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This picture it’s my Goniopora!I’m not sure, but I believe that it can be a Goniopora!
Where they differ is the number of tentacles on each polyp. Alveopora have 12 tentacles on each polyp while Goniopora have 24. That is the quickest and easiest way to differentiate the two. Second, Alveopora may be a hardier specimen than Goniopora.
Thanks so much I agree it is probably alveopora thoI’m not sure, but I believe that it can be a Goniopora!
Where they differ is the number of tentacles on each polyp. Alveopora have 12 tentacles on each polyp while Goniopora have 24. That is the quickest and easiest way to differentiate the two. Second, Alveopora may be a hardier specimen than Goniopora.
I always does with phytoplankton and zooplankton as well as an autodoser for calcium and alkalinityJust a quick zoom and count, looks like a goni to me. What do you feed? Gonis “usually” need supplemented food unless it’s a well established tank. In order for them to thrive anyways.
Goni. Up the amount of what you're feeding your fish by a good bit bc the goni can feast of the fish poop
Most corals like fish poop.Goni acts as part of the clean up crew?
Goni acts as part of the clean up crew?
All photosynthetic reef animals are essential components of biofiltration as they are pulling organic nitrogen and inorganic nitrogen excreted by fish as well as organic and inorganic phosphorus from the water to feed their simbionts.
If I have a tank with about 14-20 corals in it with 2 clowns for breeding would I need snails for clean up crew or will those corals do the job?Most corals like fish poop.
Everyone has a job to do, corals wont clean up algae.If I have a tank with about 14-20 corals in it with 2 clowns for breeding would I need snails for clean up crew or will those corals do the job?
Thank you so much for that reply definitely gave me some insight on how it works!So basically, it's like this.... Fish poop = coral food > Coral poop = algae food > Algae = snail food/fish food . There's a lot more to it.
That's the simple breakdown. The more complicated part, maybe someone else will explain the whole nitrogen cycle. It gets into bacteria and all that stuffThank you so much for that reply definitely gave me some insight on how it works!
If I have a tank with about 14-20 corals in it with 2 clowns for breeding would I need snails for clean up crew or will those corals do the job?
I'd argue you need more fish. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10236240500057929#.UpS4pyeJ7Mo
From waht I've seen I'd say the notion of "clean up crew" is a marketing ploy taking advantage of peoples fears of uneaten food rotting and causing problems, which is best corrected by paying attention to how much is being fed and understanding how organic and inorganic nutrients are needed by corals. I've seen too many systems where dozens or hundreds of snails were added and their deaths only aggrevated probelms.
Depending on the snail species if they are turning over the sand I'd add a FEW of them. The detritus derived from fish poop not only provides organic and inorganic nitrogen but also calcium and magnesium carbonates. Having snails that turn over the sand IMO help maintain water chemistry by not letting the detritus and sand get compacted and increasing the possibility of anaerobic bacteria getting established and creating pockets of hydrogen sulfide. I guess gardening anologies would be composting and aerating soil; fish poop that's not directly taken up is being "composted" in the sand (with pH gradients helping to dissolve the calcium and magnesium crystals) and snails that burrow in the sand are doing much the same role as earthworms in gardens by turning over the sand and transporting nutrients and carbonates to the surface where they are taken up into the food webs.
As far as eating algae I've found snails to be a very poor substitute for algae grazing fish and urchins. Urchins I'm particularly fond of as they scrape the surface like parrot fish do completely removing algae leaving clean white surfaces devoid of any algae. I'm pretty sure urchin poop will also have high levels of calcium and magnesium that should be returned to the system as bacteria break it down, but I want to emphasize I haven't yet seen any research specifically looking at urchin's role in maintianing carbonates.
As far as uneaten food, corals will grab fish food and consume it, so in that respect they could be considered part of the "clean up crew". What does make it to the crevesses and nooks and crannies where fish can't get to is best dealt with IMO with a couple brittle stars or a few hermits or crabs (I like Sally LIghtfoot crabs myself).
Based on what I've read the real problem is excess dissolved organic carbon not nitrates or phosphates per se. Here's some links:
Indirect effects of algae on coral: algae‐mediated, microbe‐induced coral mortality
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onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Influence of coral and algal exudates on microbially mediated reef metabolism.
Coral DOC improves oxygen (autotrophy), algae DOC reduces oxygen (heterotrophy).
Influence of coral and algal exudates on microbially mediated reef metabolism
Benthic primary producers in tropical reef ecosystems can alter biogeochemical cycling and microbial processes in the surrounding seawater. In order to quantify these influences, we measured rates of photosynthesis, respiration, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) exudate release by the dominant...peerj.com
Role of elevated organic carbon levels and microbial activity in coral mortality
Effects of Coral Reef Benthic Primary Producers on Dissolved Organic Carbon and Microbial Activity
Algae releases significantly more DOC into the water than coral.
Effects of Coral Reef Benthic Primary Producers on Dissolved Organic Carbon and Microbial Activity
Benthic primary producers in marine ecosystems may significantly alter biogeochemical cycling and microbial processes in their surrounding environment. To examine these interactions, we studied dissolved organic matter release by dominant benthic taxa and subsequent microbial remineralization in...journals.plos.org
Coral and macroalgal exudates vary in neutral sugar composition and differentially enrich reef bacterioplankton lineages.
Coral and macroalgal exudates vary in neutral sugar composition and differentially enrich reef bacterioplankton lineages - PubMed
Increasing algal cover on tropical reefs worldwide may be maintained through feedbacks whereby algae outcompete coral by altering microbial activity. We hypothesized that algae and coral release compositionally distinct exudates that differentially alter bacterioplankton growth and community...www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Sugar enrichment provides evidence for a role of nitrogen fixation in coral bleaching
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onlinelibrary.wiley.com
"Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas"
Maintenance of Coral Reef Health
I’m planning to breed my clowns and all other fish will eat the eggs so I can’t add them. Same with hermits and emerald crabs. I’m sure an urchin would do the same. That’s why I’m left with snails to do the job. I will need to reed more on the websites that you put up and I appreciate all the knowledge shared. I’m hoping to one day run my own fish store.
From what I’ve read it’s best to remove the parents shortly after eggs were laid to prevent them from eating them.Sorry, but as I see it you will have more of a problem collecting the larva before your corals and parents eat tehm than any one eating the eggs. In my display tanks I don't have any problems with clownfish eggs getting eaten, the parents are more than capable of protecting them.