Good morning faithful ones, I have a spectacular Caribbean Reef Octopus crawling over a colony of delicate fire corals in search of something to eat for your viewing pleasure today. Most night dives we usually come across at least one octopus and it’s impossible to ignore them with their crazy colorful bodies that constantly change colors and their ability to crawl up and over anything on the reef, it’s truly cephalopod entertainment at it’s best!! This one here could have cared less about our being there and never missed a beat in his search for food which normally consists of small crabs or shells like Queen conchs or cowries, two of their favorite dinner items. I am still sick with the crud although I am not blowing my nose any more so that’s a major plus…. Have a great day out there, Barry NEWER POST:

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NASA is launching a new three year field expedition which will study the world’s coral reefs with advanced technology and in greater detail than ever before. Coral Reef Airborne Laboratory (CORAL) researchers will be taking both aerial and up-close underwater measurements to access the health of the coral reefs. The current research for the health of the worlds coral reefs comes from just a few samples of coral reefs that were measured on dive trips. There has been no global measurement that can attest to the health of reefs as a whole. NASA is trying to change that.“Right now, the state of the art for collecting coral reef data is scuba diving with a tape measure,” Eric Hochberg, CORAL principal investigator and scientist at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, St. George’s, explained in the release. “It’s analogous to looking at a few trees and then trying to say what the forest is doing.” The CORAL expedition will use an ‘airborne instrument’ called the Portable Remote Imaging Spectrometer (PRISM) which will be able to survey the condition of entire reef systems in Florida, Hawaii, Palau, the Mariana Islands and Australia. In-water measurements will also be performed to validate the findings of the airborne studies. “Now, estimates of global reef status are synthesized from local surveys with disparate aims, methods and quality,” Gierach said in the release. “With CORAL, we will provide not only the most extensive picture to date of the condition of a large portion of the world’s coral reefs, but a uniform dataset, as well.” MORE… More:

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Indeed, the future of human habitation, whether through choice or catastrophe, is often imagined (in popular culture at least) as being beyond Earth’s orbit. Sub-aquatic living still seems, perversely it could be argued, very alien. Not so for Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut. He has revealed ambitious plans for a series of underwater eco-villages that could house up to 20,000 people each in the future. His Aequorea project imagines entirely self-sufficient, spiraling “oceanscrapers” reaching to the sea floor from mangrove-covered marinas on the surface of the world’s oceans. Jellyfish-like in appearance, each oceanscraper would be constructed using recycled plastics from the misleadingly named “Seventh Continent”, or Great Pacific Garbage Patch (much of the debris here is believed to be in the form of

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According to a study conducted by the University of Auckland, researchers have found that fish stay safe from predators by using communication with other fish to maintain group cohesion. Scientists were already aware that fish can send signals to each other in order to warn of predators or for mating purposes. Researchers conducted the study by using wild Bigeyes, a common species in New Zealand. Bigeyes are nocturnal, and search for food at night in shoals of fish.The researchers placed 100 Bigeyes in a tank and studied the behavior of the fish for five months while using a GoPro, MP3 player and underwater hydrophones. Two sounds were played in the tank, one being the regular sound of the reef environment and the other playing recorded Bigeye vocalizations. When the sound recordings were played, researchers found that the Bigeyes swam together and increased their calling rates by five times so they could communicate over the background noise. Meanwhile, when there were no recordings played, the fish swam apart. “This study means that fish are now the oldest vertebrate group in which this behavior has been observed and that has interesting implications for our understanding of evolutionary behavior among vertebrates,”  Lucy van Oosterom, lead author of the study, said in a news release. MORE… More:

