When I originally read this article, I got heated and furiously wrote up a response, glossing over key details and relevant information. Upon reviewing my piece, I was dissappointed. The anger and frustration was palpable and that’s not how I had wanted to come across. This sort of issue needs to be addressed calmly, cohesively and justly. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi clearly put some time and research, albeit a wealth of false and misleading information with the potential to damage the integrity of our industry, and I feel it’s respectful as a writer to respond tactfully instead of taking cheap shots. It’s not in good taste to attack her ignorance of clownfish breeding when I’m completely unfamiliar with the breeding practices in India, yet at the same time, she shouldn’t attack the entire industry with a limited understanding of the rest of what the hobby is doing in such areas. So after a few deep breaths and a decent amount of research, I’ve decided to revisit. Let me start by addressing exactly why articles like this are damaging. It’s just part of an irritating dilemma our industry is facing – blatant misinformation being dispensed and believed by your Average Joe who doesn’t know nor cares to know any better. More, this kind of material is exactly what fuels anti-aquarium activists. Literally it’s dumping gas onto the fire of drama that excites extreme conservationists more than actually helping the environment does. Articles like this paint an ugly picture without any basis in reality, causing folks to believe the entire aquarium industry is rampant with greedy, irresponsible criminals with little if any regard for the welfare of coral reefs and their residents. I’m not saying these people don’t exist, but they’re few and far between. Ghandi also fails to note the rigorous efforts of conservation being made on our end by public aquariums, collectors and hobbyists alike. I’ll bring up the clownfish blurb first and get it out of the way as it irks me since even an ounce of research would shoot this down within seconds. 

But clownfish, for instance, the demand for which shot up after the cartoon Disney film Finding Nemo, cannot be bred. They come from coral reefs and they are long distance swimmers. Baby clownfish travel as much as 400 kilometres to find anemones, without which they cannot live. 90% are killed by natural predators during their travels.

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Spend any amount of time in this hobby of ours, and you’ll soon realize that the methods and technologies favored for maintaining marine organisms are continually in flux. What’s considered dogma today is heresy tomorrow—and maybe back to dogma again later in the week. (If you doubt me, just ask PaulB! He’s seen more than his share of methodology and technology come and go in his many decades of marine aquarium keeping.) Here today, gone tomorrow For the sake of illustration, think how many nitrate-reduction methods have been utilized at one time or another. Jaubert’s plenum method, deep sand beds (DSBs), coil denitration, nitrate-adsorbing filter media, and organic carbon sources coupled with protein skimming are just a sampling of the techniques that have either had their “day in the sun” or are currently in vogue today. Another example is the use of the wet/dry or trickle-down filter with bioballs for biofiltration. All the rage not that long ago, this technology is now largely considered obsolete (for reefkeeping purposes, anyway) because it tends to do its job too efficiently, earning it the nickname “nitrate factory.” On the one hand, all this change is exciting because it means we’re ever on the lookout for better, easier, more efficient ways of doing things rather than resting on our collective laurels.

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It’s that time of year again…Aquatic Experience in Chicago. The show began yesterday and goes on until tomorrow, November 9, 2014.The motto is ‘Everything Aquatic Under One Roof’ and that pretty much sums it up. There’s so much going on in here. I had the honor of speaking at this years conference yesterday, about my time in the Middle East, “Mega Aquariums In The Middle East’. It was great to reminisce about those crazy years and I was honored to share my experiences building amazing aquariums in the desert. There are a ton of awesome speakers this year, like Jake Adams, Sanjay Joshi, Charles Delbeek, and Steve Lundblad, and that’s just to name a few. This year is really shaping up to be a great show. The show goes on until Tomorrow, so if you are near by, it’s definitely worth a visit. Time to get back to the show-photos and follow up articles to come. MORE… More:

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ORA has added another fish to their growing list of successful captive bred offerings, this time it’s a little filefish! Filefishes in general just make me smile. Their goofy demeanor and camouflaging ability make them very intriguing. Most of the time when I add them to a clients aquarium they’re referred to as “that ugly fish”, however that “ugly fish” keeps their reefs devoid of pesky aiptasia anemones. The Whitespotted Pygmy Filefish (Rudarius ercodes) is generally found in temperate waters in Japan down to Taiwan, although ORA notes, “Our pairs were happily spawning throughout the summer months when our broodstock tanks regularly get into the mid 80’s.” Being a dwarf species of filefish they attain a maximum length around three inches, making them a perfect candidate for smaller to mid sized reefs. ORA has placed these fish in aquariums containing hard and soft corals with no nipping observed. Most other filefish in my experience will nip here and there, although contrary to common forum regurgitation I’ve not had any issues with them actually damaging coral long term in any of the dozen or so systems I currently have them in. Aiptasia on the other hand are a top choice menu item for many filefish. Having zero first hand experience with this species of filefish I cannot comment on their interest in the aforementioned nuisance anemones. Two big thumbs up to ORA on another successful breeding project! I’m excited to get my hands on a few of these, and as always look forward to what ORA has up their sleeve next.… More:

