[Felicia]

I was wondering about this Tsunami possibility. They are talking about a tsunami just starting to hit Hawaii right now. For those who have not heard, an 8.8 earthquake hit Chili this morning (3am local time). An oceanographer was just talking on CNN and said they have seen (twice) the water level go up and down. It has gone up about 3 feet and then recesses to the point they can see rocks and reef out of the water. It also showed the rise and fall registering on the bueys. They have confirmed that it is a Tsunami hitting right now, expecting ocean to rise up to 6-8 feet, maybe more over the next few hours. They just said that the tsunami office in Hawaii got a phone call that there was possible damage in Ventura, CA, due to this Tsunami. Tsunami is also showing to hit the US west coast, CA, OR, etc. and then it shows traveling across the ocean and hitting Australia. Of course, that is just a possible and noone knows, but I wondered how this might affect the coral reefs and fish in these areas. Hitting Hawaii, maybe the Great Barrier Reef??? we all know those are heavily populated reef areas and I wondered how past recorded tsunami's affected those reef populations?

 

[Phishnoob]

That tsunami didn't pan out. I don't think the reefs wouldn't be really bothered especially at a deeper depth as this is just a lot of flow in one direction as the depth gets shallower.

There was a huge tsunami in Hawaii in 1961 and that would be a good starting point for your research.

 

[Felicia]

Yea...I was reading about that one. I was just curious if it had any affect on the fish or reefs. Obviously for environmental reasons, but also for the health of fish that would be coming into the stores in the near future. With my new tank, I will be doing some fish shopping in the near future and wondered if this type of thing makes it a bad time to buy fish....does it raise the cost of the fish in any way or affect their health? My point of reference is like when a hurricane hits the gulf of mexico, because oil production in that area is high, the hurricane causes gas prices to inflate. Not that oil and fish are the same, but I wondered if something similiar affected the fishing industry for tropical fish? I don't know much about a tsunami, but if a change in water parameters or temp of just a small degree can cause so many health problems, I would imagine that any wave powerful to cross the pacific ocean would be able to change water temp and parameters? I really don't know, I was just wondering. In the 60's there was not the same industry out there for Saltwater fish in the home aquarium, so I don't imagine there would be alot of that kind of info out there. Although the ones that have hit Asia, hit areas of high reefing populations? That might not make any sense?

 

[Phishnoob]

Yea...I was reading about that one. I was just curious if it had any affect on the fish or reefs. Obviously for environmental reasons, but also for the health of fish that would be coming into the stores in the near future. With my new tank, I will be doing some fish shopping in the near future and wondered if this type of thing makes it a bad time to buy fish....does it raise the cost of the fish in any way or affect their health? My point of reference is like when a hurricane hits the gulf of mexico, because oil production in that area is high, the hurricane causes gas prices to inflate. Not that oil and fish are the same, but I wondered if something similiar affected the fishing industry for tropical fish? I don't know much about a tsunami, but if a change in water parameters or temp of just a small degree can cause so many health problems, I would imagine that any wave powerful to cross the pacific ocean would be able to change water temp and parameters? I really don't know, I was just wondering. In the 60's there was not the same industry out there for Saltwater fish in the home aquarium, so I don't imagine there would be alot of that kind of info out there. Although the ones that have hit Asia, hit areas of high reefing populations? That might not make any sense?

I think the harvesting laws in Hawaii are pretty strict. Getting fish that your LFS will hold for you for a week to ensure they are eating to rule out cyanide poisoning from capture is probably way more of a factor than stress from a tsunami. We always leave our fish we buy on hold for a week to see how they are doing and eating.

 

[Felicia]

I think the harvesting laws in Hawaii are pretty strict. Getting fish that your LFS will hold for you for a week to ensure they are eating to rule out cyanide poisoning from capture is probably way more of a factor than stress from a tsunami. We always leave our fish we buy on hold for a week to see how they are doing and eating.

I would have never even thought to ask that. Thanks! I will see if I can do that if I go back to our LFS. I may end up getting more of my fish online anyway, but it is still good to have the knowledge!
Thanks!

 

[Reeftanker3295]

The water is just all pushing in one place so it doesn't affect things underwater really. It's just like a wave, it creates some flow for the corals but on land it crashes down with alot of force.

 

[Doug1]

If I remember correctly a Tsunami is comparable to a line of dominoes that the end one tips into the next setting off a chain reaction where they all fall down , rather than the original dominoe moving to the end of the line

 

[Phishnoob]

If I remember correctly a Tsunami is comparable to a line of dominoes that the end one tips into the next setting off a chain reaction where they all fall down , rather than the original dominoe moving to the end of the line

In physics they go over the line of pool balls where the energy is transferred through each one against a single ball that rolls along the table. The ball at the end of the line of pool balls takes off right away while the ball that has no interference has to roll on down.

