What does copper actually do to coral?

[inktomi]

I wondered what Copper actually does to coral - why is it so bad? I found a really interesting paper on it's effect on Zoanthids that helped to answer the question - in short, even at very low doses (20 ug/L or 20ppb), it causes a large uptick in free radicals which in turn damage all sorts of cellular structures (including DNA). I found it really interesting also that the team found a large increase in the amount of collagen in the Zoanthids as well. They became much tougher, less flexible, and more constricted inside after exposure to copper.

The researchers are not sure if these effects would reverse themselves after the copper exposure is gone, though some of the issues like DNA mutations would likely be permanent. Really cool research!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Copper is well known to be toxic to marine organisms at high levels. It has to be monitored and within therapuetic levels

 

[Garf]

Copper is well known to be toxic to marine organisms at high levels. It has to be monitored and within therapuetic levels

I think you're on about fish

 

[inktomi]

Yea, it's an ok medication for fish, but what I found really interesting is that even very low amounts of copper ARE causing changes in coral. Those changes might not outright kill the coral - but it reduces its ability to survive stress in the future for sure. Really interesting!