Sun coral (Tubastraea spp.)When ascribed to the various species of the genus Tubastraea, the common name “sun coral” is both fitting and ironic. It’s fitting when you consider that the spectacular polyps of many Tubastraea species can quite justifiably be described as sun-like in both color and shape. On the other hand, it’s ironic in that these species, unlike so many of the corals that grace our aquariums, lack symbiotic zooxanthellae and, therefore, don’t depend on sunlight—or intense reef-grade aquarium lighting—for their sustenance. Having no special lighting needs might seem to suggest that these corals would be a good choice for the novice reefkeeper. However, just the opposite is actually true. Tubastraea are heavy feeders that require a high level of commitment and exceptional husbandry skills and are generally best left to more advanced hobbyists.Physical traits Tubastraea spp. are considered large-polyp stony (LPS) corals, with several species possessing striking yellow to orange polyps that emerge from tubular, and in some cases branching, corallites. There are also darker-polyped species that appear in the aquarium trade from time to time, such as T.

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Sun coral (Tubastraea spp.)When ascribed to the various species of the genus Tubastraea, the common name “sun coral” is both fitting and ironic. It’s fitting when you consider that the spectacular polyps of many Tubastraea species can quite justifiably be described as sun-like in both color and shape. On the other hand, it’s ironic in that these species, unlike so many of the corals that grace our aquariums, lack symbiotic zooxanthellae and, therefore, don’t depend on sunlight—or intense reef-grade aquarium lighting—for their sustenance. Having no special lighting needs might seem to suggest that these corals would be a good choice for the novice reefkeeper. However, just the opposite is actually true. Tubastraea are heavy feeders that require a high level of commitment and exceptional husbandry skills and are generally best left to more advanced hobbyists.Physical traits Tubastraea spp. are considered large-polyp stony (LPS) corals, with several species possessing striking yellow to orange polyps that emerge from tubular, and in some cases branching, corallites. There are also darker-polyped species that appear in the aquarium trade from time to time, such as T.

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Innovators and entrepreneurs are always busy finding ways to tweak, streamline and improve existing technologies. And while this kind of progress is most obvious in the world of computers, smart phones and cars, aquariums come with their fair share of gadgets too. If you love to stay up-to-date on the coolest new trends, here’s a look at some of the latest advancements in aquarium tech, from simple but effective gadgets to sophisticated sensors and machines. Mess-Free Feeding Feeding by hand is not hard, but it can be messy, especially if you are feeding your fish on the run and don’t have time to stop to wash the fishy smell off your hands before heading off to work. If this describes your life, you’d

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 Amphiprion bicinctus is not a common fish in the trade, but for visitors to the Red Sea, it’s a common sight. I’ve had a great fondness for clownfish since I first saw one on an old nature documentary in the 1970s, so when I first saw one in the wild I was utterly captivated.  They also make great subjects for photography, though most fish swim away as fast as possible. A. bicinctus has two white stripes (as its name implies:  bi=twice, cinctus=cut) and is in the Clarkii group.  A. bicinctus is a Red Sea endemic, but is available through breeders such as ORA, who’ve also bred a charming ‘spotcinctus’ morph, though their website does remind potential buyers that this fish can become territorial when fully grown and in ‘full-on defending’ mode. In the wild, the fish host in Entacmaea and Heteractis species and look particularly attractive when young and photographed against the red column of H. magnifica. Bicinctus also share their homes with juvenile Dascyllus trimaculatus, though will chase them off as they become more mature.  

Red Sea Two-Band Clownfish | Amphiprion bicinctus | ORA | Oceans, Reefs & Aquariums

The Two-Band Clownfish is a member of the Clarkii complex. They are mustard yellow to rusty orange in color with 2 white bars located on the head and mid-body. There is no band on the base of the large lyre tail. They grow to a maximum size of around 4 inches.

… More:

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Chromis brevirostris, whose specific epithet means “short nose”. Photo credit: Trimma.net.

