by Admin | Mar 4, 2014 | Conservation, Fish, Science, Tanks
Larval development of yellow tangs from 15 to 50 days posthatch (dph). Photo credit: Dean Kline and David Hoy. Research on culturing yellow tangs began at the Oceanic Institute (OI) back in 2001 around the same time as initial, exciting breakthroughs were achieved with dwarf angelfish (by OI and others like Frank Baensch and Karen Brittain). It seemed, back then, that we were just around the corner from some major steps forward with the culture of previously thought “impossible to rear” species. Indeed, there has been incredible progress with the culture of marine ornamentals since that time. However, yellow tang have proven to be far more difficult to rear than many of the other targeted marine ornamental fish species under investigation. More than a decade later, we are finally seeing some exciting progress with rearing this species and will share updates about our work on this site. On Jan 1, 2014 we stocked a 1000L tank with about 40,000 yellow tang eggs. In this rearing attempt we experimented with very high water turn-over rates, and very clean (ultra UV dose) water. As in previous studies, we again used the calanoid copepod, Parvocalanus crassirostris, as our feed. While this was only one tank (we are currently testing these methods again), we immediately noticed far more fish making it through the early larval period than ever before. We were really excited to see 1000’s of fish making past the first 2-3 weeks and ended up with more than 600 at day 35. We have since moved the fish to smaller tanks and are investigating potential settlement cues, like photoperiod and substrate. The fish recently crossed day 50 and appear to be looking very close to settlement. We’re observing fairly high mortality during this period of transition, but still have more than 150 fish distributed among our tanks. We are hoping at least a few make it through, but regardless are very encouraged by this recent progress! With newly obtained support from Rising Tide Conservation and the Hawaii Tourism Authority, we are looking forward to pushing this culture technology forward. This work will be supported by an HPU graduate student (Emma Forbes) who will introduce herself in a separate post. Stay tuned for updates from OI and Emma! by AquaNerd | Feb 6, 2014 | Corals, Science
It seems that in recent years, most of the news coming out of Hawaii has been fairly bad. More often than not, we find ourselves discussing how the aquarium trade gets unfairly targeted by misguided activists, but this time around the news is different. According to Hawaii News Now, a research team from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Aquatic Resources has, for the first time ever, discovered colonies of Acropora gemmifera in West Hawaii. In addition, it is said that this is the first record of any Acropora species occurring around the island of Hawaii, not to be confused with other areas like the Northwest Hawaiian islands where Acroporids have been discovered. According to the article, there have been no reports of any Acropora species occurring around the Island of Hawaii from more than 4,500 coral reef monitoring and research dives from the past 15 years. The corals were initially identified based on aesthetic features, though the ID was later confirmed with genetic testing by the Richmond Lab at the Kewalo Marine Laboratory, Pacific Biomedical Research Center in Honolulu. by Reef To Rainforest | Dec 18, 2013 | Fish, Science
West Hawaii Regional Fishery Management Area WHITE LIST The following are the only marine fishes that may be legally collected for sale in the marine aquarium trade 1. Yellow Tang, Zebrasoma flavescens 2. Chevron Tang, Ctenochaetus hawaiiensis 3. Goldring Surgeonfish, Ctenochaetus strigosus 4. Achilles Tang, Acanthurus achilles 5. Tinker’s Butterflyfish, Chaetodon tinkeri 6. Clown Tang Naso lituratus 7. Forcepsfish Forcipiger flavissimus 8. Goldrim Surgeonfish Acanthurus nigricans 9. Potter’s Angelfish Centropyge potteri 10. Fourspot Butterflyfish Chaetodon quadrimaculatus 11. Yellowtail Coris Coris gaimard 12. Ornate Wrasse Halichoeres ornatissimus 13. Orangeband Surgeonfish Acanthurus olivaceus 14. Bird Wrasse Gomphosus varius 15. Eyestripe Surgeonfish Acanthurus dussumieri 16. Multiband Butterflyfish Chaetodon multicinctus 17. Saddle Wrasse Thalassoma duperrey 18. Brown Surgeonfish Acanthurus nigrofuscus 19. Flame Wrasse Cirrhilabrus jordani 20. Thompson’s Surgeonfish Acanthurus thompsoni 21. Peacock Grouper Cephalopholis argus 22. Bluestripe Snapper Lutjanus kasmira 23. Redbarred Hawkfish Cirrhitops fasciatus 24. Psychedelic Wrasse Anampses chrysocephalus 25. Hawaiian Whitespotted Toby Canthigaster jactator 26. Fisher’s Angelfish Centropyge fisheri 27. Hawaiian Dascyllus Dascyllus albisella 28. Milletseed Butterflyfish Chaetodon miliaris 29. Blacklip Butterflyfish Chaetodon kleinii 30. Pyramid Butterflyfish Hemitaurichthys polylepis 31. Shortnose Wrasse Macropharyngodon geoffroy 32. Black Durgon Melichthys niger 33. Spotted Boxfish Ostracion meleagris 34. Blackside Hawkfish Paracirrhites forsteri 35. Hawaiian Longfin Anthias Pseudanthias hawaiiensis 36. Eightstripe Wrasse Pseudocheilinus octotaenia 37. Fourstripe Wrasse Pseudocheilinus tetrataenia 38. Smalltail Wrasse Pseudojuloides cerasinus 39. Lei Triggerfish Sufflamen bursa 40. Gilded Triggerfish Xanthichthys auromarginatus by AquaNerd | Jul 24, 2013 | Conservation, Fish, Industry, Sustainability
