We just can’t get enough of the TSA Fruity Splice Acropora

We’ve known about this spliced acro for a while now, but after Remy went to see it in person we just can’t stop thinking about it. We reached out to Top Shelf’s Kevin Burda for more info on his discovery. …

Reef Aquarium Plumbing and Pipework

Having worked in medicine for my entire career I got accustomed to the euphemisms that doctors often employed. One of my favorites was the cardiologists who were sometimes referred to as plumbers in that from other physicians’ perspectives all they…

How to Drill Glass Fish Tanks

Glass drilling and aquarium cutting are invaluable skills for reef keepers who want to build their own custom tanks and systems. While drilling and cutting acrylic are simpler processes, acrylic tanks are usually much more expensive. A fish-holding or coral…

Alpheus octocellatus is a New Species of Pistol Shrimp from the Maldives

A new species of snapping shrimp has been described based on two specimens collected in the Maldives. Alpheus octocellatus appears to be morphologically most similar to Alpheus edwardsii, pareuchirus and leptochirus so the paper’s authors have placed it in the…

Top 10 Grafted Corals at Top Shelf Aquatics

You can’t mention the best coral vendors in the world without mentioning Top Shelf Aquatics. A major destination for reefers and reefing tourists, Top Shelf is a Mecca for everything coral, and Reef Builders’ YouTube Channel and Reef Therapy host…

Old and New Reef Tank Pests

It seems that when we take two steps forward we often have to take one step back. Such is the case with the success we have had in the hobby. In the early days of the hobby, we were preoccupied…

Mass Urchin Die-off Threatens Reefs in the Red Sea

A species of Sea urchin has undergone a devastating wipeout on reefs off the city of Eilat in Israel. The entire population of Black Sea urchins, Diadema setosum, has died off in just weeks from a suspected pathogen, with their…

Weak Connection? Why fish tanks can slow down your Wi-Fi

Reefkeepers may be dismayed to learn that one of the things weakening their home Wi-Fi signal is actually their tank, and just when they need a good signal to control many smart aquarium devices. Wi-Fi is affected by many things…

Reefkeeping in the Victorian Era

As the saltwater aquarium hobby celebrates over half a century of maturation, we often talk about the many reefkeeping pioneers. In his 1972 book “Tropical Fish, Freshwater, and Marine Aquaria,” Reginald Dutta talked about equipment such as an Ozonizer, an…

Ctenophore Comb Jellies declared First Animals on Earth, 700m years ago

A team of researchers has determined that comb jellies, Ctenophores, were the first animals on earth, existing 700 million years ago, and pre-dating sponges by 100 million years. They are also the most recent common ancestor of all animals, (including…