Pethia sahit is a new barb species from the Krishna River system in the Western Ghats mountain ranges of India.  These barbs are brilliant metallic gold in coloration with large and very well-defined scales. 

The scientists decided to name the shrimp after fictional characters, Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, the hobbit family from Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings book (and movie) universe. 

Particularly fascinating is the formation of the radial (side) corallites (skeletal cup where the polyps sit within). As the axial (tip) corallites lay down new skeleton, new radial polyps emerge from the sides and develop into the Acro branches we’re all familiar with.

From the California Academy of Sciences:

New invention safely transports unknown, deep-dwelling fishes to the ocean’s surface

Scientific divers and biologists at the California Academy of Sciences engineer a portable chamber to study new species from 200 – 500 feet deep

Strange and beautiful fishes from the ocean’s deep and lesser-known twilight zone reefs are hitching a ride to the surface thanks to the newly invented SubCAS (or Submersible Chamber for Ascending Specimens).

In 2017, Tenji completed an amazing planted aquarium exhibit for online retail giant, Amazon.com. Seen below is the massive 18x2x2′ contoured aquarium featuring a jaw-dropping “living wall” (live plant wall). 

Most aquarists start their journey in fishkeeping by simply mixing random animals into an aquarium and decorating the aquarium to suit their personal aesthetics.  As we learn more, some of us endeavor to recreate natural habitats instead of mish-mash communities of species from different parts of the world because there is a special appeal watching animals interact with their environments as nature intended … saying nothing of creating healthier natural environments for fishes.

This is “The Muraka” at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island.  Each private villa is elevated atop Maldive’s beautiful coral reefs.  The surface level has two bedrooms, a bathroom with a reef view, an infinity pool, and sprawling lounge decks to enjoy the tropical sunsets.

Cirrhilabrus cyanogularis closely resembles Cirrhilabrus rubripinnis, C. tonozukai, and Palau, and C.

Schools of fish provide a fascinating example of collective behaviour in which the group moves in a coordinated manner without the need for a leader.