Sally Jo and I have just returned from Veracruz, Mexico. PART #3 of SALLY JO'S VERACRUZ, MEXICO DIARY NEW PAGE December 17 NEW PAGE December 10 December 5 The incredible meeting in Veracruz was the Primer Taller Nacional Sobre Propagation de Corales en Cautiverio and it was held in H.Vericruz, Ver. Noviembre 27 - Diciemberbre 2002. We are very proud to have shared the teaching with Jaun Jose from that great Reef Aquarium Company in Mexico City. Jaun owns the Alfaquarium located at
Av. Pedro Antonio de los Santos 62 "B"
Juan JosČ Alfaro We are certain that this company practices sound reef keeping and we are very happy to have such good friends in Mexico. Sally Jo and I have been invited to teach a Rock Farming Seminar in Baja Sur, Mexico this winter, and we are planning a future visit to Veracruz in August, 2003 Sally Jo and I were very excited to see some of the Veracruz Aquaculture Education Rock that was made using the AragocreteTM methods we taught when we spoke in Mexico City in August, 2001. The aragocrete that was placed in the Gulf in May 2002 grew bright purple coralline algae in only 3 months. The rock that was placed in the Gulf in August did not grow as much coralline algae, but it was covered with baby corals of all types. We are looking forward to harvesting the first of the Baja Education Aquaculture Rock in January 2003. Some of the Aragorcrete in the Sea of Cortez has been growing for two, three, and five years. These types of Aquacultured Live Rocks will be marketed by the villagers who own the farms, and part of every dollar sold will be used to educate the children living on the coast in Mexico.
This week Norm has cut some of my fantastic Red Epizoanthids. These incredible soft corals surprised both Sally Jo and I when we first watched them catch and eat frozen Mysid Shrimp. These shrimp are almost 3/4 inch long and they are almost as big as the Epizoanthids! It is no wonder the Red Epizoanthids grow so fast. |