(CNN) The Florida Aquarium has made a breakthrough that will help save "America's Great Barrier Reef," the third largest coral reef in the world.

For the first time in world history, the aquarium in Tampa, Florida has successfully reproduced ridged cactus coral in human care.

The corals are just one of a variety of species rescued from Florida's waters by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and NOAA Fisheries after coral reefs in the state began undergoing a major disease outbreak that started in 2014.

Scientists are now caring for the rescued adult coral colonies to breed and reproduce them in hopes of someday restoring the reefs once the disease is gone. While reproducing these species, scientists are discovering for the first time basic information on their biology, such as when they have babies or what their larvae look like.

The ridged cactus coral which reproduced.

"We are losing coral species faster than we can learn about them," Keri O'Neil, senior coral scientist at the Florida Aquarium, told CNN.

Read More