Frogspawn Sweeper tentacles: can you prune 'em?

[memnoch]

The title of the post pretty much sums up the question. Can you prune sweeper tentacles without damaging the colony?

 

[j21kickster]

They would grow back if you did. Dont you think that is in some way wrong? Its taking the animals defense mechanisms away from them. Their used to defend its territory. I wouldnt put it in a tank small enough that it will be required to be that close to other corals. There are other great corals that are less agressive. Hope this helps

 

[pstanley]

I wouldn't recommend pruning sweeper tentacles on any coral but maybe you can get better information from somebody else.

 

[nm reef]

I'm sure it can be done....but I don't think it is something that I would do. Just seems like it could damage the coral and I try to provide a stress free stable environment for the ones I keep!
Curious...why would you consider cutting them? They causing problems for other corals? If so re-locate them ...mine have never posed a serious problem with sweepers...and I've had a few in close proxcimity to other corals.

 

[von_rahvin]

kinda like cutting the forelegs off of a dog. Can you do it . . . . yes. is it nice or the best idea? no. mine was bother a couple of corals near it and i moved it around till it was happy by itself. if you want to keep more aggressive species be they corals or fish you have to deal with the probelm inherant with them. I don't put small fish, or any fish with my lion that i dod not want to see get munched. it is just one of those fcts of life.

 

[memnoch]

Thank you all for your impassioned replies. I didn't say I was going to do it, i wanted to know if anyone has and if it harmed the colony. I can see that none of you have experience with my question although i appreciate your good hearted replies nonetheless. I currently do not have a problem with sweeper tentacles however i did notice my frogspawn growing one or two tentacles that extend about 3" longer that the rest. I have a leather nearby that probably wouldn't enjoy being stung so i was asking since i'm new at this. My knowledge is limited by the small amount of time i have for reading on the subject and the little exposure I get to solid advice from this board. So please excuse me if it was a stupid question.

 

[pstanley]

Aren't sweeper tentacles the normal body of the coral "placed" into a different shape? My bubble coral turns his bubbles into sweeper tentacles by altering the shape of the bubble. I think if the coral wanted to he could turn every bubble into long sweeper tentacles.

 

[jonthefb]

i dont thiink so pstanley. teh sweeper corals are modifications of teh regular bubble, but your coral cant just change them into sweepers. usually sweeper tent have stinging cells called nematocysts, where as the normal polyp doesnt. a lot of times corals keep their sweepers hidden during they day, but expose them at night as they are gettign a stimulation to feed, this is why if you look at a bubble coral during the day, you see bubbles, but if you look at the same coral at night, the water is transferred from the bubbles to the tent, and the bubbles are very miniscule.
memnoch, i have never heard of anyone cuttign off the sweeper tentacles of a coral. its not a dumb question but definately an intriguing one. i would just imaging that the excision of a part of any coral would cause that coral reasonable amount of stress, and you could possibly lose it, which is never a fun thing. definately an interesting thought though
good luck
jon

 

[pstanley]

jonthejb - I thought that was the case also...but I have actually seen bubbles that look as if they are turning into the sweeper tentacles. If they do hide them during the day do they just deflate them so they are not visible? I just assumed the entire coral had stinging cells in each bubble. I guess you learn something new every day