Blue Ridge Coral Slab

This is a natural Blue Ridge Coral Slab with a point. It is 5 inches tall by 1.5 inches wide and is a little over 1/2 an inch thick. It weighs 3.5 ounces. This Blue Ridge Coral has been ethically sourced from aquaculture farming. What is Blue Ridge Coral? The Blue Ridge Coral (Heliopora coerulea), also known as the blue coral, is a unique species of colonial marine organism that is famous for building a permanent, striking blue skeleton made of iron-infused calcium carbonate. Classification: It is an octocoral (a type of soft coral), meaning its polyps feature eight-fold symmetry with eight feathery tentacles.The "Stony" Discrepancy: Unlike typical soft corals, it secretes a massive, rigid aragonite skeleton that mimics small polyp stony (SPS) hard corals, leading many aquarists to mistake its identity. Blue Coloration: The signature indigo-blue color comes from iron salts and deposits that the coral extracts from surrounding seawater and integrates into its https://offerup.com/redirect/?o=c2tlbGV0b24uTGl2aW5n Tissue: The living outer flesh typically appears tan, brown, or greenish-gray, which hides the bright blue skeleton underneath unless the coral is scraped, broken, or viewed closely.Growth Forms: It grows in diverse structural shapes, including branching, columnar pillars, encrusting sheets, and flat plate-like (laminar) formations. Conservation: Wild harvesting of blue coral has faced strict regulations or protected status in various regions due to historical over-harvesting for the ornamental and jewelry trade, making aquacultured specimens the preferred choice for hobbyists.