Aquaculture and the Coral Beauty Angelfish: How Captive-Breeding Heals Damaged Coral Reefs

Coral Beauty Angelfish

Did you know that June is World Oceans Month? AlgaeBarn is taking this time to celebrate all that the world’s ocean has to offer! One of the ways we can help improve the quality of our oceans

 is by supporting aquaculture programs. For example, Coral Beauty Angelfish is a fish species farmed in Western-South and Central-Pacific oceans. Farming these fish can help to improve water quality and protect natural reefs. It also helps to create jobs in these areas.

The Coral Beauty Angelfish is a beautiful fish species native to the Indo-Pacific region. They are also very common on the Great Barrier Reef. They get their name from their bright coloration. They range from deep blue to magenta, with rippling oranges and yellows that create a striking contrast. The Coral Beauty is a very common species of fish in the reef-keeping hobby.

One great feature of this fish is that its beauty doesn’t fade with age. Some angelfish will develop new coloration as they mature. This is not the case with Coral Beauty! The bold colors developed as juvenile fish remain just as bright as they get older.

In addition, many reef keepers will be happy to know that these fish are easy to maintain. They do not have any special demands and are relatively disease resistant. Coral Beauties generally live between five and ten years in captivity. Their longevity makes them a great addition to the reef tank.

Preserving the Coral Beauty population

Coral Beauties were being overfished to meet the demands of the aquarium trade. As a result, restrictions were issued to prevent over-collection. This is a good example of a species that would’ve been threatened had wildlife authorities not intervened. However, thanks to the speedy development of technology and hard work, our trade has made amazing progress. Advancements in aquaculture have made it possible for these gorgeous creatures to breed in captivity. This puts the industry ahead of the curve! The ability to supply the reef-keeping hobby with captive-bred fish has strengthened wild populations. 

Environmental benefits of captive breeding

Captive breeding programs for Coral Beauty are excellent for protecting the environment. Simply put, it decreases the number of fish taken from the ocean. When reef fish are taken from the ocean, it disrupts the ecosystem’s natural balance. In addition, captive breeding helps to improve water quality in rural areas. Captive breeding programs also reduce boat traffic and damage to the reef from anchors and chains.

Aquaculture of Coral Beauty Angelfish

Aquaculture is the practice of farming aquatic life in controlled environments. This can be done to grow freshwater, brackish water, or marine fish and inverts. Suppliers commonly use aquaculture to maintain a more sustainable supply chain for purchasing. It begins with the collection of wild fish. These fish must be paired for breeding purposes. Then, the healthiest fish are kept and acclimated to life in captivity. They are nurtured and fed nutrient-rich foods throughout the day. The goal is to provide them with optimal living conditions to begin breeding. 

It takes a lot of time and dedication to aquaculture any species of marine life. When compared with wild collection, the effort is all worthwhile. In a short time, hefty quantities of viable, fertilized eggs will be produced. In addition, this process grants future generations and colonies of species. Future generations can be used to preserve ocean wildlife. 

Coral Beauty is an Angelfish that is cultivated for the reef aquarium trade. In addition, aquaculture operations can help to improve water quality and create jobs in rural areas.

Why we teamed up with Biota

If you’re familiar with AlgaeBarn, then you’ll know we’re a huge supporter of Biota! We applaud their initiatives to restore reef populations and improve ocean health. Biota is working to improve the health of natural coral reefs through aquaculture. Biota is a non-profit organization that is based in Australia. They have been working with ornate reef fish for many years. Biota’s Coral Beauty Angelfish aquaculture facility is in the Philippines.

The Biota Palau Facility

One of the ways Biota is improving coral reef health is by developing hatcheries in their Palau facility. These hatcheries produce baby fish called fry. The hatcheries are in the Western-South Pacific and the Central-Pacific. The Coral Beauty fry produced in these hatcheries is then sold to commercial fish farms. This process also helps to create jobs and it can improve water quality in rural areas.

The breeding of Coral Beauty by Biota Palau is done just a hundred meters from the reef’s shore. This is where the rainforest and ocean meet. The breeding facility’s specific location is in Palau, a small country in the Oceania continent. Palau is a part of the Micronesia region in the western Pacific Ocean. The goal at Biota is to supply the reef aquarium trade with ornate reef fish. These fish have been bred in captivity rather than wild-caught. 

For decades, the captive breeding of marine fish primarily focused on gobies and clownfish. Thanks to several recent breakthroughs, the captive breeding of corals and other marine fish are now possible. This is due to recent advancements in what is called ‘larval rearing.’

Larval rearing is the process of raising baby fish from fry to juveniles. It is a relatively new practice in the world of aquaculture, but it has already had a significant impact. Larval rearing makes it possible to captive-breed Coral Beauty on a large scale. This is how Biota is helping to decrease the wild collection of ornate marine fish.

Biota Palau features dozens of grow-out vats which hold around 2000 gallons of water. Each grow-out vat houses hundreds of thousands of cultured fish. These are specifically for the aquarium trade. The large-scale production of Coral Beauty is a vital milestone for the aquarium trade. Sustainable fish culture not only supports the research and development of other species for captive breeding, but it is also beneficial on a larger scale. The benefits reach beyond the aquarium trade to the preservation and restoration of wild reefs.

Conclusion

With the aquaculture industry’s continued success with breeding several types of ornate fish, it can be said that this is just the tip of the iceberg. AlgaeBarn is excited to be a part of this fast-moving journey! In just a short span of time, the reef aquarium trade has become a more sustainable industry. Thanks to our friends at Biota, we have a much brighter future to look forward to!