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Rock Beauty Angelfish (Holacanthus tricolor)On one of my earliest dives down in the Florida Keys back in the 1990s, a gorgeous yellow and black angelfish caught my attention as I drifted over a section of reef. In my mind’s eye, I envision the angel hovering boldly above a large barrel sponge, but I can’t be sure whether that’s actually how it happened or just an idyllic memory. In any case, I was taken with its distinctive appearance and wondered whether it might make a good aquarium candidate. As anyone familiar with the fauna of the tropical western Atlantic has already guessed, the angel I saw back then was a rock beauty (Holacanthus tricolor)—a species that, unfortunately, tends to fare poorly in marine aquaria and is generally best left to advanced fishkeepers or, better yet, in the ocean where it can beguile other divers. I’ll get into why in just a moment.Physical traits H. tricolor is laterally compressed (flattened from side to side) and, in typical angel fashion, sports a sharp, backward curving spine on the gill cover (operculum). As alluded above, this species is yellow on the anterior portion of the body and on the caudal fin and black from behind the gills to the caudal peduncle (base of the tail). The margin of the anal fin, the edge of the operculum, and the opercular spine are orange.

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Paleontologists have discovered the fossil remains of the world’s biggest ocean-dwelling crocodile buried on the edge of the Sahara, a creature that was twice the size of anything seen today. Named Machimosaurus rex, this croc would have weighed in at least 6,600 pounds and been around 32 feet long. Other than its size, it would have looked much like a modern day crocodile except for its narrow snout – which was designed to allow it swim in the ocean. Related: Fossils of 3 new crocodile species found in Peru It would have been the top predator in what was then an ocean that separated Africa from Europe about 130 million years ago. “This is an incredibly big crocodile. It is twice as big as a present day marine

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credit: jeweledrose.com

 Do these long, cold months of winter have you and your little one dreaming of sunny days at the beach? Bring a little of that summer fun home with this recipe for sandy beach playdough – it’s easy to make, and will provide a fun, sensory-rich activity with minimal cleanup. You only need three ingredients: 

• 5 cups of play sand
• 3 cups of all purpose flour
• 1 cup of vegetable oil

  Preparation couldn’t be easier – simply mix all the ingredients together in a play bin or other shallow container, and you’re all set. The mixture makes a wonderful, slightly sticky mixture that’s perfect for molding, building, and playing for hours. You can add in small stones, shells, or plastic toys, dig tunnels, and build a sandcastle without leaving your warm, dry house! It easily vacuums up, and can be stored in an airtight container if you want to save it for another day. Some fun facts: The University of Hawaii did a study, and estimates that there are seven quintrillion five quadrillion grains of sand on all the beaches in the world (that’s a 75 with 17 zeros behind it; i.e., 7,500,000,000,000,000,000) Sand is often comprised of silica (in the form of quartz), though it may also contain calcium carbonate (from coral skeletons and shellfosh), magnetite, chlorite, glauconite, obsidian, and even gemstones. To be classified as sand, the particles must be between  ¹⁄₁₆ mm and 2 mm – anything bigger is considered gravel, and anything smaller is silt.… More:

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Swedish designer Charles Törnros set out to address what he perceived as flaws in the design of current desk top aquariums and achieved a result which is elegant, minimalistic and also customizable to match almost any home decor.  After 1240 design hours, 93 prototype revisions and 461 testing days the “Norrom Aquarium” was born. <![CDATA[ #gallery-1 { margin: auto; } #gallery-1 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 33%; } #gallery-1 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-1 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } ]]> The Norrom features various finished wood choices for customization of the lid and base to suit your decor.  It can also be purchased with an unfinished wood base and lid which can be painted or stained

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Good morning from Curacao. So I have heard that everyone and their mother is now sick on the island with this stupid crud, I’m going on a week and a half of fevers, coughing and nose blowing. Yesterday Aimee started feeling bad and immediately came down with it unlike mine that came on super slow and I really thought I could beat it. We have a few sub dives today but I will be unable to go underwater, good thing we have a backup photographer to help a sick little man out. I have an “oldie but a goodie” dolphin photo for you all today, this is baby Lina when she was less than a year old, any of you remember her?

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Julian Sprung has released two new products labelled as “ReMag” and “CorAffix Little Pro” under the Two Littles Fishies brand. CorAffix Little Pro comes in a 59 ml squeeze bottle with pin cap to prevent clogging between uses and is a smaller version of their 295 ml CorAffix Pro glue.  The new smaller bottle is packaged on a blister card for easy display on retail display racks. ReMag is a magnesium-rich media for use in calcium reactors.  Julian recommends using ReMag in conjunction with ReBorn at a ratio of 1 part ReMag to 9 parts ReBorn to maintain optimum calcium, magnesium, and alkalinity levels in your reef aquarium water.  This product will be available in 8.8 lb. (4kg) and 44 lb. (20kg) containers.

