Recent content by THEFishHead

It is a sponge- a Tethya sp. Please see Invertebrates: A Quick Reference Guide. This genus is one of a few genera that literally can walk across the substrate. They do so with those "tendril" like growths. They also reproduce asexually by forming daughter colonies at the tips of these tendrils...

Dear Iron Mike, You are the first aquarist that I have heard of who has wondered whether a stony coral growing all over his rocks is a problem! The mystery growths in your photos is the stony coral Psammocora. The best expanation is that the majority of the rock in your tank was "dead" and...

I forgot to add that there is a nearly non-calcifying red coralline alga that looks similar to this, called Peyssonnelia. It is also a desirable plant, in my opinion. Sincerely, Julian Sprung

Dear Steve, That's Pseudolithoderma, which used to be known as Ralfsia. See page 54 in my book Algae: A Problem Solver Guide. It is a brown seaweed that adheres tightly to rock and other solid surfaces. The filaments are a sign that it is growning and healthy. This is, in my opinion, as...

Pardon me, but I can't seem to use the bold key to distinguish my text from Habib's, thus I inserted "Q' to indicate his question and "A" my response. Q. Has it been experimentally verified that it is free of plankton both day and night? A. Habib, My point was that the water supply is...

They are harmless. They are not bothering your colt coral, though it may be the coral is bothered by something else, judging by the closed polyps. Julian Sprung

The second photo seems to be a Ricordea yuma just starting to take shape. I also first thought you had an Anemonia manjano (note the correct spelling). The photo lacks sufficient detail such that I still think it could be Anemonia manjano dividing into several new polyps. Sharpness of focus...

Great site Michael! Just a small correction- Change Merulina Growth series to Leptoseris Growth series. Julian

Nice tank You should suspend the light up a bit higher to avoid the possibility of overheating the glass trim, which has the potential to bring your skyscraper down. J

Without seeing how it looks under the microscope I can't be positive of the genus, but the photos appear to be of a type of cyanobacteria. It appears most similar to Phormidium, which can be found on page 72. There are numerous other genera of cyanoacteria that have this appearance. Also, the...

Dear Carl, At the risk of being accused of self promotion- the book is a new one I wrote, just published by Ricordea Publishing. You should be able to get it from your local pet shop or via mail order. It has been available for a couple of weeks. Have a look at the latest issue of Advanced...

Hypnea pannosa. See page 60 in Algae: A Problem Solver Guide

That's Gelidiopsis. See page 60 in Algae: A Problem Solver Guide. The blue algae in your other post is on the same page in the same book. It is Hypnea pannosa. Julian

Dear Vitz, Charles Delbeek has done some interesting work on this at the Waikiki Aquarium, and showed variation in oxygen and other stuff in the water in the plenum. Jaubert's references listed in the article may also describe observations and methods regarding water quality measurement. It is...

Dear Doug, Regarding the clumping, I don't have an answer. Perhaps AAOM science editor Craig Bingman could offer an opinion on this. I have seen the clumping occur and not occur under various circumstances. I do believe that high alkalinity plays an important role, but not exclusively. There...