by Reef To Rainforest | Sep 4, 2013 | Aquaculture, Fish, Industry
ORA’s new Black Neon Dottyback is a hybrid of two popular Red Sea species. Selected highlights from ORA’s announcement of a new captive-produced dottyback hybrid: “After our success with the Indigo Dottyback, the first hybrid dottyback available to aquarium hobbyists, we became interested in other dottyback hybridization possibilities. We noted many similarities between the morphology and behavior of Neon and Springeri Dottybacks so we began our work. After several attempts to create a harmonious pair we finally saw success.” “This hybrid’s appearance is strikingly similar to [Pseudochromis] dutoiti, which many believe is a subspecies of the Neon dottyback. Could P. dutoiti be the result of natural hybridization between the Neon Dottyback and the Springeri dottyback?” For the full story, visit the ORA Blog. by AquaNerd | Sep 4, 2013 | Eye Candy, Industry, Invertebrates, MACNA
It’s hard not to be floored by this stunning Colorado Sunburst anemone, which we encountered at the Cherry Corals booth at MACNA. The electric orange, deep green, and vibrant red coloration make this an instant showpiece for any aquarium, and a definite favorite amoung anemone collectors. While many Colorado Sunbursts we’ve seen online and in person have lost their sharpness (faded colors, not so vibrant orange, etc.), all seven of the Sunburst BTAs we saw at the Cherry Corals booth were knockouts that looked just as good as this one. This anemone has been around the hobby for a long time. It was originally discovered in Colorado, a hot spot for reef aquarium activity and the home of MACNA 2014, and has since been distibuted all throughout the globe. Even after all of its years in captivity, the Sunburst BTA still garners a lot of respect and a high price tag, the latter of two being driven by a significant demand. Individuals vary from $100 for smaller, less colorful individuals up to $500 or more for the better looking nems. We didn’t take notice of the price on these particular Cherry Corals Sunburst BTAs, but they have them listed as out of stock on their website for $450. « Previous post
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by AquaNerd | Sep 3, 2013 | Equipment, Industry, MACNA
One of the biggest announcements at this year’s MACNA is the brand spanking new AquaIllumination Hydra FiftyTwo. The AI Hydra FiftyTwo gets its name from the 52 different LEDs spread across four different clusters, which are offered in the same seven color choices seen in the original Hydra. The light will be focused into the tank with the same 80 degree optics, though 50 degree lenses are always there as an option. Where the big difference is between the two Hydra versions is in the number of diodes. Where the original Hydra only had 20 total LEDs (five per cluster), they FiftyTwo ups that number to 13 per cluster. The Hydra FiftyTwo uses Cree diodes, and while there are a lot more total LEDs than the original fixture, this beefier version will only draw around 135 watts. This is due to the fact that the LEDs will be driven at a lower wattage than those in the original Hydra…which all means a lot more color and a lot more power for only a little more wattage by AquaNerd | Aug 30, 2013 | Equipment, Industry, MACNA
Aquarium Specialty, a retail distributor for many fine aquarium products, has a sweet giveaway for all of you MACNA attendees. Announced recently on their blog, they will be giving away one Gryphon Aquasaw and an extra stainless steel blade to a lucky show goer. All you have to do to enter the contest is stop by their booth, #1219, fill out a card and drop it into their fish bowl. They will draw one card and announce the winner at the show. The drawing will be held on Sunday, September 1st. There is a limit of one entry per person, but the fortunate thing is you don’t have to buy a raffle ticket to enter. For more details, stop by the Aquarium Specialty booth at MACNA. by Admin | Aug 23, 2013 | Conservation, Fish, Industry, Sustainability
[embedded content] Launching a revamped website recently, the SAIA (Sustainable Aquatics Industry Association) were keen to share this interesting video with us. The insightful piece gives us an interesting look at how trained collectors North of Bali use non-destructive methods to harvest ornamental marines. It’s certainly not perfect but obviously a million times better than using Cyanide…. always ask where your local fish store gets it’s livestock from, and make sure it comes from a reputable source. by AquaNerd | Aug 21, 2013 | Equipment, Industry
When it comes to aquarium illumination, LEDs may be the hot item right now, but older technologies like T5HO fluorescents still have a very loyal following. Because of this, aquarium lighting companies are still cranking out the T5 fixtures, with the latest being the Diurna from Pacific Sun. While not much has changed in the way of fluorescent lighting tech over the years, many of the newer fixtures are getting some swanky features that still make them very competitive with all of the LED products. Pacific Sun is no stranger to high end, feature rich lights, and the Diuna represents the pinnacle of fluorescent lighting for aquarium use. The Diuna has all of the standard top shelf features like high quality anodized aluminum reflectors and dimmable ballasts. But where it really stands apart is in its interface. Where most light fixtures these days have on/off switches and perhaps some controller connectability, the Diurna has a built-in Wireless Controller that uses Bluetooth to connect with nearby devices. Additionally, it has native apps for Apple iOS, Windows and Android. The fixture is available in three different lengths (three, four, and five foot), with each holding an array of either 8 or 10 T5HO tubes. Additionally, the bulbs and ballasts are configured in such a way that only two bulbs are on one of the controllable ballasts