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The marine conservation lobby has been celebrating a small victory of late, with the banning of plastic microbeads in the US, but why are such small objects so troublesome? 

NOAA Marine Debris Program. Image by Johanna B, Creative Commons

 Plastic microbeads are getting everywhere.  The main culprits are beauty products like shower gels and toothpaste.  The thing is, they don’t always get removed by waste water treatment plants and ultimately find their way into marine life and even into you and me.  It’s not often that marine conservation campaigners are celebrating, but the recent ban on selling or distributing products that contain microbeads in the US is a certainly a good thing. The nuisance little balls of plastic (a study estimated eight trillion are washed down US drains every year) have also been banned in Canada and conservation groups such as whale fans and all-round eco warriors Greenpeace are lobbying for the UK Government to follow suit with a ban. David Cameron’s government has not as yet lived up to its promise to ‘be the greenest government ever’ in many people’s opinions. The beads (defined as any solid plastic particle under 5 millimeters) in the US legislation are added to products to give an exfoliating sensation or a mild abrasive action, but like the rest of the plastic we use, they do not degrade and easily find their way into water courses and the seas; recent studies have even found them in what we used to think of as pristine arctic sea ice.  The study also showed that increased ice melt in a warmer world will allow plastic that has been trapped by the sea ice over the decades to return back into the oceans. Plastic in the oceans is a well-known problem, from entanglement issues to animals such as sea birds eating floating plastic items, mistaking them for food.  Microbeads cause a subtler and more insidious threat; along with other tiny plastic particles, they can be ingested by a range of marine life from fish to filter feeding mollusks.  The particles can then migrate from the animals’ digestives systems and lodge in their tissues. Micro plastics can also absorb toxins and, if they pass into animal tissues, they can transfer toxins such as flame retardants and pesticides into the tissue of any animal, including humans, further up the food chain. The science on this subject is still in its infancy, but several studies have indicated that micro plastic can cause cellular necrosis, inflammation and lacerations in the digestive tract and micro plastics are associated with bioaccumulative and/or toxic chemicals.… More:

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An interspecies pair of C. trifasiatus (left) and C. melapterus (right) seen at Socotra. Credit: Tane Sinclair-Taylor

 
In recent years, there has been a flurry of published research into the causes of speciation in coral reef fishes. For many Indo-Pacific groups, geography seems to be the main driver of diversity, but it isn’t always well-known how this regional diversity was formed and when this diversification occurred. Such answers are best sought by studying subtle differences in genetic sequences—the greater the molecular difference, the greater the age at which specimens last shared a common ancestor.  In a newly published article by Waldrop et al, these techniques were applied to a widespread and closely related subgenus of butterflyfish: Corallochaetodon. Four distinctive species make up this lineage, all occupying parapatric distributions spanning from the Red Sea to Polynesia. The names aren’t likely to be terribly familiar to the average reef aquarist, as these are all obligate corallivores (i.e. they only eat Acropora), but these are nonetheless some of the most ubiquitous members of their family to be found in healthy reef environments.  

Biogeography of Chaetodon (Corallochaetodon) group. Credit: Walldrop et al 2016

 
Of the four, C. lunulatus of the Pacific Ocean and C. trifasciatus of the Indian Ocean are the two most widely distributed. This geminate species pair differs mostly in color, with trifasciatus having a bluer color to the sides and more orange along the caudal peduncle. The remaining species, C. austriacus of the Red Sea and C. melapterus of the Arabian Gulf, are dramatically more vibrant in color, having bright orange bodies and mostly black fins posteriorly. None of these are seen with any regularity in the aquarium trade, which is certainly in the best interests of these finicky fishes. As butterflyfishes tend to have a relatively long-lasting pelagic larval stage to their development, it’s not unexpected that they should show fairly widespread populations. Relatively few members of the family show the kind of regionalized endemism seen in more sedentary groups like Amphiprion or Chrysiptera; instead, we see most chaetodontid species spanning entire ocean basins or oftentimes encompassing the full breadth of the tropical Indo-Pacific.  

