Most hard corals in Fiji and the world are colorful on the outside but when cracked open or broken, will reveal a white skeleton. One of the exceptions to this is the blue coral (scientific name: Heliopora coerulea), which has a blue skeleton inside, made of aragonite and iron salts which gives it its blue pigmentation.
It was found by Ron Vave, a senior scientific officer at the University of the South Pacific's Institute of Applied Science, during a dive of a reef near Tiliva Island, in Viwa, Fiji. Mr. Vave was attending a conservation workshop held at Najia Village, Fiji. One component of the workshop was on the sustainable use of natural resources by communities to ensure a bountiful supply for its current and future generations. The three villages on Viwa Island are working to establish a marine protected area which might now also include the reef area off Tiliva Island where this blue corals was found.
What's slightly worrying is that only a single blue coral colony, measuring about 25cm high and 30cm wide, was found during Mr. Vave's dive. More surveys may be performed on reefs around Viwa Island to ascertain whether there are more of these blue corals.
This is the coral that was commonly sold in the dry ornamental market as blue ridge coral. Very abundant in many areas. We have been growing it here for many years. If some one wants some, we have plenty.
This is the coral that was commonly sold in the dry ornamental market as blue ridge coral. Very abundant in many areas. We have been growing it here for many years. If some one wants some, we have plenty.
Does it do well then in captivity Dick? Typical sps requirements?
Does it do well then in captivity Dick? Typical sps requirements?
Easiest of all!! Low to medium light, low to medium current, no special needs, encrusts quickly over anything. We have a piece of glass over a foot square, completely covered with it. Treat it like an easy soft coral, like a sarco. If memory serves, this is a very unusual coral, an octocoral that makes a skelton.
Easiest of all!! Low to medium light, low to medium current, no special needs, encrusts quickly over anything. We have a piece of glass over a foot square, completely covered with it. Treat it like an easy soft coral, like a sarco. If memory serves, this is a very unusual coral, an octocoral that makes a skelton.
+1 but in it's normal state it's pretty boring. Trust me you have seen it in LFS. Just plain brown. It does have cool polyps and can grow into pretty cool shapes though.
You remembered correctly Dick, it is an octocoral. It's always interesting to look at this coral ans see the paradox of a soft coral that's stony...
I'm baffled as well by the rare comment. It reads almost like they're saying it's 'newly discovered.' Is it rare to this area of the world? I had thought as well that this was abundant.
Out of curiosity does anyone know where to blue pigment comes from? I'd suspect it's some mineral that it's pulling out of the water, but don't know for sure..
You remembered correctly Dick, it is an octocoral. It's always interesting to look at this coral ans see the paradox of a soft coral that's stony...
I'm baffled as well by the rare comment. It reads almost like they're saying it's 'newly discovered.' Is it rare to this area of the world? I had thought as well that this was abundant.
Out of curiosity does anyone know where to blue pigment comes from? I'd suspect it's some mineral that it's pulling out of the water, but don't know for sure..
Steve
On further research, the skeleton contains iron salts which gives it its blue pigmentation.
At least in Fiji, this is considered a rare coral.
@Dick Perrin
, you know where the ones you guys have in stock originated?
On further research, the skeleton contains iron salts which gives it its blue pigmentation.
At least in Fiji, this is considered a rare coral.
@Dick Perrin
, you know where the ones you guys have in stock originated?
The other octocoral that people think is a stony is pipe organ, tubapora musica. Another "soft" that somehow makes a skeleton. I really don't recall the origin of ours. We've had it "forever"