Is this a mangrove pod that I can use??

[GreenDevil]

I recently recieved a bunch of pods like this one:

Theyre from Cancun Mexico, and were found attached onto a mangrove looking plant...They were basically suspended by a small stem that was ready to break off.

Are these approriate to use in a marine or brackish aquarium?

If so, how should I start them off? Should I suspend them in the air so just the green root structure is below water?

Also, I read that sudden salinity changes arent very good...They were stored in a ziploc with freshwater for about a day. Is this really bad?


Thanks for any help

 

[xcreonx]

Those do look like red mangrove propagules, however, they aren't fully ready yet. You can see the pod coming out of the seed... but it's not done yet. they grow on the tree and when the pod is ready, they fall into the water and float away, hoping to find some muddy ground and root themselves. This doesn't usually happen until september or so.

I don't know if you can grow this anymore.... i'd stick it in my refugium and watch and see if it keeps sprouting. Although if it was still on the tree, it probably won't, and it shouldn't even be in the water yet..... it looks like a long, skinny green-bean-looking seed when it's done (when the propagule is done... then that grows into the mangrove tree). Give it a shot..... i don't think it will survive without the rest of the tree, but it's worth a try.

this is what they should look like when they're ready:

<img src="http://www.dannesdjur.com/bilder/rhizophora_mangle_1.jpg">

 

[GreenDevil]

Darn!
I guess they were picked too soon....

I have a few, so I might as well give it a try.
How do you think I should go about trying to get them to spout more?

So far, I have one sitting over a brackish aquarium, with just the "fruit" above water, and the sprout below water.
I have another sitting in a sealed ziploc bag, with a wet paper towel for humidity. It isnt touching the wet paper towel.
I have another just sitting outside dry.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks again

 

[xcreonx]

well, it may still grow..i just don't have any experience with seeds that young.

if you PM me around september or so, i will send you some propagules, just pay for the shipping

 

[GreenDevil]

Cool!

Thanks a lot, I would appreciate that

I'll PM you in September if my "experiment" doesnt work out....otherwise I'll post results.

 

[billsreef]

Other than Red Mangroves that are common in the hobby, I'm not up on ID'ing other types from seed. What you have is a mangrove, but not a red mangrove. I would go with placing the root structure in some fine sediment and seeing what grows

 

[xcreonx]

it is a red mangrove. they grow like that while they're still on the tree, and once the long skinny seed is done, it falls off into the water.

here's a photo from Florida Oceanographic:

<img src="http://www.floridaoceanographic.org/environ/images/mangrove/rseed.jpg"