acanthastrea pics...lets see em!

[Blastomussaman]

Originally posted by chideloh
Couple of pics.

Those are some nice macro shots especially the colors on this one. What kind of camera do you use by the way? How do you take such high definition shots and resize to 50k?

[mschriskim]

Yes, I want to know how to take micro shots as well... Even my camera is not so bad this is what I could take...
I have a minolta dimage 7i

Do I need to buy 2x or 3x Tele lens?

I was thinking about buying one to try out but...

Oh, here is my Lord so far and many more to come : )

Someone might notice where they are from ... : )

Chris

[AQUAN8TOR]

Not a lord, but here's my Acan. subechinata:



I got it for about $25. I thought that was a good price...hehe

[Jus Reefin]

Originally posted by chideloh
Couple of pics.

wow,I really like this one

[chideloh]

Thanks guys. That one is one of those "not Indo" ones.

I use an old camera, Nikon 990, with no extra lenes. I also use Mihov Image resizer which you can get it for free on web, I think.

[Scott Wilson]

Here is my humble addition.

[Jus Reefin]

Sweet piece!

[Scott Wilson]

Originally posted by Jus Reefin
Sweet piece!

Thanks

[RandyO]

Check out this article on LPS Propagating by Anthony Calfo, for Marine Depot.


"Smaller LPS polyps, compared to Fungia mentioned above, such as Faviid closed brain corals (Acanthastrea sp. pictured here)

are remarkably hardy. In "closed brain" coral colonies, single polyps can be cut away from the main colony and glued (cyanoacrylate) to a new substrate, or kept as free-living frags for fast and easy continued propagation." photo by Anthony Calfo
"Most Faviids are so tolerant that you can literally cut a single polyp in half and get fast recovery and growth. For coral farmers, genera such as Acanthastrea are outstanding candidates as their cycle of harvest is nearly as fast as Xenia soft corals!" photo by Anthony Calfo


"The process of halving an LPS polyp certainly can appear gruesome at first." photo by Anthony Calfo
"Recovery of propagated Faviid polyps can be surprisingly quick. They resume what semblance of polyp extension they can muster only mere hours after being split (polyp at left in image). After a few days to a week, a cut polyp is completely recovered and grown out to full form (middle polyp). An in as little as two weeks, it will divide naturally to form two whole polyps, which can be split again (right polyp in image at the right)! Brood colonies can be doubled every 2-4 weeks; that is extraordinary growth and a fast cycle of harvest, providing many divisions to share with friends, local hobby clubs and local aquarium shops. Everyone in the hobby benefits with such successful coral propagation practices." photo by Anthony Calfo



"A close-up of a healing Acanthastrea polyp one week after being cut. Polyps like this can live as free-living (tumbling a bit) specimens in a reef if given adequate food and water flow. Although free-living colonies are not practical for display, they are convenient for coral propagation for quick "cut-drop-heal" sequences. The benefit is more and faster production over time. Tradable colonies can be fixed/mounted just before sale, or the end consumer can simply secure the coral on a preferred substrate of their own." photo by Anthony Calfo
"In as little as two weeks, one polyp has healed and grown out to become two. I like to simply chop them in half with a razor blade or sharp poultry shears to double my collection about twice monthly." photo by Anthony Calfo
"The popularity of LPS corals is no wonder for their fleshy mass, sharp colors, vigorous appetites, and great beauty. Sadly, they are some of the poorest candidates for wild collection. Slow recovery to collections or damage (pollution, natural disaster, etc.) demands that we, as aquarists, recognize the critical need to domestically aquaculture these animals and wean ourselves off of a dependence on imports." photo by Anthony Calfo


Link to article.

http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_...orals_pics.asp

[gemini aquarius(t)]

wow

[Narkon]

Uh, anyone doing that cutting on a regular schedule, I like a cutting.

[hammerhead]

Are Lords individuals IE does each polyp need to be fed or will each polyp feed the colony?

[RandyO]

Originally posted by hammerhead
Are Lords individuals IE does each polyp need to be fed or will each polyp feed the colony?

This question has come up many times in the past. In my opinion, they share nutrition. The way they grow new polyps has me to believe that. The polyp gets larger, and it's flesh spreads out on the rock. As that flesh gets farther away from the Main polyp, a new baby polyp develops. This baby polyp can quickly grow into a new polyp without ever receiving any food, and sometimes no light. These polyps can be shaded by the adult polyp completely, but still develop. Many times, they finally get big enough to poke their heads out from under the adult polyp, and their color is completely different from the adult. That's from the lack of light. But eventually, they will start to look like the adult.

I don't know enough about coral Anatomy to tell you how they can share nutrition. But if I had to give it my best guess, I would say though the flesh. The flesh connects these corals together. And when we cut away a polyp that was growing very quickly from the mother colony, we pretty much are setting that guy out on his own.
I'm sure a Microbiologist could shed some light on this.

[RandyO]

OK,
I had to get the books out.
From The Modern Coral Reef Aquarium Vol. 2, by Fossa and Nilsen.

"Cnidarians have two layers of cells: The Epidermis(Ectoderm) on the outside, and the Gastrodermis(Endoderm), on the inside. Between the Epidermis and the Gastrodermis lies the Mesogloea. The mesogloea consists of a special amorphous substance formed by both the Epi- and Gastrodermis, and may contain motile (amoeboid) cells, which are capable of transporting substances within the animal. "(page 18,19)

"In a study involving Montastrea cavernosa, they found that 20% of the energy demands are met by capturing plankton, which is most effectively done during the night. Porites lobata only meets 10% of its food requirements by capturing plankton. The way the plankton is caught differs from one species to the next. In general we can say, however, that species with large polyps and big tentacles capture more plankton that species with small polyps." (page 26)


What I get out of this last passage is that if you want a coral to not only live, but thrive and multiply, you should be giving it at least 100% of it's food requirements. Reproduction is one of the final requirements of an animal. Survival is the first.
So while a coral can be starved, and survive, if you want that coral to reproduce, you have to feed it and make it strong enough to do so.

[Mchava]

great info there randy. That seem to be the case with acans for instance if you feed them everynight it will grow faster but if you only feed once a week then it will take longer for that piece to develope any babys correct?

[hammerhead]

Thanks Randy Thats good to know. Is it your opinion that all Acans feed in this way.

[hammerhead]

Does anyone use Rotifers to feed there Acans?. I was thinking of using these for my Micromussa.

[Freed]

I use mysis shrimp to feed mine. They eat every night if the food is available to them. I also make sure and blow any detritus or gunk off of them every day and night. I started with 8-10 whole polyps and numerous tiny slivers of lords that were left from the dead and dying polyps on the rock when I bought it. I now have about 15-25 tiny polyps sprouting and counting.

[hammerhead]

More pictures

[coralite]

I love the texture on that one michael! it could be mistaken for a group of ricordea. Very nice.

[Narkon]

Love the orange color on top, and the red color in less light.

[DRZL-sauras]

Originally posted by chideloh
Couple of pics.

What is proper ettiquete for begging/asking for a single polyp? Anyone?

Very nice bro, cool to have some East Coasters w/ choice pieces.

Andres

[chideloh]

Thanks Andres !!

[Narkon]

Originally posted by DRZL-sauras


What is proper ettiquete for begging/asking for a single polyp? Anyone?

Very nice bro, cool to have some East Coasters w/ choice pieces.

Andres

I think its through PMs, but don't quote me on that, for I haven't yet, well not since I got a bigger tank, and now have no money.

[DRZL-sauras]

I know that!

I mean like a friendly icebreaker or something, secret hand signal maybe?
anyways chideloh PM sent