The thing I noticed with ForTheFishes data is that it appears to support the idea that maybe wildlife collectors aren’t the problem. Just by going on the data provided in their Oahu Collector Reports from 2000-2007, almost 300,000 individuals were taken from the reef in that eight year period. Over that same period, just over 4500 individuals died. This equates to just 0.15% of the animals being taken from the Hawaiian reefs died somewhere between the time they were caught and when they were shipped to US mainland wholesalers. This is an extremely tiny number, and you must keep in mind that it isn’t all fish. Hermit crabs were collected in a much greater amount than any other type of animal, and some of the wildlife wasn’t classified (designated as “Other”).

Continue reading below for data collected from livestock collectors and how this data might be incomplete or, at the very least, inaccurate.

In one year in particular, there was a 10,000 individual increase in the amount of fish and invertebrates sold versus caught. So either the livestock collectors have found a way to bring fish back from the dead, they are breeding them, or the data is incorrect. I’m voting for the latter, but this would mean that maybe other numbers are wrong. Nobody knows exactly how many different fish and invertebrates are taken from the reefs on a yearly basis, and the aquarium industry bashing websites will say the numbers they are reporting are to be considered incomplete because so much of the information goes unreported. In a nutshell, these people don’t really have a clue, but vastly inflate their numbers so as to make their point seem more valid.

Another point I found very interesting, and this is not really related to the argument above but goes to show just how out of touch ForTheFishes and other similar organizations are, is they claim:

up to 24% of the villagers diving for these animals end up paralyzed or dead from their efforts due to decompression illness from breaking diving safety rules

But anyone who has taken any diving classes knows that you can’t get decompression sickness from free diving (e.g. using a snorkel or holding your breath). Most of these villagers don’t have SCUBA equipment, which can be very expensive to own, use and maintain. They are villagers who use nets, and if they’re lucky a mask and fins, to help in catching their fish. They take a breath of air and make repeated dives to catch their daily limit. In order to get decompression sickness, you must take in air while you are at depth and exposed to quite a bit of pressure. When a diver ascends too rapidly at the end of a long dive, the pressure drops rapidly, thus causing gasses to bubble in the blood. These bubbles lead to joint pain, headaches, and quite a bit of other sicknesses. Again, this isn’t very important to the argument above, but if they are wrong about this concept, what else are they wrong about?

Wintner is in the tourism industry. He owns Snorkel Bob’s, a company that sells entry-level diving equipment, performs diving excursions, and basically caters to tourists. With this in mind, one might begin to question his motives. Does he really care for the reefs or Hawaii, or is he worried his revenue might decrease because there are divers in the water collecting fish and corals? Where does businessman end and “conservationist” begin? Additionally, the very industry he apparently thrives in is probably more responsible for reef devastation than the aquarium hobby.

Continue reading below for a few of our opinions…

In response to Wintner’s claims that the aquarium hobby is destructive to wild reefs, I have several points I would like to bring up. For starters, doesn’t tourism to remote reef locations also harm the reef? How much gasoline is being pumped into the ocean? How many people are taking live animals or breaking corals they touch or step on? How much garbage gets blown off of the tour boats and into the water? How much sunscreen gets into these pristine reef ecosystems? When you break it all down, tourism is just another harmful thing the ocean has to put up with. It’s certainly not helping the issue.

Secondly, why no mention of aquacultured livestock, beneficial research, and an enhanced knowledge of the reef that has come directly from the hobby? Aquaculturing and mariculturing have certainly helped declining wild reefs. Transplanted corals have replaced corals that died during bleaching events or algae outbreaks. Had there been no aquarium hobby, there would probably not be much of a mariculture or aquaculture industry either. Also, how many aquariums have inspired you children to follow their passions and become biologists or conservationists? I know it worked for me. Because I was enamored by all living things (fish especially), I decided to pursue a career as a marine biologist. I know my case isn’t very common, but it certainly isn’t rare or far fetched. The aquarium hobby has created a lot of well-known conservation minded individuals who have done so much more for wild reefs than Snorkel Bob could ever dream.

All that being said, I will admit there are a few valid points to Snorkel Bob’s arguments, though they are quite misguided and out of touch. The aquarium industry isn’t perfect, nor does it claim to be. A lot of fish die annually because of the hobby, but a lot are also saved. Instead of lambasting the hobby though, we should be looking for ways to improve it. This occurs every single day, but we as hobbyists do need to be more responsible. Research what you intend to purchase. Buy from responsible retailers and avoid those who are only in it to make a buck. Promote captive breeding and aquaculture and try to better your skills as an aquarist so you can share your own corals with the world.

I guess I’ll put my own rant on hold for now. It may even seem all over the place, but it’s hard to conjure up a concise response to someone who has so much hate for something he doesn’t seem to fully understand. The aquarium industry has something to talk about for a while, so let’s get the ideas out there. What do you guys think? Is this hobby sustainable? How else could we improve it?

