Purple porites in the wild in bahamas

[kris2001]

I was diving in bahamas last week. Saw this SPS at shallow areas... very common. Wonder why it's not seen in the reef tanks!<br />
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It is a porites, very purple and beautiful under sunlight that is!

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[Fishfinder]

Where in the Bahamas were you?

 

[kris2001]

Where in the Bahamas were you?

I was in the aqua cat bahamas for a week.
Nassau, exumas, eulithra

 

[scchase]

It's not seen because all Caribbean stony corals are illegal to own, collect, trade, or do anything but look at. Those are nice though.

 

[Fishfinder]

I was in the aqua cat bahamas for a week.
Nassau, exumas, eulithra

did you see this coral at all 3 islands?

 

[29bonsaireef]

did you see this coral at all 3 islands?

It's everywhere in the Bahamas

 

[acro-ed]

We have a similar species here in Florida, but I have only seen baby blue, yellow, and brownish/orange here. I've seen purple and pink Porites elsewhere in the Caribbean. We can't collect or keep any of them. I have seen someone keep the blue Porites, but was told it grew painfully slow and was quick to recede if a problem arose (not well adapted to captive tanks).

 

[Fishfinder]

Cool, I have somehow managed to never find that

 

[acro-ed]

Here’s a pic I took of the Florida yellow type for reference.

 

[kris2001]

We have a similar species here in Florida, but I have only seen baby blue, yellow, and brownish/orange here. I've seen purple and pink Porites elsewhere in the Caribbean. We can't collect or keep any of them. I have seen someone keep the blue Porites, but was told it grew painfully slow and was quick to recede if a problem arose (not well adapted to captive tanks).

IIRC i saw the blue too! None of them were big colonies though, explains that it's slow growing.

I guess not all porites are tank hardy... makes sense

 

[speedstar]

We have a similar species here in Florida, but I have only seen baby blue, yellow, and brownish/orange here. I've seen purple and pink Porites elsewhere in the Caribbean. We can't collect or keep any of them. I have seen someone keep the blue Porites, but was told it grew painfully slow and was quick to recede if a problem arose (not well adapted to captive tanks).

I thought it was legal to collect broken frags that washed up to shore?

 

[acro-ed]

I thought it was legal to collect broken frags that washed up to shore?

Negative. Possession of any Florida Scleractinia is illegal in Florida. Only exception is for coral harvested OUTSIDE of state waters and imported with valid proof or origin and purchase.

 

[speedstar]

Negative. Possession of any Florida Scleractinia is illegal in Florida. Only exception is for coral harvested OUTSIDE of state waters and imported with valid proof or origin and purchase.

Thanks, it has been years but I thought the law used to read if it was connected to live rock. I must have remembered wrong or it changed

 

[acro-ed]

Thanks, it has been years but I thought the law used to read if it was connected to live rock. I must have remembered wrong or it changed

You can collect certain corals with a saltwater fishing license (FWC website has types and limits). Zoas and mushrooms have to be scraped from the liverock; octocorals (sea fans, gorgonias, etc.) can take substrate up to 1" from the base of the coral (also note that purple and venus fans are always prohibited also); no stony corals of any type no matter what (exception for approved research permit, etc.).

Hope that helps,
Ed