Quote:
|
The tissue or skin of these corals seems to be thinner than the shallow water corals. I believe this is an adaptation to the lower light levels at greater depths. This allows more light to penetrate the corals tissue and reach its zooxanthellae.
|
I question this theory simply because these corals are not adapted to move. Therefore any evolutionary advantage to having different "skin" thickness would not exist. From my understanding corals do not adapt to differing light condtions by growing thicker or thinner skin, but by altering the amount of pigments to maximize or limit the amount of light absorbed by the zooxanthelle.
Also do you have any info on where collectors are currently collecting elegance corals from currently? Traditionally I understood they were being collected in lagoonal areas, back reefs and grassbeds. I don't know much about where they are currently being collected from though. I believe Eric B. was supposed to be getting an Elegance Coral project going where they were going to document the collection of these guys a bit better, but I don't know what the status of that is currently. Maybe you have heard?
But typically they are described as being from areas that are more nutrient rich, have high amouts of microfauna, and areas that are prone to high turbidity (all in comparsion ot forereef and reef flat areas). Most of us are trying to create fore reef or reef flat type environments that are typically not where these corals are found and I suspect tend to stress these corals out.
I would love to see some growth rate and photos of what you have going on.