As usual it’s pretty difficult to find time to produce general updates on our test system as more often than not, on top of our ‘proper job’ and family commitments, we are frequently busy collecting, unboxing and reviewing new kit, rooting out interesting stories for the blog, or producing material for ourselves or our clients. To be honest a lot of our blog work hinges on regularly chasing companies for the latest info and let’s say some are more responsive than others! Sometimes it can get a little frustrating but we certainly appreciate having the fantastic spread of sponsors that we do… you can tell these companies are the best in the business by their willingness to ‘show off’ their products at a hobbyist level rather than adopting a secretive, isolated approach. Anyway, before we digress, let’s get back to the task in hand and take a look at the Black Tank which is our 100 UK gallon test bed system, now just over 2 years old. Well, overall the system is progressing nicely and many of our colonies are continuing to grow steadily and fill out the tank. Aesthetically we are pretty happy with the system as it is, but it’s certainly not a finished product by any means.

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Good morning friends, I have a very hard to find, rarely ever seen, Red-Orange Branching Sponge, Ptilocaulis sp. In the 11 years I have been here I have only ever found five different specimens at five different dive sites and believe it or not they are all still there! For those few Caribbean sponge lovers it’s one of the coolest sponges we have, it’s got this crazy rough texture and brilliant red-orange coloring, what more could you ask for?? The surface is covered with conical projections, or spicules. Ptilocaulis is a genus of demosponges. The species within this genus are usually red or orange

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Inexpensive corals don’t deserve second-class care.

It’s podcast time again. In this week’s show we talk about Rod’s Food, water testing, the Port of Miami dredging disaster, Michael Paletta’s article about hobby costs, and Christine’s milk-filter-sock experiments. 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

Port of Miami reef destruction
Despite Protections, Miami Port Project Smothers Coral Reef in Silt, Lizette Alvarez, The New York Times, March 7

Hobby too expensive?
Pros and Cons of the Reef Aquarium Hobby Being So Expensive, Michael Paletta, Reef Builders

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year… the North East Reef Aquarium Conference or better known as NERAC! That’s right, folks! Coming up this Saturday, March 21st is NERAC IX, home of some of the greatest memories you could ever have. This year is going to be EPIC, thanks to all the hard work of the Long Island Reef Association! As usual NERAC will take place at the Long Island Aquarium and Exhibition Center, home to the mother of all reef tanks. This year there are going to be some mind blowing speakers; Jamie Craggs; Dr. Sanjay Joshi; Richard Ross; Jake Adams -With Special Guest Mark Callahan aka Mr. Saltwater tank will be in attendance to document this epic event. But that’s not all; he will also be raffling off a sweet prize! To find out more about Mr. Saltwater Tank’s contest follow this link: http://www.mrsaltwatertank.com/bringyourtank/ After feeding your brain, you can feed your stomach with a delicious lunch catered by the staff of Atlantis Banquets and Events. Alongside this already brilliant event, will be some fin-tastic vendors providing you with any dry goods or frags you could ever want. Along with Mark’s contest there are plenty of other amazing items that will be raffled off. I’ve seen some of the sweet raffle prizes and trust me…you will want at least 50 tickets. If all of that wasn’t enough to convince you to drop all of your plans for next Saturday and get the frag out here, there is an elegantly catered dinner with an open bar! Have you ever wanted to sit and have dinner at an aquarium? Well here is your chance. Also did I mention there’s an open bar?! For more information such as times and pricing check out www.neracix.com… More:

