Coral color for aquarium specimens

[Ove Hoegh-Guldberg]

Take a look at this months issue of Coral Reefs.  Coral colour explained!  We have isolated,
purified and structurally characterised gfps from reef-building corals.  Most colour (visible and UV
stimulated) has to do with the pocilloporins (which resemble gfp).

Cheers,

Ove

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
[mailto:owner-coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov]On Behalf Of
BobFenner at aol.com
Sent: Saturday, 9 September 2000 6:48 AM
To: EricHugo at aol.com; jabulani47 at hotmail.com; fishxing at mindspring.com;
perry at creationstreet.com.sg; dcrews at ncweb.com;
coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov; J. Charles Delbeek;
d.fenner at aims.gov.au; Julian Sprung; pablo at nlpublish.com; John Veron;
Twalsh at curley.loyola.edu; wsi at is.com.fj; jturner at HBOI.edu; Dave Sheehy;
SDMAS at egroups.com; Robert; mike paletta; Fernando Nosratpour;
lty at mail.nysu.edu; carman9941 at msn.com; systems at rk2.com;
support at proteinskimmer.com; tfrakes at aquariumsystems.com;
FerncaseM at aol.com; Chris Clevers
Subject: Re: Coral color for aquarium specimens


In a message dated 9/8/00 1:11:22 PM Pacific Daylight Time, Eric Hugo writes:

<< Subj:    Re: Coral color for aquarium specimens
 Date:  9/8/00 1:11:22 PM Pacific Daylight Time
 From:  Eric Hugo
 To:    Bob Fenner, S96007966 at student.usp.ac.fj

 Hi Bob and Ron:

 I have too many references on coral coloration to know where to start.  One
of the first questions I must ask is the actual color group you are looking
at.  The animal biochromes, the fluorescing proteins, and the pigmentation of
the zooxanthellae are three very distinct groups all with their own factors.
I would need to know this aspect and more about the study  - i.e. a more
concise version of the hypthesis and null hypothesis to be able to narrow it
down to a reeasonable request

 I would also add that asking people like Walt, Noel, Dick, etc is asking for
completely anecdotal advice, as are the comments on iodine, alkalinity,
protein skimming etc.  Water quality and lighting will likely have an effect
on the phtosoynthetic pigmentation in a number of ways, and food certainly
for the azooxanthellate species in terms of pigments present and ability to
be biosynthesized (if at all).  Lighting will also affect those corals
possessing the pigments pocilloporin and related compounds.  May also have to
do with at least the GFP group, although possibly not the other fluorescing
protein groups.  Too new a field (Matz, et al 1999).  Almost all observations
coming from the aquarium populace are not worthy of serious consideration in
an academic paper except in simple "by the way" comments.

 Let me know what the scope and needs are and I will send you some references
to get you going.

 Eric Borneman >>

Ah, good to see/hear you out there... Now, where in tarnation is that book of
yours!?
    Do disagree with your overall apparent disdain of "contacts" in the trade
and hobby... In reviewing such requests for assistance, I suspect people are
looking for "help" in a more general sense... as in contacts for specimens,
even pragmatic matters like "how to gather, transport, keep alive
specimens..." As such, industry types are invaluable... as they have indeed,
been there, done that.
Bob Fenner