Coral Aggression = feeding?

[mhaith]

Their appear to be many methods of coral aggression to defend or expand their 'territories'.

My understanding is that some corals essentially extend their stomachs and 'digest' their neighbors as a method of eliminating the competition. Is it safe to assume there is a net energy benefit from this action?

Does anyone know of a paper or publication exploring the net effect for these types of corals? I am wondering if I would be feeding or causing energy expense by placing montipora frags next to my favites?

Jus thinkin' out loud.....

 

[MCsaxmaster]

Feeding responses and aggression among corals (or between a coral and some other organism) use some of the same physical structures, but they are distinct behaviors. By analogy, a dog uses it's mouth to eat with, but it can bite when it's being aggressive. The two simply aren't analagous. When a coral uses mesenterial filaments or sweeper tentacles to kill competitors, it is not eating them, just killing them.

 

[mhaith]

Thanks for the answer and the analogy.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Though Jeffery Dahmer did both...

 

[greenbean36191]

Well, no one has shown one way or the other AFAIK. Several years ago my old adviser had funding to look at this, but it got pushed to the back burner because of some approval issues with the university.

 

[mhaith]

The theory that corals would receive some sort of net energy benefit would seem to be evolutionarily sound.

From a hobbyist viewpoint, I have noticed growth surges accompanied with aggression. Which came first the growth surge causing the aggression or the aggression caused by the closer proximity casued by growth I have not yet determined. I can anecdotally measure some observational growth responses.

Do others have anecdotal observations on increased growth of a coral after attacking its neighbors? I swear that my favites war coral grows by leaps and bounds subsequent to reaching amazing distances to dessimate its neighbors.

My perception is that for this certain coral, by extending its mesenterial filaments, there is an energy gain from attacking its neighbors.