bluenassarius
retired algae slanger
i flipped on the moonlights and went to watch lost for a hour... came back and noticed my chips acro has alot more polyp extension! what's the deal w/ that.
more polyp extension on sps at night?
- Thread starter bluenassarius
- Start date
Unarce
Unshackled
The polyps go into feed mode at night, just like LPS do with their feeding tentacles. In the wild, they open out much more at night to catch zooplankton and such. This is also when their less likely to get picked on by butterflys.
Surprising to most, things aren't right if SPS display overextended polyps during the day (or during the photoperiod). This means that the coral is trying to make up for inefficient light by exposing more of the zooxanthellae in their polyps. Certainly, other variables come to play with polyps extension.
Surprising to most, things aren't right if SPS display overextended polyps during the day (or during the photoperiod). This means that the coral is trying to make up for inefficient light by exposing more of the zooxanthellae in their polyps. Certainly, other variables come to play with polyps extension.
That's so funny that I saw this this morning. I woke up and happen to look at my acro and noticed the polyps extending out more. Then I came on here and saw this. I was beginning to think something was wrong because they weren't really extending out during the photocycle. On a side note, I noticed that my acro crab has a missing claw, does anybody know if it will grow back after a molt?
Marc Daniels
Premium Member
The claw should grow back.
The sps day/night polyp extension can also be species dependant.
The sps day/night polyp extension can also be species dependant.
Marc Daniels
Premium Member
I'm my reading & online trolling, I have seen this issue come up at least a few times. The responce from people like Calfo, Borneman, etc. is that not all corals will show max PE at the same time. This can be driven somewhat by the species, environmental conditions, available food, etc.
The vast majority of my SPS, like 99%+ have maximum polyp extension during the day photo period. I have almost no PE after lights out. This, I assume, is being driven by the fact that I am not feeding my tank at night, and there is no reason for the PE.
I would agree with Karl's statement if we were talking in the wild, but in our tanks the corals are in a vastly different environment. They have no where near (if any) the amount of particualte food available as in the wild. They usually have no predators, except for what you bring home from the frag swap. I would believe that the PE would be driven by the individual tank conditons, rather than by what was suggested. I believe that this is what he may have meant by "Certainly, other variables come to play with polyps extension."
The vast majority of my SPS, like 99%+ have maximum polyp extension during the day photo period. I have almost no PE after lights out. This, I assume, is being driven by the fact that I am not feeding my tank at night, and there is no reason for the PE.
I would agree with Karl's statement if we were talking in the wild, but in our tanks the corals are in a vastly different environment. They have no where near (if any) the amount of particualte food available as in the wild. They usually have no predators, except for what you bring home from the frag swap. I would believe that the PE would be driven by the individual tank conditons, rather than by what was suggested. I believe that this is what he may have meant by "Certainly, other variables come to play with polyps extension."
robertloop
Member
There are definitely some species that extend polyps durring the day. Acropora abrolhosensis. aka bali slimer or other colors of "hairy acros" Heres my green bali......
Notice the A.nana to the far right. It has virtually no PE durring the day. At night white polyps come out.
Notice the A.nana to the far right. It has virtually no PE durring the day. At night white polyps come out.
