Check out these Florida Hard Corals!

[fishybizzness]

I recently attended a talk on Stony coral tissue loss disease that we are currently experiencing here in the virgin islands. Apparently it started in Florida and one of the theories is that it got here in ship ballast water. From what we've seen it's pretty aggressive. Some areas have lost as much as 70% of the corals it affects. Hopefully it can be figured out and stopped before it destroys the reefs beyond repair.

 

[Brandon McHenry]

I recently attended a talk on Stony coral tissue loss disease that we are currently experiencing here in the virgin islands. Apparently it started in Florida and one of the theories is that it got here in ship ballast water. From what we've seen it's pretty aggressive. Some areas have lost as much as 70% of the corals it affects. Hopefully it can be figured out and stopped before it destroys the reefs beyond repair.

Do you happen to know who gave the presentation? That is what our team is working on here in Florida. It’s definitely a big issue but they do their best!

 

[fishybizzness]

Do you happen to know who gave the presentation? That is what our team is working on here in Florida. It’s definitely a big issue but they do their best!

The local University. They are trying to figure out how fast it is spreading and were asking for help from the diving community with finding out where its not present to see how fast it's moving. Nothing that they've tried seems to be working as yet but hopefully something breaks soon..

 

[Brandon McHenry]

The local University. They are trying to figure out how fast it is spreading and were asking for help from the diving community with finding out where its not present to see how fast it's moving. Nothing that they've tried seems to be working as yet but hopefully something breaks soon..

That’s cool. The lead PI of the coral lab is good friends with a coral researcher down there. It’s really tricky when it comes to disease, especially when the pathogen is unknown. I am also very hopeful that someone makes a break soon. I’m confident that they will with so many great minds.

 

[Brandon McHenry]

Just a few shots I took with my phone to show some progression.

Bushy as always!

Look at all those new branches!

Finally touching the rock beside it!

 

[Brandon McHenry]

Oculina diffusa, our slow growing beauty.

 

[flsalty]

I just want to thank you for sharing these and keeping us updated. At the same time, this thread kills me...lol. I'd love to have a Floribbean tank with some all of these in it.

 

[LARedstickreefer]

Just a few shots I took with my phone to show some progression.

Bushy as always!

Look at all those new branches!

Finally touching the rock beside it!

Looks pretty upset to me...On deaths door. Better skip past the MH and go full on sun with it!

J/k of course. They look good.

 

[Brandon McHenry]

I just want to thank you for sharing these and keeping us updated. At the same time, this thread kills me...lol. I'd love to have a Floribbean tank with some all of these in it.

Of course! Im glad that you enjoy them which is what these tanks are all about! And Ive gotten that comment from several people actually. Im truly lucky to be in a position to keep a reef like this. If you are interested in learning more about the tank or the research we do on Caribbean corals check out my build thread!

Build Thread - 180 Gallon Florida Coral Reef Aquarium Build at the Ocean Discovery Visitors Center

Hi guys! I work as a graduate student assistant and aquarist at the Ocean Discovery Visitors Center. We are a small educational facility designed to showcase all of the research being conducted by the marine scientists and engineers at Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic...

www.reef2reef.com

Looks pretty upset to me...On deaths door. Better skip past the MH and go full on sun with it!

J/k of course. They look good.

LOL read this before my coffee and got worried. All good now! Thanks for the compliment!

 

[flockaveli]

Any update on the Elk frag?

 

[Brandon McHenry]

Any update on the Elk frag?

The Elkhorn is pretty much just encrusting (slowly). But its getting the nice brown/copper color that you see in the wild colonies. Im really hoping it starts to take off soon.

 

[Brandon McHenry]

A few top-downs from the other day

Acropora cervicornis

Porites asteroides

Montastrea cavernosa

 

[C. Eymann]

I never thought I'd be drooling over a brown Acropora on a reef forum, because I never thought someone on here would have the ability/credentials to legally keep Atlantic acropora.

It's looking super happy Brandon, lots of new axials = lots of new branches!

Thank you so much for sharing this tanks and corals progress with us!

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

I've got several Florida corals in my aquarium, including a decent-sized Oculina robusta colony the size of a softball. Several smaller colonies are also present, and some of them look more like O. diffusa than O. robusta.

Here's a poor shot of my robusta colony:

Here's how the colony first started out after being in a box with wet newspaper for five days:

 

[Brandon McHenry]

I never thought I'd be drooling over a brown Acropora on a reef forum, because I never thought someone on here would have the ability/credentials to legally keep Atlantic acropora.

It's looking super happy Brandon, lots of new axials = lots of new branches!

Thank you so much for sharing this tanks and corals progress with us!

Thanks for the compliments! It means a lot to know that people can enjoy the Caribbean corals the way that we all love the vibrant Pacific ones. Im also happy to share something that is pretty unique to most hobbyists. And let me tell you, the number of new branches that are starting across all of the Acropora is just nuts, I don't even know where they are all gunna go once they start growing out.

I've got several Florida corals in my aquarium, including a decent-sized Oculina robusta colony the size of a softball. Several smaller colonies are also present, and some of them look more like O. diffusa than O. robusta.

Here's a poor shot of my robusta colony:

Here's how the colony first started out after being in a box with wet newspaper for five days:

Very cool! Where did it come from?

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

Thanks for the compliments! It means a lot to know that people can enjoy the Caribbean corals the way that we all love the vibrant Pacific ones. Im also happy to share something that is pretty unique to most hobbyists. And let me tell you, the number of new branches that are starting across all of the Acropora is just nuts, I don't even know where they are all gunna go once they start growing out.


Very cool! Where did it come from?

They were on the aquacultured live rock I ordered from gulfliverock.com. Had many tunicates, sponges, and turkeywing clams on the rock along with a bunch of gulf corals.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Oh my

I've got several Florida corals in my aquarium, including a decent-sized Oculina robusta colony the size of a softball. Several smaller colonies are also present, and some of them look more like O. diffusa than O. robusta.

Here's a poor shot of my robusta colony:

Here's how the colony first started out after being in a box with wet newspaper for five days:

Oh wow! Awesome piece. I would love to see a recent pic of that piece from the top.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

Oh my


Oh wow! Awesome piece. I would love to see a recent pic of that piece from the top.

Ask and you shall receive!
Here is a shot of the top of the coral. The polyps are retracted because I turned off the powerheads

Here is the front of the colony:

Here is one of the other colonies that I think are O. diffusa?

 

[Brandon McHenry]

They were on the aquacultured live rock I ordered from gulfliverock.com. Had many tunicates, sponges, and turkeywing clams on the rock along with a bunch of gulf corals.

Very nice! One of the many perks of getting true live rock.

 

[Brandon McHenry]

Ask and you shall receive!
Here is a shot of the top of the coral. The polyps are retracted because I turned off the powerheads

Here is the front of the colony:

Here is one of the other colonies that I think are O. diffusa?

Cool coral for sure!