[Coral-List] Reef Ball Foundation is seeking published or unpublished studies or experiences using chlorhexidine for coral fragmentation and propagation

Todd Barber reefball at reefball.com
Fri Apr 23 08:39:46 EDT 2010


Hi Dean,

Do you have pictures of the lesion?  We have found that when only a few
corals of a particular species survive in an area that experiences
sedimentation or pollution pressures that those colonies my contain highly
important genetics.  In fact, from what you describe it maybe desirable to
actually propagate several fragments from each of the surviving corals
before attempting treatment that way if what every you try harms the colony,
you still have not lost what could be critical genetics for future recovery
efforts.

Propagating Leptoria is not easy, and so I recommend you seek guidence on
various techniques and do a few successful fragmentation and replanting on
some of the unpolluted atolls first before working with these potentially
genetic stars.

In terms of the treatment itself, you need to determine first the pathogen
(what is the root cause, bacteria, viral, preditor, allergic reaction [such
as being stung by another coral, or fungal).  Once you determine the cause,
you can then look up known human or animal agents that are active against
the particular pathogen...then you can test the toxicity of that
treatment...ideally in an advanced live reef aquarium setting where you can
control other variable well.  Finally, you can then develop an in situ
treatment plan.  I know that may seem llike a lot of work, and for most
corals just cleaning the water up as best you can, sometimes offering them a
little extra food and leaving them alone is the best treatment.  But when
one suspects that the particular coral colony might somehow have developed a
natural resistance to human type impacts, it's critical we preserve them for
future scientific endeavors as we all work to preserve our world's coral
reefs.



Thanks,

Todd R Barber
Chairman, Reef Ball Foundation
3305 Edwards Court
Greenville, NC 27858
252-353-9094 (Direct)
941-720-7549 (Cell & Goggle Voice)
toddbarber Skype

www,reefball.org (Reef Ball Foundation)
www.artificialreefs.com (Designed Artificial Reefs)
www.reefbeach.com (Reefs for Beach Erosion)
www.eternalreefs.com (Memorial Reefs)
www.reefball.com (Reef Ball Foundation)


On Thu, Apr 22, 2010 at 10:04 PM, Dean Jacobson <atolldino at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Todd:
>
> Your request range a bell in my mind.  I am considering trying to treat a
> disease lesion, and (without knowledge of the chemicals you mentioned) I
> considered using a hypochlorite agar, a "slow release" gel, mounted over the
> lesion.  Perhaps an optimal concentration would minimize damage to
> surrounding tissue.  Any advise you may have would be appreciated.  I am
> also considering sealing the lesion, after treatment, with underwater epoxy
> puddy.
>
> I have been provoked to (planned) action, due to a disease lesion I found
> on a very rare brain coral... I have found only two colonies of Leptoria on
> all of Majuro atoll, and the second one is infected! (It is more common on
> unpolluted atolls, but not much, and can grow to enormous sizes).
>
> Cheers,
> Dean Jacobson
> College of the Marshall Islands
>
> --- On Thu, 4/22/10, Todd Barber <reefball at reefball.com> wrote:
>
> > From: Todd Barber <reefball at reefball.com>
> > Subject: [Coral-List] Reef Ball Foundation is seeking published or
> unpublished studies or experiences using chlorhexidine for coral
> fragmentation and propagation
> > To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> > Date: Thursday, April 22, 2010, 10:33 AM
> > Hi All,
> >
> > Does anyone have any experience using chlorhexidine
> > (solutions) as an
> > antiseptic for reducing susceptibility to rapid tissue
> > necrosis (and other
> > bacterial infections)  in Acropora (or other coral
> > species)  after
> > fragmentation or other injury?  Also, does anyone have
> > any knowledge of
> > Chlorhexidine treatments in the deterrence of coral
> > predators (such as fire
> > worms) owing to it's residual activity and "bad
> > taste"?  We are looking for
> > experiences with concentrations of non-alchohol based
> > versions of
> > chlorhexidine as an adjunct or replacement to povidone
> > iodine solution
> > treatments currently used on our coral propagation tables.
> >
> > Any information on the concentration levels that cause
> > toxicity in various
> > hard and soft coral species is also greatly
> > appreciated.  We are also
> > interested in information on length of exposure to this
> > chemical in terms of
> > retaining residual antibacterial and anti-predator effects.
> > Toxicity to any
> > other marine life information would also be useful.
> > Finally, has anyone
> > tried to use chlorhexidine in situ for treatment of coral
> > bacterial
> > diseases?
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Todd R Barber
> > Chairman, Reef Ball Foundation
> > 3305 Edwards Court
> > Greenville, NC 27858
> > 252-353-9094 (Direct)
> > 941-720-7549 (Cell & Goggle Voice)
> > toddbarber Skype
> >
> > www,reefball.org (Reef Ball Foundation)
> > www.artificialreefs.com (Designed Artificial Reefs)
> > www.reefbeach.com (Reefs for Beach Erosion)
> > www.eternalreefs.com (Memorial Reefs)
> > www.reefball.com (Reef Ball Foundation)
> > _______________________________________________
> > Coral-List mailing list
> > Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> > http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
> >
>
>
>
>
>
>
>



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