caught Acro egg release last night

[chucelli]

around 2.5 hours after lights went out, I happened to still be awake and noticed eggs protruding from the largest branch of the A. Formosa. I didn't want to miss it so I grabed my camera, slapped the auto lens and set everything to full auto with flash and captured this:

 

 

 

 

I managed to suck up one of the eggs and put it under the scope...

not much to see since it's only back lit. You can however make out the soccerball like channels.

 

400X:

 

 

This same area photographed when the lights are on:

 

 

I don't believe the whole colony released eggs. I only noticed eggs protruding from this area. It seems to make sense the largest branches were the most well nourished and therefore released eggs.

 

My parents are in town and asked if one colony had both males and females.... good question that I had no answer for... I don't think a single colony would release both eggs and sperm... but I've never seen footage of acros release sperm, only eggs...

 

-Robert

Edited November 21, 2012 by chucelli

[Incredible Corals]

Wow thats awesome! Great job!

[dbartco]

WOAH, first I have seen that in a small tank!

[surf&turf]

Very cool!!

[Sharkey18]

Awesome! Amazing photos.

[rocko918]

very cool, thanks for sharing.

[Jan]

That's fantastic. What do you dose, feed, etc.? Amazing. Congratulations!!!

[Coral Hind]

That is awesome. Do you have your lights on a lunar cycle at?

[flooddc]

Cool! That's a great photo capture.

[chucelli]

That's fantastic. What do you dose, feed, etc.? Amazing. Congratulations!!!

Jan,

I use a simplified version of the Balling method for alk, cal, and mag. I feed only dry flakes and pellets mixed with Cyclopes from an auto feeder 4 times a day. I dose 3 ml of vineger a day. The only other element I dose is iodine for a couple days right after I change the activated carbon.

That is awesome. Do you have your lights on a lunar cycle at?

David, I don't have my lights on a lunar cycle. They are on a staggered schedule and ramp up and down for a total photo period of 13 hours, with only 4 hours of 100% intensity. The rest is ramping up and down.

 

-Robert

 

[GraffitiSpotCorals]

Thats awesome! How long have you had this tank up again? And how long have the leds been on?

[LanglandJoshua]

Great job!!

[SunWyrm]

So cool!

[Jan]

Your series of photos should be Photos Of The Month. They are really amazing. You're doing it all right, Robert

[treesprite]

nice

[chucelli]

Thats awesome! How long have you had this tank up again? And how long have the leds been on?

 

The tank has been set up for about 5 years. The current LEDs have been in service over this tank for 3 years.

 

-Robert

[GraffitiSpotCorals]

WOAH, first I have seen that in a small tank!

 

Yea a small tank with LEDS! Who would have thunk it...

[chucelli]

Your series of photos should be Photos Of The Month. They are really amazing. You're doing it all right, Robert

 

thanks Jan

[ToddR]

Way cool, thanks for sharing.

[rainbowfish]

Hey Robert, wow... Great Pix. Hope to see your tank again in the near future.

[Origami]

Incredible, Robert!

[chucelli]

Hey Robert, wow... Great Pix. Hope to see your tank again in the near future.

 

anytime. Just let me know.

 

Incredible, Robert!

 

Thanks Tom.

I really wanted to get some proper pics and maybe a video clip or two, but that would've involved turning on the main lights and disturbing all the fish. In hindsight, I think I could've lit the area with a flashlight and turned the pumps off until the eggs release. With the pumps on, the eggs would get blown away as soon as they are released and wouldn't have made a very good clip. Problem is, I rarely stay up this late, so I dont' know when I'll ever see this again!

 

Hope everyone had a good turkey day.

-Robert