At the end of June, the Hawaiian Board of Land and Natural Resources, with a 4-2 vote, passed new laws limiting collecting of fish for the aquarium trade to a 40 species “white list” for the Big Island. In addition to the creation of a white list, three of the species found on that list will also have specific bag limits, which are detailed below. Along with the white list, the vote also puts an outright ban on spear fishing with SCUBA gear for West Hawaiian waters. This list and its bag limits are a bit confusing and seem incomplete. Regardless, they may not even have an impact on the number of fish being imported into the hobby. This white list is for the Big Island of Hawaii only, including West Hawaii, but other areas won’t share the same legislation, at least for now. Other counties may adopt a similar set of rules and regulations, which could really handcuff the trade throughout the state. All that said, I do not see any big issues with a white list or bag limits, to be quite honest. The white list is what bothers me the most, as it prevents certain species that could be eventually aquacultured from ever reaching that status, and it excludes other fish that might be in an extreme abundance, but merely left out. Below are bag limits and the 40-species white list, both taken from Fish Channel. Bag Limits Yellow Tangs: no more than five larger than 4.5 inches or five smaller than 2 inches Gldring Surgeonfish (Kole Tang): no more than five per person per day larger than 4 inches Achilles Tang: limit of 10 per person per day The West Hawaii White List The following list represents the fish species that may still be taken for the aquarium trade in Hawaii. Fish not on the list are protected. Yellow tang Chevron tang Goldring surgeonfish Achilles tang Tinker’s butterflyfish Orangespine Unicornfish Forecepfish Goldrim surgeonfish Potter’s angelfish Fourspot butterflyfish Yellowtail Coris Ornate Wrasse Orangeband surgeonfish Bird wrasse Eyestripe Surgeonfish Multiband butterflyfish Saddle wrasse Brown surgeonfish Flame wrasse Thompson’s surgeonfish Peacock grouper Bluestripe snapper Redbarred hawkfish Psychedelic wrasse Hawaiian Whitespotted toby Fisher’s angelfish Hawaii Dascyllus Milletseed butterflyfish Blacklip butterflyfish Pyramid butterflyfish Shortnose wrasse Black durgon Spotted boxfish Blackside hawkfish Hawaii longfin anthias Eightline wrasse Fourline wrasse Smalltail wrasse Lei triggerfish Gilded triggerfish by Marc Levenson | Jul 10, 2013 | Equipment, Photography
If you are considering getting into SCUBA diving, you may end up with a passion to own your own gear rather than relying on rentals. Last year I wrote several articles about those initial required purchases and classwork, as well as the open water skills required to get PADI certified. Now that summer is heating up, I'm itching to get back into the water to see more of the creatures we love to put in our aquariums and began researching what gear I needed next. It was overwhelming. There are so many brands, so many styles, prices ranging from inexpensive to insanely high; how can an underwater enthusiast know what to buy? I'd already looked at many of the options at my local dive shop, and I'd used rental gear both from there as well as during my dives in Hawaii. Through experience you can learn what you do and don't like to use (like I'll never use a front-zipper wetsuit again!), but it's best to talk to other divers before you pull out your wallet. About a week ago, while surfing the net I kept seeing one specific dive shop requesting I'd rate their service. As I perused their page, I noticed they had a BCD (Buoyancy Compensation Device) on sale until the end of the month. The price was incredible, and I looked at the pictures and read the features carefully to determine if it would suit my needs. Everything I knew I liked appeared to be included, but I didn't know enough about it to make my decision. I asked my online friends for feedback and provided a link to the BCD in question, and waited.The answers I received were okay, but not overwhelming. The BCD is a vest style. You slip into it, and secure a velcro cummerbund around your waist and snap the male to female connector to lock it in place. The shoulder straps have the same pull down method I'd trained with. It had integrated weight pockets which were easily accessible from the front. It had a lot of bright blue though, which I wasn't too thrilled about. What I didn't know was if it came with the manual inflator hose