The Pacific Ocean C. lunulatus. Credit: Paddy Ryan

 In analyzing the genetics of Corallochaetodon, Waldrop et al found support for the Indian and Pacific Ocean populations splitting approximately 3 MYA, roughly correlating with a period some 2.6-2.8 MYA when sea levels dropped and the Sunda Shelf of Indonesia effectively isolated these two basins and the fish populations therein.… More:

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Sometimes external stressors can cause aggression amongst tankmatesFish wounds and injuries can result from a variety of different influences, with tankmate aggression being among the more commonplace. Unfortunately, hobbyists don’t always recognize this problem right away when it manifests itself. Jay Hemdal, Curator of Fishes and Invertebrates for the Toledo Zoo, explains why in the following excerpt from his book The Salt Smart Guide to Preventing, Diagnosing, and Treating Diseases of Marine Fishes: Tankmate aggression This is a potential issue in any marine aquarium that houses more than one fish. In the most serious instances, where the aquarist severely underestimates the ability of one fish to injure another, aggression actually takes the form of predation. There are also cases of fish living peacefully side by side for years and suddenly beginning to fight. Home aquarists are often in denial that any aggression is taking place because, with the exception of the most severe cases, it is very difficult to “catch them in the act.” Take, for example, a case of minor aggression where one fish is “tagging” another one (damaging a fin with a bite) at a rate of once or twice a day. What are the chances that an aquarist is going to see the aggressive act?

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I’ve been playing with the Fishbit monitor now for a while. What I’ve found is a straightforward, easy to use device that could certainly help beginner and intermediate reef keepers monitor their tanks. From a monitoring perspective, the Fishbit doesn’t offer anything new. When first discussed on forums and hobby media, there was mention that the Fishbit would monitor nitrate, calcium, alkalinity or other vital parameters. For now, it simply measures ph, temperature and salinity. Anyone who has been in the hobby for a while knows that electronically monitoring these crucial elements is nothing new. Where Fishbit blazes a trail is in ease of use, introducing a monitor that connects to a wi-fi network. It’s easy to set up and works well with the iOS application that compliments it. However, after spending some time with the monitor, I have a few concerns based on the beta version I received.  To start with, the probes are non-replaceable and installed in the upper-end of the monitor, sealed up by a thick layer of silicone. The silicone itself concerns me, as silicone is prone to failure after extended exposure to saltwater. Additionally, the software stops live reporting aquarium conditions to the aquarist’s mobile device. In order to get up-to-the-minute data, the Fishbit needs to be unplugged and fully restarted. This could be a real problem if an aquarist is traveling, at work, or away from their tank. According to Nathan of Current Labs, this issue is being addressed right now, as the development team tries to find out what’s going on. While wireless hardware and software is easy to set up and is certainly handy, it is somewhat prone to connection issues and other bugs. Of all the wireless-enabled devices I have in my home, which includes security cameras, weather monitoring stations, light bulb controllers, and speakers, all of them have had repeated connection issues. While it’s annoying when a smart bulb won’t adjust color temperature, it could be a major concern if the Fishbit is reporting incorrect aquarium water parameters due to an inability to update. One area of Fishbit’s set up could be problematic for less than tech-savvy aquarists. When first plugged in, the Fishbit enters wireless connection mode, and creates its own wi-fi network to give a mobile device direct access to it. If during the device’s initial connection to wi-fi it doesn’t connect, there is no reset to try again from scratch.… More:

