Green Fluorescent Protein, a disease??

[vegita51]

I have been in the hobby for about 2 years now and have learned a ton through research and browsing through forms, however, I have not come across discussions on the green fluorescent protein. I believe that this protein may have affected a few of my sps coral, which is vastly interesting but I bought the coral because of their original colors.

I don't know if it is because of my tank's conditions, as I never have tested the water, or to repeated exposure to iodine dippings, as I thought that this would help with red bugs. (It never did and I finally had to order interceptor)

Has anyone done any research on this subject or seen their own sps take on some green radiance that might not be the color it was suppose to take on?

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

check this thread out:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1817264&highlight=fluorescent

 

[vegita51]

Wow thanks. I haven't really been on the forums very much until a month ago and totally missed this!

 

[sowellj]

I am just speculating, but my guess is that an 'infection' is not occurring. Rather, some event triggers the expression of GFP.

 

[Jason S]

I have been reef keeping for many years, and I had never known about this. That is why I love RC

It is odd that I find this post today as last night I found that I may have a pocillopora with it. I was actually going to start another post until I saw this. I wish I had a better camera to show it, but I will try to get some pictures this weekend. I bought it as an inch and a half frag in January, and it rapidly dwindled for unknown reasons until I though it was a complete loss. It was just your standard brownish color at the time just like any run of the mill poci. Everything else i got at the swap is still doing great, but for some reason, this one was gone... so I thought. I had chalked it up to being dead, it fell behing a rock, and I had forgotten about it.

Last night, I noticed some brown puffs behind a rock while cleaning, and much to my surprise, it was that poci nearly fully recovered. I decided to move it to a place with better light, and when I did, the polyps naturally closed up. I then noticed that all of the flesh was bright lime green and when it opened back up it still has the standard colored brownish polyps. I am not talking just moderately green, and it is very cool looking. If you have ever seen a bright lime green Hydno with brown polyps, it has that coloration, but it is a poci.

Since I have never seen this before I have to ask if this is something I should worry about?

Thanks!

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Since I have never seen this before I have to ask if this is something I should worry about?

nope.
In most of the currently documented cases Pocillopora infects Acropora.