Kenya Tree How does it work??

[Westfield]

Have one Kenya tree for about a week
It appears to like being with my SPS
Yesterday it looked great branch in every direction...gorgeous
First thing this morning it looked like a pile of mush
Now after 2-3 hours its back to gorgeous
I know its 99% salter water
How does to "fill" its self" to be a tree like animal?
What mechanism does it use?

Thanks much John

 

[Dkuhlmann]

They go to sleep at night (deflate down to almost nothing on the branches) and once the light is on they wake up expanding to gather light to feed their zooxanthellae.

 

[Mock]

It takes in water, just like sponge it can push water out or take it in. Making it shrivel at times and big and bold at others.

 

[Westfield]

Thanks I do understand. My question which is NOT clear is HOW mechanically does it draw in water and later expel water

 

[Mock]

Like a sponge.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I gave you that answer in post #2

 

[Reeftankaquaman]

how come mine shrivels up even when the light is on? it opens.itself up again in the morning though. is my light on too long?

 

[michaelg]

A water channel protein? What's even weirder is watching their branches pinch off to make babies. You will see a constriction ring first then it pinches off.

 

[fity2pounder]

how come mine shrivels up even when the light is on? it opens.itself up again in the morning though. is my light on too long?

Could be a fish or something nipping at it that causes it to deflate.