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Years ago, I worked a few seasons in the Alaskan crab fisheries. As one might expect, this is the kind of setting where you’re going to meet some pretty tough dudes–definitely not the type to fret over little bumps and scrapes. But there was one thing that frankly scared the hell out of all of us–a condition artlessly referred to as “fish poisoning.” King crab in particular are very spiny; sloppy handling on the part of an careless deckhand can result in deep puncture wounds that are highly susceptible to infection of “bulla.” Bulla is a condition characterized by nasty skin lesions that are caused by Mycobacterium marinum, a microbe that lives in both marine and freshwater habitats worldwide. Also called fish tuberculosis, it is related to human TB as well as leprosy. So it is really, really bad. And, it is very difficult to treat, especially for the immunocompromised. Any time that my shipmates or I got poked, we nervously observed the site of the wound for days and weeks, watching for the telltale signs of mycobacteria poisoning–reddish or purplish streaks that run up the limb, a discharge of pus at the wound and localized pain to the touch. This was a fear that always stayed with me throughout my subsequent years of work in the aquarium industry, kept alive by the occasional report of some fishkeeper somewhere losing life or limb to mycobacteria infection (i.e. aquarium granuloma). So, it was not without some incredulity that I considered the implication of claims rehashed in a recent article floating around on social media. The article describes findings in a 2007 study that seem to suggest that a soil mybacterium, M. vaccae, can act like an antidepressant on the human body.  In the study, researchers injected mice with heat-killed M. vaccae and then evaluated the subjects for “quality of life.” Compared to controls, experimental groups exhibited markedly different emotional behaviors and serotenergic activities. In short, according to the interpretation of the investigators, the treated mice were happier. The recent article about this paper, published in an online gardening website, surmises that the emotional boost people get from working in or around soil could be linked to this bacterium. Supposedly, touching it, breathing it, and getting it into cuts in the skin are all it takes for inoculation, which lasts for as long as three weeks (well, at least in rodents).… More:

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For years now the Bashsea team has been producing robust equipment for the aquarium industry. They continue to push the limit of fit, form and function, with these recent new releases being no exception. The black and white scheme of their newest custom signature series absolutely floored me, and I’m not one to drool over crazy sumps in general. Perhaps it’s the clean lines. Perhaps it’s the way the white pops out at me screaming, “Austin, you need this.” Whatever it is, my custom made glass sump looks like a box ‘o crap compared to these gorgeous acrylic fabrications.Bashea had this to say regarding their new black and white behemoth, “This complete system was engineered and built for a local Michigan extreme hobbyist… The sump itself is 96 x 24 x 16 … Twisted skimmer is a 12-48 with a matching size bioreactor… The back top trim of the sump incorporates over 20 specific holes for auto top off reactors probes ect.. The larger holes outlined in white acrylic are for all plugs running in and out of the sump cords out of the way nice and clean!!“ Of course the sump couldn’t utilize the standard blue color scheme of the Bashsea twisted skimmers and bioreactors, so they were made to match. Certainly a match made in heaven for any reef nut. If the black and white doesn’t tickle your fancy as it does mine, fear not! Bashsea has been releasing similar sumps utilizing red and blue acrylic as well. Be sure to check them out on Facebook or visit their website linked above. All photo credit to Bashsea.    … More:

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The Tennessee Aquarium has unveiled some new technology, the first of its kind in U.S. aquariums. There are microscopic wire-coded tags called Beacons which are implanted in Aquarium-reared Southern Appalachian Brook Trout and sonic tags that will show the locations of recently reintroduced lake Sturgeon. The Aquarium allows its visitors to be on par with world class biologists and scientists as they track rare animals around the World. Visitors at the aquarium will receive notifications when they are approaching ‘tagged’ animal habitats. “We’re using Beacon technology to put our guests in a more active role during their time with us,” said Thaddeus Taylor, one of the Aquarium’s senior educators. “I’m excited about adding another layer to our experience, one with a game-play feel that increases learning about our animals because it’s so much fun.” Guests use their mobile devices to download the free aquarium app and turn on blue-tooth and location enabling devices made available through CloudBeacon, a Chattanooga based technology company that brought the animal tracking program to life. MORE… More:

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Naso Tang, a.k.a Orangespine Unicornfish (Naso lituratus)Certain marine fish really make me wish I could afford to set up and maintain a much larger aquarium. Among these is Naso lituratus, the lipstick tang, aka the naso tang, tricolor tang, or orangespine unicornfish. Alas, this hardy, attractive Pacific species (according to Fishbase, the very similar Indian Ocean and Red Sea populations once regarded as N. lituratus are now classified as Naso elegans) gets much too big and is far too energetic for my 125-gallon FOWLR tank. Physical traitsN. lituratus is characteristically tang-shaped with a laterally compressed, oval-shaped body and elongated snout. On each side of the caudal peduncle, it sports two razor-sharp, permanently erected spines that warrant very careful handling (they can get entangled in nets easily) as well as vigilance against accidental contact whenever working in the specimen’s tank. The caudal fin is lyre-shaped, with males developing long, trailing filaments that extend from the tip of each lobe

