how long does a coral live

[Doc]

When the original splits, it is no longer there. The two new copies are brand new. One will have some parts from the old one, the other will have still other parts. Since these 2 new clones are distinct and the "Mother" is gone, it can be said that the mother "dies" during the reproductive cycle. If the was a budding of a smaller clone like some yeasts and bactaria, then you could label one "mother". But since "Mom" "dies" during the cycle, the length on any one polyp is the length of time it takes to cycle and reproduce.

Doc

 

[Deanos]

When the original splits, it is no longer there. The two new copies are brand new. One will have some parts from the old one, the other will have still other parts. Since these 2 new clones are distinct and the "Mother" is gone, it can be said that the mother "dies" during the reproductive cycle. If the was a budding of a smaller clone like some yeasts and bactaria, then you could label one "mother". But since "Mom" "dies" during the cycle, the length on any one polyp is the length of time it takes to cycle and reproduce.

Doc

If no dead tissue is created during a BTA's split, why do you feel a "death" has occurred. The two clones are just that...genetically IDENTICAL to the original anemone. In fact, the statement: "clones are distinct" is an oxymoron (it contradicts itself :irked. Only through sexual reproduction is a new and distinct anenome created.

 

[jhale]

found here, http://www.floridamarine.org/support/view_faqs.asp?id=10

How long does stony coral live?
Coral has a life span like all organisms. The question of coral life span is really two questions: 1) How long does the whole coral colony live? 2) How long does an individual coral animal (polyp) live?

1) How long does the whole coral colony live? The answer depends on the species. One of the small stony corals named Favia fragum, which never grows larger than a golf ball, has a life span of about five to ten years. The star coral Montastraea annularis may live for several centuries and grow to the size of an automobile. Its growth rate ranges from about 5 to 15 mm (1/4 to 3/4 of an inch) of yearly, outward expansion. Among shallow water coral, boulder-shaped colonies grow more slowly, and live longer than branching coral colonies.

2) How long does an individual coral animal (polyp) live? Once again, the answer depends on what the species. In general, polyps on a bumpy colony have a short life span, and polyps on a smooth colony have a long life span. A polyp grows outward in a basically straight line. You can see this on corals that are broken in half. The polyp skeleton (corallite) looks like a straw, and the polyp was living on the very top of the straw. The whole colony is like a bundle of straws. On bumpy colonies some of these polyps are ?aimed toward? other polyps. They get closer and closer as the polyps grow, and eventually they meet. One will live the other will die. This is what determines the life span of individual polyps on a bumpy colony. The life span of an individual polyp on Porites (a common bumpy coral) is about 2-3 years. A good source for polyp life span is W.M. Darke and D.J. Barnes' "Growth Trajectories of Corallites and Ages of Polyps in Massive Colonies of Reef-building Corals of the Genus Porites," Mar. Biol. 117:321-326, 1993.

OK, what about smooth colonies? Well the corallites are essentially the same. On smooth colonies none of the polyps are ?aimed toward? each other, they are all ?aimed? outward. Polyps on a smooth colony do not have to die as the colony grows. The best example in the Caribbean is a brain coral named Colpophyllia natans. Presumably, the very first polyp on a colony of this brain coral is living somewhere on a 400 year old colony.

 

[nanoreefer22]

Hehe...John we found that one already . Post #5.

 

[fas917]

Well I think coral has no set life span. i.e coral don?t die the way we do. They do not get old either. Yes the colony will mature and expand. That does not mean when they hit 60 they cash out their 401k, retire and stop growing. You have to think of corals as thousands if not millions of individual micro organisms living together in a symbiotic relationship with one another. Think of coral colony as our own growing cities. Our cities consists of thousands of people coexisting and living in symbiotic relationship with one another. If we were to ask how long a city will live? What would you say?

 

[Deanos]

If we were to ask how long a city will live? What would you say?

I'd say Ghost Town :sgrin:

 

[jhale]

Hehe...John we found that one already . Post #5.

oops, then what are you still talking about?

 

[fas917]

I'd say Ghost Town :

:lol: good one Dean

 

[nanoreefer22]

oops, then what are you still talking about?

Charlie wanted some more direct answers and analysis....lol check me out with big words..damn school...i liked my 3 letter max vocab

 

[charliethetuna88]

i know what everyones saying but if i put 1 zoo in a tank and it never split how long would it live under the right conditions john also what type of colony would u classified a zoo in

 

[Deanos]

I believe a zoa in a tank under the right conditions has no choice but to replicate itself. Therefore, IMO, your question as asked, is unanswerable.

Unless, of course, you mounted it where it had no room to split. Then, your question could be answered by someone who has done just that.

 

[nanoreefer22]

Hmmmmm...I'll do it and maybe it'll still be around when im 101