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The Dusky Damselfish (Stegastes fuscus) is very territorialOne of the more challenging aspects of marine fishkeeping, particularly for those interested in creating a mixed community of interesting fishes, is choosing different species that will coexist peacefully in captivity. This might seem easy enough given the fact that, in the wild, so many different species can often be found sharing the same patch of reef and that many species commonly form schools or shoals, sometimes numbering in the thousands. However, what works in the wild doesn’t always translate to hobbyists’ tanks. Why is that? Well, it’s a matter of scale (excuse the pun). When you take fishes from the (for all intents and purposes) limitless ocean and place them in water-filled glass or acrylic boxes, certain factors that promote territorial aggression are bound to come into play.

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It’s been the talk of the forums since the prototype was seen at Interzoo earlier this year, now finally we’ve received an early production model of Maxspects hotly-anticipated new product for testing. With potential to literally ‘stir-up the market’ in water flow devices, this product is certainly novel in appearance and the performance stats also look exciting. Before we install our unit on the test tank, lets unbox the product and give you some of our initial impressions. Shipped to us direct from UK distributor BCUK, the XF150s packaging is some of the best we’ve seen. Inside the attractive outer cardboard box, the contents are contained neatly within a metal case (OK, it looks a bit like a biscuit tin but hey, we like biscuits!)

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Pectinia - The Next Big Thing? Nobody knows what the next super popular coral might be, but a contender is Pectinia. The common name is Spiny Cup Coral and you can see why. They have a very distinctive cup shape that grows... From: tidalgardens Views: 0 0 ratingsTime: 03:34 More in Pets & Animals

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I wanted to talk about LEDs for a few minutes. I've had the Radion Gen 2 over my anemone cube (60-gallon aquarium 24" x 24" x 24") for the past 12 months. As a light, it functions perfectly. Is it the best fixture ever? My feelings are a tad mixed, and I'll discuss why. The light itself provides sufficient lighting for anemones, SPS, LPS, gorgonians, zoanthids and even a T.

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FB: www.facebook.com/coralfish12g The long polyp toadstool is part of the genus Sarcophyton. This is an easy soft coral for any beginner or expert and will grow fast. It is really easy to propagate and is also hardy. Toadstools come in all sorts of shapes but this long polyp is the coolest of them all and will do great in almost and reef aquarium. Enjoy the stunning time-lapse and information!

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Support St. Jude research and give yourself a chance to win this reef system.We’re back again, this week to talk about our “Where Do You Listen” contest, the St. Jude/Reef Savvy reef system raffle, keeping sun corals, and five quarantine-tank myths. Download the podcast here, or subscribe to our podcasts at iTunes. Also, follow us on Twitter at reefthreads.—Gary and Christine St. Jude raffle Quarantine myths

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Tridanca ningaloo by Acro Al Here’s some exciting news for us self-professed clam junkies. Acro Al, obviously a clam junky in his own right, has unveiled that he may have bred the newly discovered but yet to be officially named Tridacna ningaloo clam at his facility in Australia. Al, who has been breeding all sorts of clam species, broke the news with this photo via Facebook, and it’s exciting news not only for the aquarium community, but for the scientific community as well. This event may mark the first time the species has even been bred in captivity

