Mesemteric Filaments, what are they, what do they mean?

[Kolognekoral]

I had wondered as well if we see simply a defense or a nutrition response. Probably both! A sort of check it out, if it's edible, give it here. If not, get rid of it. I can definitely say some of the particles are ingested. This doesn't 100% mean they are not then regurgitated, but why go through the trouble.

It is well documented that most corals feed at night. The plankton, in all sizes, rises from the depths and provides food for all reef inhabitants. Perhaps the tentacles are simply not efficient in capturing certain possible foods and the mesenteric filaments fill this roll, as well as defending the space around the coral.

As far as I know, no one has done research specifically pertaining to the stinging cells of the MF in Acropora. That they may sting seems pretty clear, but to what degree when compare to the other coral tissues?

[twon8]

just uploaded some pics, as you can see, the acro has caught a mysis shrimp on the right, and it did digest it, albeit externally.

[MrPike]

I have noticed these filiments when I feed my corals after not feeding them for a long time. For instance, I generally feed my corals daily, quite a bit of food. Sometimes I get busy and my coral feeding gets neglected to weekely. When I feed after having not fed for a while, my Green Slimer, Tri-Color, Yellow Fuzzy all extend their Mesemteric Filiments.

Also, when I frist started feeding this food I noticed a huge amount of these filiments. I thought at first it was the addition of L-Glutamine, but after several experiments it never seemed to have an effect. I think I may try startving my corals for a week, then administer some L-Glutamine and see if I get the same response.

Cool Thread

[SDguy]

Today I fed my fish/tank some homemade food we made at our last club meeting....a mixture of all sorts of foods...too many to list. Anyways, several of my acros went crazy with the mesenterial (sp?) filament extension....should I be worried?

[manderx]

some foods sps seem to capture without the mesenterials, other foods they send the mesenterials out. so i'm still in the 'something is irritating it so it's ****ed off and attacking' camp (even if it does end up eating it). i don't like seeing them.

also, in all the reef footage i've seen, which includes plenty of feeding sequences i've never seen mesentaries. only in the attack sequences.

[SDguy]

Yeah, I can't explain it but they just looked irritated to me Now, to find out what part of the home made food did it...