Coral and Anemone Spawning Events in Aquaria

[kenneking]

Hi all,

I have been in the coral spawning world for a few years now in the academic route, but have always been an aquarist also. In the past couple years, I have noticed some amazing successes with coral spawning events in captivity from Horniman Museum, California Academy of Science, and Florida Aquarium. But, I have for years heard of people saying they have seen corals spawning in their personal aquariums. I have also seen a few dozen accounts of rock flower anemone spawning events through different pages. I would love to hear from people in the community about what experiences they have had with spawning in aquariums, specifically from corals and anemones. If you have personally experienced the events, I would love to know any information you have about your aquarium water quality, lighting regime, feeding, and any other notable occurrences seen during the spawning.

Thanks!
Kory

 

[kenneking]

No one has any accounts of spawning? I would love to see peoples personal stories of things spawning in their aquariums.

 

[bsn_rn_cen]

Have you talked to @Ron Reefman about his experiences? I follow his build
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/ron-reefmans-rock-flower-experience.409436/page-19#post-6400730

 

[Ron Reefman]

@kenneking, I've had one sps spawn and ended up with several new corals in places where I didn't put them.

But I've had RFA's spawn at least 3 and possibly 4 times in my aquariums. Unlike several others here, I've never seen the male release sperm or even the female release the babies. But shortly after the release of the babies I've found 10-12 super tiny RFA's, like a 1/4" in diameter at most! They start to grow and then 9 months later, more tiny RFA's! That's happened 3 times for sure. The oldest of the babies is 2 1/2 years and are now about the size of a quarter or 50 cent piece. The most recent babies are still less than 1/2" in diameter. I started with 5 good size RFA's and now have somewhere between 40 and 45 (I'm finding new little ones all the time).

There is a fairly long thread about RFA's and several people who have caught the event oncamera and video have posts there. Please feel free to join in and ask any kind of question you might have.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/ron-reefmans-rock-flower-experience.409436/

I'm in the process now of building a new 90g DIY aquarium so I have more room for RFA's. BTW, our local club is trying to get a 'behind the scenes' tour of the Florida Aquarium coral propagation site. We've done the Mote Marine site and Martin Moe's facilities in the Keys already.

 

[kenneking]

@kenneking, I've had one sps spawn and ended up with several new corals in places where I didn't put them.

But I've had RFA's spawn at least 3 and possibly 4 times in my aquariums. Unlike several others here, I've never seen the male release sperm or even the female release the babies. But shortly after the release of the babies I've found 10-12 super tiny RFA's, like a 1/4" in diameter at most! They start to grow and then 9 months later, more tiny RFA's! That's happened 3 times for sure. The oldest of the babies is 2 1/2 years and are now about the size of a quarter or 50 cent piece. The most recent babies are still less than 1/2" in diameter. I started with 5 good size RFA's and now have somewhere between 40 and 45 (I'm finding new little ones all the time).

There is a fairly long thread about RFA's and several people who have caught the event oncamera and video have posts there. Please feel free to join in and ask any kind of question you might have.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/ron-reefmans-rock-flower-experience.409436/

I'm in the process now of building a new 90g DIY aquarium so I have more room for RFA's. BTW, our local club is trying to get a 'behind the scenes' tour of the Florida Aquarium coral propagation site. We've done the Mote Marine site and Martin Moe's facilities in the Keys already.

Very awesome! Thank you for the information. Are you doing anything special to your lights, parameters to try to induce spawning, or just keeping corals happy with normal husbandry?

It would be awesome to get to the FL aquarium site. Keri O'Neil is doing great work there. I am currently working with her on a spawning system I am setting up for UNCW. When not working on that system and my masters thesis, I am trying to get my personal system set-up for spawning. I have been monitoring posts to try to see what people are doing for things to spawn. The more information collected, the easier it is to find cues for different species.

 

[ShaggyRS6]

I had one spawning when I had my Aquamedic tank back in the UK about 15 years ago. Woke up to the tank milky looking and actually saw some of the corals producing. I turned the lights on and it stopped. I can’t say I had any corals appear as a result though.