 The circumtropical genus Chromis is a ubiquitous icon of any coral reef, and can be found anywhere from sun speckled coral gardens to lung compressing depths in the mesophotic twilight zone. Despite their near abrasive presence both in the field and in the aquarium trade, not much is known about the genus collectively. With increased deep water exploration, it’s becoming clearer that the humble Chromis is equally comfortable in soul sucking depths as they are in the shallows.  In the grand scheme of pomacentrid fish, Chromis represents the largest genera with over 80 valid species, although there is no doubt that this number will only continue to grow in the decades to come. Members of this genus are some of the few damselfishes to inhabit deep waters, with a couple of species pushing the boundaries and limits of even the most professional rebreather divers. In the relatively recent year of 2008, five new species of Chromis from the Western Pacific were described in a single publication. These represent some of the deepest known species yet, providing a glimpse of the genus’ diversity in the mesophotic zone. It also provides a rather interesting look at the seldom seen, whimsical side of ichthyologists. Scientists are known to sneak clever humour into their work, often in the form of anagrams or witty phrases. The species described in this paper were named in order of the first five letters of the english alphabet in chronological order, starting with Chromis abyssus, brevirostris, circumaurea, degruyi and earina. In other words, A,B,C,D,E! Today on epithet etymology, we will explore the witty humour of the Chromis quintet. How Chromis got its name is somewhat of a mystery. There is a haze of uncertainty that surrounds this one, and to the best of my knowledge, Chromis was named in reference to the greek word “chroma“, meaning color. This is, however, debatable. And since the genus Chromis was erected more than a century before I walked this earth, it’s true etymology is perhaps hidden amongst dusty, silverfish encrusted literature. Chromis abyssus 

Chromis abyssus. Photo credit: Brian Greene/Richard Pyle.

 The holotype of this handsome species was known from Belau Islands in Palau, at a depth of 110m. Apart from the type location, this species has also been observed at 120-150m in Manado, Sulawesi. … More:

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The sheer brilliance of Ptereleotris kallista is simply mind-blowing. Photo credit: Lemon TYK.

 Of all the slender, slippery gobioid looking fishes to exist, few can surpass the unearthly and celestial beauty of Ptereleotris. The genus, of course, is home to numerous species, but three of them stand out in terms of their bind-blowing beauty, second to none. That being said, it is important to note that Ptereleotris, although slender and very goby like, are not gobies. They belong to the family Microdesmidae, which contains the two subfamilies Ptereleotrinae (dartfishes) and Microdesminae (wormfishes). In the aquarium context, much of this family is represented by the members in the former group, which contain the familiar genera Aioliops, Parioglossus, Ptereleotris, Nematereleotris, Navigobius, Oxymetopon and Pterocerdale. The latter group is more obscure, with Gunnelichthys perhaps being the only regular fare to grace the aquarium scene. Ptereleoris kallista 

Ptereleotris kallista, whose specific epithet alludes to “most beautiful” in greek. Photo credit: Lemon TYK.

 The first of three species highlighted today is Ptereleotris kallista. The specific epithet “kallista” is in reference to the greek for “most beautiful”. This species belongs to the Ptereleotris grammica clade, for which there are four members – all of which are diagnosed by having circular caudal fins, as well as a broad, flag like first dorsal fin in which the rays are extrapolated into long, filamentous extensions. The phylogeny of Ptereleotris has not been formally worked out, but it appears likely that kallista and its group members form a sister group the the Ptereleotris hanae complex – in which the members are diagnosed by having very filamentous caudal fins, as well as a shorter, more underdeveloped first dorsal fin. Ptereleotris kallista is a fairly recent addition to the genus, being described in 2008 based on two specimens obtained from the aquarium trade. The species is distributed in the Philippines, although how extensively, is currently unknown. Needless to say, this species is very seldom seen, and is currently known only from a handful of live photos, most of which are included here. That being said, its rarity is probably due to its obscurity, and the species slips in occasionally with P. grammica and the very similar P. uroditaenia during Philippines exports. Ptereleotris kallista is easily diagnosed from P. uroditaenia based on caudal fin patterns. In the former, the fin is mostly translucent, sans a brownish-black outer margin, edged on both sides in metallic blue.… More:

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Good morning friends, how was your weekend out there??? Still no rain here and the stupid wind is still blowing like an approaching hurricane, I say, “give us a break already”!! I did a fun dolphin dive with Aimee yesterday she was free-diving while yours truly cheated and had a tank, there’s no way I can my breath as long as she can! Our goal was to try and get some photos of Aimee using the new state of the art, shallow use, underwater housing from our friends at IKELITE. Many times taking anything new in the water with the dolphins means good luck finding the dolphins as they are not big fans of new technology. So as you see here Aimee is training one of them to stop in front of the camera and pose for a photo but not without a little attitude as you can see from all those bubbles coming out of her blowhole, she looks like an erupting volcano.

