Studies on chitosan bead rejection process of fungiid coral

Abstract

This study was conducted to test the rejection percentage of the three species of fungiid coral specially Fungia fungites (4n), Fungia scruposa (3n) and Fungia repanda (3n) with artificial feed with containing 7 % (w/v) chitosan. A high percentage of total rejected chitosan bead (84.46% - 96.08%) was found. The diameter of the rejected chitosan is much smaller compare to the fresh chitosan diameter. Fungia fungites has highest rejection speed (8.259 mm.h- 1 ) chitosan via the gastrovascular canals, followed by Fungia repanda (7.160 mm.h- 1 ) and Fungia scruposa (6.677 mm.h- 1 ). Histological examination of Fungiids show that under the membrane and along the spetal of the Fungiids, there is a lot of the continuous gastrovascular canals present. Those canals are believed to accommodate the acquisition of food and also serve as a digestion place for food particles.