[Coral-List] Coral spawning techniques

[Peter Harrison]

Hi Lee,

It's relatively simple to collect spawned coral gametes in the field 
using cone nets. Best nets are those made from plankton mesh with a 
small plastic collecting jar at the apex. Remove the lid of the jar 
before diving, and once underwater add a small amount of air to the 
jar using your second reg so that the net stays upright and doesn't 
drag over the coral. I've found that a simple drawstring around the 
base of the net allows you to attach the net around the base of the 
coral colony. Once the net is attached, just wait for the coral to 
spawn, then carefully screw the lid onto the base of the plastic jar 
at the apex where all the buoyant egg-sperm bundles aggregate, then 
carefully remove the net from the coral, and you have a simple way of 
collecting coral spawn in situ. If plankton mesh is not available 
then use some other fine open mesh material but be aware that it is 
not as strong as plankton mesh so that it may tear on the coral if 
placed on a reef exposed to strong water movement.
Good luck!
cheers, Peter

>Hello List,
>
>Can anyone help me with suggestions or ideas or about how to go 
>about collecting coral sperm/egg bundles from a spawning coral head 
>out on the reef?  At the lab, we collect the bundles from coral 
>heads already placed into our flow-through water system. This allows 
>us to spend plenty of time collecting the bundles, requires little 
>equipment, and is is very controlled. I am sure I am creating a much 
>larger taskload to collect them fromt he reef but any help would be 
>greatly appreciated :)!  Thanks for your time.
>
>Regards,
>
>Lee Goldman
>Master Degree Candidate
>University of Guam
>
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-- 
Associate Professor Peter Harrison, PhD
Director of Marine Studies SCU
Director, Research Postgraduate Studies, National Marine Science Centre
Director, Southern Cross University Whale Research Centre
Marine Science and Management Course Coordinator
School of Environmental Science and Management
Southern Cross University
PO Box 157
Lismore NSW 2480   AUSTRALIA
SCU contacts:
Phone: 0266 203774    Fax: 0266 212669
Mobile: 0407456249
E-mail: pharriso at scu.edu.au
International Phone: 61 266 203774   International Fax: 61 266 212669
http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/rsm/staff/pages/pharriso/
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