There are several reasons that living corals are being harvested from reefs. One of the most popular uses is for decoration in private and public aquariums. The increasing popularity of synthetic coral is rapidly decreasing the amount of living pieces being harvested for this purpose. The increasing quality of these synthetic aquarium supplies from companies such as Living Color has brought the colors, textures and beauty of living coral to aquariums around the world without harming the world's precious coral reefs.
Negative Effects of Coral Harvesting:
- Destruction of fish habitats
- Takes hundreds to thousands of years for reefs to recover
- Loss of coastal protection
- Reduced tourism for coastal areas
- Increased sand erosion
Coral is harvested and sold domestically and internationally as aquarium corals but is also being for medicinal purposes, construction materials, calcium supplements and for jewelry and trinkets. Some countries have passed laws restricted coral harvesting in certain areas, such as the Great Barrier Reef. The countries exporting the most coral include Indonesia and Fiji, while the United States is the largest importer of living coral. As the synthetic counterpart becomes more realistic and popular with custom aquarium owners the amount of living coral being harvested annually will decrease exponentially.
Global Aquaria is proud to offer the highest quality corals available anywhere. Living Color artisans create the most colorful, realistic and beautiful aquarium corals in the industry. These products are not only a colorful, authentic addition to a tank's appearance, but are also durable and easy to clean. These products are non-toxic and provide a great environment for tropical fish. These synthetic coral pieces will not scratch acrylic tanks and will not fade in color.