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In the latest issue of Reefs Magazine, editor Randy Donowitz published a review of The Salt Smart Guide to Preventing, Diagnosing, and Treating Diseases of Marine Fishes. He discusses the overall format, types of information included, and how the knowledge included in this resource can benefit saltwater aquarium enthusiasts at large.The majority of the book is concerned with environmental and husbandry issues that affect fish health and the plethora of specific diseases that afflict marine fish. Cause, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment are addressed for each disease. If you read these chapters carefully, many of the “mystery” deaths so commonly referenced in the hobby become a lot less mysterious.” – Randy Donowitz, Editor, Reefs Magazine Read the full review here – Book Review: Hemdal’s Diseases of Marine Fishes Related posts:Share this:

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An upcoming course in coral reef ecology, offered by the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS), will give university-level students a unique opportunity to “gain hands-on experience with modern research methods.” Using the ultimate wet lab–the ocean itself–participants will learn valuable skills such as scientific diving and modern molecular research methods. These skills are meant to augment instruction on reef fish anatomy/classification acquired in a decidedly more traditional classroom setting. The aim is to produce a more focused and competent generation of coral reef fish scientists. Co-instructors Dr. Gretchen Goodbody-Gringley (of BIOS) and Dr. Luiz Rocha (of California Academy of Science) will cover topics such as anatomy and physiology, phylogeny, social systems, movement, feeding, reproduction, recruitment, growth, population ecology, community ecology, fisheries biology, recruitment, larval biology, herbivory, cleaning, and nocturnal behavior and data analysis.  But the “underwater classroom” is where the majority of teaching will take place. Not a bad thing at all, considering the warm, sunny location in the coral reefs of Bermuda (the most northerly Atlantic coral reef system). As professor Rocha both warns and promises, “there will be lots of time in the water.” The class, entitled “Ecology and Evolution of Coral Reef Fishes,” is scheduled for July 6-24, 2015 and is open to upper-level graduate students as well as graduate students. For a more detailed course description, please visit: http://www.bios.edu/uploads/Ecology_and_Evolution_of_Reef_Fishes.pdf.… More:

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Arguably one of the most critical components of any reef system, the humble RO Unit sometimes doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Sometimes a hobbyist may end up selecting a unit that ‘seems’ up to the task without really researching it. Once in place RO Units can also be ‘taken for granted’ and, as a result, actual performance under ‘typical’ home operating conditions (membrane efficiency, actual GPD, ease of assembly etc) is sometimes overlooked. In this review we’ll take a closer look at TMCs V²Pure RO system and see how it stacks-up against other units we’ve used.

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Photo by opencage. CC by 3.0.

 What an understatement it is to say that the devastating Japanese tsunami of 2011 constituted a major ecological disturbance. Having lived on the Oregon coast at that time and having seen the massive amounts of debris that littered our shores in its aftermath, I can attest that people there were for a long time recovering items that drifted across the Pacific from Asia. It is at least conceivable that some Asian fish species (whether as juveniles or adults) were able to invade North America via the flotsam and jetsom. Indeed, five barred knifejaw or striped beakfish (Oplegnathus fasciatus) were discovered in a lost Japanese boat that turned up in Long Beach, Washington in 2013. One of these specimens was turned in to the Seaside Aquarium (where it reportedly continues to thrive to this very day). And now, roughly two years after this first sighting, the species has again been taken from the Northeast Pacific. In this case, a single specimen had been captured in a crab pot by fishermen near Port Orford, Oregon. This animal was successfully transported alive to a holding system under the care of a buyer before being moved to the quarantine facility of the Hatfield Marine Science Center (up in Newport) to be evaluated by Oregon State University aquatic veterinarian Tim Miller-Morgan of Oregon Sea Grant.  Knifejaws are known to drift with oceanic debris. But to have found an individual that may have immigrated only shortly after the event of 2011 is a bit surprising. It might suggest that the species could become established in North American waters. Still, as OSU marine ecologist Jessica Miller points out, there is presently no evidence of any breeding population of knifejaws in Oregon. Tom Calvanese, the Oregon Sea Grant researcher who first began to work with the fishermen, praised the local fishing community at large for its “ocean-awareness,” being able to spot an exotic species and swiftly return it alive for use by the scientific community. To read the OSU news release, please visit: http://blogs.oregonstate.edu/breakingwaves.… More:

