Oculina arbuscula is a branching temperate coral found along the east coast of the United States from Florida to North Carolina.

Unlike tropical corals, O. arbuscula can survive without its algal endosymbionts by switching to a predominantly heterotrophic feeding strategy.

[2] The ability of O. arbuscula to exist in different symbiotic states makes it a good model system for studying the cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis.

Symbiotic colonies will also filter feed; however, their primary source of nutrition is from photosynthates derived from their endosymbionts.

O. arbuscula is generally a very hardy coral and can survive even when deprived of food and light for six weeks.