I still remember the first time I encountered an invasive lionfish. It was in the late spring of 2010 during a scuba dive on the North Wall of Grand Cayman. For those unfamiliar, the North Wall is where the coral…
Marine/Saltwater Fish
Nothin’ Poor about the Poor Man’s Moorish Idol
Mother Nature must have a special place in her heart for marine aquarium hobbyists. It seems as though for every heartbreakingly challenging reef fish she created, she did us a solid by making a reasonable facsimile that is much hardier…
Saltwater Confessions: Bizarre Marine Aquarium Blunders
After many years in the marine aquarium hobby—I’m not talking Paul B years here, but let’s just say a reasonable length of time—I like to think I’ve acquired a certain degree of wisdom with respect to keeping saltwater organisms. What…
Blackworms Mean Better Health for Marine Fish
Live worms are about the best thing we can feed to our fish. How do I know this? Am I just making it up so I have something to write? Actually, no. Live California blackworms have been used for ornamental…
Why Many Marine Fish Benefit From Mature Tanks
Astute salties out there will likely have observed that in some of our fish species profiles, we emphasize the need to keep the fish in a “mature” aquarium—meaning one that has been set up and established for at least six…
The Psychedelic Sixline Wrasse
Whenever I’m asked to recommend a hardier, similarly sized, and equally attractive alternative to the green mandarinfish, the first species that usually pops into my mind is the sixline wrasse (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia). If you can acquire a healthy specimen, you’ll…
5 Good Reasons to Spend Time Observing Your Saltwater Fish
With today’s chaotic schedules, it’s the norm for many marine aquarium hobbyists to see their fish only in passing (e.g., catching a fleeting glimpse when tossing in some food just before heading off to work) or when performing routine maintenance…
You Can Succeed with the Copperband Butterflyfish
Copperband butterflyfish (Chelmon rostratus) are among my favorite fish and have almost always been a staple in my tank since the saltwater hobby started in the 70s. It’s not just the beauty of the distinct black-bordered yellow stripes on a…
Purple Firefish: A Shy Beauty for the Small, Peaceful Aquarium
Marine aquarists looking for a gorgeous, interesting, nano-friendly fish might entertain the idea of keeping the purple firefish (a.k.a. the purple dartfish, elegant firefish/dartfish, and decorated firefish/dartfish, among various other common names). Given appropriate tankmates and care, this graceful, hardy,…
DIY Target Feeder for Mandarinfish (and Pipefish)
We as aquarists tend to keep all sorts of creatures in our tanks, and some of them present a challenge to feed. We know what fish eat, and we know how fish eat, but sometimes the fish’s schedule does not…