Preventing Coral Diseases

Prevention is mainly down to ensuring good water quality at all times, as well as maintaining coral safety (from fish bites, falls and stings from other corals) and clean corals (good water flow). Also ensuring standardised temperatures and ultraviolet radiation. The need for good quarantine procedures is important particularly if you donate or receive colonies to or from other collections. It is important to have a good idea of the potential pests and parasites to look out for but it is also necessary to keep an open mind as there is always the chance of something completely new appearing. If a novel parasite is suspected taking pictures of it on the coral and of any damage it has done to the coral's tissue is helpful. Preserving a sample of any suspected parasite in ethanol can also help with identification but good notes about where and when it was found, and on what species of coral is also important.