Predators of the Great Barrier Reef

[Domboski]

Did anyone catch the show about the crown of horns startfish? I'm not sure if it is a new episode but it was real interesting. They showed the effect the starfish has on the hard corals within the reef.

If you have a DVR you should record it: http://science.discovery.com/tv-schedules/special.html?paid=48.15001.110507.0.0

If you have seen it I'd be interested in your thoughts on what is happening.

 

[JHOV2324]

Throw in some Harlequin Shrimp to take care of that problem....:eat:

 

[Domboski]

Throw in some Harlequin Shrimp to take care of that problem....:eat:

They actually showed some harlequin shrimp taking a big starfish out. There was like 5 of them working together. It was pretty cool.

 

[RARECLOWNSNJ]

They

did mention that there are not enough harqs to even tackle half the problem.

Did you see them just stab those bad boys with hooks and carry um around. Sucks to be that guy on clean up day in GBR.

 

[Domboski]

Yeah. It was amazing how many there is. I didn't understand why they chose to inject them with acid instead of removing them from the water. Seemed like a waste of time to inject them with acid in every arm rather than just collecting them. I guess they felt there is too many to remove?

 

[h20 freak]

Well if mother nature pulls through,there will be a boom in starfish eaters(harlequin shrimp ).And either a drop in harlequin prices and increase in collecting:biggrinpa,or a large loss of other stars,then die off of starving harlequins:frown:.



and if that doesn't happen we'll lose the reef,or come up with a good crown of thorns gumbo recipe:eat:

but ya thats a big problem, we need to get more conservationists there or maybe if we do seriously find a good use for the stars,some company looking for a profit and hiring people to collect them to decimate the population(something I thought I would never agree with lol :splitspin)

 

[RARECLOWNSNJ]

At one point

they show you the dried out starfish on a pier.

Its all due to sewage run off.

THe only problem with the harq, is what happens when they desimate the COT population.

DOWN WITH THE CROWN OF THORNS....

 

[h20 freak]

THe only problem with the harq, is what happens when they desimate the COT population.

Like I said, either we have to step in after that and collect them at a large scale,or there will be an inbalance,their food will first be wiped out,then they will starve and alot will die,then since they aren't being eaten, the food will repopulate at large levels since THEIR food will be in large supply from not being eaten and THEEEEENNNN...well you get the point, there will be a problem...

 

[Killerdrgn]

The program makes it sound like the COT starfish is the only problem affecting the reefs. Eliminating the COT's won't affect pollution and global warming.

 

[grknyer]

Throw in some Harlequin Shrimp to take care of that problem....:eat:

J they would eat your Harleys in a second and be looking for more. :lol2: You ever see those things? They are nasty looking

 

[House of Laughter]

Not to mention some of them grow to be larger than a garbage can lid :bigeyes:

Teams of divers patrol every day killing them and they are destroyong the reef faster than they can kill them.

House

J they would eat your Harleys in a second and be looking for more. :lol2: You ever see those things? They are nasty looking

 

[jigajace]

those little crabs inside the corals were kickin that starfishes ass