Basic coral anatomy Question.

[Anonymous]

I am still waiting on my E.Borneman book on corals to arrive but I have a question. Do most corals share a stomach? Say a tubastrea for example, if on polp eats and another doesn't does the food go to the greater good of the communist party or does the stronger polyp eat while the other goes without? What about caulastrea? Same thing, if one eats do they all benefit or must each polyp be fed? I understand alot of corals don't need to eat and survive on the symbiotic relationship that they have with the zoaxanthe...zooaleaxtha....that stuff. I tried a search on coral A&P and didn't get any hits. Trying to better understand the corals I have so I can provide them with the best care possible.

 

[Anonymous]

Each polyp needs to be fed. They do not share a stomach.

 

[Anonymous]

However, I don't know if there are study on it, but it is possible that the polyps are sharing organics/nutrient so that you don't have to worry about being absolutely fair in feeding. Anybody got an reference to confirm or disprove this? :?

 

[Anonymous]

So matt, in corals that share a common "foot" zoanthids, xenia, acros, are are the polyps just sharing the same basic housing unit?

 

[Anonymous]

I suppose that makes some sense, as they grew farther apart if you fraged them you would kill the others right? But I have a caulerstea polyp that has not eaten since I have had it while the others eat daily, but it is fine and actually a bit larger than the rest. Any thoughts?

 

[Anonymous]

And is there a reference for this?

 

[Anonymous]

bump still looking for an answer on the reference.

 

[Rob Top]

I have to search through a few of my books. It's either in Erics, one of the 3 vol. of Modern Reef Aquariums, or this new book I am reading on setting up coral farms. I'll get the "proof" when I can, but as I recall they don't nessasrily share a stomach, but several will share nutrients. As a general, vague guideline look at the structure of the coral, if the poylps are part of a colony they will work for the greater good, if it is stand along poylps then that's how they act. Now that can get tricky cuz zoos can grow in clusters that share some tissue, but act as lone corals. Where as acros act for the greater good. I'll get the referance as soon as I can (code for sometime this year :? )

 

[Anonymous]

I really appreciate it. It isn't that I am dounting the one stomach, I am just curious as you said about the nutrient sharing. I can't imagine that an organism , for example a tubastrea with the centralized main body but many different polyps, would allow one polyp to starve while one ate multiple times a day just because of location or angle. Thanks a bunch for the help.

 

[Anonymous]

I have word from the man himself, even if it's without references. Check out this link.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=383613&highlight=tubastrea

Also, if you're up in the middle of the night at some point, or are a premium member and can search during daylight hours, try doing a search, as there is more info there buried in the archives (in the coral forum).

 

[Anonymous]

Many thanks for the link. I SUPPOSE I can go with what he says. I guess. lol. Thanks for the info. I am having the same problem you were describing where I have some very very small polyps that are having some difficulty with teh size of the myasis and even the brine shrimp. But the loarger ones were eating 3-4 myasis at each feeding. I feel alot better now. thanks.

 

[Anonymous]

BTW how is yours doing now a year later.

 

[Anonymous]

Err, unfortunately it fell victim to a wandering carpet anemone. :? Considering the amount of time and care invested in the little guy, that was a particularly upsetting discovery...

 

[Mihai]

My understanding is that the growth polyps in Acropora (the ones on the tips) have no zooanthelae and get food from the others (they are not specialized in feeding but rather in growing).

M.