Spawning in Curacao!

Developing embryos

  Great news from the Carmabi Lab!

Saturday night the team in Curacao collected spawn from about 14 colonies of Montastrea faveolata! Success in the Caribbean as Shelby reports that the spawn was fertilized for 1.5 hours then divided into 3L containers at pretty low densities with about 80% fertilization.

Fertilization

News update from Shelby (9:30am Saturday morning)

After examining the larvae in the lab, Shelby notes a few patches of film in some of the high density containers which were cleaned up with a saran wrap technique and a bit of pipetting... so they are clean and happy for now! 


There are 12 cake pans with 3L each; 6 of them have probably 2,000 larvae and the other 6 have closer to 5,000 larvae (guessing by eye). These have been maintained in .45um filtered seawater. There is also one large white cooler with twice filtered sea water. 


There are a few random containers with larvae plus two other scientist's projects as well (Valarie and Kristen's projects). 

High density

The day older larvae are swimming their little circles already and seem happy!
The team is not going to collect more tonight since there is plenty, but there was talk about going out to observe for other species spawning if things are under control in the lab. 
For the moment, Shelby is keeping an eye on them and waiting for the crashing of the unfertilized eggs so she can then do a water change later in the day.

Low density

Thus far everything is going well, and we will be keeping you posted on their development with hopes for high survivorship and healthy larvae for their transport back to Buffalo at the end of October.

Spawning 2012 Part 2!

Update from our satellite BURR member in Curacao!

Shelby has arrived in Curacao and is prepping for the spawning which is predicted to occur Oct. 5-7.  All the sea water is filtered, so now they are just waiting and helping in the lab with whatever else needs to be done before the spawning event occurs.

Shelby has surveyed the dive site and reports: "AMAZING...the clarity here is incredible and there is so much to see (including some huge Acropora palmata, Dendrogyra (a personal favorite of Shelby's!), and massive stands of Porites porites."

 There are only four scientists working together, and the site they are collecting the spawn from is driving distance from the lab. Once at the site, they just walk out into the water to the site to observe the spawning.

Last night was the first dry run of Montastrea spawning, so we are all hoping everything went smoothly in preparation for tonight!

Good luck Shelby we'll be thinking of you the next few nights and hope that those corals spawn!