ORA Acropora Solitaryensis

Just in time for MACNA, ORA has announced that they will be releasing a brand new coral…the ORA Acropora solitaryensis. This coral has apparently taken several years to develop before ORA was ready to take it public. A. solitaryensis is a notoriously slow grower, but it more than makes up for that with its beauty. A personal favorite, this coral grows in table form, often creating several layers. It’s certainly a move away from the typical branching Acros.

The coral above may not appear very striking to some, but keep in mind that the picture was taken under natural sunlight. Under appropriate lighting, this coral will develop a greenish tan base, with purple tipped branches and green polyps.

Here’s the official news release from ORA:

This month ORA is proud to introduce the ORA Solitaryensis. The base color is a greenish tan and branch tips are light purple with striking green polyps. Branches grow horizontally and fuse together forming a solid plate in the center of the colony with new growth remaining separated. As the colony ages, it grows into multiple layers of horizontal plates. This Acropora is extremely slow growing and after many years of working with it we are happy to be releasing this splendid coral to the public. Frags are approximately 1” and well encrusted on plastic plug.

Green Star Polyps

As a beginner reef keeper, the thought about corals growing to nuisance levels may never cross your mind. As you hone your skills as an aquarist and your reef matures, some of the corals that you bought as a “newbie” might become a nuisance. Most new aquarium hobbyists would kill for fast growing corals, but be careful what you wish for. A lot of soft corals and even some hard corals can grow and reproduce very rapidly, dominating your tank with only a small handful of different species. Not only do invading corals make your tank look boring, but they can also kill or inhibit other types of corals as well.

Most newbie saltwater aquarium keepers go for the flowy soft corals because they are both colorful and easy to care for usually. A lot of these corals are purchased as test corals whose primary goal is to introduce the former FOWLR (Fish Only With Live Rock) aquarist to the world of reefs. Green star polyps for example are a beginner’s favorite. They can be a very attractive glowing neon green, will grow very quickly, and don’t require anything special. The aquarist usually has the mentality that if they can’t keep these alive, they’re doing something wrong. It’s not a bad idea to slowly introduce corals and test yourself one step at a time. But down the road, those first corals are growing like crazy, killing nearby corals, and the reef keeper can’t get them out.

Continue reading below to find out how to remove out of control corals.

Kenya Tree Coral (Capnella Sp.)

Kenya Tree Coral from AquariumPix

The aquarist is trying to venture into a new realm of corals and hard coral growth becomes inhibited by some softies. At the same time, they are battling Kenya Tree babies that are popping up all over the place and Galaxea corals that are stinging absolutely everything within reach. So how does one go about removing these nuisances? Sure, you could tear down the tank and remove the coral. But nobody wants to completely tear down what they’ve been working so hard on for such a long time. There are two routes the aquarist can take to help, but both of them will require some effort.

Option one is the more human route. Frag! Cut back the corals as much and as often as required and sell or donate the frags to fellow aquarists. This route will require constant upkeep if you want to keep the soft corals at bay. You will probably never remove the corals 100%, as tiny bits and pieces go unnoticed and eventually regrow into mini colonies. The second option is probably more effective at ridding your aquarium of the pest coral entirely, but it’s a bit on the harsh side.

Blue Anthelia

Blue Anthelia from AquariumPix

If coral pruning isn’t up your alley, you could try killing them. I don’t like this route at all, but for some reefers it seems like the only option. To do this safely, treat the coral as if it were a Majano anemone. Inject corals with lemon juice or cover them with a paste of kalkwasser. Of course there will be side effects from this process. Dead coral tissue will lead to an ammonia spike while overdosing kalkwasser can kill your entire tank if you’re not careful. Again, I do not condone this method of coral control, but it is an option.

Regardless of which route you tank and what corals you are trying to rid your tank of, someone out there wants what you have. They are willing to take on fast growing nuisance corals just like you did when you first got into reef keeping, so take the human route if you can.

Eagle Eye Zoas Mixed with Dragon Eyes

Zoanthids and Palythoas are some of the most beautiful and easy to care for corals. They grow very quickly in the reef aquarium and are easily propagated. Most colonies will eventually grow together, forming a border of two different colored polyps. The results are usually nothing too exciting, but every once in a while something different happens. A few lucky reefkeepers in recent years have discovered that when their colonies grow together, the polyps from each colony don’t just form a border, but some actually take on colors from neighboring polyps.

Eagle Eye Zoa Mixed with Dragon Eyes

I recently came across a ReefCentral member whose Eagle Eye (aka Watermelon) Zoanthid colony grew into a neighboring colony of Radioactive Dragon Eyes. A few polyps that grew on the border began to exhibit coloration of both Zoas. The resulting Two-Faced zoa morphs were fragged in an attempt to grow a set of these unique beauties. However, the resulting offspring reverted back to their original coloration. The color morph was not carried by later generations.