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It’s pretty common knowledge at this point, especially to those who would even care to read these blogs, that a vast majority of our oceans are untraveled and unknown, so this news doesn’t necessarily come as a surprise. However, that doesn’t make it any less super exciting! Over the past three years, scientists of the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) and Torres Strait Regional Authority have been exploring what they’ve come to refer to as a “lost world”, the Torres Strait, one of the most diverse reef systems in Australia. Last week, the researchers came forward with their findings at the National Environmental Research Program conference in Cairns. Of the 279 regional hard coral species, 91 one of those were recorded as new to the region. During their explorations, they also recorded 301 species of fish, a few of them otherwise unheard of in that area. Sightings even included species normally seen in Papua New Guinea and the north-western Pacific (I really hope they found Caitlin’s Dottybacks). The even better news? The reefs of the Torred Strait are in phenomenally good condition. Dr Scott Bainbridge of AIMS is curious as to the connection of the location of the reefs, the southern Great Barrier Reef, and the health of the resident corals.  It should be noted, however, that as vivacious as these buxom reefs may seem, no ecosystem is immune to the damaging effects of both natural and man-made threats. An early alert system is underway to notify researchers of bleaching or deterioration of the area to better understand the regional influence on the reefs, as well as enable a swift response is making whatever necessary efforts to maintain the system’s health.
We’ll be (im)patiently awaiting a list of the new species discovered, as well as a rundown of the traveling fish. Did I mention I hope they found  a Pictichromis caitlinae?
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It’s without a doubt that the process of traveling from a coral reef, to a home aquarium, is one of the greatest threats to survivability for marine fish, once they enter the reef aquarium trade. Going from a remote island, in the middle of the ocean, across the globe, arriving in a first world country is wrought with difficulty under the best circumstances. Often, marine fish have spent days on a collection vessel, living in crammed spaces, before being sent to an exporter and beginning their grand journey abroad. For home aquarists, it seems as though we are powerless to smooth this painstaking journey. We cannot simply hop on a plane, travel around the world, and personally escort our new aquarium residents to their new home. Just a few oversights during collection can lead to illness, which often doesn’t being showing symptoms until our new tenants are acclimated into the aquarium environment.  You may be thinking that I am offering a doomsday scenario, a plea of hard truths that should turn anyone away from marine aquariums, and have them pursuing more reasonable hobbies, such as crocheting or coin collecting. Actually, the truth is quite the opposite, as I am here to tell you that careful, conscious decisions about where your fish come from, and how you handle them, from the moment you open the bag, can have a tremendous effect on the long-term health of your animals. Since online ordering has become popular today, yet requires the most diligent acclimation procedures, I am going to focus this post on marine life ordered via the internet. Where healthy fish come from?Most of us have some familiarity with the entire collection process. What many aquarists don’t know is that some locations have a far better record, when it comes to providing healthy marine life. Hawaii is one of these locations. In Hawaii, collectors are held to all federal fisheries standards, meaning that they have to comply with regulations, which manage where they can collect, how they can collect, and even determines the quantity of fish allowed per collector. Similar in some ways to rules regarding sport fishing, these state and federal regulations help ensure that the livestock you purchase from Hawaii has been ethically captured, which typically translates to healthy fish, right from the start. Thanks to Dr. Mac of Pacific East Aquaculture, both the Solomon Islands and French Polynesia have become home to great collection and export stations.… More:

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Klein’s butterflyfish (Chaetodon kleinii)The word “beginner” and “butterflyfish” aren’t often paired together, as so many of the butterflyfishes seem to present some manner of husbandry challenge, often related to diet. Still, certain butterflies have a well-deserved reputation for hardiness and general ease of care. Among them is Chaetodon kleinii, commonly called Klein’s butterflyfish but also known by a variety of other epithets, such as the sunburst butterflyfish, orange butterflyfish, brown butterflyfish, blacklip butterflyfish, Corallicola butterflyfish, and probably a few others I’m not aware of. Physical traits Reaching between 5 and 6 inches in total length, C. kleinii exhibits the laterally compressed body typical of butterflies and is mostly golden-yellow on the posterior half of the body. From about mid-body forward, the base coloration becomes more creamy white, with a vertical dusky-brown band occurring just behind the operculum (gill cover), a vertical black band passing through the eye, and black lips.

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In a world full of designer clownfish, it’s easy to become a little numb to it all. Each company or hobbyist breeder has some wild and tricked out clownfish they offer, with the trends moving toward more polarizing fish with each and every pass. But every once in a while, a totally awesome fish results in all of the mixing and matching, and Sea & Reef Aquaculture have accomplished just that with this Black DaVinici ocellaris clownfish. Like the traditional Darwin Clownfish, a naturally occurring black and white ocellaris clown from Northern Australia, the Black DaVinci sports just the two sharply contrasting colors, but mixes them in with some pretty spectacular patterns

