The New Octocorallia: Malacalcyonacea Part 2

In our previous installment of this series, we met with a diverse array of Soft Corals and Gorgonians, including most of the species familiar to aquarists. Amongst these were a hodgepodge of ex-Scleraxonia, ex-Stolonifera, and ex-Alcyonacea genera, now all lumped…

The New Octocorallia: A Brief Review of Taxonomic Chaos

Soft Corals, Gorgonians, and Sea Pens comprise the Octocorallia, a major branch in the coral tree of life whose 3000+ species come in nearly every shape imaginable. Not surprisingly, this biodiversity has confounded taxonomists for centuries, resulting in no shortage…

Photosynthetic Gorgonians for the Home Aquaria

Of all the amazing corals that are available to the reef aquarium hobbyists nowadays, gorgonians are frequently overlooked when choosing corals for our aquariums. In the wild they are a vital part of the environment; they filter water, provide sanctuary…

Sundays, Coffee, and unconventional reef aquariums

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/2355244[/vimeo] It’s Sunday morning, and I’m drinking coffee while procrastinating a water change. If your morning could use a little reef building love, check out these videos of Minh’s old reef aquarium. Skimmerless and heavily fed, this tank is an…