water current effect on the coral's shape?

[booncool]

Does the water current has the major effect on the coral's shape?
If so can i use the water current to shape the coral into the way i wish them to be?
Is there any other factor that has the main effect on the coral shape rather than light and the water current?

 

[JamesJR]

Yes it can, but there are probably other factors as well. Look at the difference between this stylophora pistillata grown in an aquarium

http://www.thesea.org/coral_reef_community/fragswap/psty.jpg

and a wild colony growing close to the surface of the water.

http://moyesreef.com/sps/images/Stylophora-pistillatal.jpg

This sort of thing can be hard to show in pictures, but I read that the stronger current will cause the coral to have be denser and to have the branches a lot closer. Not sure if current is the only factor but it does play a role.

 

[gemxsps]

People said that high current make sps thicker and low current make them thinner.

 

[Sparkss]

I agree and have experienced what the previous 2 posters have stated. Higher flow will usually end up with thicker branches where as lower flow with thinner, more loosely packed branches in SPS.