Squist
Guest
Got my e-copy today. Jan/Feb issue covers captive coral spawning. Rich Ross' article is in this issue that he mentioned in the early-December BAR event. Rich said, as I remember: "these articles are where to start -- anyone can do it."
FEATURE ARTICLES:
SPAWNING NIGHTS
Planned ex situ Acropora reproduction: A decade of coral love-making
by Jamie Craggs, Ph.D.
... due to the enormous potential of sexual coral reproduction and interest in commercial spawning systems for research and aquaculture, I have teamed up with two colleagues (Vince Thomas, head of Aquarium Connections and Dr. Michael Sweet, an internationally renowned coral biologist) to form the Coral Spawning Lab. (coralspawninglab.org) (p. 36)
RIPE FOR INNOVATION
Coral sex in the aquarium
by Richard Ross (guest speaker at the Dec 5, 2020 BAR event)
Brief excerpt from an in-depth perspective and article:
With lots of detail on the 5-points above.
CORAL WHISPERING
Spawning is one thing, then there is the morning after
by Keri O’Neil
"Getting corals to spawn is only the beginning, and it’s the easy part."
Article on planning, preparing for, and collecting coral gametes.
January/February 2021
FEATURE ARTICLES:
SPAWNING NIGHTS
Planned ex situ Acropora reproduction: A decade of coral love-making
by Jamie Craggs, Ph.D.
Brief excerpts: Spawning Triggers & Conditions:
• Rising water temperature: winter into spring, then into summer • Photoperiod and solar irradiance
• Seasonal light-spectrum dynamics
• Tidal cycle—neap (weaker) tides
• Seasonal light-spectrum dynamics
• Tidal cycle—neap (weaker) tides
• Steady salinity (pre-rainy season)
• Lunar cycle (moon phases)
• Lunar cycle (moon phases)
(Craggs; p.30 )
... if you are interested in spawning your corals, feed them as much as your system’s filtration can handle. After all, corals evolved stinging cells (nematocysts) for prey capture long before the symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae, and they are therefore voracious predators. The amount of feed a coral needs will likely differ with the specific systems you have; therefore you will need to experiment to find this out over time, monitoring water chemistry parameters along the way. (pp. 30-31)
... To help us determine which season a coral will spawn, knowing its collection source can be beneficial. [spawning cycle map included] (p. 32)
... due to the enormous potential of sexual coral reproduction and interest in commercial spawning systems for research and aquaculture, I have teamed up with two colleagues (Vince Thomas, head of Aquarium Connections and Dr. Michael Sweet, an internationally renowned coral biologist) to form the Coral Spawning Lab. (coralspawninglab.org) (p. 36)
RIPE FOR INNOVATION
Coral sex in the aquarium
by Richard Ross (guest speaker at the Dec 5, 2020 BAR event)
Brief excerpt from an in-depth perspective and article:
WHAT CAN YOU DO AT HOME?
More coral breeding labs are being built in research in- stitutions around the globe, but now that the spawning is out of the bag, I think it is time for reef hobbyists to get in the game. You have the time, the dedication, and the ability to push what we know about coral spawning quickly. I hear you saying, “But Rich, it seems compli- cated,” and it does, but that has never stopped hobbyists before. Think about it: hobbyists are partially respon- sible for much of our ability to keep these animals in glass boxes—from being able to grow Acropora, to breed- ing fishes, to understanding water chemistry. Amateur marine aquarists are an important part of our overall learning curve.
1. Leverage Aquarium Controllers
2. Be Strict About Lighting
3. Use Unrelated Corals for Broodstock
4. Keep Your Corals Healthy
5. Try It, Then Share Your Results
5. Try It, Then Share Your Results
With lots of detail on the 5-points above.
CORAL WHISPERING
Spawning is one thing, then there is the morning after
by Keri O’Neil
"Getting corals to spawn is only the beginning, and it’s the easy part."
Article on planning, preparing for, and collecting coral gametes.
January/February 2021
free.