 

[Softhammer]

I have had Acropora spawn on a few different occasions. They were the old school Bali mariculture tenius and Formosa pieces on the concrete plug that we don’t get anymore. It was nuts. The entire tank looked like a snow globe but the snow was floating up. The fish that were still active pigged out on the pink eggs (anthias).The only thing I can tell about it’s cause would have to be the Tunze multicontroller that I used with it’s true to life lunar cycle. All spawning occurred after lights out under a full simulated moon. This was the white led moon light not the blue, I haven’t seen any effects with the blue. I have video proof somewhere on an old iPhone I’ll have to dig up as many will call BS on this. Btw this was in a very heavily stocked 90 gallon with almost complete coral coverage on the rocks not some monster tank.
I should also add that all of my corals where huge by today’s standards. I had zero frag sized corals, the smallest Acro was easily fist sized and the smallest staghorn (which spawned as well) was close to 12”.

 

[ShaggyRS6]

I have had Acropora spawn on a few different occasions. They were the old school Bali mariculture tenius and Formosa pieces on the concrete plug that we don’t get anymore. It was nuts. The entire tank looked like a snow globe but the snow was floating up. The fish that were still active pigged out on the pink eggs (anthias).The only thing I can tell about it’s cause would have to be the Tunze multicontroller that I used with it’s true to life lunar cycle. All spawning occurred after lights out under a full simulated moon. This was the white led moon light not the blue, I haven’t seen any effects with the blue. I have video proof somewhere on an old iPhone I’ll have to dig up as many will call crap on this. Btw this was in a very heavily stocked 90 gallon with almost complete coral coverage on the rocks not some monster tank.
I should also add that all of my corals where huge by today’s standards. I had zero frag sized corals, the smallest Acro was easily fist sized and the smallest staghorn (which spawned as well) was close to 12”.

My experience from a tank a coral and light spec perspective was exactly how you described yours. I had a 90gallon tank

 

[Softhammer]

Only thing I can figure is the coral density being so high that it triggered it. As if the corals could sense each other. Now I have a 180 that’s jam packed but no spawns yet. I have almost 100 acros but most are smaller. 20 or so are huge but the density isn’t what it was in the 90g.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Very awesome! Thank you for the information. Are you doing anything special to your lights, parameters to try to induce spawning, or just keeping corals happy with normal husbandry?

It would be awesome to get to the FL aquarium site. Keri O'Neil is doing great work there. I am currently working with her on a spawning system I am setting up for UNCW. When not working on that system and my masters thesis, I am trying to get my personal system set-up for spawning. I have been monitoring posts to try to see what people are doing for things to spawn. The more information collected, the easier it is to find cues for different species.

I did nothing special for the coral spawn and that was back when I had big colonies and MH lighting. For the RFA spawning all I do is keep them well fed. I make sure that once a week when I feed the fish I spray some food at the anemones. And every week or two I spot feed the anemones and make sure they are closing up on the food. All the RFA spawns have been under leds run as very cool white during midday and quite blue for 3 hours in the morning and 5 hours in the evening.

 

[Thales]

I have had Acropora spawn on a few different occasions. They were the old school Bali mariculture tenius and Formosa pieces on the concrete plug that we don’t get anymore. It was nuts. The entire tank looked like a snow globe but the snow was floating up. The fish that were still active pigged out on the pink eggs (anthias).The only thing I can tell about it’s cause would have to be the Tunze multicontroller that I used with it’s true to life lunar cycle. All spawning occurred after lights out under a full simulated moon. This was the white led moon light not the blue, I haven’t seen any effects with the blue. I have video proof somewhere on an old iPhone I’ll have to dig up as many will call crap on this. Btw this was in a very heavily stocked 90 gallon with almost complete coral coverage on the rocks not some monster tank.
I should also add that all of my corals where huge by today’s standards. I had zero frag sized corals, the smallest Acro was easily fist sized and the smallest staghorn (which spawned as well) was close to 12”.

Thanks. The date and where in the works the tank was would be helpful.

