Favia Budding??

[returnofsid]

Hi Kevin,
I know this is a dedicated SPS forum but wasn't sure where else to put this. I have a Favia that has a couple of polyps "drooping." That's about the only way I can describe it...lol. I've linked to a picture of it. Is this the Favia's way of budding of "lil' Favias?" If so, how would you suggest I keep it safe until it starts to grow a skeleton? I have a Hammer that's recently dropped a couple of buds as well. The small buds are in the sand bed and I've been watching them closely to make sure they don't get blown away. Hoping they'll also form skeletons soon. Anyway, here's the link.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mlhamilton/2934145975/

Thanks very much for any info you can provide!!

Sincerely,
Michael

 

[kevinpo]

Hello Michael,
Nice photo
Yes it certainly is one of the reproductive strategies of LPS corals. The buds will develop into clones of their parent. Getting blown behind the rock-work and not receiving enough light is the biggest danger. The buds will form a stony skeleton in a couple of months that will keep them in place but care should be taken that they receive the current amount of light until then (don't let them blow behind the rock-work).

Regards,
Kevin

 

[returnofsid]

Kevin, thanks!!! I'll watch it closely. May have to move it, as it's near my Pistol Shrimps cave. That bugger's always dragging frags into his cave. Just noticed a nice A. valida frag in there that I've been looking for. Grrrr

 

[pkiff]

I saw the same thing happen with a Hammer bud. It seems those little guys will use anything they can get their claws on!

 

[kevinpo]

Here's a couple of shots of a Euphyllia glabrescens (Torch coral) budding.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[returnofsid]

Kevin, how long did it take that Torch to start putting off skeletal tissue? My torch did that a few months back and the bud is sitting on the bottom of my tank still...lol. It is in a shady spot though. Need to figure out a way to get it in the light, without the current blowing it away.

 

[kevinpo]

Kevin, how long did it take that Torch to start putting off skeletal tissue?

Normally the bud will have a very small amount of the parent skeleton attached. You can see some of it in the photo just below the streched out part.

It grows about the same rate as the parent with proper mineral levels and nutrition.

Regards,
Kevin