Time for more questions and answers from the mean, green phytoplankton-making machine, Taras Pleskun. Do I need to refrigerate phyto? I would highly suggest refrigerating any live phytoplankton cells that you do not intend on feeding to the aquarium that…
Gracilaria vs Vibrio: The Antimicrobial Properties of Red Macroalgae
Bacteria of the family Vibrionaceae are some of the most universally present microbes in aquatic environments. Even well-established reef aquariums, exhibiting no apparent problems, likely contain a number of Vibrio bacteria species. This is because many species and strains of…
The Promise of A Vaccine for Marine Ich, Cryptocaryon irritans
Marine Ich is one of the most prolific parasites in both the Reef Aquarium Hobby and Commercial Aquaculture. Cryptocaryon irritans is an obligate parasitic ciliate that can infect most marine fish taxa. Marine ich has a complex life cycle, which…
Interview with a Seaweed Aquaculturist
Taras V Pleskun interviews Philip John Foronda of the Philippines Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and finds out why seaweed aquaculture is such an important industry. Please Introduce yourself and how you first got into the aquaculture industry. Hi!…
The Jekyll & Hyde Chemistry of Phaeobacter gallaeciensis Bacteria
During the Fall of 2016, I was an undergraduate studying aquaculture at the University of Rhode Island. Like other aquaculture students, I was given an opportunity to work in one of the department labs as an assistant. It so happened,…
FAQs on Phytoplankton Part 3
We continue our deep dive into Phytoplankton with our resident phycologist, Taras Pleskun. Should I feed phyto as well as amino acids? As with all things, it depends on the general goals of the aquarium. Assuming the goal is to…
Could Purple Non-Sulfur Bacteria Change Reefing?
The future of the reef aquarium industry is microbial. Microbes hold many of the nuanced secrets behind the long-term health and reproduction of corals, reef fish, and invertebrates. All of these creatures are a sum of their associated microbiomes and…
FAQs on Phytoplankton Part 2
Phycologist Taras V Pleskun answers more of your most frequently asked questions on Phytoplankton. Is the algae I scrape off the front glass phytoplankton? Yes and No! Though this is more an exercise in wording, there is a profound difference…
FAQs on Phytoplankton Part 1
You wanna know how Phytoplankton really works in your aquarium? We asked Phycologist Taras V Pleskun. Which reef aquarium corals and other animals can ingest, and benefit from Phytoplankton? Microalgae are the nutritional foundation of all marine ecosystems. They are…
Interview with a Marine Collector: Warren Hunt of Poseidon Aquatics
Aquaculture advocate Taras Pleskun interviews a native Floridian who catches and collects saltwater fish and invertebrates for a living. Please Introduce yourself, your background, and how you got into the marine collection/aquarium industry. I’m a Florida native that grew up…