Saron shrimps are a common sight on Indo-Pacific reefs, found lurking within rocky crevices during the day and emerging at night to forage and fight amongst themselves. Little is known of their ecology and behavior, but they are typically solitary…
Three Interesting Inverts for Your Reef Aquarium
Curating an NPS-biotope aquarium in your home opens the unique opportunity to keep filter-feeding and NPS-coral-associated invertebrates that might otherwise do poorly in your typical reef aquarium setup. In today’s article, I highlight three strangely beautiful inverts not commonly kept…
Can You Make It as a Fish Breeder?
Probably, but few want to after realizing how much time it takes. Most hobbyists know nearly all clownfish sold are captive-bred. You may wonder what it takes to do it yourself. Your favorite fish store certainly has lots and while…
Meiacanthus herlihyi (plus 5 more undescribed fangblennies)
Meiacanthus fangblennies are a frequently encountered group of Indo-Pacific reef fishes, several of which are regularly available within the aquarium trade, occasionally via captive breeding. The genus is home to 30 recognized species, the vast majority of which having been…
Bicolored Euplexaura is a Nonphotosynthetic Gem!
Among the soft corals we keep in our tanks, we rarely see ones that exhibit multicolored polyps. Typically, aquarium specimens are mostly monochromatic, coming in varying shades of brown, green, and pink. It’s not every day that we see an…
What You Need to Know about Aquariums and Electrical Safety
Electricity! We all know it’s dangerous and even more so when combined with water, yet often aquarists practice relaxed and sometimes downright dangerous approaches when combining the two. I was among the worst, having a few minor shocks and the…
Are Air fresheners Good or Bad for the Home Aquarium?
Let me tell you a story. A dentist’s office had a beautiful reef full of hammers and torches, which was healthy for years until a new employee placed a vanilla-scented candle in the office. The aquarium technician did not see…
The Chinese Way of NPS Coral Reefing
Wouldn’t it be nice to have a magic potion? A concoction that is easy to produce and you could just dose into your reef tank to make all your NPS thrive? While we have not found the solution for all…
The Staghorns of Bauhinia: A Short Tour Of Acropora Species In Wild Hong Kong
When someone talks about Hong Kong, we would most likely associate it with the breathtaking skyscrapers, night scenery, the bustling city life as well as its diverse people and culture. But this tiny city tucked away on the coast of…
Heliopora are Not-So-Soft, Soft Corals
Given their common name of soft corals, one would likely assume that octocorals are well… soft. However, as is common in biology, there are always exceptions to rules. Within the Octocorallia, there are a few species that form aragonite-based skeletons,…