by Saltwater Smarts | Mar 30, 2016 | Fish, Reef, Science, Tanks
Atlantic pygmy angelfish (Centropyge argi)Having very recently departed the state of Ohio and resettled his family down in the Florida Keys, Caribbean Chris has had to part with his beloved, long-established Caribbean-biotope tank. He’s also had to come to terms with the reality that the specimens he bequeathed to me are now gracelessly intermingled with my Indo-Pacific species. So, to give CC a little inspiration (or torment his soul, either way), I thought I’d dedicate today’s post to a fish species that might be a welcome addition to his new tank whenever he gets around to setting it up—the Atlantic pygmy angelfish, aka the cherub angelfish (Centropyge argi). A denizen of the tropical western Atlantic and Caribbean Sea, this dwarf angel is a visual gem and can be a good choice for smaller systems. It is, however, rather feisty for its size, and this trait must be factored in when choosing tankmates, contemplating order of introduction, etc.Physical traits C. argi is blue overall with varying (by individual) degrees of orange-yellow coloration on its face and throat. The eyes are ringed with blue, and most of the fins (with the exception of the pectorals, which are yellow) are very dark blue, almost blackish, with lighter blue margins. Typical of marine angels, this species also has sharp, backward-curving spines on its gill covers (which are prone to getting tangled in nets). by AquaNerd | Mar 27, 2016 | Reef, Science, Tanks
10 Gallon Tek Series Water Tank BioTek Marine has just released it’s new line of Tek Series Auto Top-Off Water tanks for your aquarium. These new elegantly US crafted water tanks are now available in the Tek Series Grey and Blue cast acrylic to complement the Tek series sumps. They are purposefully designed to match the Tek series sumps but they can easily be used alongside most any sump. Each model features an easy access port for the feed pump located on the back left corner. Additionally, positioned on the back right corner is a John Guest style push-in connector that accepts a water feed line. The 5 gallon model requires 1/4″ standard polyethylene water tubing while the 10 gallon Tek model requires 3/8″ tubing. Easily accessible by Barry Brown | Mar 25, 2016 | Reef, Science, Tanks
Good morning from Curacao. I get a lot of mails asking for more seahorse photos so like a good little diver, here you go! This little pink beauty was found at a dive spot called “Small Wall” and to this day is still one of my favorite spots to explore. This is normally a boat dive but for those of you willing to throw a little caution to the wind it can be done from shore, here’s how you do it. Drive to Directors Bay, set up your tanks and walk down to the beach and remember not to leave anything of value in your car as it most likely won’t be there when you return. From the beach head south-east (on your backs at the surface) following the curvature of the reef wall from Directors bay. by Francis Yupangco | Mar 22, 2016 | Conservation, Tanks
The way Americans view animals in captivity has changed dramatically in the last thirty years, and it has certainty affected how SeaWorld is perceived. With the release of the 2013 documentary ‘Blackfish’ and the increased media scrutiny on the treatment... by Saltwater Smarts | Mar 22, 2016 | Corals, Events, Fish, Opinion, Reef, Science, Tanks
In a few years, my reef will turn 50 years old. I believe I’ve avoided old tank syndrome by using the procedures outlined in this article.Old Tank Syndrome, or OTS, is something we have been hearing about since the hobby started, and I am not quite sure exactly what it means. Is it due to parameters, loss of diversity, lack of interest, diseases, metal accumulation, global warming, locusts, or all of the above? I think it is much simpler than “all of the above,” but some of those things are probably on the list of causes—especially locusts. It’s about bacteriaIn my opinion, OTS has to do with bacteria, or lack of it. Bacteria really run our tanks, and we are just there so the bacteria have something to make fun of. Without bacteria, our tanks would crash in less than a day. by Marcin Smok | Mar 16, 2016 | Equipment, Industry, Opinion, Tanks, Technology
All images by author There has never been a better time to be involved in an aquarium hobby than now; the last decade has brought a staggering number of new solutions and improvements to the industry and to our understanding of keeping a healthy fish...
