Who wants to talk about coral morphing

[DARKSILENTTYPE]

I have a few corals morphing in my tank . I am wondering if this is normal or if there is something in my system that makes things morph. I am also wondering if I sell something that has morphed in my tank if it will stay the same colors in someone elses tank .

I will take some pics this weekend of a couple monti digi s that have morphed .

First I have a red monti digi that has morphed into a red poly with green body . Looks very cool

Second I have a brown with purple body that has morphed in to a purple poly with blue body . This one is different from my superman digi . I have both so I can tell there is a difference .

Third I have been trying to morph a brown with a green to come up with a sunset digi and I think I may have it .

Pics to follow tonight .

Anyone else notice anything in their tanks ?

John

[trottman]

they are just getting their real colors

[Reeferhead]

Originally posted by trottman
they are just getting their real colors

"What is real? How do you define real?"

There coral is just adjusting itself to be as efficient as possible.

I am also wondering if I sell something that has morphed in my tank if it will stay the same colors in someone else's tank .

Personally, I stopped buying corals that have "potential". It's always nice to have a brown coral turn purple but I've found that I like to know what the "potential" is ahead of time and I'll pay for it. Yes, its quite likely that frags of your coral will shift colors (for better or worse) under different parameters but at least the buyer knows what the coral could look like under the right circumstances.

[DARKSILENTTYPE]

Originally posted by trottman
they are just getting their real colors

I don't think this is the case .

I have had these corals for years

[capncapo]

How have you been "trying to morph" your coral John?

[DARKSILENTTYPE]

The one coral I am trying to morph is a brown/with purple digi and a lime green digi .

I took some pieces of both and let them grow into one fused coral . Too see up the new pieces look like as far as color .

John

[capncapo]

So it has totally changed the look of both?

[DARKSILENTTYPE]

no just the new coral sections growing out of the mix .

[capncapo]

I understand that.

What does the new growth look like? A combination of both or something totally different?

[Reeferhead]

Originally posted by DARKSILENTTYPE
The one coral I am trying to morph is a brown/with purple digi and a lime green digi .

I took some pieces of both and let them grow into one fused coral . Too see up the new pieces look like as far as color .

John

I think your talking about two different things in this thread. Are you talking about color shifts of individual corals (due to lighting, nutrients, etc.) or fusing two montis together?

When you fuse two montiporas you just get two corals growing into each other not one newly colored coral.

[capncapo]

Kind of my point Nick.

I'm wondering if it ends up as a "graft" or produces something totally new.

[Reeferhead]

Originally posted by DARKSILENTTYPE
no just the new coral sections growing out of the mix .

Yeah, you need to post pics

[Reeferhead]

The individual polyps (the singular individual organism) must remain the same in order to keep the genetic structure intact. Without genetic recombination by sexual reproduction I don't see how the individual polyps could change. However, the two different genotypes of polyps could, together, redistribute themselves in a way that appears to produce an new color or coral.

I have a purple monti fusing with orange monti but the colors stay separate. I may have to play around with this as well.

[trottman]

o, never mind. i misunderstood that you were intentionally doing this.

[DARKSILENTTYPE]

I will post pics tonight .

I am talking about both .

I have two corals changing color on their own .

I have two different coral colors same family monti digi that I am trying to morph into a new coral color . I am hoping the new grow on this coral experiment will be a cross .

I was thinking it was working until I noticed the color change in my other monti digi that is not in the mix .

These corals are also under different lighting than the corals in the main tank . But one of the coral the brown/with purple body that has changed is in the main tank . Here is a pic of that one

[capncapo]

I also wonder if the "chemical warfare" that is supposed to take place between corals could alter the genetic makeup of the two that have fused.

Kind of raises other questions too.

[DARKSILENTTYPE]

It is good for conversation to say the least .

[Reeferhead]

Originally posted by capncapo
I also wonder if the "chemical warfare" that is supposed to take place between corals could alter the genetic makeup of the two that have fused.

Kind of raises other questions too.

Sorry Cap, but that's just bad biology. The DNA of an individual organism will not change in its lifetime, minus small replication errors in individual cells caused by random chance or perhaps a virus.

[capncapo]

Are you saying that no external influences except virii can cause genetic mutation?

[Reeferhead]

Originally posted by capncapo
Are you saying that no external influences except virii can cause genetic mutation?

No, of course there is always radiation and various chemical mutagens... now this thread is out to get really complicated. Are you suggesting possibility of one coral producing a chemical mutagen to change the genetic structure of another coral in order to gain some adaptive advantage?

[capncapo]

No, I'm suggesting that repeated exposure to a "poison" could cause a genetic mutation. At least that seems to be the thinking when it comes to humans.

Kind of like the the supposed cancers caused by repeated exposure to chemicals like benzene or even the inhalation of asbestos.

[Reeferhead]

I understand what your saying and would agree if we talking about one coral trying eliminate another.

However, I thought we were looking at it from an altruistic side where the two corals are fusing together for the benefit of both.

[capncapo]

I'm just talking genetic mutation no matter what the circumstances may be.

I understand the concept of hybrid vigor but don't know enough to even imagine if something like that would apply to corals or could even occur.

I would think that if it could, it would almost have to happen in a breeding type of context rather than fusing. Then again, it's not my field.

[sirreal63]

I believe your field is Elvis impersonation and Disco.







Interesting subject...I read about this happening before, I wish I could remember where.

[capncapo]

Originally posted by sirreal63
I believe your field is Elvis impersonation and Disco.

Gotta know your limitations and do what you do best!

In addition to tank parameters, exposure to the various chemicals emitted by various other corals might help to explain why some folks claim that their coral looks nothing like it used to.