If you ask a bunch of reefers what got them into the reef hobby in the first place, you’re bound to get a lot of different answers: Many will tell you that it was the sheer beauty, or for the challenge of creating a stable slice of ocean in their living room and some just like messing with all the new high-tech gadgets! Let’s call those people what they are: weird. ‘nuff said.
For many of us, however, what piqued our initial interest was the corals!* Yup, even with all of the fancy fish, inverts and other life forms we keep in our tanks, none are more compelling than the colorful, fascinating corals that reside in our carefully crafted underwater worlds. There’s just something relaxing, inspiring, and just plain amazing about acquiring, caring for and watching our corals in our reef systems.
It's hard to just stare at Dan Rigle's reef without wanting to grab fragging shears...
Ponder this for a second, however…how well do you really know your corals? I mean you’ve probably already figured out that your Sinularia is a soft coral, and that it grows quickly. You know that your "Tyree LE Sunset Monti" is a Montipora (you're GOOD. Nothing get's by you, huh?)...Yet, have you really given thought to why the coral looks the way it looks, the environment where it’s found, and it’s reproductive behaviors? Maybe not, because you “know what you need to know” about the coral and are content with that. And that’s okay…I suppose.
However, if you’re a true geek, like me, you’ll want to know more.
Do scientists call it the "Strawberry Shortcake", too?
In my opinion, one of the best things we can do as reefers is to really get to know our corals. By “know” I’m not just talking about being aware that your Acroproa valida comes from the Indo Pacific. I’m talking about really learning about the animal and it’s needs. With a few pleasant hours of research on that venerable tool that Al Gore invented: the “inter webs” - you can gain an amazing insight into your corals! Spending quality time on a scientific site can help take your understanding of the coral to a whole new level. And it's not that tough to read, trust me!
At Unique Corals, we get a lot of questions about corals, as you might imagine! I love directing reefers to sites like Veron’s Corals of The World. Not only can you find out more about the coral’s physiology, you can research things like gut-content analysis of collected specimens, which can help you more accurately replicate their captive diet. You can also find data about where various type specimens were collected. Valuable information like depth, habitat, time of year, and water temperature. All of these details can really help you in your efforts to create the best possible captive situation for your corals. Geeky, cool stuff. Knowing some of these answers will help you make better stocking decisions for your reef, too!
"You mean it's found on a reef? Thought it comes from Unique Corals?" Oh, boy.
Beyond simply researching the corals, you could take it to another level and actually visit them on the wild reef. Trust me, getting SCUBA certified was one of the best things this stubborn surfer ever did. Nothing I have done previously has given me a greater understanding of corals and reefs than going out and seeing them in their natural habitat!
As a dive-certified coral geek, you separate yourself from all of the other hapless masses of clueless recreational divers and have a chance to contribute to the body of knowledge of the reefs. When everyone else is busy looking at that big dumb grouper or boring old shark, you’ll no doubt be drawn to that tiny Trachyphyllia hiding in the coral rubble! Alright, you might make a lousy dive buddy, but you’ll be a keen observer of nature!
Not only will you gain a greater appreciation for the delicate nature of the reef environment, you’ll develop a great understanding of corals and how they occur on the reef. You’ll be able to more accurately replicate (or in some cases decide that you can’t replicate) the environmental niche from which your coral comes.
"The Great Barrier Reef is almost as nice as Joe Yaiullo's tank! Who knew!"
Seeing corals in the wild give you insights, which may help you and other aquarists unlock their secrets — perhaps leading to further breakthroughs in their husbandry and captive propagation. Anything that we can do to help protect wild populations and preserve the reefs is certainly worth the time and effort.
I am reminded of a charming, but beautiful passage by Kiyoshi Endoh in his great little book*Angelfishes of the World. It’s about fish, but still relevant with corals, IMO:
“First of all, keep angelfishes with your love, in a suitable habitat with good equipment and proper nutrition until the end of their life.”
Pretty much sums it all up, huh?
To know your coral is to LOVE your coral!
The bottom line here is that there are lots of ways to really get to know your corals. And the best part is that pretty much every one of them will benefit ourselves, our fellow hobbyists, and most important — the animals themselves. So next time you stare in at that new Chalice frag, take the time to really get to know the coral! You might just learn something that will make you a better reefer…And you can share it with all of us here to make US better reefers!
