Zooxanthèle Color Migration

[acrylic300]

I Noticed that the LFS has a tank with only actnic lighting. Last week I was eyeing a live rock with brown mushrooms (not spectacular mushrooms). This week the mushrooms are Glowing Neon Green--the same color as a new colony of Polyps that are in the tank. I also noticed another group of polyps that are starting to glow with this color.
Conclusion: the Zooxanthele moved to the other animals changing their color.
IS THIS CORRECT? I bought the new polyps. They only glow under actnics.

 

[smarls]

I believe that the coloration of the corals may just be changing to fall in line with the intensity and color spectrum offered by the lights. Don't quote me on this, but I think:
If the zoaxanthallae were moving, you would see one coral releasing it in stingy formations,a nd the other coral would pick up the zoaxanthallae from the water column. The coral would release it only if the lighting were not strong enough to provide enough energy for the coral to sustain the energy requirements of the zoaxanthallae...basically if the zoaxanthallae were taking more energy from the coral than they were giving. At this point the relationship between the two animals become parasitic rather than symbiotic, and as such the zoaxanthallae is expelled by the coral in ana ttempt for the coral to survive based on the available energy.
Also, I think that the coral has the coloration, and that the zoaxanthallae merely provides the energy to the coral...more energy, brighter coral. But I don't think the zoaxanthallae itself has a "color morph"...ie, I dont think a green mushroom has green zoaxanthallae...rather I think it has normal zoaxanthallae (which I think is tannish) and the coral itself is green. Thus zoaxanthallae taken up by coral from the water column would only brighten the inherent color of the coral that takes them up, rather than change the coloration fo the coral to fall in-line with the accpeted zoaxanthallae.
My guess would be it is just a color change based on the lighting. If all the lighting is actinic, then it may be highlighting certain colorations to your eye based ont he spectrum, and the ccorals may itself respond to the offered eneregy source in some manner.
Again, don't quote me on this, but this is my thinking, but I am not saying this is correct!
Stewart

 

[smarls]

Also, the glowing under the actinics is fairly normal...certain corals "flouresce" (sp) under actinics...some do not. Personally, I think it looks cool.
Stewart

 

[acrylic300]

All I know is that nothing was glowing untill she put the new neon zoanthids in the tank (its always only had acnic lights). The tank is very under lit 2x 30 watt on a 70 gallon tank.
I like the idea that the host relationship changed and the zooxanthelle were moving. Makes perfect sence because of the low lighting.

 

[reefnut]

I wouldn't think so...
My understanding is there are only a few different types of zooxanthellae... all are a tan to brownish color. The coral's color comes from pigments and proteins held with in the coral and zooxanthellae. These pigments and proteins are effected greatly by the coral's surroundings. I would suspect she changed the bulbs or the corals are just adapting to their new environment.

 

[acrylic300]

The actual color is not changing. Without the actnic lighting they are all kinda turd brown. These brown mushrooms have been there a few months. It's odd that they all just decided to "adjust" at the same time. The lighting has not changed. I bought the zoanthids they are more of a redish orange untill the lights go off.

 

[reefnut]

Well it would be a good experiment!!

 

[viper_930]

The flourescing in the actinic lights is caused by the pigments and not the zooxanthellae, like ReefNut said. The appearance under actinics could change even though the color under no actinics looks unchanged. There's a number of reasons why a coral would change color, and I highly doubt the introduction of the zoos did this.

 

[smarls]

Acrylic,
I think you misunderstood what I was saying...
If the zoaxanthallae were moving due to a change in the hsot relationship, you would see it. If you did not see Zoaxanthallae being expelled, then I don't think that is happening...
BUT - even if it is happening, as I said, I think zoaxanthallae are tannish brown, and do not themselves hold colors, rather it is the coral that ahs the color...so I do not think your theory is correct.
Stewart

 

[viper_930]

Zooxanthellae changing hosts? :notsure:

 

[acrylic300]

I sat them next to some other polyps last night. Nothing in my tank glows--so if these other polyps begin to glow I'll know somethings up.
Could it be some sort of algea or other organism?

 

[smarls]

Viper,
I am open to correction here, but it is my understanding the zooxanthallae are basically a type of dinoflaggellates. They exist in the water column as a seperate and distinct animal (although animal may not be the exact term here) capable of producing their required energy (basically a form of sugar) from sunlight.
A coral can "uptake" zooxanathallae from the water column into its "protection" (for lack of a better word) and, in exchange for protection within the memebrane of the coral, the zooxanthallae provide energy to the coral in the form of sugar derived from light. This is the basis of the symbiotic relaitonship between two seperate and distinct animals, the coral and the zooaxanthallae.
The zooxanthallae can be expelled by coral (you see this in bad lighitng situations) and basically returned to the water column for its own survival. Thus another coral could uptake the available zooxanthallae in the water column if required by the new host coral.
So yes, in my understanding, zoaxanthallae can move from one host coral to another host coral. But please lets be clear, this is not like zooxanthallae decides it doesn't like where it is and prefers the red coral over on the other side of the reef! I am sure it is more complex than my simplistic understanding of this, but I think this is roughly correct.
Stewart

 

[acrylic300]

This says corals do get color from zooxanthellae

A quote from Saltwater Aquarium Magizine:
Zoanthids
Like many coral-like animals, they can show variances in color and the shape of the colony arrangement. This is thought to be because they have more than one species of Zooxanthellae living inside them usually, and this gives the coral its color. Certain conditions dealing with water movement, water quality, lighting, and nutrients will cause one species to outcompete another, changing the coral’s color.

 

[reefnut]

Keep researching...

 

[smarls]

Acrylic,
That quote states that coloration varies due to changes in the type of zooaxanthallae, and presumably, due to the different energy levels (or actually variations thereof) of the zooaxanthallae in different conditions, and thus presumably the resultant effect that the variable energy level has on the coral itself. Also, I would guess that there may be minor differneces n the form of sugars created by different zooaxanthallae, and as such, perhapos differnt portions of the coral are more receptive to certain sugars,a nd as such, a color change may occur due to that.
What that does NOT state, is that the color variations in the coral are due to color variations in the zoaxanthallae...which I believe accurately represents your initial hypothesis.
There is a big difference.
Again I am no expert here, and I am not saying you are wrong, BUT...that article does not really say what you are implying it says.

Stewart

 

[bang guy]

Acrylic, the quote you listed is misinformation. Zooxanthellae are brown as stated. Color changes come from flourescing proteins that can be adapted to different light spectrum and intensity.

 

[acrylic300]

Yeah, It's hard to trust an article that has no bibliography (least I could not find one). I'll keep researching for my own interest. I mainly want to know for stocking purposses. What effects What ? If Anything....
Obviously people would not graft multiple colors on one rock if they thought it would all meld together. It would be pointless unless there was some sort of hybrid effect.

 

[reefnut]

Acrylic, Aquarium Corals: Selection, Husbandry & Natural History by Eric H. Borneman is a good book that goes into quite a bit of detail on zooxanthellae, among other things.