assembly, or if that was another part I had to purchase. I decided to call the store in question on Saturday afternoon. They were East Coast Time, and their answering machine stated they were closed. I looked at a number of other dive shops that sold the BCD, and there wasn't a single product review on the web. Every site had the same phrase: "Be the first one to review this product." Ugh! I called a west coast dive shop that sold the same BCD, and was able to get my question answered. It came with the manual inflator (it was in the pictures, but you never know). Additionally, I'd fixated on a better choice for the inflator, one made by Atomic. Not only would it inflate / deflate the vest with the press of a button, it allowed me to manually inflate the vest if necessary AND it also became my alternate air source if the primary regulator had an issue. The salesman told me the Atomic SS1 would fit this vest, as it came with a number of adaptors. I asked if I needed to buy the low pressure hose, which I knew I needed but from the various links I'd checked, it wasn't spelled out. Typically it showed the main part I sought, but I was unsure if I'd have all the other pieces to assemble my dive gear completely.You may wonder why I didn't just go to my local dive shop and get their advice. Since I was purchasing my gear elsewhere and saving hundreds of dollars in the process, I felt that would be inappropriate. I had to rely on what information I could gather up online and from other divers if I wanted to save money. I had people helping me both locally as well as out of state, which I definitely recommend. The more people you talk with, especially if you have your wish list down to a few specific choices, the more likely you'll get good overall feedback to make an informed decision. The hours were passing and the special pricing was going to expire in another day, so I went back to the original website (Leisure Pro) once more. Clicking on different ones, comparing how they looked and what they included, I continued to be drawn to the one on sale. There was a chat option on the site offering to assist with any questions, but since the store didn't answer my call hours earlier, I didn't expect a response. Surprisingly, a person immediately offered his assistance, and explained why they were closed earlier: because it was the Sabbath. That never even crossed my mind. My new chat-buddy explained that he has been diving for 26 years, and after some back and forth, he finally sold me when he told me he'd wear it on a dive. That was a pretty stellar endorsement as you can imagine he'd have strong feelings for what gear to use versus what to avoid as a career diver, and that pretty much sealed the deal for me. He also agreed that ordering a Medium was the right choice for my body type. He offered to stay available during the transaction, and informed me that all went through successfully with the news my order would ship out first thing Monday. It was a very smooth transaction having the salesperson available for all my questions. Additionally, if you end up receiving something that doesn't fit properly, they will ship it back on their dime and send you another size as long as it was never used in water.By Friday, my order arrived as promised. The box was marked Adorama - the photography company - but inside was my new treasure! What I ordered was the Aeris Biojac BCD. It comes in a large bag, which can be used to keep it stored safely between trips. The oral manual inflator was attached. It seemed heavy when I took it out of the bag, and it weighed in at 7.2 lbs.And the Atomic SS1. When I opened the box, I saw the same part as every picture online, but under the cardboard flap was a new low pressure airhose, adaptor fittings, zipties and pins, instructions and the warranty card. http://www.atomicaquatics.com/reg_SS1.htmlBack to the Biojac. The purpose of the BCD is to hold your air tank to your back, and maintain a way to stay buoyant at a specific depth. As it is inflated, you rise; as you deflate it, you begin to descend. If you practice this skill, you can hover precisely where you want to be without bumping into anything nearby, like a beautiful reef. Here is the back of the Biojac. This is where the tank will be strapped tightly in place - the latching strap is included, and has velcro to lock down the strap so it doesn't snag on anything while diving. On either side of the tank are weight pockets. These are permanent weights that you keep with you the entire dive. If you need to add a little weight to balance yourself in a horizontal position, these pockets will hold a few pounds each, five pounds maximum. (Freshwater dives need more weight than saltwater dives.) This in the inside of the BCD, with a large pad that will press against your back for comfort. Near the top of that pad is a hard handle to grasp when carrying the vest.When you unfold the vest completely open, the cummerbund retracts into the "wings" - very nicely