Another fabulous update...and more on fish!

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Hey Everyone!

Yep, another day with some really cool corals!

Our latest update features some awesome propagated pieces, some great maricultured stuff, and some premium LPS. Here are just a few pics of some of the cool pieces we added today:

UC Green Acropora loripes

UC "Strawberry Shortcake" Acropora

Dan Rigle "Tyree Superman Montipora"

Orange-Eyed Pectinia Colony


There are so many more cool pieces to check out, so be sure to visit our NEW section for all of the latest and greatest!

As you know, we've gotten back into fish. Not in a huge way, but in a deliberate, calculated way. We always said that when we carry fish, they will be from sources that we feel meet our ethos of "conscientious, sustainable, responsible." What that means to you is that you will only see fishes on our site that are either tank-bred, tank-reared, or net caught from conscientious collectors known to us. We will not offer fishes on our site that we cannot verify origin. We will not carry fishes known to present serious husbandry challenges for aquarists, or fishes that are collected from the wild in a manner that is damaging to the reef ecosystem. Nor will you see massive Groupers, Angels, etc. on our site. Fishes are not a "product" to us. They are living treasures, and deserve to be handled that way.

We will offer fishes that have presented husbandry challenges in the past, due to poor collection, transport, or handling...or simply because their care requirements were not known. How is this? We will offer specimens of these fishes from sources such as Sustainable Aquatics, who has embraced post-larval collection and tank conditioning for many species. This assures that you will receive a specimen that has been conditioned to captive life, and which accepts prepared foods, including pellets.

Our selection was chosen carefully. We are not starting with tons of fishes, and we are, in my own opinion, a bit heavy on Clownfish, which I intend to back away from as we progress, with some exceptions. You might even call our selection a bit "dull", which I can perhaps understand but disagree...We offer fishes that you can feel good about purchasing. Fishes that are adapted to captive life far better than many of their unfortunate brothers and sisters who are offered for sale elsewhere. We won't offer every fish out there. Rather, we will be offering more sustainably-collected and tank-bred fishes of other species, including Gobies, Angelfish, Wrasses, Dragonets, and Blennies, just to name a few. We support breeders and others who are working to create a long-term sustainable industry.

You won't be sent fishes that were collected a few days prior to showing up on the site, thrown into our tanks, then placed up for sale. We're just not going to do things that way. All of our fishes will be observed, dipped, acclimated, and fed for some time before they are offered for sale. We will not ship you a fish that is not eating at our own facility. And, like we do with corals, if the fish you order doesn't look right to us, we won't be shipping it to you. We'll contact you and discuss alternatives.

Here is a closer look at a few of the cool fishes on our site right now, and why you might want to consider them:

Orchid Dottyback- Sustainable Aquatics Tank Bred: Why would you need a wild P. fridmani? These captive-bred ones are phenomenally colorful, healthy, active, and feed easily. They don't suffer color loss like many wild-caught specimens, and they are super hardy fish.

 

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Neon Goby- ReefGen Tank-Bred: One of the first marine fishes to be bred in captivity, these are almost bulletproof little fish that are perfect for hobbyists of all skill levels. There is simply no need to purchase wild-caught specimens of this fish when near-perfect tank bred specimens are always available.

Amphiprion nigirpes- ReefGen "Todd's Rare Maldives Clownfish": Just another one of the many cool varieties of captive-bred Clownfish besides the usual "designer" Percs. A great species that displays terrific social behavior and unusual color. They live great in a group. Bred by master fish breeder Todd Gardner of the Long Island Aquarium, eclusively for ReefGen!

Banggai Cardinalfish - Sustainable Aquatics Tank-Bred: Another one of those fishes that you simply don't need to obtain from wild sources. These are bred for Sustainable from the highly regarded Bali Aquarich facility, and the quality and sturdiness of these guys speaks for itself. A no-brainer if you want Banggais.

"Scooter" Dragonet -Sustainable Aquatics Tank Conditioned: Collected in the wild at a young age, then accliamted to prepared foods, these are winners! How many times have you purchased one of these little fishes in the past, only to see them waste away slowy from starvation. Not any more! These guys eat pellets, and arrive at your house well-fed and acclimated to captive life.

"Molly Miller" Blenny- Sustainable Aquatics Tank-Bred: Another one of those fishes that are imported from the wild in large numbers needlessly. These captive bred versions of an already hardy fish are almost "bulletproof!" They eat like little pigs, and are already adapted to captive life. An obvious choice for the concerned aquarist.

 

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Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse- Sustainable Aquatics Tank-Conditioned: Another example of a fish that has a decent survival record as wild-caught, and a near-perfect survival record as tank-reared. Caught carefully and conditioned eating prepared foods at a young age, these specimens fair super-well in captivity.

Meicanthus grammistes- Striped Fang Blenny- Sustainable Aquatics Tank-Bred: A super-cool fish that is perfect for most reef aquariums. This one is super hardy, and not subject to some of the downsides that befall many of its wild-caught brethren, such as internal parasites that cause the fish to slowly waste away. These captive-bred fishes eat with gusto and are as colorful as the wild type...Another no brainer!

Marine Betta- Sustainable Aquatics Tank-Bred: One of the coolest fishes around, IMO! The tank-bred version is super hardy, colorful, and displays a more outgoing demeanor than its wild brethren. And, since they are available at a very small size (slightly over one inch), you can raise them in a smaller system and gradually move them on up to your big display. Super peaceful and easy to feed. Why purchase a wild adult who was flushed out of his cave in the reef, and hides, when you can raise your own outgoing little guy from a young age?

Oyster Toadfish- ReefGen Tank-Bred: If you like more predatory fish, why not raise your own? Todd Gardner at the Long Island Aquarium has been breeding these unusual fishes, and here is the cute result. Yes, they will get larger, but they grow very slowly, and have a decidedly calm demeanor. In fact, they are personable enough to consider a real "pet!"

Amphiprion clarkii- Black Clarkii Cloenfish- Sustainable Aquatics Tank-Bred: Why settle for another "designer" Perc or Ocellaris, when you can try an entirely new species? This captive-bred version of the Clarkii has all of the hardiness, and much of the spunkiness of the wild version. They are remarkably personable fish. And, being captive-bred, the vigor is obvious!

Look, we're not saying that all wild-caught fishes from any other source are bad. We're not saying that we are all that and a bag of chips. We're not saying that you shouldn't purchase fishes that are wild caught. We ARE suggesting that you should embrace some alternatives. Our selection is growing, and we need to ultimately move towards more and more tank-bred fishes for the long-term viability of the hobby.

These fishes might be a bit more expensive than their mass-wild-caught brethren, but the price is far less than what we will all pay when- not if- trade in wild marine fishes becomes more restricted. The key is to support breeders, propagators, and outfits that support sustainable collection of marine fishes BEFORE this happens. We will continue to seek out new sources, new breeders, and new varieties of fishes for us all to enjoy. It's not easy to find fishes that meet our standards, but we will continue on this path.

Thank you so much for your support, encouragement, and yes- criticisms and suggestions! We look forward to working with you!

Warm Regards,

Scott Fellman and Joseph Caparatta
Unique Corals