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For some time, I’ve held the belief that if the aquarium trade didn’t invest in current, real-world data about the aquarium fisheries’ role on wild fish populations, sooner or later a beloved aquarium fish or coral would be listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Many aquarists don’t realize that any conservation group can petition to have a species listed under the ESA. If the information they provide the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), and a follow up investigation show that a listing is warranted, then it’s quite possible the species noted will be listed. Now my prediction has come true, and it concerns a popular and beloved marine aquarium fish, the Banggai cardinalfish.  In 1994 Dr. Gerry Allen rediscovered the Banggai cardinal, and by 1995 the small fish was introduced to the marine aquarium community at MACNA, in Louisville, Kentucky. In 1996 Tropical Fish Hobbyist published an article on the newly rediscovered cardinal, lauding it as the perfect fish for marine aquariums. Banggai cardinals were a sensation, and from 2002-2004 nearly 2 million individual fish were traded into the U.S. and Europe annually, for the marine aquarium trade. At one point in 2001, up to 118,000 Banggai cardinalfish were sold per month. One positive aspect of this explosion in popularity is that it led the species to be bred and raised in captivity, giving aquarists a source of aqua-cultured fish. Still, the Banggai cardinal became the 8^th most imported marine fish in the aquarium trade. By 2013, conservation group Wild Earth Guardians petitioned the NMFS to list the species under the ESA. In February of 2014, the NMFS released a 90 day finding stating that Wild Earth had presented acceptable data to list the cardinalfish under the ESA. By August of 2014 the NMFS had published a 36 page report, detailing the best scientific evidence available at the time, proposing that the fish species be listed as threatened under ESA designation. Potential restrictions could prevent the ownership, trade, breeding, import and sale of an ESA designated species, meaning that at some point in the future, the NMFS could outlaw the ownership or sale of Banggai cardinalfish, including those bred in captivity. The findings:According to NMFS’ detailed report, the ornamental marine livestock industry has damaged populations of Banggaii cardinalfish since collection began around Banggaii island in 1995. By 2000 severe negative impacts from the export of Banggaii cardinalfish had been observed, and 235 surveyed scientists felt the fish was at risk of extinction due to overexploitation of the marine livestock industry.… More:

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Just some favia

It was a much longer break than we planned, but we’re back for more podcasting. This week it’s new tanks, growing sponge, coral harvesting for cosmetics, and cleaner-wrasse myths. Thanks for your patience and we hope you enjoy our first 2016 podcast. Download the podcast here, or subscribe to our podcasts at iTunes. Also, follow us on Twitter at reefthreads.—Gary and Christine

Sponsor: Rod’s Food
Rod’s Food website

Corals and cosmetics
Coral to be Harvested for Cosmetics, Jennifer Novoseletsky, Cosmetics and Toiletries

Wrasse myths
5 Cleaner Wrasse Myths, Saltwater Smarts via Reefs.com

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Recently we posted an article about Jellyfish Art and their Kickstarter program which features the newly released Jellyfish Cylinder nano aquarium.  Having never kept Jellyfish, my curiosity was piqued and I decided to give it a try and write a few articles about the experience. Today we are unboxing the Jellyfish nano cylinder to show you what is included in the kit. The Kit Includes: Jellyfish Cylinder Nano Aquarium Aquarium lid Foam Filtration Pad User Manual Air Pump LED Light & Remote LED Power Supply Hydrometer Feeding Pipette Chemi-pure Blue nano Jellysalt Jellybio Starter <![CDATA[ #gallery-1 { margin: auto; } #gallery-1 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 20%; } #gallery-1 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-1 .

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Platypodiella spectabilis Credit: Ellen Muller

 
With all due respect to Neoliomera, perhaps the most coveted carcinological treasure to be found on coral reefs are the Clown Crabs of the genus Platypodiella. Like a red and yellow Rorschach test, these diminutive invertebrates epitomize the visual splendour we associate with marine life. No two specimens ever share the exact same pattern, always showing some amount of variation in their spots and colors, like so many crustaceous snowflakes. The vibrant patterning isn’t merely for ostentation either, as these crabs actually sequester palytoxin, one of the most lethal poisons known in nature.  

