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Originally Posted by mps9506  There hasn't been much follow up out there on this subject. I don't think one could safely rule it out, or say it is a definite cause. Again it is simply a theory that has not been tested for and until it is tested for, I really don't think anyone can honestly say it is or is not a protozoan causing these problems.  |
If we can say that the protazoans found in these corals are having an affect on the corals ability to adapt to different lighting or that they cause these corals to be more prone to physical damage then I may be able to understand how they could play a role in this. I have been unable to find any other symtoms that I could contribute to these protazoans. At least before they become burnt by bright light.
This is true of ANY coral. Can we definitely say that the shrunken tentacles and the inflated oral disc is a symptom of light exposure? Or is bleaching the symptom of over exposure to light? Or both?
For this to be tested correctly one would have to obtain an already healthy, tank acclimated specimens and increase light exposure by whatever amount it is assumed they are being exposed to. IE, take light intensity measurements of where these corals are collected and compare them to what they are exposed to in aquariums. Find out how much of a change in light intensity it takes to cause these symptoms to appear..
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I agree. The only problem is that the outcome of such a study would be of little use to the average hobbiest. Most of us don't own PAR meters. If we could put numbers to the exceptable range of light these corals can withstand when newly interduced to our aquarium, we would have no way of knowing if our aquariums were within this range or not.
If you place one of these corals under bright light it will begin to swell in minutes if not seconds. If it is quickly removed and placed in less light the swelling will begin to go down. I have repeated this several times with several individuals with the same results.
I believe you are correct that light intensity is a very important factor in keeping these corals alive long term. However there has been much question of why these corals show these symptoms between collection and retail channels? I know most of my wholesalers did not keep corals for more than a week, most were in one day and out within two or three days. Why would an elegance coral show these symptoms after such a short time other than the obvious stress of shipping?
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I talked to a lady that said she was on the boat durring a collecting expadition. By the time the Elegance corals made it to the boat they were showing the signs of an over inflated oral disk and shrunken tentacles. She believed that this was caused by the difference in pressure from where they were collected. From what I have seen in my own aquarium I would expect this reaction. Not from pressure but the bright sun light at the surface of the water. This symptom is not a permanent one. It only seems to exist while the coral is under lights that are to intense. If the light is reduced the swelling will go down. The bad thing is that damage my have allready been caused. The healing process after such an incident may take a great deal of time.
Definitely not trying to say you are right or wrong, just trying to keep the discussion open to different thought
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