Acanthastrea lordhowensis spawning

[tankfly]

My Australian Acan lord spawned last night, noticed it as I was going to bed.
I had a green star polyp spawn once a few years ago. In a couple of months I noticed star polyps growing everywhere. Maybe I will have small Acan colonies growing everywhere.

Photo is of a Favia, but mine looked just like this.
http://www.abc.net.au/science/scribblygum/october2002/brain.htm

 

[Tyler.L]

looks like a nipple im sorry but it really does lol

 

[downset]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11292803#post11292803 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tyler.L
looks like a nipple im sorry but it really does lol

Just wow.......................

 

[downset]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11292803#post11292803 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tyler.L
looks like a nipple im sorry but it really does lol

Just wow.......................

 

[JenDub]

Cool! Free food =)

Do you run a moonlight or a seasonal temp/lighting controller?

 

[fierceseaman]

unless they are being fertilized by sperm from another polyp won't they not grow? hopefully they will grow. what caused it to spawn? any idea?

 

[tankfly]

I know, I was just wishful thinking about the new colonies. I did find the green star polyps all over the place though. That was in another tank I used to have.

I don't know what caused it. I have no moonlights, etc. I have only had the colony about a month, I got it from Phishy Business. It could have been the change to my tank conditions, maybe a little warmer water or something.

 

[coralite]

Corals begin developing their gametes many months before they actually spawn. For example, Montastrea faveolata spawns in August yet it begins to make its eggs way back in March. What is unusual in your case is that Mussids including Acans tend to be brooders which means they fertilize their eggs internally and then release the brooded larvae as they are ready. What you describe sounds like a broadcast spawning event where all the eggs and sperm are released at once into the water column. In either case, stony corals are not good at self fertilizing the way that star polyps are known to do. But you never know, keep your live rock clean and you may be rewarded with some coral spats. Keep us posted.