by Joe Rowlett | Feb 18, 2016 | Fish, Invertebrates, Science
Coral reefs are full of intimate interspecies relationships—from the well-known dalliance of clownfishes with anemones, to the more obscure romance of Epizoanthus and eunicids, or the awkward ambling of Heteropsammia and its sipunculan courtesan—the ocean, it would... by Saltwater Smarts | Feb 18, 2016 | Fish, Invertebrates, Reef, Science, Tanks
Raccoon Butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunula)Some of the marine fish we like to keep are surprisingly recognizable to both hobbyists and non-hobbyists alike—probably because they’re frequently depicted in photographs and artwork. Among these iconic fishes is the raccoon butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunula) of the Indo-Pacific and southeast Atlantic, a very hardy species that’s better than your average butterfly in terms of aquarium suitability and even beginner-friendliness. C. lunula would also be a great choice for natural pest-anemone control in reef tanks if it could be kept in such a system safely (but, alas, it cannot—more on this later). Physical traitsC. lunula has “typical” butterflyfish morphology, with a highly laterally compressed body and a pointed snout. Its color is orangish-yellow overall with a dusky hue on the dorsal half of the body and faint diagonal stripes on the ventral half. Like its terrestrial namesake, its eyes are obscured by a black “mask.” Behind the mask is a white bar, and two dark bands edged in yellow extend upward from the white bar. by Austin Lefevre | Feb 15, 2016 | Conservation, Corals, Events, Eye Candy, Fish, Industry, Invertebrates, Opinion, Reef, Science, Sustainability, Tanks
A recently announced new exhibit at California Academy of Sciences is slated to open June 10th, 2016, “Twilight Zone: Deep Reefs Revealed“. For this mesophotic reef nerd nothing in a zoological setting could be more... by Austin Lefevre | Feb 15, 2016 | Aquaculture, Conservation, Corals, Eye Candy, Industry, Invertebrates, Reef, Science, Sustainability, Tanks
There’s a plethora of choices that comes with setting up a new marine aquarium; these days the seemingly simple task of adding rock provides no break in the daunting decision making... by Joe Rowlett | Feb 9, 2016 | Invertebrates
As aquarists, we tend to think of mysid shrimps as little more than food for our fishes, ignoring that these are some of the most diverse and ecologically important creatures in tropical marine ecosystems.… by AquaNerd | Feb 9, 2016 | Corals, Fish, Invertebrates, Opinion, Photography, Reef, Science
[embedded content] Atoll is a new app available for reef aquarium and diving enthusiasts to download on the iPhone. Atoll is an interactive mobile app which includes a comprehensive database of coral. Atoll provides vibrant photos and detailed information allowing users to more easily identify coral which they encounter on a dive or purchase as an addition to their aquarium. This can be critical information especially when dealing with corals which exhibit aggressive behavior and could potentially wreak havoc in your aquarium if placed in close proximity to other species. Atoll also provides useful information to hobbyists relating to appropriate water temperatures and pH levels for your own aquarium. Atoll also allows users to submit photos of unknown coral for the community to identify. This is
