As human beings, it’s in our nature to assign certain traits to small animals—cute, dependent, harmless, defenseless, etc. Perhaps we think this way because when it comes to animals, people included, smallness is usually correlated with infancy. However, if applied…
Why Are We Drawn to Marine Aquarium Keeping?
Recently, while going through the motions of an overdue water change in my 125-gallon FOWLR tank, I found myself reflecting upon this bizarre obsession of ours. I wondered why, given all the cost, effort, and frustration that go into setting…
Sand-sifting Starfish: A Job (too) Well Done!
If you’ve ever shopped for a marine aquarium cleanup crew, you’ve probably noticed that these packages often include so-called sand-sifting starfish—rather bland-colored, burrowing stars of the genus Astropecten that can reach about a foot in diameter. As their common name…
Why Territoriality is a Major Issue in Marine Tanks
One of the more challenging aspects of marine fishkeeping, particularly for those interested in creating a mixed community of interesting fishes, is choosing different species that will coexist peacefully in captivity. This might seem easy enough given the fact that,…
4 More Simple Accessories Repurposed for Marine Aquariums
Back in June of this year, we ran a post titled “My Top 6 Simple Accessories Repurposed for Marine Aquariums,” in which I discussed several inexpensive household items that can be converted to aquarium tools in various and sundry ways.…
Oriental Sweetlips: So Pretty but Seldom Suitable for Marine Systems
I recently wrote a post about the options available to hobbyists who have unwittingly purchased a tankbuster fish. The subject of today’s post—the oriental sweetlips (Plectorhinchus vittatus)—could very well serve as the “poster fish” for that situation if it weren’t…
4 Acclimation Stage Issues for Marine Aquarium Fish
When we consider the term “acclimation” as it relates to marine aquarium fish, we usually think of the relatively brief period during which—with the hobbyist’s help—they gradually adjust to the temperature, pH, and other water parameters in a new system.…
Stenopus hispidus: A Look at a Popular Boxer Shrimp
Among the various ornamental crustaceans available in the marine aquarium trade, one of the most popular and easiest to obtain is Stenopus hispidus, the banded coral shrimp, also known by the common names coral banded shrimp, banded boxer shrimp, barber…
The Many Possible Purposes of the Saltwater Refugium
“Refugium” is a hobby term that resists easy definition. This is probably so because, unlike most aquarium accoutrements—heaters, powerheads, protein skimmers, lights, etc.—there’s no single, readily identifiable purpose for a refugium. Ask 10 different hobbyists what a refugium is for,…
Humbug Damsel: Prepping for the Hunt
There’s a reason I chose to spotlight Dascyllus aruanus, the humbug or three-striped damselfish, in this profile. “Caribbean” Chris and I will soon be matching wits with four representatives of this species that have laid claim to a large marine…