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Red Sea has been a trusted aquatics company for decades. They are known for careful science and high production values, releasing products that have been carefully studied. In recent years, Red Sea has turned its attention to making reef aquariums that simplify reef keeping, opening the hobby up to an entire sect of interested consumers, who previously felt reefing was too complex and technical. Years ago, they debuted their MAX series of aquariums. These were some of the first high-end, reef specific, all in one, or “plug and play” aquariums. Every piece of equipment a reef keeper would need was included, and Red Sea promised that everything included in their MAX systems was “Reef Spec,” capable of growing anything from green star polyps to complex SPS species.  Reviews of the original MAX line of aquariums were mixed. Some expert aquarists believed they were a good step toward an easier introduction to reef keeping, while others found nothing but limitations within the MAX aquariums. I purchased a MAX system several years ago to house some corals and fish while completing construction of my house. Overall, the system was a disappointment for me, as it was equipped with a sub-par protein skimmer and very basic equipment, when compared to the advanced reef systems I was accustom too. Making matters worse was the price, which exceeded the cost of a stand-alone aquarium outfitted with higher-performing equipment. Once my fish-room was complete, I moved my reef into a custom designed aquarium system, and gave the Red Sea MAX to a friend who was starting out in reef keeping. Discussion about the Red Sea MAX erupted in 2013, with the release of the Red Sea MAX C-series aquarium. In 2013, LED lighting was quickly overshadowing older lighting technology, yet the Red Sea MAX C debuted with T5 lighting and still managed to carry a super-premium price. Chatter among aquarists indicated the belief that Red Sea was offering sub-par technology for an uber-premium price, and potentially price-gouging first time reef keepers with promises of an easy to keep, plug and play, reef aquarium. Eventually it led Red Sea to issue a statement, stating that while they want to offer their customers the best quality and technology, their studies showed that T5 lighting was the best method, at the time, to keep anything from beginner corals on up to demanding SPS species. It cooled some of the controversy, and Red Sea likely hoped to put questions about the MAX’s product selection to bed, by adding LED lighting to current MAX models.… More:

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The Giant Reef Corallimorph Paracorynactis hoplites seen in the Philippines. Credit: Blogio Robillo

 The morphological differences that serve to separate anemones, corals and corallimorphs (i.e. “mushrooms”) are not always obvious, and perhaps nowhere do the lines separating these groups blur so much as with a peculiar, tentacled beastie found in many reef aquariums: the so-called “Orange Ball Anemone”. These small, soft-bodied creatures normally hitchhike in alongside pieces of coral and proceed to go about their business buried deeply within the nooks and crannies of live rock. When finally they get noticed, they usually get mistaken for a pestiferous anemone, but, dear reader, this is no anemone… 

Corallimorphids are capable of causing some mischief in the reef aquarium, as can be seen by the pile of empty shells in this photo. Credit: gagonzalez

 The Order Corallimorpharia, as I have expounded upon previously, is comprised of species that share with the stony corals (Order Scleractinia) a common configuration to their internal anatomy, as well as an identical array of nematocyst types; their only major morphological difference is the presence or absence of an internal calcium carbonate skeleton. The most familiar examples are the various genera of mushroom corals (e.g. Discosoma, Rhodactis, Ricordea) so ubiquitous in the aquarium hobby, all of which share a common gestalt—a flat, circular polyp with minimal tentacle development. Contrast this with the Family Corallimorphidae, whose members possess a more columnar shape with longer tentacles, and it’s easy to see where the confusion comes from. Externally, these really do look similar to the true anemones of the Order Actiniaria. 

Corallimorphus profundus, from Antarctica. Credit Reimann-Zürneck & Iken 2003

 The classification within the Corallimorphidae is still poorly understood, as most species have been minimally studied, if at all. The namesake genus, Corallimorphus, has six species that are mostly restricted to deep waters, easily recognizable by their large size and stiff, non-retractile bodies. The remaining genera and species are, with few exceptions, smaller and able to fully retract their bodies when harassed. Pseudocorynactis and Corynactis form the bulk of this family, with approximately 17 recognized species. Unfortunately, there is no consensus at the present time as to how these should be classified. Fautin 2011 chose to combine the two groups together as Corynactis, but other authors have continued to treat them separately, citing, among other subtle differences, a second layer of spirocysts in the acrospheres (the bulbous tentacle tips) of Pseudocorynactis, giving it a highly sticky feel.… More:

