Fire Coral are marine organisms that are not actually coral despite their name. Fire coral are closely related to jellyfish and are a type of hydra. Fire coral have a bright yellow-green and brown skeletal covering and are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical waters. They appear in small brush-like growths on rocks and coral. Divers often mistake fire coral for seaweed, and accidental contact is common. Upon contact, an intense pain can be felt that can last from two days to two weeks. The very small nematocysts on fire corals contain tentacles that protrude from numerous surface pores (similar to jellyfish stings). In addition, fire corals have a sharp external skeleton that can scrape the skin. Fire coral has several common growth forms; these include branching, plate, and encrusting. Fire coral are found mainly on reefs in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans and the Caribbean Sea and can occur up to 40 meters deep.