Continue reading below for more pictures of these gorgeous Zoanthid morphs.

Watermelon Zoas Mixed with Dragon Eyes

Eagle Eyes Mixed with Dragon Eyes

Eagle Eyes Mixed with Dragon Eyes

Photos courtesy of ReefCentral user alanmorehead. Thanks Alan!

AquaNerd Frag Tank Full of Water

After months of slow progress and a general lack of motivation, the AquaNerd frag tank is finally up and running. I had assembled the plumbing a few weeks ago and was awaiting the arrival of the return pump, which was the last piece to the puzzle. The pump is not a hard to find piece of equipment, I just never got around to ordering it. But the tank is full of water and the skimmer was fired up. I will wait a few weeks before adding any livestock, which will initially come in form of donor frags that several friends have offered to give me. The tank is still cloudy since I’ve had to add salt directly to the setup and I decided to remove the sand completely, but the skimmer and some carbon should clear it up.

AquaNerd Frag Tank Sump

Orange Acan Echinata

I was perusing the gorgeous frags for sale on the ReefCentral Propagated Corals & Tank Raised Livestock Selling Forum out of boredom and I noticed one striking fact…many people are referring to some of their tiny, frag-sized corals as mother colonies. This discovery brought to mind the question, “At what size does a coral become a mother colony? Some might suggest that a frag becomes a mother colony the minute it is fraggable. For Zoanthids and other single polyped corals, this could occur as soon as a second polyp has been produced. That second polyp could be easily cut off and glued to a frag plug. But this distinction becomes more difficult when talking about LPS corals, SPS corals, and others in which the polyps share skeleton or other tissues. These corals can be cut up and successfully fragged even if they are already tiny. Mouths on LPS corals can be cut in half and still survive. SPS coral frags can be cut down to a 1/2″ or less. So where does the Mother Colony moniker kick in?

Regardless of the coral type, it is not in the best interest of the coral, the overall look of your reef tank, or even your reputation as a hobbyist to be constantly fragging your corals. It looks as though you are trying to turn a profit from your tank instead of enjoying huge, mature coral colonies that so many reef keepers strive for.

ORA Blue Cespitularia

Here’s yet another new ORA release…a Blue Cespitularia. These corals are amazingly beautiful, with a sparkling blue body and polyps with an touch of orange. Additionally, these corals adapts to a variety of lighting conditions, but have the most intense coloration under lower light levels. This, along with the fact that these corals are aquacultured will make them a great addition to any reef tank. For more information on these corals, read the ORA press release below.

ORA now offers a unique variety of Blue Cespitularia which has a sparkly turquoise body and peachy-orange polyps. This variety differs from the African variety which has a darker blue and purple coloration. It is rare to find such a bright and beautiful soft coral that is photosynthetic and so easy to care for.

Blue Cespitularia, sometimes referred to as “Blue Xenia”, is one of the most sought after soft corals in the industry. The color and movement of this coral appeals to all types of reefers, and its peaceful nature and hardiness make it an easy addition to any reef tank.

Blue Cespitularia adapts to a variety of lighting conditions, but we have noticed the most intense coloration under lower light levels when compared to typical SPS requirements. So as always, we suggest starting this coral out on the tank bottom and gradually moving it up to the desired location. Our other observations show that this coral prefers moderate to high water current and spreads by sending out a foot-like projection which attaches on to a nearby rock or solid surface.

Superman Montipora

This week’s Picture of the Week is a tad blurry, but it’s of one of my favorite corals…the Superman Montipora. This coral sports a blue base and bright red polyps. It grows by encrusting onto the rockwork, as opposed to plating outward like other Montis.

ORA Red Goniopora

ORA announced that it will be releasing a new coral to their lineup. The coral is the highly sought after red Goniopora LPS coral. Goniopora, aka Flower Pot corals, and their close relatives Alveopora, have been notoriously difficult to keep alive in captivity. Their special diet and environmental requirements have lead to many frustrations among hobbyists. The last few years seem to have been a little more forgiving to the hobbyist, and that success has expanded tremendously thanks to ORA. ORA, or Oceans Reefs and Aquariums, is well known for their fish and coral aquaculture, and it’s only natural they tackle another difficult coral.

Below is a press release from ORA…

ORA Now Offering Aquacultured Red Goniopora

After nearly 10 years in production, ORA’s Red Goniopora is finally ready for release. This beautiful LPS coral is bright metallic red and has brilliant purple centers. It is truly 100% aquacultured and is considered to be very hardy. Red Goniopora tends to be an aggressive coral and when placed near a competitor it will supercharge its tentacles with nematocysts which will give them a white tipped appearance.