The concussion from the explosion kills many species. Cyanide Poisoning - Another damaging and illegal hunting method is the use of cyanide poisoning. The hunter squirts the cyanide in and around the coral to temporarily immobilize sealife so they can be caught. But the poison floats around and kills a great amount of smaller fish and also the coral animals. U.S. Port Authorities inspectors are testing imported fish for cyanide poisoning.
Most aquarium fish come from the Philippines and Indonesia.
There are very loose laws in poorer countries for the protection of coral ecosystems. It is estimated that of tropical fish harvested, only one out of every ten survive. If you have an aquarium or are thinking about getting one, you will want to choose your suppliers very carefully. Make sure that the fish and animals they sell have not been illegally harvested. Do not buy coral, or buy from suppliers who sell coral, unless there is proof it was not taken from the wild.