Do Corals feel pain?

[Samper]

I'm referencing my Xenia patch. The entire colony is attached to one large piece of LR that I have. But they have seperated into about 5 smaller colonies with 20-30 heads a piece not to mention dropping numerous satellites in other areas of the tank. One such colony is beside another piece of LR and my powerhead keeps swaying it into this other piece of LR beside it. In the past few days one of the stalks has attached to this other piece of LR causing a tissue bridge and the stalk to seperate into two but still be connected. Tonight I thought I'd experiment a little bit and I cut this tissue bridge seperating the clump. Immediately when I did this all the heads closed up and shrunk into the main body of both pieces of the coral. They have since opened up and look fine but this reaction made me wonder if the animal feels pain or maybe the colony just felt threatened so it condensed itself to ward off further attacks.

All is well and I may take a few frags to this meeting with Mr. Calfo in SC.

[Poseidon]

I am fairly certain that "no brain = no Pain" but not 100%

I would think that was just REACTION to stimuli, but that stimuli had to be SOMETHING to cause the contraction of the polyps.... Nah I still say no pain!

[zhenya]

No, you can't attribute human emotions to corals. I agree with Mike that the coral reacted to stimuli and contracted.It would do the same if you would simply touch it/disturb it.

[Ninong]

Animals with brains experience pain. Corals have no brains, ergo no pain.

[Samper]

Thanks guys.....I feel a little silly for asking that but was just curious about what I observed.