Well, the word is out that Finding Dory, the long-anticipated sequel to Disney/Pixar’s Finding Nemo, is finally slated for release in June of 2016. If the impact of the sequel is anything like that of the original—a lot of youngsters…
Marine/Saltwater Fish
Treating a Sick Marine Fish? First Do No Harm!
When a fish in our care gets sick, it’s a perfectly understandable impulse to want to throw every cure we can lay our hands on at the problem. But sometimes rushing ahead with a medication or other treatment can do…
Sometimes You Need to Overfeed Your Fish
You’ve heard time and again, here at Saltwater Smarts and elsewhere, that overfeeding is one of the surest ways to cause ill health in fish and pollute your aquarium water. The usual recommendation is to offer foods in very small…
Coral Catfish: Cute-Juvenile Syndrome with a Venomous Twist
A school of juvenile coral catfish (Plotosus lineatus) rolling and wriggling en masse along the ocean floor is among the more endearing sights one can behold in the marine realm. Not surprisingly, after seeing this phenomenon in nature or on…
The Use of Negative Space in the Reef Aquarium Aquascape
One of the more interesting developments in the reefkeeping hobby, in my opinion, has nothing to do with the latest, greatest gadget or advance in water-quality-management methodology. Rather, it’s an evolving aesthetic in aquascaping. Bored with the traditional monolithic stack…
Don’t Overestimate Piscine Individualism!
LFS staffer to customer eyeing sohal tang as a potential purchase: “Hmm, I don’t think that fish would be a good choice for your tank. It can get very aggressive, and most of the fish you have in there now…
What Gives with that Marine Fish that Never Eats?
I’ve had this fish in my aquarium for months now and it’s as fat and happy as can be, yet I’ve never actually seen it consume any of the food’s I’ve offered. How on earth is it getting enough to…
Is the Internet a Viable Resource for Marine Aquarium Research?
Virtually since the advent of the internet, there’s been a tendency in our hobby to rate the reliability and trustworthiness of online content beneath that of print-format materials—books, magazines, and so forth. But is this assessment really fair? The general…
Discount Marine Fish Aren’t Always Such a Bargain!
There’s no question that many of the marine fish we keep in our aquariums come with a pretty hefty price tag. Even relatively inexpensive “bread-and-butter” species can cause a surprising degree of sticker shock compared to their freshwater counterparts. So,…
Blackcap Basslet: A Comely Deepwater Cousin to the Royal Gramma
Most marine aquarium hobbyists are well acquainted with the royal gramma (Gramma loreto), a worthy tank inhabitant by virtually any measure. But G. loreto isn’t the only member of the Gramma genus that is well worth its salt. Another is…