Some of the polyps of Millepora complanata are dactylozooids with hair-like processes and stinging cells that detect the presence of zooplankton and help entrap it.
Other polyps are gastrozooids and their chief function is the ingestion of food for the colony.
Copepods form the main part of the diet.
The soft tissues of M. complanata contain zooxanthellae, symbiotic photosynthetic dinoflagellates.
These provide much of the organic carbon needed by the fire coral.

The reproduction of fire corals is complex and involves an alternation of asexual and sexual generations.
The encrusting parts of the coral expand by the growth of stolons, and the edges of blades expand by sympodial growth.
Sexual reproduction involves a sessile polyploid stage and the budding off of planktonic medusae.
Broken off fragments of coral blades can successfully reattach to the substrate and M. complanata is one of the first coral species to recolonise damaged reefs.

Millepora complanata is susceptible to coral bleaching, a process by which stressed corals expel their zooxanthellae and turn white.
In a mass bleaching event in the Caribbean in 1998 caused by thermal stress, both M. complanata and the closely related Millepora alcicornis were affected but M. alcicornis more severely so.
Many colonies were killed but some, especially colonies of M. complanata, recovered and regained their colour over the course of a few months.
Some of the polyps of Millepora complanata are dactylozooids with hair-like processes and stinging cells that detect the presence of zooplankton and help entrap it. Other polyps are gastrozooids and their chief function is the ingestion of food for the colony. Copepods form the main part of the diet. The soft tissues of M. complanata contain zooxanthellae, symbiotic photosynthetic dinoflagellates. These provide much of the organic carbon needed by the fire coral.
The reproduction of fire corals is complex and involves an alternation of asexual and sexual generations. The encrusting parts of the coral expand by the growth of stolons, and the edges of blades expand by sympodial growth. Sexual reproduction involves a sessile polyploid stage and the budding off of planktonic medusae. Broken off fragments of coral blades can successfully reattach to the substrate and M. complanata is one of the first coral species to recolonise damaged reefs.
Millepora complanata is susceptible to coral bleaching, a process by which stressed corals expel their zooxanthellae and turn white. In a mass bleaching event in the Caribbean in 1998 caused by thermal stress, both M. complanata and the closely related Millepora alcicornis were affected but M. alcicornis more severely so. Many colonies were killed but some, especially colonies of M. complanata, recovered and regained their colour over the course of a few months.
Millepora complanata