green and brown skeletal covering and are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical waters. Divers often mistake fire coral for seaweed, and accidental contact is common. The very small nematocysts on fire corals contain tentacles that protrude from numerous surface pores (see Jellyfish Sting). In addition, fire corals have a sharp, calcified external skeleton that can scrape the skin.