It’s not often I get excited about what other people get as gifts unless I’m the giver, but this here is an exception! Rufus Kimura got an early Christmas present this year under his tree in the form of not one, not two but THREE armored hyperbaric chambers!

Now I’m not going to get into too much detail about these chambers as I plan on doing an expansive piece on them down the line, but in a nutshell it’s a pressurized vessel that can be utilized to simulate depth. What separates this little beauty in particular from other hyperbaric chambers? This one is submersible. Expertly crafted by Matt Wandell, marine biologist at the Steinhart Aquarium in San Francisco, they allow for the collection of deepwater fishes without the trauma associated with alternative methods.

Well, put these in the hands of Hawaiian diver Rufus Kimura and we can expect to see some really cool fish coming out of Hawaiian waters. Deepwater gems like the Sunrise Wrasse (Bodianus sanguineus), the drool-worthy Personatus Angel (Genicanthus personatus) Kimura brought to us and revealed in August, and the jaw-dropping Hawaiian Yellow Anthias (Holanthias fuscipinnis), just to name a few, can be safely collected inducing as little stress as possible, allowing for a healthier, hardier and happier fish. Hopefully this technology will mean more of these gorgeous species in home aquariums, more research and breeding programs for rare, elusive creatures and even the discovery of more new species!

We’ll have to keep an eye on Kimura to see what he comes “up” with. Happy Holidays!