Coldwater Marine Aquatics is bringing in captive raised weedy seadragons (Phyllipteryx taeniolatus) available to the masses. For me this news is akin to the first time I heard Borbonius anthias coming into the industry after drooling over their pictures for years. I had the pleasure of meeting the C.M.A. crew at MACNA Denver last year. I can tell you that these guys are incredibly knowledgeable regarding their niche in the industry, seemingly offering only the healthiest animals all around. I asked C.M.A. regarding the rearing technique and they replied with, “Berried adult males are collected annually and the young are hatched out and raised in captivity.”

Phyllipteryx taeniolatus in nature. Credit: Richard Wylie

Now don’t go thinking that these guys can be plopped into your mixed reef housing a yellow tang, valentini puffer and koran angelfish. These animals require a dedicated biotope to thrive. Of course this is not to detract from the hopes of caring for these majestic creatures, only to note that they do have some special requirements, namely coolwater and passive (read: non existent) tankmates.

Recently Kenneth Wingerter shared the news of these becoming available here on reefs.com, but last night C.M.A. posted their “last call” for anyone interested in ordering a seadragon on Facebook. So if you’ve ever wanted to keep one, there’s no time like the present. You can reach C.M.A. on their Facebook page.