Cross-breeding Zoas or Palys?

[The Kerrnel]

So I'm looking at the beginnings of a zoo carpet and a thought struck me, and indeed, made me go "Hmm....":

 

Have any hobbyists tried cross-breeding zoas, and if so, have they been successful?

 

Just curious.

 

I guess the question could follow, has anyone tried cross-breeding any other types of coral? Successfully?

 

Would certainly be interesting if "artificial" cross-breeds of some corals do exist.

[OUsnakebyte]

I guess you are talking about sticking two different color morphs of zoas together and seeing if they will hybridize - asexually?

 

When mass spawning, corals of related species will frequently hybridize; that is one of the drivers of reticulate evolution. Sadly, successful sexual reproduction of corals in captivity is rare, though possible. But, I'm guessing that's not what you are referring to...?

 

Cheers

Mike

Edited April 29, 2008 by OUsnakebyte

[The Kerrnel]

I guess you are talking about sticking two different color morphs of zoas together and seeing if they will hybridize - asexually?

 

When mass spawning, corals of related species will frequently hybridize; that is one of the drivers of reticulate evolution. Sadly, successful sexual reproduction of corals in captivity is rare, though possible. But, I'm guessing that's not what you are referring to...?

 

Not really sure what I'm referring to, but generally, yeah, mixing colours and whatnot. I did a quick search on the subject of cross-"breeding" on zoas and such and there was only one or two references to it, though there was mention that zoas spawn. I know very little about these things...just the thought occurred to me. I would assume that if it was easy, it would have been done already and there'd be more info on it, but I thought it was a question worth asking, vague as it is.

Edited April 29, 2008 by The Kerrnel

[treesprite]

I would like to take non-pickyness and size of palys to then combine it with the awesome colors of all the wonderful colorful varieties of zoanthids.

[luceneck]

I love zoanthid experiments! Here is one subject I have always wanted to play around with, but haven't gotten a chance to try.

 

Zoanthid and a Paly color comes from the zooxanthellae inside the polyp and skirt. A zoanthid can ingest, and exhibit color of another zooxanthellae.

My own version:

 

A better photographers pics:

http://www.zoaid.com/index.php?module=Gall...;g2_itemId=1022

 

The only issue with this ingestion technique is that the color lasts for 2-4 weeks at most. Even thought the time duration is short I would really be interested in using a syringe to remove some of the zooxanthellae from one zoa and injecting it into the other. Just to try it, and hey, I've done worst!

 

http://www.reef2reef.com/forums/showthread...ight=experiment

 

Luciano

[treesprite]

I wonder how far removed the procedure is from injecting dies and using other artificial means to get color in fish?