can dead coral be "reborn?"

Can dead coral be "reborn?"

 

Depends on what you mean by reborn. A dead acropora skeleton will never been an acropora coral again, but coralline algae, and other corals may grow on top of it.

Reefs are built when coral dies and other corals, aglaes, worms, etc. grow on top of it.

 

No.

If it is dead it has lost all that makes it a coral (symbiotic photosynthetic zooanthelae (Sp?), fleshy polyps, mouth, sweeper tenticles, crown, etc.).

However, LPS, SPS and other misc. stony corals will LEAVE BEHIND a hard calciferous skeleton that will last until it is broken/dissolved.

Sometimes a COLONY might lose a few individuals and still recover as a whole!!!!

Do you have a coral that you are looking at that might be dead?

If so a picture will help a lot to get you answers . . . .

 

That is not completely true.

Fungia skeleton will sometimes have a few polyps growing off of them after a few months of being "lifeless". They leave a tiny bit of themselves on the bone every so often when they die. IDK how it works, but it does.

 

I agree, Fungia is one a few that can appear to be completely dead, and begin to develop new tissue. I have seen this happen after months of appearing to be only skeleton.

It is far more common in LPS. The coral skeleton of course was not exposed to air.

 

YOu can, but like..if its all the way dead, then no...But i have "reborn" frogspawns from the tissue, a acan frag, never had SPS...But i did some zoas and softies that were on the verge of death..

If something is completely dead, then no..But if its about to die, then possibly. Depending on how good your husbandry skills are.

 

if something is dead, it's dead.

If something like a fungia still has tiny little polyps then there is a chance it can make a comeback because it's not all dead, but if it's dead completely then it's not coming back.

 

Ok let me dig around I have some pictures of what appears to be a skeleton of a fungia, no tissue, buried in the sand for who knows how long and then started to produce buds. No visable tissue.

Now for defining the dead issue. If the coral has been exposed to air for an extended period of time, lets say hours then no the coral most likely will not bud again, but fungia that have been submerged can develop new tissue.

Now trying to split hairs, the op may have a different idea what dead means, and maybe not.;D

 

Just google dead plate coral and you can find other examples.

My dead plate coral is comming back to life! - Saltwater Aquariums - Reef Tanks Online Discussion

 

;D So it's like a Phoenix rising from its own ashes? Or in this case rising from the sand.

or

Maybe we could call it Zombie Fungia! ;D




Of course, just kidding