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Here’s an impressive story of heroism, starring two honeybunches of marine species cognizance, set on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland. Harrison Bycroft, eight, and his wee brother, Archer, five, were wading through the shallows of Currimundi Lake when Archer spotted a mottled-brown creature, leisurely strolling around in about 20cm of water. The bright blue rings must have snagged the boy’s eye as he sped ahead to play with the octo-blob, curious as to what it could possibly be. Harrison, the clearly well-versed nature-oriented broadcast enthusiast, recognized the blob as a blue-ringed octopus, swiftly picked up on the threat and snatched up his brother, returning him safely to their mother, Nicole. Not stopping there, Harrison then barred his mother from getting any closer to the Cephalopod, touting it’s remarkable danger.  While these deadly little spineless animals are pretty abundant in Currimundi Lake, they’re rarely seen so close to shore. “There are hundreds of them in Pumicestone Passage, Currimundi Lake and the Maroochy, Mooloolah and Noosa rivers, you just don’t see them,” , says Thomas Schlacher, professor of marine science at the University of the Sunshine Coast. “They like to be in sheltered marine waters with a little bit of freshwater inflows and will hide under anything from a bit of rock to fallen wood.”. So how does one of these guys end up around one’s children’s feet? They could possibly be dislodged from a hiding place, making their way closer to shore. While deaths from blue-rings aren’t commonplace, it’s still wise to take the necessary precautions if you’re unfortunate enough to come into toxic contact with one – call an ambulance. Dr. Schlacher also stated, “Octopuses are not something you want to play with – ever. Leave them be, unharrassed in their little octopus world.”. Someone tell Richard Ross to stop plopping them on his head (or just let Schlacher know that most octopuses are, in fact, not at all deadly). Harrison is commended on his gallantry – my sister probably would have just let me play with it, especially if she knew what it was.
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Good morning from wet Curacao!! The rains started at around 2:00 this morning and it’s still going, we have very overcast skies at the moment. Aimee took off out the desert early to feed the birds and to see if she could spot her little pigeon she released a few days ago but no “for sure” spotting. I did a fun night dive last night starting at around 8:00 and took the macro lens as my weapon of choice.

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Last year, Pacific Sun debuted the smartest, fanciest dosing pump system on the planet in the Kore 5th, so it only makes sense that they develop accessories that will boost the effectiveness of that system. One of the major drawbacks to automated dosing is the fact that the bottles of chemicals sit in an aquarium stand, untouched and forgotten, allowing the critical components of the solutions to settle on the bottoms of the bottles. While the responsible hobbyist might come by and shake the bottles regularly, let’s face it, not all of us do that step. To answer that conundrum, Pacific Sun has released some teaser info on their Kore 5th Magnet Stirrer, which as its name suggests keeps the solutions at their freshest by keeping them mixed up prior to dosing. If the Magnetic Stirrer is anything like what we see in other applications, then the hobbyist will have to drop a magnetic stir bar into each bottle and place it on the rack to let it do its thing. The stir rates and times are all controlled through the actual Kore 5th dosing pump, which attaches to the top of the rack, as seen in the photos

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Red Acroporas are an unusual sight, both in reef aquariums and in the Earth’s natural reefs.  The small colony pictured above was grown in captivity from a tiny fragment and has developed some amazing pigments.  The red coloration is difficult to attain in stony corals but worth the effort; it adds a splendid focal point to reef aquariums and is a favorite of many aquarists.  This coral is hardy, grows relatively fast under proper conditions, and will hold its color well if parameters are kept on point; it needs low phosphates and stable alkalinity, as well as optimal water quality.  It is a tabling type of Acropora and does best under bright light and strong random flow and circulation, in nature, it usually grows high up on the reef slopes.  It generally develops some green pigments in the base branches, but can also remain completely red, and the growth tips can appear white when actively growing.  I believe this coral is a Acropora Hyacinthis, which is abundant on our natural reefs, but the red coloration of this specimen is quite rare and makes it a unique and very beautiful.… More:

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Sand-sifting starfish (Astropecten polycanthus)If you’ve ever shopped for a marine aquarium cleanup crew, you’ve probably noticed that these packages often include so-called sand-sifting starfish—rather bland-colored, burrowing stars of the genus Astropecten that can reach about a foot in diameter. As their common name implies, these stars are sold to hobbyists for the purpose of consuming detritus and uneaten food and turning over the sand bed. However, what’s often left out of the language used to market these stars as utility organisms is the fact that they tend to do their job too well. Eating themselves out of house and home What do I mean by this? As sand-sifting starfish move through a sand bed, they consume any edible item they come across—and that’s not limited to uneaten fish food that you don’t want to decompose and foul your tank. In the process, they also gobble up all the microfauna they encounter, such as worms, snails, tiny brittlestars and sea cucumbers, “pods,” etc. This very efficient eating behavior has two undesirable outcomes: Very commonly, the starfish very rapidly consumes all the available microfauna and then starves to death (potentially unobserved in the sand bed, where it can decompose to the detriment of water quality). You’re left with a sand bed that’s now essentially devoid of all the life that was keeping it healthy to begin with—and that you more or less paid good money for when you purchased your live rock and/or live sand.

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