induction of sexual reproduction in corals

[errolflin]

Hi Anthony



I've been listening more and more about induction of sexual reproduction in corals. Do you have any info that could be shared?

Thanks in advance

[Anthony Calfo]

it is a very good question, my friend... but an enormous topic!

It is true that the hobby needs to progress faster towards the commercialk propagation of corals by asexual and sexual planulation. But again... the topic is enormous for the scope of species represented.

generally speaking though... the key to success is conditioning. Namely: heavy feeding for many months in advance. Scientists can predict some spawning events by measuring the lipid levels in certain corals. In the aquarium... we can work to make this happen by feeding fatty acid rish foods. The easiest way to do this is to soak appropriate prey particles or organisms in Selcon or Selco (HUFA product). They are essentially lipids from fish oil. Very good supplement for fishes and corals to condition for health and spawning.

Another key to success is to not frag the coral! We must leave breeder corals unharmed for years sometimes so that they can reach a critical mass (minimum size) before they can planulate. This has been an obstacle for many "frag happy" coral farmers that never let their corals grow out long enough :)

Beyond that... you must begin to address the specific needs of specific corals.

A search on the academic website http://scholar.google.com yields many interesting research papers on corals, reproduction, planulation, etc.

Kindly,

Anthony

[Supertutu]

Hi Anthony



I've been listening more and more about induction of sexual reproduction in corals. Do you have any info that could be shared?

Thanks in advance

Traduccion:

He oido mucho acerca de inducir la reproduccion sexual de los corales. ¿Tienes alguna informacion que se pueda compartir?


it is a very good question, my friend... but an enormous topic!

It is true that the hobby needs to progress faster towards the commercialk propagation of corals by asexual and sexual planulation. But again... the topic is enormous for the scope of species represented.

generally speaking though... the key to success is conditioning. Namely: heavy feeding for many months in advance. Scientists can predict some spawning events by measuring the lipid levels in certain corals. In the aquarium... we can work to make this happen by feeding fatty acid rish foods. The easiest way to do this is to soak appropriate prey particles or organisms in Selcon or Selco (HUFA product). They are essentially lipids from fish oil. Very good supplement for fishes and corals to condition for health and spawning.

Another key to success is to not frag the coral! We must leave breeder corals unharmed for years sometimes so that they can reach a critical mass (minimum size) before they can planulate. This has been an obstacle for many "frag happy" coral farmers that never let their corals grow out long enough :)

Beyond that... you must begin to address the specific needs of specific corals.

A search on the academic website http://scholar.google.com yields many interesting research papers on corals, reproduction, planulation, etc.

Kindly,

Anthony
Traduccion:

¡Es una pregunta muy buena, mi amigo... pero un topico enorme!
Es verdad que el hobbya necesita progresar más rápidamente hacia la propagación del commercial de corales por la "creacion/reproduccion" asexual y sexual. Pero... el topico es otra vez enorme para el alcance de la especie representada.
Generalmente el discurso sin embargo... de la llave al éxito está condicionando a una sobrealimentación durante varios meses antes. Los científicos pueden predecir algunos acontecimientos de reproduccion midiendo los niveles de lípido en ciertos corales. En el acuario... podemos trabajar para hacer que esto sucede alimentando con ácidos grasos. La manera más fácil de hacer esto es empapar partículas u organismos apropiados de la presa en Selcon o Selco (producto de HUFA). Son esencialmente lípidos del aceite de pescado. Suplemento muy bueno para que pescados y corales mejoran su salud y capacidad de reproduccion.
¡Otra llave al éxito es la no fragmentacion de los corales! Debemos dejar corales ilesos, por años a veces, de modo que puedan alcanzar una masa crítica (tamaño mínimo) antes de que ellos puedan reproducirse. Esto ha sido un obstáculo para muchos granjeros satisfechos de fragmentar que nunca dejaron sus corales crecer hacia fuera suficientemente largos:) Más allá de eso... usted debe comenzar a tratar las necesidades específicas de corales específicos.
Una búsqueda en el website académico [ url]http://scholar.google.com[/url ] rinde muchos papeles de investigación interesantes en corales, la reproducción, etc.
Amablemente, Anthony

[errolflin]

Gracias Super por la traduccion, me despiste.

Thanks Anthony. Not an easy matter to reach the critic biomass in an aquarium. Even conditioning without a good source of water. I'll review the info in the link, a lot of items about the question. I have reading for some time.

It seems that there are some public aquariums working in the subject and it is being a more species specific line of investigation. Quite interesting

Thanks again and hope to see you again in February. Best.


Gracias Anthony. No es facil alcanzar una masa critica en un acuario, incluso acondicionar los corales sin una buena fuente agua. revisare la informacion del link, hay mucha. Tengo lectura para rato.

Parece que hay unos cuantos acuariums publicos trabajando sobre el tema, que cada vez es mas especifico para cada especie de coral. Me parece muy interesante.

Espero verte de nuevo en Febero. Un saludo

[Anthony Calfo]

That is quite true... for most endeavors, it is species specific.

But even in the confines of an aquarium, many species can reach sexual maturity if hobbyists would minimize the terrible(!) habit of mixing so many different species of frags together unnaturally! It is an awful syndrome that forces unnatural and excessive levels of competition, if not combat, between corals that could otherwise be using battle energies for growth or reproduction instead.

And coral farmers that are real farmers (keeping monocultures) can easily achieve these goals.

Some of th emost popular corals make good candidates for planulation harvests. The Family Pocciliporidae is a good example. Many mature sexually in as little as 2-3 years, and some much sooner (like some Poccillopora species at much less than one year!).

I very much look forward to seeing you all again in February, my friends :)

kindly,

Anthony

[vdKroon]

That is quite true... for most endeavors, it is species specific.

But even in the confines of an aquarium, many species can reach sexual maturity if hobbyists would minimize the terrible(!) habit of mixing so many different species of frags together unnaturally! It is an awful syndrome that forces unnatural and excessive levels of competition, if not combat, between corals that could otherwise be using battle energies for growth or reproduction instead.

And coral farmers that are real farmers (keeping monocultures) can easily achieve these goals.

Some of th emost popular corals make good candidates for planulation harvests. The Family Pocciliporidae is a good example. Many mature sexually in as little as 2-3 years, and some much sooner (like some Poccillopora species at much less than one year!).

I very much look forward to seeing you all again in February, my friends :)

kindly,

Anthony

TRADUCCIÓN:

Hay bastante razón en eso, la mayoría de esfuerzos son específicos para cada especie.

Pero incluso en los confines de un acuario, muchas especies podrían llegar a la madureza sexual si los aficionados minimizaran el terrible (!) hábito de
mezclar tanta cantidad de esquejes diferentes de manera 'no natural'. Es un tremendo síndrome (aka: manía) que fuerza excesivos niveles de competencia, si no combate, entre corales que podrían, de otra forma, utilizar esta energía en vez de para la batalla, para su crecimiento o reproducción.

Y los 'granjeros' de corales que son 'granjeros' de verdad (manteniendo monocultivos), fácilmente consiguen esas metas.

Algunos de los corales más populares, son buenos candidatos para la creación/reproducción. La família Pocciliporidae es un buen ejemplo. Muchos son maduros sexualmente en tan sólo 2-3 años, y algunos mucho antes (como algunas especies de Poccillopora, que lo son en menos de un año!).

Tengo muchas ganas de volverles a ver a todos en Febrero, amigos míos :)

amablemente (aka: con cariño)

Anthony