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MY FB: https://www.facebook.com/coralfish12g The Borbonius Anthia is most commonly referred to as a blotched Anthia and it is one of the most prized of all reef fish. Because of its unique pink and yellow coloration, the Blotched Anthias has become very popular. Since it is a deep water Anthias, it requires a slightly lower temperate tank. They max out at about 6 inches in full adult form, so they should stay in tanks larger than 90 gallons. Lots of live rock should be in your tank for Blotched Anthias to thrive. The rock will provide lots of cover from lighting and areas to hide if spooked. Blotched Anthias should be fed multiple times per day with a variety of meaty foods such as mysis and brine shrimp. It can be somewhat aggressive so be sure that your tank is ready for it if you are willing drop the $300 dollar price tag that this brilliant fish usually comes with! The video and pics used in this CoralFish12g video are Henry Ludywidjaja's and special thank goes out to him!

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A small two polyp Goniopora grown from a piece of tissue

 How small is too small? For coral, I think there is none too small to be loved and cared for. The challenge is that past a certain size, the smaller they are the harder time they have surviving. For over a decade, I have been refining my craft of growing coral from asexually propagated fragments smaller than newly settled coral larvae. Coral are remarkable creatures, and their cellular biology allows them to survive even at these minuscule sizes. A large coral colony has a more robust immune system that matures with size; coral cells in a large network have an easier time growing into polyps and colonies of polyps, but it is possible to grow a full animal from colonies of cells, or even one cell. Coral are rife with stem cells, and in fact many of the various cell types in their bodies can revert back to stem cells, the only exceptions being nematocysts and nerve cells. To ensure quick and robust growth after fragging anemones and coral, I recommend including all tissue types (both epithelial layers and digestive tissue), as different stem cells form different tissues. It is, however, possible to grow an entire colony from one single pluripotent “mother” stem cell. These aren’t as common in the coral as the “downstream” differentiated stem cells, but these “mother” stem cells have the ability to the stem cells that then make all the various types of tissue in the coral. 

Here is a Goniopora stutchburyi micro-propagation grown out after 3 months

 Culturing coral stem cells is quite difficult and requires sterile conditions, and inducing hard coral to start developing skeletal tissue is a challenge in its own right. It much easier to induce healing and growth if you start with piece of coral that has tissue and a little bit of skeleton. The sub-larvae sized tissue cultures are prone to predation, as well as encroachment by bacteria, algae and various other organisms. Even coralline algae, exalted as a beneficial species in our reef tanks, with quickly overcome and kill such small propagules. These tiny pieces require time and the utmost care. But every piece of coral you frag, even the accidental “crumbs”, have the ability to develop into full sized coral, given the proper environment and husbandry. 

Any coral can be micropropagated, including Euphyllia

… More:

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Triggerfish are prone to wedging themselves in rockwork crevices to evade dangerIn most cases, issues affecting marine fish—diseases, behavioral issues, compatibility concerns, etc.—should be addressed and rectified as quickly as possible, lest small problems transform into much bigger ones. But there are some circumstances in which the best course of action is to take no action at all—or at least take a wait-and-see approach. Here are a few examples: Minor mechanical injuriesGiven excellent water quality, fish can recover from minor injuries with surprising rapidity, sometimes within just a matter of days. Here I’m thinking in terms of mild wounds caused by physical trauma, such as a torn fin, bodily scrape, or single bulging eye (bilateral exophthalmia, in which both eyes bulge, is not typically caused by mechanical trauma and may require active treatment). Common causes of such injuries are netting, aggressive interaction with tankmates, and dashing into the rockwork after being startled or chased. As long as any stressors that may have precipitated the trauma are eliminated (e.g., a bullying tankmate has been removed) and water conditions are optimal, fish with these types of injuries can usually be left in the display tank to recover under close observation. Wedged in the rockwork When frightened or newly introduced to an aquarium, certain fish are apt to wedge themselves into crevices in the rockwork or other tight spots in an effort to evade whatever dangers they perceive might threaten them. Triggers are especially prone to this behavior, but I’ve seen all kinds of fishes do it over the years.

