Touching Coral

[gangrel441]

Would you stop a larger fish from eating a smaller one or let nature take its course? Same thing in my opinion.

Stopping the larger fish from eating the smaller fish is stopping the larger fish from eating, which I would not do. Rescuing a piece of coral that was most likely broken off by a diver is not even close to that example.

 

[fishb0y]

Rescuing a piece of coral that was most likely broken off by a diver is not even close to that example.

That wasn't part of the original situation... what if it wasn't knocked off by a diver? What about a sea turtle resting on a coral reef (see it all the time). Are you gonna shoo the turtle off?

 

[Diver Dennis]

That wasn't part of the original situation... what if it wasn't knocked off by a diver? What about a sea turtle resting on a coral reef (see it all the time). Are you gonna shoo the turtle off?

Or a Bumphead Parrotfish smashing the coral with his head?

 

[The Mighty Thor]

Just Say NO to touching.

This reminds me of people who use flash photography at museums, when there is clearly a sign that prohibits it. Or people who pick flowers from the botanical garden, or knock on the glass at an aquarium, or throw their cigaretted butts on the ground.

 

[fishb0y]

Just Say NO to touching.

This reminds me of people who use flash photography at museums, when there is clearly a sign that prohibits it. Or people who pick flowers from the botanical garden, or knock on the glass at an aquarium, or throw their cigaretted butts on the ground.

Ahhh... so does that mean you only pick flowers from your own garden? I'm sure if you are going on a hike that you do not stray from approved trails to pick a daisy. Of course someone with your passion I'm sure has never picked up a caterpillar or stepped on a cockroach.

I am all for moving a Trident's Trumpet over to a Crown of Thorns. Touching a ray isn't going to kill it as much as holding a caterpillar will prevent it from becoming a butterfly. Mother nature had already taken care of those fragile species long before man (meaning creatures that perish from a mere touch).


If you are about to tell me that its different I would disagree... you're being a little hypocritical. No one will bat an eye if you step on a cockroach, but heaven forbid you pick up a sea cucumber...

I do not believe that touching sea life is a great evil, apart what people think on this forum. Quite the contrary, there are things that I think are OK to touch. What little contact scuba divers have with our environment has a more positive effect through an increased environmental awareness. Look at all of the reef clean-ups, artificial reefs and marine sanctuaries that have been established because of scuba divers. Don't you realise that the new Marine National Monument located off the Northern Hawaiian Islands was partially made possible by a scuba diver named Jean Michael Cousteau, son of one of my heroes.

I am in agreement when it comes to coral... stay off the bottom. Dragging your fin tips or landing with your knees on a coral head is a bad thing. I basically told my students that if you don't know what it is, keep your hands off.

BTW, I'm with you about the cigarette butts and beer bottle tops... I find that lazy and annoying.

 

[gangrel441]

That wasn't part of the original situation... what if it wasn't knocked off by a diver? What about a sea turtle resting on a coral reef (see it all the time). Are you gonna shoo the turtle off?

Is the sea turtle eating the part of the coral that he knocked over? Is anything else? If the answer to those questions are no, then it is not the same as rescuing a fish from a predator.

No, I would not shoo a turtle off of his resting spot to save the coral under him. But if the turtle is no longer there, and a rare coral is dying between coral heads because it has been knocked over, I am inclined not to let it go to waste.

If I move it to somewhere where it can take root and form a new colony, and immediately afterwards a parrot fish comes over and chows down on it, so be it.

 

[The Mighty Thor]

I agree with you Fishboy.

The problem is that some people do not know the difference between the things they can touch and the things they shouldn't touch. Until someone is able to appreciate the difference, the general rule should be to keep your hands to yourself.

And yes, I do kill roaches, but they are a health hazard to humans and usually an indication of a bigger problem. They're also good fried.

My original point is that people often forget how their own need to touch, take souvenirs or just be lazy will effect everyone else's ability to also enjoy the things they want to touch, take or whatever. Just play well with others.

 

[maractwin]

This brings up an interesting question that you may be in a rather unique position to answer. If we come across a piece of hard coral that has been recently broken off and is still alive, but has fallen into a heavily sanded area between coral heads and is mostly shaded, would it do any good to reposition this piece so it would have a better chance to survive and form a new colony? If so, how would you recommend repositioning it? On a dead part of the reef, perhaps, or sanding up from the sand, etc..

There's been a lot of good discussion already as to whether this is a good idea or not. But if you're in a position of trying to get a fragment to survive, what do you do? They keys to survival are orientation, light, current, and food.

There's a definite right-side-up or upside-down, though it may not be obvious to untrained eyes. The feeding polyps are probably only on one side, as well as areas capable of growth and compensation for bright light. So figure out which way is up before planting that coral.

For many corals, light is critical. But it's not necessarily as much light as possible, but the right amount of light for that particular individual of that species. Too much light causes sunburn and possibly death. Too little light can starve a phototrophic coral. Over time an individual can adapt to a range of light levels, though there are always extremes. Orange cup corals prefer a dark cave; brain corals prefer direct sun. Being smothered in sand will likely kill any coral.

The right amount of current is also important. Stagnant water has less dissolved oxygen and little opportunity for filter feeders. High current can damage fragile structures or make it impossible for filter feeders to consume what they've caught. Again, the right amount of current depends on the species and individual.

Finally, there must be feeding opportunities where the coral resides. Some corals just need light, others just filter tiny particulates, or capture small creatures. Many use a combination of strategies.

So there are a lot of variables, more than you're likely to know. However, there's an easy way to cheat: look for the parent colony that this piece broke off of, and find a similar position. But keep in mind that if you stick that coral fragment into a hole in the reef, you may have just doomed the small fish that was living in that hole, and the still tiny genetically more diverse corals that had settled on that rock as a result of sexual reproduction.

Around a healthy reef, I wouldn't bother with this, as there is intense competition and helping one creature to survive is dooming another. On the other hand, in an area in decline or ravaged by hurricane, a little help isn't a bad thing.

-Mark

 

[gangrel441]

Around a healthy reef, I wouldn't bother with this, as there is intense competition and helping one creature to survive is dooming another. On the other hand, in an area in decline or ravaged by hurricane, a little help isn't a bad thing.

-Mark

Thank you, Mark. You have largely answered my question. I, too, thought of what you mention about using the parent colony for hints of what conditions to place the fragment. Interesting point about not plugging a small fish's hole and competition with more diverse corals forming colonies already. Some very good arguments for and against.

Also a valid point that this may not be worth the trouble or risk on a reef that is not already in distress. I do wonder if, as our reefs' conditions deteriorate in the coming years if this will become an increasingly viable option to try to give them the opportunity to rebuild. Generally, I frown on divers interfering with the ecosystem, but corals seem to me to be a case of "every little bit helps."

 

[Oceandvr]

While I wouldn't intentionally touch coral due their sensitive nature. The mucus layer is there for a reason and I wouldn't want to contribute to a potential infection or disease if disturbed. However, I probably would fan off detritus and/or the black band layer from black band disease. And depending on the coral species and location of the fragment, I may transplant it to a better location. Nature has a way of working things out, though like a few of you have already said, some assistance might be good.