Reef Aquarium Fact #277 During low tide corals can be exposed to open air for long periods of time.

revhtree · Feb 7, 2013

We are going to continue discussing the reef aquarium facts submitted by our members. Do you agree or disagree? What are your thoughts?

Fact #277

During low tide corals can be exposed to open air for long periods of time. This is one reason they produce a protective slime coat.

Truth or False? What else might we need to learn on this subject? Please also share any pictures that may pertain to the subject.

image

Russellaqua · Feb 7, 2013

It is cool to see Acros and such poking out of the water during low tide. We often think of many SPS as rather frail corals, but they can be quite tough. What I like to call "storm fragging" happens too (a storm breaks a coral) and then some of these frags grow into new colonies. When I snorkled the barrier reef at Andros Island, Bahamas I wondered how many of those Acropora cervicornis and A. palmata colonies near another of the same species had started out out being fragged by a storm.

dbenavidesa · Feb 7, 2013

In Riviera Maya, while snorkeling, I saw many fragments also from storms. They were SPS and Fan corals. Some were in very low depth, and saw them alive in low tide as well.

coralfish keeper · Feb 7, 2013

we can learn from are eco system on how to take care of what we luv case it dose so well by its self

Pkunk35 · Feb 7, 2013

I'd say true? I have no idea but slime coats do seem to be protective of coral. I have read on various boards that some people do not acclimate their SPS corals to their tank water, they hold them out in open air for some minutes and allow a slime coat to develop and that this encases the coral allowing it to self acclimate to the water when placed in the tank.

That brain coral pic is amazing!

alberthiel · Feb 7, 2013

revhtree said:
We are going to continue discussing the reef aquarium facts submitted by our members. Do you agree or disagree? What are your thoughts?

Fact #277

During low tide corals can be exposed to open air for long periods of time. This is one reason they produce a protective slime coat.

Truth or False? What else might we need to learn on this subject? Please also share any pictures that may pertain to the subject.
image

image

True but not the ones I see ... I think that photo is photoshopped but there are plenty that can be out of the water and not just corals but also other life forms. The colors of the ones in the pictures are a bit too "real" IMO

but then I could be wrong about those but I don't think so.

ron garnett · Feb 8, 2013

Coral exposed at low tide.

alberthiel said:
True but not the ones I see ... I think that photo is photoshopped but there are plenty that can be out of the water and not just corals but also other life forms. The colors of the ones in the pictures are a bit too "real" IMO but then I could be wrong about those but I don't think so.

I don't believe the photos were photoshopped, but you're right about low tide coral exposure. I do know that at low tide, parts of the great barrier reef will leave both SPS and LPS corals exposed. In looking a little closer at the photos, the reflections in the water seem to be true and not photoshopped in later.

alberthiel · Feb 8, 2013

ron garnett said:
I don't believe the photos were photoshopped, but you're right about low tide coral exposure. I do know that at low tide, parts of the great barrier reef will leave both SPS and LPS corals exposed. In looking a little closer at the photos, the reflections in the water seem to be true and not photoshopped in later.

Yes they can indeed be out of the water ... I fully agree with that of course but to me the pics still look at bit too perfect ... and the colors on the second one seem enhanced

Revhtree can tell us whenever he is ready to tell us more about the pics ...

Raggamuffin · Feb 9, 2013

I have seen it myself so true. and colors look right. The one that looks yellow will be green underwater and the pink will be purple. If I pull out my hawkings it goes from dark blue/ teal to purple out from under the MH's so keep in mind those are not the "tank colors" of those corals.

Murfman · Feb 9, 2013

Corals at low tide Fiji - YouTube

alberthiel · Feb 10, 2013

Raggamuffin said:
I have seen it myself so true. and colors look right. The one that looks yellow will be green underwater and the pink will be purple. If I pull out my hawkings it goes from dark blue/ teal to purple out from under the MH's so keep in mind those are not the "tank colors" of those corals.

Thanks for clarifying the way the colors change under lighting .... I appreciate it.

alberthiel · Feb 10, 2013

Murfman said:
Corals at low tide Fiji - YouTube

Thanks for the video. Appreciate it.

salty_d0g · Sep 3, 2014

Pkunk35 said:
I'd say true? I have no idea but slime coats do seem to be protective of coral. I have read on various boards that some people do not acclimate their SPS corals to their tank water, they hold them out in open air for some minutes and allow a slime coat to develop and that this encases the coral allowing it to self acclimate to the water when placed in the tank.

That brain coral pic is amazing!

That actually sounds like a pretty brilliant way to acclimate them. Might have to try that when I get my tank ready for an SPS frag or two.

Dr.Reefgood · Sep 4, 2014

Look at the Big brain on brad...
Interesting way to acclimate frags

Dr.Reefgood · Sep 4, 2014

I mean that brain looks awesome just sitting there, stared at it for quite a bit

Waters · Sep 5, 2014

I know everytime I do a water change I have coral that sit high up that are exposed to air...so far I haven't experienced any issues.

shred5 · Sep 5, 2014

Some corals can and some corals cant and that is pretty much it..
Some corals have UV blocking pigments that help them survive direct sunlight.. They can also slime up to help protect them from the sun and drying up..
The other day I was fraging some sps from my tank and they are out of water for a bit. I went to pick them up and this huge thing of slime dropped off them...