Creating 3D-printed items has become extremely popular in recent years due, primarily, to the virtually unlimited potential of the technology. Cars, houses, clothing, food, and even functional human organs are not only printable, but are likely only a few years from becoming commonplace. It should be no surprise, then, to hear that 3D printing has ready application in the marine-aquarium hobby.
3D printing is a process used to make three-dimensional objects. More specifically, it’s an...
The phosphorus atom is one of living matter’s basic building blocks. It is present in every living creature and in the water of every reef aquarium. Unfortunately, it is often present in excess in reef aquaria and that excess has the potential to cause at least two substantial problems for reefkeepers. The first is that phosphate is often a limiting nutrient for algae growth, so when elevated it can permit excessive growth of undesirable algae (potentially including the zooxanthellae inside...
The students and staff at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) Oceanographic Center (OC), Dania Beach, FL, are engaged in several studies of marine life. For example, they are conducting studies on issues such as the invasive lion fish and how to eradicate them and Florida hard corals, why they’re dying, and ways to replant them in our ocean. In 2014, I was asked to help some students with some tests they were doing to determine why zoanthids were dying. As part of that effort, I did...
Figure 1. A close up look at the author’s “California Tort” (A. tortuosa) showing classic green and blue coloration.
Tortuosa are an especially interesting species of Acropora. As SPS lovers have come to know, the variety of color and growth forms in this group of corals perpetually attracts the interest of reef-aquarium hobbyists. Many environmental parameters affect a coral’s coloration; most notably light intensity and spectrum. Acropora tortuosa certainly stands out in its wide range of...
The Indian Gold Ring Bristletooth Tang (Ctenochaetus truncatus) is named for a short tail fin that does not have the elongated shape with pointed ends that is typical of other members of the genus. Other common names for this species are Spotted Bristletooth and Squaretail Bristletooth. C. truncatus is found throughout the Indian Ocean at depths from 1 to 21 meters (approx. 3 to 69 ft.) where they inhabit inner reef crests and slopes.
C. truncatus juveniles are quite striking with a bright...
This Article is Sponsored by Legendary Corals.
Hello fellow reefers,
Darwin here with another blog like story time post! I've been talking about this subject with a couple of friends and it's very noticeable that the demand for these squishies has skyrocketed in the past couple of years. Some people even make it a mission to collect every new piece that comes out now (or even some people who make a vow to collect all the nicest jawbreakers out there *cough cough*). But it wasn't always...
This Article is Sponsored by Legendary Corals.
Hello fellow reefers!
I was trolling the zoanthids section of this forum (as usual) and ran across a very interesting topic, asking what does a zoa name really mean (it was interesting because the reefer is a researcher interested in genetics and wanted to see if all zoas were lineaged back to one name)? To save him the trouble I wrote a brief explanation... That got a bit longer with a 1st edit.. and then longer with a 2nd... and then a...
Now I'm far from an expert on eels, but having been in this hobby for a few years now and owning/looking after quite a few eels in my time, I feel I can confidently write this guide on basic care of these impressive little guys. I want to stress the point that everything I say is based purely on my experiences. It does not necessarily mean any eel you buy or look after will behave the same way. Your milage may vary. And for the record, I'm trying to keep this guide as universal as possible...
Figure 1. A. efflorescens captive colony
Last month, I wrote about the thick, fusing branches of Acropora austera. This month, I present another thickly growing SPS, the beautiful A. efflorescens. The “efflo” as is frequently called in the aquarium trade, is a plating coral that is rare by SPS standards, growing natively mainly in the North Indian Ocean and indo-Pacific in a range that wraps around Indonesia, Malaysia, and the southern tip of India around Sri Lanka. While similar in overall...
The Japanese Swallowtail Angelfish
A True Asian Beauty
Genicanthus semifasciatus
G semifasciatus male with a unique shoulder marking
The Japanese Swallowtail Angelfish is a true beauty to behold. Males are gorgeous with irregular vertical bars on the upper body, mask-like yellow markings on the head and face which extend into a stripe on the mid-body, and yellow spots on the dorsal and tail fins. And while they do not have the striking markings and coloration of the males, females have a...
