feeding response or defensive response?

[psteeleb]

I also vote for defense response. My $500 Efflo slimes up like that anytime the flow rate drops dramatically (return pump being off), or I have my hands in the tank too much in a short period of time.

Typically you will see sweeper tenticles come out especially at night for feeding, but nothing close to 1"+ long. Millipora is another story for sweeper's

If anything, do an experiment: Next time your efflo looks to be in its normal daily state, squirt some food near it and observe the changes the coral makes.

HTH, great looking piece btw

good thoughts - I can say that I probably did have my hands in the tank and a little later turned off the pumps to feed when the filiments came out. I may have to replicate the sequence

 

[psteeleb]

$500 efflo isn't $500 any more it's just a name, there is a story behind it here:

http://www.reeffarmers.com/limited500dollarefflo.htm

thanks for posting that - I read it a while back (2-3 years ago) but could not remember where the link was

 

[psteeleb]

Wake up at 4-5am and check out the PE.
thats freaky big. I will be photographing that soon its so insane.

I probably have hundreds of pictures taken late at night or in the early morning of extended polyps. Just another thing I enjoy about the hobby is checking how different things are at night

Here is the same coral at night, the axial polyps are extended, or over inflated to feed on nutruents without risking themselves to a polyp eating fish.

or this ORA Pearlberry at day

and at night

very different then the filiments

 

[FiReBReTHa]

I leave for work at 4:30am, and believe me I stare into my tanks every morning. I have not seen any efflo with feeding "sweepers" like in the video. The video seems to be more of a slime.

Not saying im 100% correct. I'm always open to learn something new, just thought I'd share my experience.

Pe = pollyp extension
def not the angry mess posted above. The pollyps extend out like theres viagra in the water. If u turn lights on they retract. U have to see after hours of darkness

 

[psteeleb]

I dug through some of my old archives on photobucket
here is another acropora I had in my 300g setup - very short vid

<embed width="600" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullscreen="true" allowNetworking="all" wmode="transparent" src="http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf" flashvars="file=http%3A%2F%2Fvid259.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fhh283%2Fpsteeleb%2Ffeeding004.mp4">

 

[psteeleb]

and a non acropora; Cyphastrea Decadia

extended - though not a s long as others

recoiling (curling up as in gathering)

and almost fully retracted

 

[mrvicz]

I agree with Acrotrdco, its a reaction by acros to chemicals in the tank. I experience it too when I use adhesive(superglue or clay) in my tank or when I doze zeozym. It goes away after 30-60minutes tho. Nothing that you should be worried about

 

[FiReBReTHa]

and at night

very different then the filiments

Lookit that vurm! kill it with fire!!




love the before and after btw.

 

[ryanrid]

this happens whenever i have the power heads off for more than 0.5hrs

which makes me believe it is not feeding response, is it defensive tho? that doesnt make sense to me either.

 

[psteeleb]

beautiful coral ryanrid

and thanks for the input, pumps off is becoming a common denominator
maybe it's a combination of a stimulant (like superglue, human body oils or some foods )and low flow that triggers the event

 

[smtank]

Or conversely the change in flow simulates the feeding response much like changing currents in the ocean. Also once the flow is improved more suspended particulate matter is available.

I can reproduce the response from adding just a small amount food to the tank with consistency. A defensive mechanism seems like an odd response. Also the more I feed the acropora with consistency the quicker the response.

With that said, I do see mesenterial filaments development when one coral encroaches on another. Perhaps, mesenterial filaments serve 2 functions and both interpretations are indeed correct.

 

[Enjoy]

Pe = pollyp extension
def not the angry mess posted above. The pollyps extend out like theres viagra in the water. If u turn lights on they retract. U have to see after hours of darkness

I am very aware that PE stands for Polyp Extension. It is very well known that at night (lights out) you will see much more PE than during hours of the day. That is why I feed at 4:15am before I leave for work.

There is a big difference between increased PE and what we are seeing on the video/photos that were posted.

 

[FiReBReTHa]

I am very aware that PE stands for Polyp Extension. It is very well known that at night (lights out) you will see much more PE than during hours of the day. That is why I feed at 4:15am before I leave for work.

There is a big difference between increased PE and what we are seeing on the video/photos that were posted.

:lol:

I was trying to prove that I was supporting you.

my elaboration was that if you get up at 4:15a do you turn your lights on in the house? If you do that scares away the PE I am referring to. yours is then around 2-3am.

When I get a pic of it you can tell me if you see the same crazy amount that I do.


btw, the extra L is for....



...luxurious? LOL

 

[MammothReefer]

I donnu, it's wierd for me. I have some frags that do that all the time. THe main colony is located across the tank and doesn't do that at all. The frags are in a higher flow area.