Coral eating carbon!?

[noahm]

When I run carbon, I do it periodically by hanging a mesh bag in from of the powerhead for a couple of days. Well, the tie came undone and I lost about 3 T into the tank. So here is what I see my Porites doing.

Those three on the left are nearly gone.

I can't really see how this would hurt the coral, but it appears that it is actually consuming (trying) the carbon pellets. Mmmm.

 

[Chris Lakies]

Interesting..... Let us know what happens in the coming days. U may have found a new method!! Lol

 

[noahm]

I just got back after about an hour, and it has totally enveloped even some of the pieces I though were just too big to fool with. I am curious what kind of chemical digestion is going on as the skeleton clearly can't accommodate pulling the whole chunk in.

Also, I can't confirm it but I think my scoly and brains may have eaten some. This happened in the middle of the night, but the scoly had a few strands of intestinal stuff still ejected when I fist saw it.

 

[dogstar74]

It's fair to say that carbon like any other surface in the aquarium will grow a slime coat of bacteria while in the tank. Since these small polyped corals filter the water and "eat" the free floating microorganisms, then it would elicit a feeding response when the bacteria laden carbon chunks blew into the polyps. I don't think this will be healthy for the coral however, and may actually cause areas of necrosis of tissue. I wouldn't try to pull out the carbon chunks, you may do more damage than good at this point. But this is very interesting.

Seems you've taken the term "carbon dosing" a bit litterally. Hope it all works out in the end.

Aaron

 

[noahm]

It's fair to say that carbon like any other surface in the aquarium will grow a slime coat of bacteria while in the tank. Since these small polyped corals filter the water and "eat" the free floating microorganisms, then it would elicit a feeding response when the bacteria laden carbon chunks blew into the polyps. I don't think this will be healthy for the coral however, and may actually cause areas of necrosis of tissue. I wouldn't try to pull out the carbon chunks, you may do more damage than good at this point. But this is very interesting.

Seems you've taken the term "carbon dosing" a bit litterally. Hope it all works out in the end.

Aaron

I don't really see how it could hurt the coral, or cause necrosis. It is just carbon. Also, it was only in the tank overnight, so I doubt biofilm was a significant factor in making it tasty. I am surprised they didn't spit it out though, as they will eject sand and shell bits pretty readily. It will be interesting to see what happens though (if anything).