This time of year, each dive in New York becomes a little less pleasant. Every time I go out, I tell myself: “This will probably be my last dive of the year.” Each throbbing headache from the cold water is a little more intense, and the period of post-dive shivering...
Todd Gardner
Recent Content
Long Island Collecting Log: The perks of persistence
As the water temperature continues to drop in the waters of New York, north winds and fall nor’easters do their part to diminish water clarity by stirring up sediment and breaking up our meager seasonal thermocline. Many of the tropical fishes that haven’t found their...
Long Island Collecting Log: Some Days, it isn’t About the Collecting
Contrary to commonly-held beliefs, a day in the life of a marine biologist bears little, if any, resemblance to a National Geographic documentary. I remind my marine science students of this at the beginning of each semester. Even if you have the privilege of being...
Long Island Collecting Log: Things are heating up
It’s late August and, as always, things are heating up in the waters of Long Island. I haven’t had a chance to log many of my excursions for the past month – partly because I’ve been traveling, but mostly because I’ve spent so much time underwater that I haven’t had a...
Long Island Collecting Log: An abundance of butterflies
For me, one of the most interesting things about the appearance of the tropical strays on Long Island, is the sheer abundance of some of the species. The spotfin butterflyfish, Chaetodon ocellatus is a great example. I have lived in the Caribbean and I've spent a fair...
Long Island Collecting Log: Brush with a stargazer
Stargazer1 Last week, after a successful seining trip in Shinnecock Bay, I lugged my dive gear out to the inlet to see if I could spot any tropical fishes among the rocks of the jetty. Although I didn't encounter anything I would consider tropical, and the water was...
Long Island Collecting Log: The next wave has arrived
Last week I reported on the arrival of the first tropical fishes of the year to appear in Long Island waters after a seining trip at Fire Island inlet turned up a filefish, groupers, and northern sennets. This week I am happy to announce that the next wave has...
Long Island Collecting Log: The tropicals are in
After a long cold winter and amid disturbing reports that the North Atlantic may be entering a cool phase, I am very happy to report that the first tropical species of the year have made their appearance in Long Island waters.Yesterday, I was joined by an elite team...
The Secret Lives of Aquarists at Atlantis Marine World
By Todd Gardner Atlantis Marine World is a small public aquarium on the East end of Long Island, New York. Its small size is belied by a growing reputation in the aquarium world, fueled largely by its crown jewel, a 20,000-gallon living coral reef tank, created and...
Captive Propagation of the Boarfish
By Todd Gardner and Jay Hemdal Introduction The boarfish, Capros aper is a temperate (cool) water species, usually found at depths of 40 to 700 meters. Although it is a popular exhibit species for public aquariums in Europe it is not available in the ornamental fish...