Spawning GSP!

[blennyfromtheblock]

Brand new to R2R and very new to the hobby--I have a 30 cube that's been up and running for about six weeks. It's a textbook newbie tank with GSP, kenya trees, xenia and anthelia, a few mushrooms and leathers, and so on. Last night I picked up two large rocks covered in GSP (two apparently different varieties) from a kind local hobbyist who was giving them away for free. I stacked the rocks on top of each other at the back of the tank with the intention of redoing the aquascape today. This morning, both GSPs were out and spawning!

I've found a number of reports of this behavior, but nothing yet on what could have caused it. My best guess is that putting the two species in contact triggered it; it could also be any number of factors related to the change in water parameters. Most of the reports I've seen say that nothing happens after GSP spawn, either because fish eat all the eggs or because the eggs are not fertilized. If the latter, I wonder if one of the varieties--if they are in fact different varieties--might be able to fertilize the other's spawn, or if the GSP that was already in the tank might come into play. So far, I have found nothing definite about the science behind this. If anyone has any other ideas or information about this fascinating behavior, let me know!

Here are the two rocks, stacked:

Close-up of the upper rock:

Close-up of the lower rock:

 

[Sabellafella]

[HASHTAG]#reefsquad[/HASHTAG] look how cool!. Fascinating!!

 

[kschweer]

Very cool!!! Welcome to R2R!

 

[Tahoe61]

Welcome.

Thanks for sharing.

Hope you really like GSP. :)

 

[jsker]

Welcome to R2R, and I am following along for the answer

 

[reefwiser]

Generally the spawn would need to be floating in the water column for a while for fertilisation to occur. and in your aquariums the filters would pick it up so fast it would not have to to develop.

 

[Tahoe61]

It could be something as benign as night lighting, water chemistry, a real estate coup/survival of the fittest. It would not surprise me if the spawn was viable. Look at Blue Star Polyps spawns, very similar in appearance and very invasive.

 

[cloak]

Here's a picture of my GSP when they spawned. Same deal.
This was one of the first corals in the tank and this didn't take place until years later.

 

[blennyfromtheblock]

Generally the spawn would need to be floating in the water column for a while for fertilisation to occur. and in your aquariums the filters would pick it up so fast it would not have to to develop.

Interesting--any idea how fertilization actually takes place, when it does happen?

It could be something as benign as night lighting, water chemistry, a real estate coup/survival of the fittest. It would not surprise me if the spawn was viable. Look at Blue Star Polyps spawns, very similar in appearance and very invasive.

Right, I've seen pictures of "BSP"; it's a shame they're so invasive, they look so neat.

Here's a picture of my GSP when they spawned. Same deal.
This was one of the first corals in the tank and this didn't take place until years later.

Very cool! Did anything come of it?

 

[revhtree]

Welcome and this is very cool!

 

[dbl]

Welcome to R2R and way to come out of the box swinging....this is so interesting. Thanks for sharing.

 

[rayn]

Welcome to R2R! Very cool indeed!

 

[Salty1962]

Welcome to R2R! I've never heard of GSP spawning. Thought it grew by encrusting. Mother Nature is full of surprises.

 

[melypr1985]

Very cool! Welcome to R2R! Thanks for sharing with us

 

[kireek]

*Welcome to Reef2Reef @blennyfromtheblock !* Wow.You learn something new every day.Thank you for sharing.You may want to check out this recent thread:

http://reef2reef.com/threads/nytimes-article-on-coral-reproduction.254322/#post-3003316

 

[reefwiser]

Just like other corals do.:)

 

[blennyfromtheblock]

*Welcome to Reef2Reef @blennyfromtheblock !* Wow.You learn something new every day.Thank you for sharing.You may want to check out this recent thread:

http://reef2reef.com/threads/nytimes-article-on-coral-reproduction.254322/#post-3003316

Just like other corals do.:)

WOW -- thank you so much for the information! This is the greatest hobby!!!

 

[FL_Reefer]

This is really cool when it happens in a captive environment.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

That is so so cool! SO cool!

 

[mibwb]

Generally the spawn would need to be floating in the water column for a while for fertilisation to occur. and in your aquariums the filters would pick it up so fast it would not have to to develop.

I'm just curious...if you catch something like a spawning taking place...would you just turn pumps off? If so, for how long would you keep them off? Then what..?