| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立中山大學 === 海洋科學系研究所 === 102 === The price and demand on corals in ornamental industry are rising in recent years. Among various factors, color and growth rate are the most important two to determine the business profit. This study was aimed to investigate the effects of additional fed on the physiology and color of the stony coral, Acropora muricata. The experiments were conducted in the Marine Life Propagation Station, Penghu. Treatments were divided into 5 groups, i.e. control (starved), fed with Isochrysis galbana, Artemia salina, Isochrysis galbana + Artemia salina and Briachionus rotundiformis. Coral growth was measured by buoyant weighting method and morphology change was analyzed by photograph and Image J every other week. Camera settings were ISO-200, 1/30 second exposure time, exposure bias +1, iris aperture f/3.3, no flash and AWS white balance mode. Physiological parameters were only determined at week 0 and 8. Phosphate concentration (7.84 ± 1.10 μM PO43-) was significantly higher than normal seawater during the experimental period. Coral weight increased in the range of 80 - 100% and no difference among treatments. In contrast, the RGB values decreased with lighter color in the group of fed with B. rotundiformis. All other groups had darker colors when compared with week 0. In addition, measurements on physiological parameters, i.e. zooxanthellae density, total protein and chlorophyll a content showed no significant difference among treatments. The result of lighter color when fed with B. rotundiformis may have application potential in ornamental industry of corals.
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