 

[Felicia]

Well, glad to know the fish aren't really bothered. I feel terrible for even thinking that. My first thought was how do the fish and reefs handle an earthquake and tsunami. I know that sounds terrible. Of course, I would worry more about the lives of PEOPLE affected by all of this. I don't know why my first instinct was to worry about the fish. After I thought about it, I felt bad that my concern was in that order.

 

[shred5]

Well a big one can do some damage, not so much from the wave but what it washes back from the shore. It can bring allot of debris, pollution, garbage and fertilizer back with it.. Rivers can flood and farm fields etc and wash all that back over the reef.

The wave can topple coral heads to if enough flow is carried with it. I went down to Florida after a hurricane hit Homestead to see some of the damage it caused. In key largo it knocked of large heads of stagehorn and I did a wreck dive in about 80 feet of water that got flipped from the hurricane. Those waves are different though.

 

[Felicia]

Well a big one can do some damage, not so much from the wave but what it washes back from the shore. It can bring allot of debris, pollution, garbage and fertilizer back with it.. Rivers can flood and farm fields etc and wash all that back over the reef.

The wave can topple coral heads to if enough flow is carried with it. I went down to Florida after a hurricane hit Homestead to see some of the damage it caused. In key largo it knocked of large heads of stagehorn and I did a wreck dive in about 80 feet of water that got flipped from the hurricane. Those waves are different though.

That is the sort of thing that I was imagining in my head. I guess it is a good thing it did not turn out to be as bad as what they thought. I even wondered if an earthquake causes damage to reefs? If a quake can be centered off shore and cause buildings to colapse on land....has anyone ever heard of reefs showing earthquake damage?

 

[shred5]

Not sure about earthquakes, I would imagine they could cause some minimal.. Volcanoes do damage but volcano's really wipe out sections and allow the reef to renew its self, kind of like the fires in Yellowstone... It lays down New rock for corals to Grow.

Also I messed up a sentence up above in the last post and people may not have understood. I went there to see the damage to the reefs the hurricane caused not actually the damage to homestead. We would have just got in the way there. We took boats out of west palm beach and once the highway was opened up and the power somewhat restored to key largo we went there. It was alll military in homested and would not have appreciated rubberneckers.

 

[Felicia]

I am soooo jealous!!!!!!!!! SOMEONE PLEASE TAKE ME DIVING BEFORE I DIE!!!!!!!

 

[Phishnoob]

I am soooo jealous!!!!!!!!! SOMEONE PLEASE TAKE ME DIVING BEFORE I DIE!!!!!!!

:beer:

You have got to go. I got most of my certification here in Colorado with the dives in a natural spring in New Mexico (going back in two weeks for my rescue diver cert).

There is nothing more amazing than the reefs in Curacao, or the fish in Cabo San Lucas or tons of other places. It is a pretty decent initial investment, but once you gear up the trips are the same as going on vacation anyway.

 

[Jnicho]

I was on Kauai on the 2/27 and back in the water on 2/28...I can attest that the tsunami had no visible impact on underwater life.

 

[Felicia]

When I lived in Memphis, TN (as a teenager) I wanted soooooo badly to get certified. There is a store there (The Dive Shop) that has classes, but they were about $2000 and my mom would have never allowed it. Not to mention, where would I dive??? We moved to Heber Springs, Arkansas and I live within walking distance of a huge lake (Greers Ferry Lake). It is very popular with divers. It was created in the 1960's when a dam was built to "tame" the Little Red River. The dam caused the lake to back up and flood an entire county. There are several towns under the lake. There are ruins of buildings, roads, even the street signs are mostly still there and they say that the water is really clear here compared to basically every other lake in the south. Obviously, I would prefer the ocean, but since this lake is practically in my back yard, it would give me some experience. It is 200' deep in places, so I could certainly learn to dive deep enough. First, I will have to find the cash and then I would have to find a place to take a class...I don't know of anywhere here that teaches diving instruction. That is alot of why I am into the aquariums. If I can't go to the ocean, I will bring the ocean to me! But, I would die for the opportunity to do what you are doing! You are very lucky!

:beer:

You have got to go. I got most of my certification here in Colorado with the dives in a natural spring in New Mexico (going back in two weeks for my rescue diver cert).

There is nothing more amazing than the reefs in Curacao, or the fish in Cabo San Lucas or tons of other places. It is a pretty decent initial investment, but once you gear up the trips are the same as going on vacation anyway.