How often do octocorals "normally" shed?

[Phillips]

I have 3 new aquacultured octocorals, one S. elegans, and 2 which were sold as a Sinularia and a Lobophytum. All are healthy and growing, but they shed 1-2 times per week. I can't find any references in my books as to how often octocorals shed, and was surprised at often this is occurring.

Do small (2-3 inches across) colonies shed more often than large colonies? Or do they shed this often as they get larger?

Thanks,

[ReefDiver]

Hi John:

Not sure about the small vs large size with regards to shedding
periodicity. It is not at all uncommon for these corals to shed a
mucus tunic in order to get rid of waste & detritus buildup. I do
know that if placed in a high rate of water flow, the shedding will
become much less frequent though. HTH

[Phillips]

All the colonies are in a location w/ a random turbulent flow. They are growing well (about doubled in size in 2 weeks), not accumulating any algae, and have no difficulty shedding their tunics. I am just surprised how often they are shedding.

Eric, is the shedding process related to the rate of growth?

[ReefDiver]

Good question John! I really don't know if shedding has anything to do with rate of growth. I've often wondered if a soft coral sheds as much on the reef as it does in our closed systems? Hmmmmm...................

[EricHugo]

It does not seem to be related to growth in any study I have read. It was supposed to be a "surface cleaning," then it was said to be unrelated to surface cleaning since the surface did not get fouled until after the shed began, but now again I have seen studies suggesting it does "clean" the surface.

Soft corals shed a lot in the wild, too.

[Phillips]

Thanks Eric. Watching these small colonies grow is rather like watching a caterpillar grow and shed its exoskeleton every 2 or 3 days.

At first I thought I wasn't providing them with the right parameters even though everything else in my tank was doing fine and growing quickly (I haven't kept any octocorals besides a Xenia sp. before, and have more experience w/ zoanthids and scleractinians.)

After testing and rereading all my books, and pulling my hair out some more, I calmed down and watched my tank some more. That's when I realized that the colonies were larger after each shedding was through. With all the shrinking and contorting they go through while shedding, I hadn't noticed they had grown larger. But since I only get to see them in their full glory w/ their polyps extended for about 2 days before they go through another shed, judging their size was a little difficult at first.

[sjvl51]

I noticed that my leathers (2 finger??) started to shed more frequently (sometimes daily) when I started using Phosguard to lower the phosphates. I have finally located a source for a iron based phosphate remover and am waiting for it to arrive. In the meantime I am running without a phosphate remover (2 days) to see if there is a change.

Phillips, are you using a phosphate remover?

Vickie

[Phillips]

I'm not using a phosphate remover, other than the algae that lives in the tank. ;)

Although that is being freed up again as my sea hare mows through it like there's no tomorrow. Well considering that he probably only has a 1-2 year life span, there probably is no tomorrow.

I run a protein skimmer, and filter with charcoal which I change every 4-7 days to make sure none of the corals poison one another.

Sometimes my "Sinularia" will also shed sclerites from places at the base of the colony. There is no wound or disease on the sites, a dozen or so sclerites just appear to be released by the tissue in these spots. This is another behavior I cannot find any mention of in any of my books.