Bryozoans & the Food Web

[Subsea]

Bryozoans are my newest interest as I study on enhancing my journey into what I consider to be an integral component of holistic reefing: the microbial food web. To keep it simple: I consider bacteria, algae & sponges as the tripod of nutrient management in marine ecosystems and within each of those are further divisions that show the complexity of the
Coral Holibiont.

So, while researching sponge information on a different thread, I found an interesting link from a UK scuba diver on Bryozoans at UK dive sites. It caught my attention because the Florida peninsula is Bryozoan limestone.

https://divernet.com/scuba-news/marine-biology/bryozoans-marine-life-guide/

 

[EnterName]

Thanks for sharing. I can't take a deep dive into the topic right now but will bookmark it.

I never stumbled on them knowingly on my microscopy sessions, but my current tank was started fully dry which of course reduces diversity significantly. That's why I assume they aren't really essential for a healthy reef tank (at least not in huge numbers). Very very interesting creatures nonetheless!

 

[Subsea]

Because I like diverse filter feeders & ornamental seaweed lagoons, corals & fish are of secondary interest. In fact, I prefer NPS which requires microbial food web, which is where our priorities are differrent and why we see what’s essential as different:

“my current tank was started fully dry which of course reduces diversity significantly. That's why I assume they aren't really essential for a healthy reef tank”

@EnterName
AND that depends on your definition of a reef tank. Sterile does not work for me.

 

[Subsea]

As a “holistic reefer” why I like Bryozoans:

“Bryozoans are crucial to marine ecosystems because
they act as water purifiers, filter-feeding to remove particles and improve clarity; serve as habitat builders, creating complex structures for other species like small fish and crustaceans; and are a key food web link, consumed by various predators while also providing food for themselves. Their colonies add structural complexity, support biodiversity, stabilize sediment, and their presence often signals good water quality, making them vital for overall ecosystem health and resilience.“
Specific Contributions:

• Water Filtration: Like other suspension feeders (e.g., mussels, sponges), bryozoans filter tiny food particles from the water, which helps to keep oceans clean and clear.
• Habitat & Shelter: Their colonies form intricate structures, offering shelter, breeding grounds, and foraging areas for numerous small organisms, including crabs, juvenile mussels, and small fish, boosting local biodiversity.
• Food Web Role: They consume microscopic organisms and are, in turn, eaten by predators like fish, snails, and insects, placing them as important links in the marine food web.
• Ecosystem Engineers: Their calcium carbonate skeletons contribute to reef-like structures, adding physical complexity to the seafloor, similar to corals.
• Bioindicators: Because they are sensitive to changes in water chemistry and temperature, bryozoans can act as valuable indicators of environmental health.
• Sediment Stabilization: Their colonies can bind and stabilize sediments, further shaping the marine environment.

In essence, these "moss animals" are integral to marine environments, supporting life through filtration, providing essential shelter, and forming a vital part of the food chain, much like their fossilized ancestors did for millions of years.
And check out what they look like on uncured diver collected live rock.
https://img1.wsimg.com/isteam/ip/90...,l:3.6%,w:92.8%,h:100%/rs=w:440,h:331,cg:true

 

[Subsea]

Bryozoans are the canary in a coal mine for ocean acidification.

https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/135-bryozoans-and-ocean-acidification
In my reef tanks, I use flame scallops as “canary in a coal mine”.

 

[brittlestar]

I had a small freshwater bryozoan that grew on its own in a gallon jar and then suddenly died a few years ago. Do you know if there any bryozoans that people grow intentionally or do they only ever come in as hitchhikers?

 

[Subsea]

I had a small freshwater bryozoan that grew on its own in a gallon jar and then suddenly died a few years ago. Do you know if there any bryozoans that people grow intentionally or do they only ever come in as hitchhikers?

They are not well known in the reefing community. I have only seen them on diver collected live rock. I don’t doubt that they could spread to other rock in the right entviriment.

 

[LiverockRocks Verified Sponsor]

Why I like Bryozoans:

“Bryozoans are crucial to marine ecosystems because
they act as water purifiers, filter-feeding to remove particles and improve clarity; serve as habitat builders, creating complex structures for other species like small fish and crustaceans; and are a key food web link, consumed by various predators while also providing food for themselves. Their colonies add structural complexity, support biodiversity, stabilize sediment, and their presence often signals good water quality, making them vital for overall ecosystem health and resilience.“
Specific Contributions:

• Water Filtration: Like other suspension feeders (e.g., mussels, sponges), bryozoans filter tiny food particles from the water, which helps to keep oceans clean and clear.
• Habitat & Shelter: Their colonies form intricate structures, offering shelter, breeding grounds, and foraging areas for numerous small organisms, including crabs, juvenile mussels, and small fish, boosting local biodiversity.
• Food Web Role: They consume microscopic organisms and are, in turn, eaten by predators like fish, snails, and insects, placing them as important links in the marine food web.
• Ecosystem Engineers: Their calcium carbonate skeletons contribute to reef-like structures, adding physical complexity to the seafloor, similar to corals.
• Bioindicators: Because they are sensitive to changes in water chemistry and temperature, bryozoans can act as valuable indicators of environmental health.
• Sediment Stabilization: Their colonies can bind and stabilize sediments, further shaping the marine environment.

In essence, these "moss animals" are integral to marine environments, supporting life through filtration, providing essential shelter, and forming a vital part of the food chain, much like their fossilized ancestors did for millions of years.

And check out what they look like on uncured diver collected live rock.
https://gulfliverock.com/premium-deco-live-rock

Thanks for sharing.
Bryozoans are common hitchhikers on our live rock too. TBS Live Rock - Bryozoa

 

[Subsea]

Thanks for sharing.
Bryozoans are common hitchhikers on our live rock too. TBS Live Rock - Bryozoa

@LiverockRocks
Have you kept bryozoans or tunicates alive for long term: 1-2 yrs.

I keep flame scallops up to 2 years. Not sure what their life span is in the wild.

 

[LiverockRocks Verified Sponsor]

@LiverockRocks
Have you kept bryozoans or tunicates alive for long term: 1-2 yrs.

I keep flame scallops up to 2 years. Not sure what their life span is in the wild.

The Lyon siblings bought TBS in 2021 and have since relocated the warehouse operation twice so no data over 2.5 years.

• 1st holding system - tunicates and bryozoans thrive - 2.5 years *landlord wanted our unit to expand his business, so we moved to new location
• 2nd holding system - tunicates and bryozoans thrive - 1 year *this location was flooded 2x by 2 hurricanes, so we moved again
• 3rd holding system we are seeing tunicates and bryozoans thrive - 1.5 years *this will be long term location

 

[Subsea]

Thank you.