too.Integrated weights allow you to dive with all the weights in your BCD instead of having to strap on a weight-loaded belt. While their location vary depending on brand, these are located over your hips and are easily pulled out if an emergency ascent is necessary. All my dives have used these weight pockets and I'm very comfortable with how they work. The Biojac doesn't allow you to tug them out with one quick pull, you do have to squeeze the latch to release them. If it comes to that, you ditch them and begin your ascent. You will have to buy new weight pockets later.This is the business end of the Manual Inflator. You can blow into it to fill up your vest, but it also uses a low pressure hose connected to the air tank to fill it up with the squeeze of a button.Here is one of the drawstrings that allow you to release some air from the vest to level out perfectly. The vest has three such ports with drawstrings. There are plenty of D-hooks to tether stuff down if needed.There are two pockets to store a few items you may need while diving, like a small waterproof pocket camera.Comparison of the two manual inflators. The first thing I noticed was the air hose connection was on the opposite side. The SS1 is bigger, and there's a mouth piece to bite down on to keep this alternate regulator in your mouth.The next step was changing these two pieces out. I read the Atomic SS1 manual cover to cover to read their advice, then using a utility knife and needle-nose pliers, I was able to remove the stock part and install my nice upgrade. Since this was my first time to do this, my focus was to do it right, and thus there aren't any pictures of the process itself.Inside the large black breather hose, a cable had to be looped around a pin where the SS1 attaches, and it took me a few minutes to complete the task at hand. The new SS1 came with a new low pressure hose with a bigger quick-disconnect fitting. And of the three fittings included in the package, I had to use the smallest one to fit the breather hose. I used the included ziptie to secure it, making sure it had a snug fit. Then I carefully trimmed off the rest of the ziptie with a razor blade, making sure it was smooth and flush to avoid getting nicked when handling it. This plastic retaining clip was facing the wrong direction with the new Atomic SS1, but I was able to carefully pry it off the larger hose, flip it over and reinstall it, and the low pressure hose was then snapped into place by its side.This is the part I took off, and its hose. The hose quick disconnect fitting did not fit the SS1, in case you were wondering.Here's the Biojac with the SS1. Note the red tip at the end of the low pressure hose; that will be attached to the first stage of the regulator I'll be buying soon.The SS1 doesn't require maintenance other than to be rinsed in freshwater and stored somewhere safe when not in use. It can be easily disconnected from the BCD by unscrewing the black nut and the steel quick-connect.So there you have it, a key component for SCUBA diving. If I'm on a dive and my buddy runs out of air (or runs into trouble with his rental gear!), I can give him my regulator to share air, and I'll breathe off the SS1. Atomic is well known for how easy it is to breathe no matter what depth you are at, and this secondary will be just as comfortable as my primary regulator. The regulators I've used previously had an "Octopus" regulator - a second regulator with a much longer hose to use or share in an emergency. The SS1 eliminates the need for an Octopus.I still need two more pieces of gear: The regulator and a dive computer. I'm about to order those as I'll need them next month, and will be testing them out in a swimming pool prior to departure. Since every breath counts, I'm looking for quality yet not break the bank. Here's a link to the regulator with swivel connection I'm getting: http://www.atomicaquatics.com/reg_B2.html For the dive computer, I'm considering an integrated one by Oceanic, complete with easy disconnect. I want one that tracks air consumption, measures depth, time, temperature, has a compass, and is reliable: http://www.leisurepro.com/Prod/Categ...CNDMPP2WC.htmlThe best part of owning your own dive gear is familiarity. You know where everything is, how it operates, and know the maintenance performed. It will be the perfect fit every time with everything adjusted correctly, and when dive opportunities arise you are ready to go. Some may prefer to rent gear and hope it all works out, but I've heard enough stories about malfunctioning gear and canceled dives that I'd prefer to own my own. Heck, during one of my open water check out dives, the rented dive computer failed mid-dive! When I travel, I always check a suitcase. If I pack carefully, I believe I'll be able to pack everything in the same bag to avoid additional baggage fees.My entire life, I've purchased what I need to do the job right, and I'm very pleased with this purchase and can't wait to get wet and blow bubbles.
