We spoke to Monsoon Aquatics about how one of the most popular Australian corals is collected from the reefs to enter the supply chain. Below, I will provide some details shared with me about the collection of Homophyllia australis, colloquially known in the hobby as Scolymia or Scolys. This information comes from one of the skippers.
An interesting warpaint type scoly collected recently by Monsoon Aquatics with shades of gold and teal prominent through ought.
“Scolymia with rich, deep colors are found in the area mainly between Mackay and Gladstone. This particular scroll was found in 28-30m and on a deep vertical wall of an island with a large amount of water movement. When collecting scolys in these areas, divers are faced with strong currents as the water moves around the island.
Divers often have to swim against 1.5- 3knts of current to get back to the boat. Sometimes the large currents overpower the diver and, in turn, need to be pulled back by the attendant on the boat with the diver’s airline. While all this is going on, the diver must ensure that their precious catch is safe, like the scoly in the photo.”
Our divers carry a large bucket to place the corals in. When collecting scoly in higher current, we use a bucket with a lead weight on the bottom. Each coral is carefully placed in the bucket either in a plastic fish bag or layered in between plastic sheets to prevent damage and touching other corals during the dive. As soon as the diver returns to the surface, the bucket is unpacked, and each scoly is placed on a tray in its smaller plastic container. This tray is then placed into the hold on the boat with a constant supply of fresh seawater.
If you’re interested in more details regarding the collection of Australian corals, be sure to check out the Reef Therapy episode with Dan Kimberly, the owner of Monsoon Aquatics. All Homophyllia pictured in this article (external to the main image) were recently collected by Monsoon Aquatics.
