We’ve been admiring the Blastomussa genus of late, and especially the Large Polyp Blasto, Blastomussa vivida. Like its congeners, B.vivida can come with that classic cherry red rim with a bright green center, but then also solid cherry red to…
Coral
Acropora awi is another deepwater beauty!
Acropora awi is a deep water Acropora that has been grown in Indonesian mariculture farms for quite a while. Nevertheless, it has never had the credit it deserves, probably due to misidentification, and its dull natural coloration. But after cooking…
Bali Aquarium Becomes the first Licensed Ex-Situ Coral Farm in Indo
Over 20 years after becoming the first in-situ (Ocean Farm), licensed coral farm in Indonesia, Bali Aquarium has done it again, becoming the first ex-situ (inland) licensed coral farm in Indonesia to obtain export quota for these corals. It’s been…
Ultimate Mycedium Chalice Corals Spotted in Indonesia
We love to photograph Mycedium under water – Mycedium elephantotus is probably one of the most photogenic corals because it always exhibit a variety of bright colors on the same colony with contrasting mouths. During a diving trip in central…
Acid Trip Cyphastrea Just Melted My Brain
Ultra Coral Australia, the famous Australian coral business owned by master coral collector and farmer Nic Dos Santos, just showed us some pictures of a Cyphastrea coral that blew our mind! Multicolored Cyphastrea are quite a common sight. But this…
Crazy Cave Dwelling Leptoseris Survives in Almost Total Darkness
On a recent dive on a deep reef in Indonesia, we noticed a very unique coral under a ledge. It was a very colorful specimen of Leptoseris foliosa with very unusual coloration unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. We had…
The Bali Aquarium Armageddon Tenuis is just mind blowing!
For quite a few years now, the ‘Homewrecker’ Acropora tenuis has been high on the wish list of many reefers. We thought it will be difficult to beat that one, and take years before we would see any other tenuis…
Updates and Lessons Learned From Our 90 Gallon Reef Tank
As the days get shorter heading into winter we’re even more excited to come home to a bright tropical reef tank. Earlier this year we picked up a seven-year-old 90gallon reef tank and all the hard work we’ve put in…
CITES Europe to Discuss Restrictions on Australian Corals
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species will meet on December 3rd to discuss the collection and export of certain hard coral species from Australia.
Parazoanthus atlanticus is a new species of Yellow Polyp from the Dutch Caribbean
The biodiversity of the Dutch Caribbean has been studied for 250 years, but most records of Zoantharians don’t go much beyond the genus level or are grouped into generic catch-all species despite being common. A group of zoantharian specialists from Japan and the Netherlands has sought to change that by collecting and DNA testing new specimens as well as reexamining huge numbers of historic records and data of species collected and described from the area.