Question for a Zooxanthae Expert

[toccoa fish man]

Okay,
I have a question, probably for some of you Zooanthid breeders....Does anyone know the specific species of dinoflagellates, diatoms, etc. that inhabit different corals and make them the colors that they are? I understand that individual corals can also have different microflora from individual to individual.....but I'm still baffled as to how some of the pigments show up that do....for instance, how are there zooanthids the color of play-doh like watermelons and hornets when you don't see these bright colors in cellular algae?

I get the yellows and greens and even the bioluminescence, even if I don't know what algae inside is producing the color.

But what about blues?....where does the blue pigment come from? Is it refracted light and not really a pigment? Everyone knows that blue is not a color that algae want to be, since that's the maximal absorption range for photosynthesis. So what's the deal? Is this just one of God's mysteries?

 

[snowmansnow]

I thought that the zoo algae was brownish...

and that the pigment came from the individual coral that lays under it.

Thus when the zoo algae is diminished the protective layer is removed and it causes the pigment to bleach....

maybe I'm wrong.

B

 

[patrick]

My understanding is that zooxanthellae......a form of alga.....actually flagellate protozoans......are goldish brown. The pigment actually comes from the coral itself......as stated.....to protect from UV radiation. The color it produces depends on the wavelength and intensity of the UV light. It basically produces a color that will absorb the UV without the coral getting burned. Now the reason for the loss of pigment in low light condx could be from the fact that the pigment production fades in low light because there is no/low UV radiation exposure. If exposed over a slow and long enough period, corals can morph their color to adapt to the differing UV radiation. Too fast and the coral gets burned and dies off. Rapid temp changes appear to have the greatest stress on corals. Keep in mind that higher temps increase the metabolism as well.

 

[ripped tide]

So if there is too little uv, eventually will corals fade?

 

[lilrobb]

Ripped Tide;732343 wrote: So if there is too little uv, eventually will corals fade?

Yup,

common problem with LED lights as they emit little to no UV

 

[superclown]

So with no UV exsposure what's the solution to keep corals from fading

 

[lilrobb]

SuperClown;732347 wrote: So with no UV exsposure what's the solution to keep corals from fading

Supplement with UV sources such as T5s and/or UV chips

(btw - got your messages, will send PM tonight)

 

[ripped tide]

SuperClown;732347 wrote: So with no UV exsposure what's the solution to keep corals from fading

That is probably why all the people with LEDs are starting to complain about color.

The solution? Add an led uv strip?

 

[db366]

At first your corals will have a TON of pop with LED's but it will fade out without something in the 420nm range. Hopefully soon enough there will be a 420nm LED chip, then LED's will really be here.

 

[lilrobb]

It is there...

Just costing a pretty penny:
http://www.ledssuperbright.com/3w-ultra-bright-uv-violet-led-p-187">http://www.ledssuperbright.com/3w-ultra-bright-uv-violet-led-p-187</a>


[QUOTE=][B]db366;732354 wrote:[/B] At first your corals will have a TON of pop with LED's but it will fade out without something in the 420nm range. Hopefully soon enough there will be a 420nm LED chip, then LED's will really be here.[/QUOTE]

 

[superclown]

Everything worth it in this hobby does lol.

 

[ralph atl]

stick with Radiums....

 

[toccoa fish man]

Thanks for the answer. I'm glad I don't have to go digging around in research papers to find out. That amazes me that any animal can make a protein pigment that color, but then again I guess birds do it all the time....

So I guess different zooanthids and palys make different pigments depending on genetics and the colors and intensities of light they are exposed to?

 

[superclown]

Toccoa Fish Man;732470 wrote: Thanks for the answer. I'm glad I don't have to go digging around in research papers to find out. That amazes me that any animal can make a protein pigment that color, but then again I guess birds do it all the time....

So I guess different zooanthids and palys make different pigments depending on genetics and the colors and intensities of light they are exposed to?

I feel this is an accurate assumption but im sure there is more to it than I can chime in about.

I had a big frag of yellow palys fall back behind a rock. I thought they were gone. It was a cheap coral so I replaced it the following week. Months went by and I noticed one day when moving some rock around that the yellow palys were still with me that I lost originally. They had been getting light but apparently the light level was very low.

To my surprise the ones that were in direct light had grown more and had the natural golden/yellow tone The ones that fell back in the bottom were like super super bright canary Yellow. The difference was so drastic I thought I had gotten a hitchiker till I identified the original frag plug they were growing on.

So I guess in a nutshell brighter light they expel color but grow faster, dimmer but acceptable light grow slower but produce awesome color. Im sure im missing something but thats my jist of it. ? but on the flipside of that total lack of uv exposure also can create dull color. so I guess you have to find that happy medium