LPS Nutrition sharing

[Carrie]

In reading the book that Chris got me, I learned that SPS corals have a structural system that allows them to share nutrition between polyps. It also said some LPS have that same ability. So here is where I get confused. How do I know if my LPS is sharing nutrition, or if every polyp has to eat individually? My two LPS at the moment are branching frogspawn and candy cane. Also do palys and zoas share nutrition, or are they complete individuals.

With corals, as with life - the more I learn, the less I know.

[NonSequitur]

I've wondered the same thing (particularly in the case of branching corals like frogspawn), it'll really be interesting to see what responses this question brings.

[Carrie]

Here is the answer I received from WWM.

when you frag a coral, such as a Euphillia for example, you can see

that the skeleton separates the polyps. That means each polyp must be fed.

With some corals it is easy to see if this is the case, others not so. In

fact it is a pretty safe bet that there are many corals that no-one knows

exactly how these processes work, so if in doubt... feed the lot. (With Polyps it)

depends if they are solitary or if they share a coenenchyme, a basal mat. This depends on the species. It is a pretty safe bet that nutrients

are exchanged between polyps via the coenenchyme, so if this is how the

coral spreads it must be a vector. Please read here

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-06/eb/index.php and here:

http://www.reefs.org/library/aquarium_net/0198/0198_1.html. With a bit of

sifting you might find some answers...

[+mcallahan]

Here is the answer I received from WWM.

when you frag a coral, such as a Euphillia for example, you can see

that the skeleton separates the polyps. That means each polyp must be fed.

With some corals it is easy to see if this is the case, others not so. In

fact it is a pretty safe bet that there are many corals that no-one knows

exactly how these processes work, so if in doubt... feed the lot. (With Polyps it)

depends if they are solitary or if they share a coenenchyme, a basal mat. This depends on the species. It is a pretty safe bet that nutrients

are exchanged between polyps via the coenenchyme, so if this is how the

coral spreads it must be a vector. Please read here

http://reefkeeping.c...06/eb/index.php and here:

http://www.reefs.org...198/0198_1.html. With a bit of

sifting you might find some answers...

err...what?

I don't feed my LPS and it does fine.

Your candy cane and frog spawn will be fine w/out you directly feeding them. Just give them medium flow and light and let them go.

[FarmerTy]

I would say to simplify, and I am by no means an expert, but if they share any type of flesh (coenechyme) then some sharing of nutrients may be occurring. We are talking a myriad of types of corals and different growth patterns here, even differentiations within species, so I'd imagine it would be hard to give a generic answer other than... if they share flesh, they're probably sharing nutrients too.

I have witnessed the same colony of euphyllia have flesh connected throughout the whole colony (during periods of apparent good health) and not connected (during periods of poorer health). The interesting thing is that once the flesh is separated, during times of greater health, I have seen the flesh regrow between stalks.

It would be an interesting experiment for someone to totally encapsulate a connected stalk of euphyllia to prevent it from getting any light and feed adjacent stalks that are still connected with flesh to see if it continues to thrive in a completely dark environment. I would imagine it would be clear from the death of all the photosynthetic zooxanthellae that resides within it but if the polyps are still fleshy and healthy looking, then it would seem that the nutrients shared through the flesh is sustaining it. The hard part would be to figure out a way to isolate the stalk in total darkness without depriving it of the benefits of water motion to be able to supply it with oxygen, remove wastes, and supply nutrients.

-Ty

[doktorstick]

Who doesn't like a good sharing of flesh?

It would be an interesting experiment for someone to totally encapsulate a connected stalk of euphyllia to prevent it from getting any light and feed adjacent stalks that are still connected with flesh to see if it continues to thrive in a completely dark environment.

And probably research grant worthy.

Edited February 9, 2010 by doktorstick

[innate1]

Who doesn't like a good sharing of flesh?

Line of the year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited February 9, 2010 by innate1