A sponge-associated specimen, reportedly feeding on a commensal zoantharian. Credit: Ellen Muller

 In total, five species are described, split along the geographic boundaries of the major ecoregions of the Atlantic and East Pacific. The crab most likely to find its way into aquarium exports is the Caribbean P. spectabilis, known in field guides as the Gaudy Clown Crab. It can be found from Florida south to Brazil, the latter of which may represent an undescribed cryptic species. On the other side of the Atlantic, P. picta is recorded from tropical reefs along the West African coastline, while the recently described P. georgei hales from St. Helena. A pair of species are found in the East Pacific: P. rotundata along the Mexican coastline and the possibly conspecific P. gemmata from Panama to the Galapagos Islands, neither of which are well-documented in photographs.  These crabs have a fascinating ecological relationship with zoantharians, seemingly relying on them for both shelter and nourishment. Juveniles are reported to somehow settle into the internal cavity of their preferred host (Palythoa spp.), eventually burrowing beneath the colony as they mature into an adult 30mm in carapace width. This burrow and its small opening to the outside world is where this industrious fellow will call home for the remainder of its days. 

Picking apart its Palythoa host. Credit: Garcia-Hernandez et al 2014

 There are, however, other places they are known to reside. One of the more interesting is their reported association with certain sponges (a ropelike grey sponge and the vaselike Niphates digitalis) which harbor an entirely different type of zoantharian, the commensal Umimayanthus parasiticus. Since these polyps don’t form any appreciable mat, the crabs instead burrow directly into the sponge, creating a small alcove from which they emerge at night to feed.… More:

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For a long time, aquarists have wanted to keep jellyfish. In the past, it seemed like an impossible feat. Not because jellyfish are particularly sensitive to aquarium life, but because their jelly like (boneless) bodies have the terrible habit of getting stuck in circulation pumps, filter intakes, or overflow drains. A traditional reef aquarium is certainly no place for a jellyfish, and it’s only a matter of time until they are sucked up by filtration, or shredded to bits by a propeller pump. When I first stumbled upon Jellyfish Art, I sort of chuckled to myself, thinking that it was impossible jellyfish keeping would become popular, or even easy. I had watched several of my aquarium pals invest some serious dough in a “jellyfish aquarium” with no luck whatsoever, just a lot of wasted dollars and a few dead jellyfish. Suddenly though, a few aquarists I know were giving Jellyfish Art’s all-in-one jellyfish systems a shot, and they were reporting great results. Had this small crowd-funded start-up discovered the “art” of jellyfish keeping? What had changed, making something seemingly impossible to keep, suddenly possible in a small pico-environment? To find out for myself, I decided to give a Jellyfish Art system a try. Needless to say, I am pleasantly surprised, even thoroughly impressed with the results.    Kreisel tanks:Successful jellyfish keeping owes everything to the advent of kreisel tanks. Kreisel is a German word meaning “spinning” or “gyro-scope.” A kreisel tank is entirely round, and the filter overflow is a screen without any large openings. It only allows water and very small particles through, preventing jellyfish from making their way into a filtration chamber. In a kreisel tank, all filtration is separate from the main aquarium, and circulation is accomplished by a specialized piping return, which both creates a gentle gyre through the round tank and prevents jellyfish from getting entangled. Kreisel tanks create a non-stop circular gyre, which jellyfish can drift through much like they would in an oceanic current. They sort of work for jellyfish, like endless pools work for swimmers. These tanks were designed to raise jellyfish, or larval stage fish and seahorses. The Jellyflap Aquarium:Jellyfish Art owes a lot to the kreisel design, and their $ 399 Jellyflap Aquarium is essentially a stylish kreisel tank. The tank is entirely round, with the back sticking out like half of a large basketball where filtration is located.… More:

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Jason Fox Lemon Lime Pocillopora Pocillopora corals have been in the US aquarium trade for about as long as SPS corals have been coming into to the US.  They are generally one of the more easy corals to keep and they are typically pale yellow, pink to reddish in color.  Pocillopora have also been know to sexually reproduce in the aquarium. The most common species in the trade is Pocillopora damicornis.  The growth form is cauliflower-like and the branches are often densely packed together.  Common names include; Cauliflower Coral, Brush Coral, or Cluster Coral. These corals are some of the most sought after with longer hairy polyps that are green in color and differ from the coloration of the coral which is primarily yellow. Pocillopora

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