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Good morning friends! Our friends at Ikelite have just introduced a whole new line of products for all your blue-light diving needs. The photo above shows my Nikon D-300s all set up and ready to go. I have the Yellow Barrier Filter over my 105 macro lens, two Dichroic Excitation Filters over each of my DS-160′s strobes, a VEGA Video/photo light with a Dichroic Excitation Filter (to search with), a pair of Yellow Barrier Filter for the dive mask and my trusty Gamma LED (white light) which I use for an aid in focusing.

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 My job is pretty cool. Not only do I farm coral all day long, but I get to take part in some of the happenings of a thriving public aquarium. Sometimes it’s wrestling stingrays or wrangling monitor lizards, and other times, it’s moving enormous, giant, really big clams. Recently, a local hobbyist decided to take down his long-running 1,200 gallon reef aquarium following a house fire. A testament to his success was a huge Tridacna clam. Weighing in at 98.4 pounds this beast was enormous! Where do you put an almost 100 pound clam when you’re taking down rather large aquarium? One good option is a beautifully healthy 14 year old, 20,000 gallon reef aquarium run by reefing legend Joe Yaiullo. I look forward to watching this animal grow and thrive in its new home!… More:

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Published today in the journal Current Biology, a new study has shown that the Dusky Dottyback Pseudochromis fuscus can change colour to imitate other reef fish species both allowing it to prey on their young, and to hide from predators by blending in to its habitat. The research reveals a surprising and sophisticated new example of ‘mimicry’. While using mimicry to hunt or hide from other species is common in nature, scientists note that if the deception is encountered too frequently, prey species become vigilant to the threat and develop tactics to counter the mimics. The dottyback, however, is able to colour-morph depending on the particular colour of the surrounding species it is currently hunting (often damselfishes). Scientists say that this flexibility of physical mimicry makes it much harder for the dottyback’s prey to develop detection strategies and avoid getting eaten

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Good morning friends, I’m off to a late start, had to do a quick dive to check a leaking housing that will now have to be sent off for repair. I have a drop dead beautiful colony of Grooved Brain Coral for you all today just sitting all by itself on a sandy plateau with no other corals in sight! These have to be some of the coolest looking corals on the planet, they can be found in the 3-135 foot range and can grow to be about four feet wide, this one here was about three. Grooved Brain coral colonies are known for forming beautiful hemispherical heads just like you see above. They have deep, often narrow, polyp bearing valleys that are separated by broad ridges with wide conspicuous trough-like grooves.

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Picture: Seascapeza

 Sharks keep our largest and most important ecosystem healthy…our oceans.  Being at the top of the food chain in the marine environment, they regulate the populations of other marine life, helping to keep fish stocks in the ocean healthy.  As our oceans cover over 70% of the earth’s surface and houses 80% of life on earth, maintaining this ecosystem is crucial to life on earth. By monitoring and understanding local shark species and what they need in order to thrive, we can contribute meaningfully to protecting our natural heritage.  How, as members of the public with no scientific background at all, can we help?  All you need is a willingness to help and you can be a citizen scientist!   Also known as crowd-sourced science, citizen science (CS) is scientific research conducted by amateur or non-professional scientists…Joe Blogs the lawyer, or Betty Boop the PA, for example.  Anyone can get involved in CS projects!   One such project is a shark egg case project run by Sheraine van Wyk on the Whale Coast in South Africa.  Regular shark egg case collections by volunteer groups (Nature Conservation Societies, school groups, community members and “Working for the Coast” staff ) along the Whale Coast shoreline,  provides information on the egg cases found at different beaches. This gives an indication of the shark species that occur off shore at those locations. Approximately 25% of all sharks reproduce by means of an external egg. These are the sharks that the Whale Coast Conservation project focuses on. The eggs have different shapes, sizes and colours, but what makes shark eggs unusual-looking is that many have tendrils or hooks with which they attach to sea plants, rocks or other objects under water. Inside the egg the embryonic shark feeds off a yolk sac for up to nine months while it develops. When ready, the mini shark hatches from the egg leaving the empty egg case behind. The empty egg cases usually wash out of the sea and end up on the beach. If these ‘mermaids’ purses’ are found at a particular beach it indicates that the adult sharks or ‘parents’ are in the water nearby.  In collaboration with the South African Shark Conservancy and the Two Oceans aquarium, egg cases have been identified and continuous data is noted for researchers to take further. Scientists working on some of these oviparous sharks have already observed that eggs are shed continuously throughout the year, with one exception.   … More:

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