| Fama
August 2001 "Never Say Die" |
 |
When you see decay anywhere
the first suggestion is do not be afraid to act fast, things
will not get better just by watching (the coral needs help).
Two methods I have used are both similar but differ slightly
in the mechanical process. With respect to rigida I handled
the crisis much as I would if I were propagating the piece
through fragmentation. With my most recent colony about
5 inches in height I immediately broke the specimen into
about six to seven individual branches outside the tank.
You can use a myriad of tools to break the coral from your
(more)
|
|
| Fama
December 2002 "Multi Level Reef Zone Systems" |
 |
Living
Reefs Much unlike our typical display tanks, the living reefs
are made up of specific zones and have many creatures indigenous
to them that sometimes spend their lives there. The concept
of zonation is fairly well accepted within the research community.
Most corals (but not all) are more abundant and more successful
in specific areas of the reef, and these zones are pretty
consistent throughout most of the world. The most in-depth
description I had come across at the time split the reef into
11 distinct zones. The lower slope, upper slope, (more)
|
|
| Fama
March 2003 "Coral Predators" |
 |
The
order of Nudibranchia is classified as a Gastropod within
the Phylum of Mollusc. The Aeolid belongs to the suborder
Aeolidoidea, and is very unique amongst other Nudibranch relative
to its defense mechanism. My first instinct for controlling
this nuisance was to identify a predator. I soon learned that
Aeolids mainly feed on hydroids and corals, which possess
stinging cells, and there has been no recorded preditation
amongst the suborder. The Nudibranch actually separates these
stinging cells within its digestive (more) |
|
| Fama
September 2003, Wet Web Media 2004 "Sea Mat" |
 |
Important
to remember the Zoanthus have symbiotic relationship with
Zooxanthellae, just like other corals and so does Palythoa,
and Protopalythoa. The later are more inclined to feed mechanically
with larger foods verses the small polyp Zoanthus that feed
through chemical absorption. These Sea Mats typically settle
in shallow waters and receive a high amount of sunlight and
UV radiation, most have a propensity for incredible coloration.
We all have, or at least know a lucky friend whom has brought
a piece of brown Acropora and (more) |
|
| Winter
2004 "Propagating Ricordia Yuma" |
 |
Next
put the specimen on a plastic cutting board. Avoid using wood
they can harbor bacteria. Make sure you wet the board with
Saltwater from your tank, I find that this aids in some extent
in avoiding a lot of sliming. You then want to secure the
specimen between two fingers, each on the left and right side
of the mouth. Then slowly compress the disk and you should
see water expel from the mouth if there is any left. This
step could also be done in the tank, but I have a tendency
to let them slip through my fingers. Now the cut, but
don't hesitate, (more)
|
|
All
of the above content is copy written and can not be used without
expressed permission from the author. |