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The captive bred Zebrasoma flavescens we’ve all been ogling over from the Oceanic Institute of Hawaii Pacific University have hit wholesalers Quality Marine and Segrest Farms. The initial shipments of 300-400 fish are almost all spoken for, heading to new homes at public aquariums. This is a huge leap forward in the aquaculture world. Tangs are known to be one of the more difficult families of fishes to spawn, let alone rear. “Although this initial supply will be quite limited, we hope that as our research continues we will be able to provide more. Ultimately, our goal is that commercial suppliers will adopt this technology and provide significant numbers of captive-bred tangs to the industry.” said Chad Callan, the fearless leader of the yellow tang project. A quote from the article Coral Magazine posted (via reef2rainforest) notes the expected higher cost of these fish. If they become available to the industry we hope that consumers are willing to put a little extra money down at the counter. The last thing we want is another ORA Mandarin effect, where uninformed hobbyists opt out of a much better choice to save a few bucks. This curtails demands and halts continued efforts. We cannot deny the value of a healthy conditioned fish, particularly one that’s now been aquacultured for the first time. 

The yellow tang crew, left to right: Dean Kline, Chad Callan, Emma Forbes, and Erin Pereira-Davison.

 Chad went on to say, “I think it’s important to stress there are no guarantees…. This could be it for a long time, unless we get the support to carry on our research. And even then, we don’t know what to expect for numbers out the other side. There is so much still to learn!” We wish Chad and everyone at Oceanic Institute of Hawaii Pacific University continued success with these wonderful animals.… More:

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RO/DI treatment is a hedge against tap water which typically has impurities that can cause issues in our aquariumsQuestionI’ve been keeping saltwater aquariums for five years, and in all that time I’ve never used RO/DI water for top offs or mixing up clean salt water. I just use tap water treated with a dechlorinator / dechloraminator, and I’ve never had any problems. Could it be that people are exaggerating the benefits of using RO/DI?” – Submitted by Lee H. Answer Though you may have gotten by using only a dechlorinator/dechloraminator to treat your water thus far, you may not always be so lucky. I’m a strong proponent of using RO/DI-treated (or otherwise purified) source water in any marine aquarium system for several reasons. Here are just a few: Water treatment protocols are for people Municipalities aren’t (nor should they be) worried about providing water that’s safe for sustaining sensitive marine organisms. Their only concern is ensuring that the water is safe for people to drink, bathe in, etc.

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Good morning friends, I have a soothing underwater reef scene for you all today that I took yesterday in 30 feet of water in front of Mambo Beach. For some odd reason the winds have finally died down and the water was still and clear for once, that means yours truly can once again get out there and get some much needed beauty pictures like the one I have here. Moments after shooting this I found a frogfish which as some of know is the coolest fish on the reef but so hard to find due to their camouflage! Because I had a 16mm wide-angle lens on I was unable to get a photo but I am planning on going back out in a bit to once again search for him but because of his algae colored body I am not expecting to find him. Yesterday the water was so clear as you can see from the above photo, we just don’t get days like that much anymore, diving here has really changed over the years

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AquaNerd and Aqua Illumination are doing a giveaway on an Aqua Illumination Prime LED fixture that will take place on April 1st.  Anyone is eligible to win by liking this post on the AquaNerd Facebook page and liking AquaNerd on Facebook*.  If you’ve already liked AquaNerd then all you will need to do is like the post. About the Aqua Illumination Prime LED Fixture. Optics The AI Prime® comes standard with 80 degree lenses giving you the best balance of power and spread. Our lens optics are custom designed, boasting greater than 90% optical efficiency and including a diffuse exit surface to provide improved color blending. Power Output With a spread of 30″ x 30″, the AI Prime® has a peak PAR of 260µMol at a depth

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ABOUT Avid outdoorsman and underwater photographer, Barry Brown has spent the last ten years documenting life above and below water in Curacao, Netherlands Antilles. He is currently working with the Smithsonian Institution documenting new Caribbean deep-water species and building a one of a kind database. His underwater images can regularly be seen in Sport Diver, Scuba Diver and on the Ikelite website. His image of a "Collage of Corals" seen under blue-light at night recently placed in the TOP 10 images for the 2014 NANPA (North American Nature Photographers Association) photo contest. General

