A few years back, I visited the island of Bonaire, in the Dutch Caribbean. The island serves as an example of what can happen, when conservation takes the forefront, and is used as an engine of economic development. In 1976 the late Captain Don, (proprietor of Captain Don’s Habitat) realized that Bonaire’s most valuable resource lie not on land, but underwater. The island was surrounded by beautiful coral reefs, and the western side of the island rarely got dangerous oceanic conditions, making it perfect for scuba divers. The captain worked with the Dutch government, and a reef preservation program was put into place, and today the rest is history. Coral reefs around Bonaire rank as some of the most beautiful on planet Earth, and are home to 90% of all species that dwell in the Caribbean Sea. Massive populations of squid, octopus and tarpon are common sights, and the reefs are famous for macro sea life as well. As aquarists who focus primarily on fish and coral species from the world’s other side, it’s easy to forget the beauty and diversity of the Caribbean Sea. While diversity in the Caribbean pales to that found in the South Pacific, or around Indonesia and Australia, it is certainly breathtaking. Many of us have had a Caribbean reef tenant or two, perhaps a queen angelfish, or red tailed triggerfish. Though, it’s rare that I stumble upon a Caribbean Sea biotope aquarium. It’s easy enough to toss some Caribbean species in, with species from other reef ecosystems, but consider a tank dedicated to this unique ecosystem. For those of us on the east coast, the Caribbean isn’t a world away, and usually a 5-6 hour flight can have you exploring unique islands like Trinidad and Tobago, or hopping through the ABC islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.
To keep a Caribbean biotype, there are a few things to consider. First, the Caribbean is usually a bit warmer than pacific oceanic regions. It’s not uncommon for water temperatures to reach 85 degrees, starting in areas like West Palm Beach, Florida, ranging down through the entire sea. While visiting the Bahamas in 2011, I was shocked that water temperatures had exceeded 87, which dive operators found to be unusually high. In the aquarium, it’s advisable to replicate this higher temperature, and since Caribbean islands have the same winter/summer patterns as North America, you can adjust temperature accordingly.… More:
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