by ReefBum | Apr 30, 2016 | Corals, Fish, Reef, Science
Ok, first of all, what are they? Well, diatoms are a brown algae that typically appear in a reef tank that has just completed its cycle but they can also appear in an established reef tank. They can cover sand, rock, pumps, glass, you name it. Diatoms look ugly but in most cases they are harmless so the key is to not panic when they appear. Diatoms feed mainly off of silicates but also consume dissolved organic compounds, phosphate and nitrates. Unfiltered tap water can contain silicates and is a good way to jump start a bloom if you use it to mix salt or to replace water that evaporated from the tank. The best way to prevent this from happening is to filter water through a by AquaNerd | Apr 21, 2016 | Fish, Industry, Reef, Science, Travel
Ambergris, Sperm Whale vomit Gary and Angela Williams are celebrating after the large, smelly ‘rock’ they found on a Lancashire beach turned out to be something far more valuable. Another Whale’s vomit is another man’s good fortune. The Mirror reports Gary and Angela Williams found a lump of “floating gold” on Sunday while walking on the beach in Britain. The couple are celebrating after a large, smelly ‘rock’ they picked up on the beach turned out to be a chunk of whale vomit – potentially fetching a cool £50,000 (about $56,540.00 US). Gary and Angela Williams, from Overton, Lancashire, were walking along Middleton Sands beach near Morecambe Bay as they were headed in the directing of rotting fish. Following the stench, they spotted what looked like by AquaNerd | Apr 18, 2016 | Fish, Reef, Science
Whole fried lionfish from Fish Fish of Miami, Florida. Photo by Food Republic Rage against the invasive Lionfish off the Atlantic Coast is heating up to an entirely new level thanks to Grocery Store Chain, Whole Foods and Montertey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program. Today, Whole Foods announced that it will begin selling Lionfish in it’s U.S. West Coasts stores within the next six months. AquaNerd couldn’t be happier to hear this news and we are glad to see a national retailer offering these fish for consumption in at West Cost stores with the possibility of it going national soon after that. The catalyst for Whole Foods’ decision was the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program giving the Lionfish its “Best Choice/Green” rating. Whole by ReefBum | Apr 15, 2016 | Equipment, Fish, Reef, Science, Tanks
When I initially planned out my new reef tank setup my mind was essentially made up to purchase a custom glass display tank and an acrylic frag tank. My thought was to spend the extra $$ for a high quality display and be economical with the frag tank. All of that changed once I took delivery of my display from Coast To Coast Custom Aquariums. This aquarium, a 187 gallon low iron tank with euro bracing and an external overflow, was a piece of art as the quality and craftsmanship were top notch. It was the Porsche of fish tanks! Yes, it was time to rethink my frag tank setup. For my prior setup I went with an acrylic frag tank since it was much cheaper and lighter by AquaNerd | Apr 14, 2016 | Aquaculture, Fish, Reef, Science
Red Scooter Dragonet Recently, Oceans Reefs and Aquariums (ORA) announced they had, for the first time, successfully breed the Ruby Red Dragonet. As of today, ORA has announced that the popular Red Scooter Dragonet (Synchiropus stellatus) will again be available. Similar to the Scooter Dragonet, the Red Scooter Dragonet distinguishes itself with unique shades of red and burgundy absent from the Scooter Dragonet. Sometimes referred as Stellate or Starry Dragonets, these colorful little fish are not actually blennies, as they are sometimes called. One of the advantages Aqua-cultured Dragonets have over wild caught specimens is they are raised to accept pellet food. They will also continue to eat small worms, copepods and amphipods as well as prepared foods like frozen mysis and frozen artemia (brine