So share with us something you learned about your corals by going deeper...?
And, of course...
Stay wet.
Scott Fellman
Unique Corals
For many of us, however, what piqued our initial interest was the corals!* Yup, even with all of the fancy fish, inverts and other life forms we keep in our tanks, none are more compelling than the colorful, fascinating corals that reside in our carefully crafted underwater worlds. There’s just something relaxing, inspiring, and just plain amazing about acquiring, caring for and watching our corals in our reef systems.
It's hard to just stare at Dan Rigle's reef without wanting to grab fragging shears...
Ponder this for a second, however…how well do you really know your corals? I mean you’ve probably already figured out that your Sinularia is a soft coral, and that it grows quickly. You know that your "Tyree LE Sunset Monti" is a Montipora (you're GOOD. Nothing get's by you, huh?)...Yet, have you really given thought to why the coral looks the way it looks, the environment where it’s found, and it’s reproductive behaviors? Maybe not, because you “know what you need to know” about the coral and are content with that. And that’s okay…I suppose.
However, if you’re a true geek, like me, you’ll want to know more.
Do scientists call it the "Strawberry Shortcake", too?
In my opinion, one of the best things we can do as reefers is to really get to know our corals. By “know” I’m not just talking about being aware that your Acroproa valida comes from the Indo Pacific. I’m talking about really learning about the animal and it’s needs. With a few pleasant hours of research on that venerable tool that Al Gore invented: the “inter webs” - you can gain an amazing insight into your corals! Spending quality time on a scientific site can help take your understanding of the coral to a whole new level. And it's not that tough to read, trust me!
At Unique Corals, we get a lot of questions about corals, as you might imagine! I love directing reefers to sites like Veron’s Corals of The World. Not only can you find out more about the coral’s physiology, you can research things like gut-content analysis of collected specimens, which can help you more accurately replicate their captive diet. You can also find data about where various type specimens were collected. Valuable information like depth, habitat, time of year, and water temperature. All of these details can really help you in your efforts to create the best possible captive situation for your corals. Geeky, cool stuff. Knowing some of these answers will help you make better stocking decisions for your reef, too!
"You mean it's found on a reef? Thought it comes from Unique Corals?" Oh, boy.
Beyond simply researching the corals, you could take it to another level and actually visit them on the wild reef. Trust me, getting SCUBA certified was one of the best things this stubborn surfer ever did. Nothing I have done previously has given me a greater understanding of corals and reefs than going out and seeing them in their natural habitat!
As a dive-certified coral geek, you separate yourself from all of the other hapless masses of clueless recreational divers and have a chance to contribute to the body of knowledge of the reefs. When everyone else is busy looking at that big dumb grouper or boring old shark, you’ll no doubt be drawn to that tiny Trachyphyllia hiding in the coral rubble! Alright, you might make a lousy dive buddy, but you’ll be a keen observer of nature!
Not only will you gain a greater appreciation for the delicate nature of the reef environment, you’ll develop a great understanding of corals and how they occur on the reef. You’ll be able to more accurately replicate (or in some cases decide that you can’t replicate) the environmental niche from which your coral comes.
"The Great Barrier Reef is almost as nice as Joe Yaiullo's tank! Who knew!"
Seeing corals in the wild give you insights, which may help you and other aquarists unlock their secrets — perhaps leading to further breakthroughs in their husbandry and captive propagation. Anything that we can do to help protect wild populations and preserve the reefs is certainly worth the time and effort.
I am reminded of a charming, but beautiful passage by Kiyoshi Endoh in his great little book*Angelfishes of the World. It’s about fish, but still relevant with corals, IMO:
“First of all, keep angelfishes with your love, in a suitable habitat with good equipment and proper nutrition until the end of their life.”
Pretty much sums it all up, huh?
To know your coral is to LOVE your coral!
The bottom line here is that there are lots of ways to really get to know your corals. And the best part is that pretty much every one of them will benefit ourselves, our fellow hobbyists, and most important — the animals themselves. So next time you stare in at that new Chalice frag, take the time to really get to know the coral! You might just learn something that will make you a better reefer…And you can share it with all of us here to make US better reefers!
So share with us something you learned about your corals by going deeper...?
And, of course...
Stay wet.
Scott Fellman
Unique Corals
Last edited:
