by Saltwater Smarts | Sep 25, 2015 | Corals, Fish, Invertebrates, Science
Hammer coral (Euphyllia ancora) can be quite variable in colorSeveral of the so-called large-polyp stony (LPS) corals offer the advantages of being very hardy, adaptable, and beautiful and, thus, make excellent reef aquarium candidates, even for relatively new reefkeepers. The hammer coral (Euphyllia ancora), however, I would characterize slightly differently. There’s no question this coral is gorgeous, but I would rate it as rather less forgiving than, say, Trachyphyllia geoffroyi. Still, if its care requirements and aggressive nature are given proper attention, this coral can be a showpiece reef aquarium resident. Physical traitsE. ancora has long, tubular tentacles with tips that resemble, as you might guess, the head of a hammer or an anchor. Most specimens I’ve come across have had brownish to grayish tentacles with the tips being some shade of green, gold, or cream, but the color can be quite variable. Colonies of this coral can get quite large—upwards of 3 feet across—which must be taken into consideration when determining tank size, placement, etc by Saltwater Smarts | Sep 18, 2015 | Cephalopods, Corals, Fish, Invertebrates, MACNA, Science, Tanks
Palythoa grandisMany of us are inspired to keep marine life for its exotic beauty or interesting behavior. But if we’re being perfectly honest, we have to admit there’s also something intriguing about keeping—and displaying to our friends and family—marine organisms that have dangerous or potentially deadly defense mechanisms, such as venomous spines, potent toxins, or razor-sharp teeth. For those hobbyists who like to flirt with danger, the marine aquarium trade certainly offers its share of prickly and poisonous characters—from venomous fishes to deadly cephalopods to noxious sessile invertebrates. There are even organisms we can buy that offer stunning beauty and potency in equal measure.Among these best-of-both-worlds critters are many of the zoanthids we’re so fond of keeping in our reef systems. These polyps (most of the ones we keep being from the Zoanthus and Palythoa genera) have much to recommend them, being very hardy and often stunningly beautiful. But some of them also contain a potent neurotoxin, called palytoxin, in their tissues and mucus that can make people very sick or even cause death if they’re not handled properly. Of course, blithely mentioning that certain popular zoanthids have the potential to sicken or kill people raises a whole host of questions that demand prompt, thorough answers. Among them: What is the nature of palytoxin by xeniaforever | Jul 3, 2015 | Conservation, Corals, Photography, Reefs in Art, Science
Two years ago, Barry and Aimee Brown began photographing “hidden” letters in the brain coral colonies around Curacao, the Caribbean island where they live. Their hunt, which sometimes took them as deep as 100 feet, gave them an even better understanding of... by xeniaforever | Jun 24, 2015 | Equipment, Tanks, Technology
Neptune Systems is pleased to announce that it will begin shipping its new Par Monitoring Kit, priced at $299.95, to North America next month. For more information, go... by Matthew Stansbery | Jun 22, 2015 | Conservation, Corals, Reef, Sustainability
A surprising conclusion was made by the Ruhr-Universität of Germany regarding the genetic diversity within a coral colony. Researchers found that genetically diverse polyps where living harmoniously within the same coral structure by studying five different species of...
