Bioluminescence

[Jeff Hood]

Very Cool.

Tonight turn off all of your lights in the room and open the top. Take your hand and agitate the water. You may see a green dim light form. We use to do that on all of our nite dives. Another friend that lived in Seatle use to throw rocks into the ocean and the area would glow for a short period of time.

If it lights up then you have some Bioluminesent plankton in there.

Oh, Neato Frieto!!

Jeff

 

[Buck]

Let me ask another -- those who do feed at night or at least view their reef with the lights out, how many notice bioluminescent activity?
Last night I was feeding and "Bang!" a nice little flash of light that slowly diminished ( but to fast to identify the source ). I knew it occured - just had not thought in my tank!!! Neat!! ( That's an old man's way of saying Cool!! )

 

[Buck]

This particular one was not just in the water but a point source on one of the rocks - it flashed and then slowly faded, so my assumtion is that it was an animal distrubed by my activity. Like a very large lightining bug!!

 

[Mouse]

What you probably did was startle a Serpent Star. When confronted they may detach and "flash" one of their legs while the rest of the body makes a getaway. The clour they flash is blue if that gives you any more of an indication. Also while on the subject of Serpent Stars, did you know that every cell on the top of the star is optical, yep thats right they see with their arms.

Neato

 

[MFisher]

I dont think the brittle stars even have to detach a leg, they just flash. I don't think all of their cells are used for "sight", just some of them. Its a pretty interesting "primative" optical system though. If I remember correctly they use calcite crystals for lenses.