 

[kenneking]

Thanks. The date and where in the works the tank was would be helpful.

I have had Acropora spawn on a few different occasions. They were the old school Bali mariculture tenius and Formosa pieces on the concrete plug that we don’t get anymore. It was nuts. The entire tank looked like a snow globe but the snow was floating up. The fish that were still active pigged out on the pink eggs (anthias).The only thing I can tell about it’s cause would have to be the Tunze multicontroller that I used with it’s true to life lunar cycle. All spawning occurred after lights out under a full simulated moon. This was the white led moon light not the blue, I haven’t seen any effects with the blue. I have video proof somewhere on an old iPhone I’ll have to dig up as many will call crap on this. Btw this was in a very heavily stocked 90 gallon with almost complete coral coverage on the rocks not some monster tank.
I should also add that all of my corals where huge by today’s standards. I had zero frag sized corals, the smallest Acro was easily fist sized and the smallest staghorn (which spawned as well) was close to 12”.

Additionally, any information on water chemistry would be helpful if you have anything!

 

[saltyhog]

I've had 4 or 5 RFA spawning events. Also had several snail spawning events. Never had any coral spawns though. A few videos of some of them.

 

[kenneking]

I've had 4 or 5 RFA spawning events. Also had several snail spawning events. Never had any coral spawns though. A few videos of some of them.

Great videos! Any more information other than just dates with the spawning? Time of day, anything abnormal with water quality that could have stressed them. How long your lights were on/off.

 

[Softhammer]

I wish I did. It was in the days of zero water testing for me. Only thing notable was the colonies were fairly new to captivity, coming straight from Bali and the lunar cycles. Along the same time I also spawned urchins, giant clams, snails and many times had peppermint shrimp release larvae. Also recently had emerald crab larvae at night during the full moon as well.

 

[ReefLab]

Question about spawning. I know that lunar events/solar intensity/temperature and a few other variables may be at play.. Most of our tanks are in rooms with ambient lighting and TV's.. would that make it unlikely to have a spawning event? What are ways around the influence of ambient light (if any)?

 

[Thales]

Question about spawning. I know that lunar events/solar intensity/temperature and a few other variables may be at play.. Most of our tanks are in rooms with ambient lighting and TV's.. would that make it unlikely to have a spawning event? What are ways around the influence of ambient light (if any)?

We aren't totally sure. The idea is that it can inhibit - yet there are all kinds of spawning events in the hobby. I am currently advocating people doing what they can and seeing if they can get a spawn at all. Here is a talk about it, I have it cued to start at the 'spawning in our tanks' part.
The talk is 1st gen, I have given it a few more times since MACNA and it is better. I also plan to follow up with a more useful article. kenneking sorry if this hijacks your thread

 

[ReefLab]

We aren't totally sure. The idea is that it can inhibit - yet there are all kinds of spawning events in the hobby. I am currently advocating people doing what they can and seeing if they can get a spawn at all. Here is a talk about it, I have it cued to start at the 'spawning in our tanks' part.
The talk is 1st gen, I have given it a few more times since MACNA and it is better. I also plan to follow up with a more useful article. kenneking sorry if this hijacks your thread

I did watch that and it really sparked my interest. I'd enjoy doing that although the small changes in lighting seem like they would be negated by relatively bright ambient room light.. especially those Netflix binge sessions at 1am lol.
I think ill still at least attempt the process and see if I can get anything to occur!

 

[kenneking]

We aren't totally sure. The idea is that it can inhibit - yet there are all kinds of spawning events in the hobby. I am currently advocating people doing what they can and seeing if they can get a spawn at all. Here is a talk about it, I have it cued to start at the 'spawning in our tanks' part.
The talk is 1st gen, I have given it a few more times since MACNA and it is better. I also plan to follow up with a more useful article. kenneking sorry if this hijacks your thread

Nice shameless plug! Also, this is science, you are not hijacking anything.

There has been studies have talked about corals that are environmentally driven for reproduction and some are driven by a biological clock. So, it may effect some species more than others.