Zoanthid Scientific Methods

[dan10342]

Experiment 1:

Question: How easily are aquacultured conditioned zoanthus colonial polyp frags effected by poor conditions and stress vs. Newly shipped in wild counterparts?

Hypothesis: I think the cultured zoanthids are far hardier than their wild brothers.

So far I have done 2 experiments on conditioned green zoanthus frags (aka "radioactive dragon eyes") In the future I plan on replicating these experiments on newly shipped in wild zoanthids (Which have been cut up shortly thereafter)

Test Protocol:
-Experiment number 1: Two healthy frags of zoanthids were kept in a container with little water lacking flow, heat and light for 24 hours. Then followed by no water whatsoever, in room temperature.

Experiment number 2: A heathy zoanthid frag was placed into a bag with 20 ml of tank water. The bag was then packed as if for shipping across the country. The frag stayed in the bag for 3 days, periodically tossed around, as well as exposed to heat, and 6 hours in a normal refrigerator. The zoanthid was then unbagged after, without acclimation, and was simply placed into an aquarium only running 2 t5 actinic bulbs.

Results:
- In under 3 hours, all THREE Of the frags opened up, just as if nothing happened at all.

Prediction:

Will newly shipped in chopped up zoanthids react to the same conditions the same way? I could do the same experiment and find out.... or I could just simply as a CHOP SHOP.


Stay tuned----


** no zoanthids were harmed during experiment 1 or 2**


This experiment was given as homework. (from Gmaquarium)
-Dan

 

[dreaminmel]

Sounds like you're having some fun Dan!

This part cracks me up... props to G. :thumbsup:

This experiment was given as homework. (from Gmaquarium)

 

[dan10342]

Experiment 1:

Question: How easily are aquacultured conditioned zoanthus colonial polyp frags effected by poor conditions and stress vs. Newly shipped in wild counterparts?

Hypothesis: I think the cultured zoanthids are far hardier than their wild brothers.

So far I have done 2 experiments on conditioned green zoanthus frags (aka "radioactive dragon eyes") In the future I plan on replicating these experiments on newly shipped in wild zoanthids (Which have been cut up shortly thereafter)

Test Protocol:
-Experiment number 1: Two healthy frags of zoanthids were kept in a container with little water lacking flow, heat and light for 24 hours. Then followed by no water whatsoever, in room temperature.

Experiment number 2: A heathy zoanthid frag was placed into a bag with 20 ml of tank water. The bag was then packed as if for shipping across the country. The frag stayed in the bag for 3 days, periodically tossed around, as well as exposed to heat, and 6 hours in a normal refrigerator. The zoanthid was then unbagged after, without acclimation, and was simply placed into an aquarium only running 2 t5 actinic bulbs.

Results:
- In under 3 hours, all THREE Of the frags opened up, just as if nothing happened at all.

Prediction:

Will newly shipped in chopped up zoanthids react to the same conditions the same way? I could do the same experiment and find out.... or I could just simply ASK a CHOP SHOP.


Stay tuned----


** no zoanthids were harmed during experiment 1 or 2**


This experiment was given as homework. (from Gmaquarium)
-Dan

 

[toddmh]

dumb question Dan,but how can you be sure the wild zoanthids are really wild caught??

 

[dan10342]

dumb question Dan,but how can you be sure the wild zoanthids are really wild caught??

Well, to answer your question... My definition of aquacultured zoanthids are polyps which were grown in captivity. (or frags which were made out of polyps grown from captivity.

a wild colony, which is fragged up directly after is still considered wild.

mariculture colonies, are still grown in the ocean, but are not directly taken off the reef... as a large wild zoanthid rock would be.

how can one tell the difference...

I don't know how to easily explain this.

If you walk into an LFS... and see a fresh new large zoanthid MIX colony... on a large rock, or dead coral skeleton, it's usually wild caught, unless specified as maricultured. I dont know many LFS's which have aquacultured colonies as large as their wild counterparts. and usually, the owner of that LFS will state that it was grown in the shop, as opposed to being from the indo pacific... or wherever the zoa was collected.