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When a heavy hitting environmental news organization like National Geographic publishes an article, many in the general population assume its accurate, without questioning the statistics given. For marine aquarists, this article is of particular interest, as it suggests that the vast majority of fish imported into the U.S., have been caught with sodium cyanide. Most aquarists know, sodium cyanide delivers fish that die within our aquariums, long after a trail of dead coral and invertebrates are left behind on the reef. However, the practice has been made illegal in most countries that source marine fish, and National Geographic may have checked honest reporting and current statistics at the door, when they published this piece.The Article
National Geographic published, “The Horrific Way Fish Are Caught for your Aquarium – With Cyanide,” just a few days ago, on March 10^th. Several extraordinary claims are made, starting with a statistic that “98% of – yes, almost all – species of saltwater fish, can’t be bred in captivity.” This is untrue, and totally discounts the work of Rising Tide Conservation, and other breeding efforts that have made progress in propagating marine fish in captivity. I would have expected National Geographic to interview some of the scientists working to breed marine species, but they are conspicuously absent. It goes on to state that, “Up to 90% of the [marine] tropical fish that enter the U.S. each year, are caught illegally with cyanide.” This is a false statement. While cyanide fishing still exists, among fisheries that supply live marine ornamentals, it has been greatly reduced and certainly doesn’t account for 90% of the fish that enter the U.S. If it did, there would not be a viable marine aquarium hobby, as the majority of marine fish would die. Also stated under the heading “But it’s oh so lucrative”, is that “Live fish make fisherman a lot more money than dead ones, so more and more fishermen have turned to the fish-for-aquariums trade.” While in some areas, supplying fish for the aquarium is more lucrative than supplying them for the food industry, many of the collectors that supply marine fish live in poverty. I certainly wouldn’t call it lucrative for the collectors. The Data
National Geographic claims that, “An estimated 70 to 90 percent of the 12.5 million tropical fish that enter the U.S.… More:

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ABOUT Avid outdoorsman and underwater photographer, Barry Brown has spent the last ten years documenting life above and below water in Curacao, Netherlands Antilles. He is currently working with the Smithsonian Institution documenting new Caribbean deep-water species and building a one of a kind database. His underwater images can regularly be seen in Sport Diver, Scuba Diver and on the Ikelite website. His image of a "Collage of Corals" seen under blue-light at night recently placed in the TOP 10 images for the 2014 NANPA (North American Nature Photographers Association) photo contest. General

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Collection of Banggai Cardinals for the aquarium trade is the major driver for their harvest. These fish have a extremely limited geographic range of about 5,500 km² and small wild population size estimated at 2.4 million individuals. These cardinalfish are composed of pockets of individual populations concentrated around the shallows small and large islands within the Banggai Archipelago.  A small population also occurs off Central Sulawesi, within Luwuk harbor. One additional population has become established in the Lembeh Strait (North Sulawesi), 400 km north of the natural area of the species distribution. They live in very shallow water, and are plodding swimmers that are easily herded out of protective cover. This combination of characteristics, coupled with high demand as a desirable ornamental species, makes them vulnerable to overharvest.  Due

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Yasha Shrimp Goby (Stonogobiops yasha)Certain marine fish pack a lot of visual and behavioral interest into a very small package. Such is the case with the yasha shrimp goby (Stonogobiops yasha), also sold under the common names whiteray shrimp goby, orange-striped shrimp goby, clown shrimp goby, and others. This little goby, hailing from the western Pacific, is strikingly colored and patterned, very peaceful, and well-suited to smaller systems. Fairly recently identified, S. yasha is also somewhat uncommon in the hobby and (to my pocketbook anyway) a little on the expensive side, but it’s well worth the price if you can source a specimen. Shrimp symbiontS. yasha is among the various goby species that have a symbiotic relationship with Alpheus spp.

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Good morning, Aimee here. I have a fun and wonderful photo of Tela and Serena on our open ocean dive yesterday. I have spent the last several months working on this with them and now we are all enjoying the “fruits of our labor”! Almost every day, before the sea gets too rough, we take them out for their boat following, on the reef just alongside Dolphin Academy. The idea is that every session we travel just a little bit further, getting them used to the area and letting them map out the reef in their memory. It is very similar to how you would explore a new neighborhood you just moved in to.

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Good morning all, guess what, it’s raining!!! It started last night at around 6:30 and lightly rained on and off most of the night, we are dancing in the streets! As most of you know I have been hauling water out lately around the clock to water our baby agave plants and we still had days left of work to do but now they are all safe!  Yesterday we got our electricity turned back on but that took all day and at around 5:00 we hauled all our food and sleeping stuff back home from the Substation, talk about the little things we all take for granted. I got in one nice dive yesterday and once again the water was crystal clear. How many of you remember the coral bleaching photos I sent out to you years ago back when the reef was dying from warm seas?

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