Can you culture zooxanthellae alone?
- Thread starter ThRoewer
- Start date
disc1
-RT * ln(k)
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=2190+3250&pcatid=3250
I guess it has been tried at least once. This was the first hit for a google search on "zooxanthellae culture".
I guess it has been tried at least once. This was the first hit for a google search on "zooxanthellae culture".
disc1
-RT * ln(k)
http://www.nsm.buffalo.edu/Bio/burr/BURR_Cultures.html
This was the 5th hit on that same search. Folks should really give google a chance. This looks like your starting point.
This was the 5th hit on that same search. Folks should really give google a chance. This looks like your starting point.
ThRoewer
New member
Just did a quick google search and it seems you can:
Growth of zooxanthellae in culture with two nitrogen sources
Seems all the info for doing it can be found here: BURR Cultures
"We maintain approximately 750 Symbiodinium cultures, representing the most of the currently described Symbiodinium clades. Many of the zooxanthellae were isolated from adult cnidarians from the Caribbean and Pacific (scleractinian, anemones, octocorals, and clams). However the vast majority of our cultures were isolated from newly infected polyps. ..."
And it seems there is not even a need to do it yourself because a mix is available for sale at online stores like Live Aquaria: PhycoPureâ„¢ Zooxanthellae (Assorted species).
I'm going to order a bottle and try it on my bleached Heteractis crispa.
Growth of zooxanthellae in culture with two nitrogen sources
Seems all the info for doing it can be found here: BURR Cultures
"We maintain approximately 750 Symbiodinium cultures, representing the most of the currently described Symbiodinium clades. Many of the zooxanthellae were isolated from adult cnidarians from the Caribbean and Pacific (scleractinian, anemones, octocorals, and clams). However the vast majority of our cultures were isolated from newly infected polyps. ..."
And it seems there is not even a need to do it yourself because a mix is available for sale at online stores like Live Aquaria: PhycoPureâ„¢ Zooxanthellae (Assorted species).
I'm going to order a bottle and try it on my bleached Heteractis crispa.
If yo read some of the research papers it's not that uncommon to do. The logistics of doing it mass scale is unrealisitc at the moment for several reasons. Starting with what coral species wants what clade of dinoflagellate at what temperature and what lighting intensity? The problem often is not an issue with dinoflagellates but with bacteria. There is mounting evidence the immediate threat to coral reefs is the overfishing of the apex predators. Get Forest Rohwer's "Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas" Or do a search on "Norther Line Islands" and "Rohwer".
FraggledRock
New member
Lol
Reef Frog
New member
ThRoewer
New member
So I got some Phyco Pure Zooxanthella. Most of it I used to try if I can use it to reinfect my H. crispa, but that failed, likely due to the poor condition of the anemone.
The little rest of the Zooxanthellae solution I poured into a bottle with fresh, sterile saltwater. I added some Guillard's f/2 phytoplankton fertilizer and put it with strong aeration on my living room window.
Within 3 weeks the culture has gotten quite dense and under the microscope you can see good number of motile stages.
So even under home conditions you can culture Symbiodinium in a bottle.
I have a few bleached corals in my tank and will see if they can benefit from being set into a glass full with this solution.
The little rest of the Zooxanthellae solution I poured into a bottle with fresh, sterile saltwater. I added some Guillard's f/2 phytoplankton fertilizer and put it with strong aeration on my living room window.
Within 3 weeks the culture has gotten quite dense and under the microscope you can see good number of motile stages.
So even under home conditions you can culture Symbiodinium in a bottle.
I have a few bleached corals in my tank and will see if they can benefit from being set into a glass full with this solution.
CStrickland
New member
Very cool!
the coral needs the zoox more than the zoox needs the coral apparently...
I woulda thought you would need some bones in there or something for it to colonize at least.
You've compared the sample to a scraping from your sad Heteractis crispa to see if it's a match?
I can see this being really useful in a sitch where you bank frags, or even share with a friend and then your coral has an issue cause the ato fails or whatev. You could culture its baby and do like a skin graft, lol
the coral needs the zoox more than the zoox needs the coral apparently...
I woulda thought you would need some bones in there or something for it to colonize at least.
You've compared the sample to a scraping from your sad Heteractis crispa to see if it's a match?
I can see this being really useful in a sitch where you bank frags, or even share with a friend and then your coral has an issue cause the ato fails or whatev. You could culture its baby and do like a skin graft, lol
joshky
Acros & Wrasses
Not so much.
The reason some corals brown out is from excess nutrients in the water column causing the zoox to be too proliferant; zooxanthellae is brown. Coral pigment is where the colors come from, thus transplanting zoox will have no affect on a corals appearance.
I do not think it can be done with anemones. However the concept with corals intrigues me. Any results?
ThRoewer
New member
I just started a culture with Symbiodinium my new Stichodactyla gigantean expelled. I ran it through a 10µm sieve I added f/2 solution.
Not 100% sure, but I think I saw a few motile stages in the mix.
In a few days I should know if enough cells were still alive.
The only issue is that I didn't have sterilized saltwater and that the Symbiodinium sample is almost certainly contaminated with bacteria. I also spotted a few protozoa in the mix. If it works to get the Symbiodium to reproduce I will need to isolate the strain better and add an antibiotic mix to kill of the bacteria.
Not 100% sure, but I think I saw a few motile stages in the mix.
In a few days I should know if enough cells were still alive.
The only issue is that I didn't have sterilized saltwater and that the Symbiodinium sample is almost certainly contaminated with bacteria. I also spotted a few protozoa in the mix. If it works to get the Symbiodium to reproduce I will need to isolate the strain better and add an antibiotic mix to kill of the bacteria.
Similar threads
