Two weeks ago, we were in the Philippines scouting for new and exciting corals to grow at the RVS 4-star Mariculture facility. While diving certain areas which have perhaps never been seen by humans using SCUBA equipment, we stumbled upon…
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2.1 Fairy Wrasses: The scottorum group
Moving away from the first major Cirrhilabrus clade, we explore the various species groups that differ by having larger and longer pelvic fins. The scottorum group is a small conglomeration of two confirmed species, one of which is highly polychromatic…
Top 5 reasons to go to a professional aquarium show like ReefAPalooza
We just want to take a moment to draw a line in the sand; there are frag swaps, and then there are professional marine aquarium conferences. Any given weekend there are countless reef club functions and frag swaps around the…
1.4 Fairy Wrasses: The bathyphilus group
The bathyphilus group, despite being a very small congregation, is by no means any less interesting or provocative compared to its congeners. In 1997 during the Indo-Pacific Fish Conference held in New Caledonia, five unidentified specimens of Cirrhilabrus were brought…
How much are the oceans worth? At least $24 trillion
The world’s oceans are worth at least $24 trillion according to a recent report by the published by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). On the flip side, the overall economic value is threatened by pollution, climate change and…
Cool Tonga giant clams coming through Pacific Aqua Farms
After years of shipping out some really neat corals, the Kingdom of Tonga has finally moved forwards with permits for the export of wild, giant clams. Tonga is in the heart of giant clam biodiversity with at least eight of…
Aquavitro Phosfiltrum by Seachem dials phosphate removal up to 11
Phosfiltrum is a new phosphate removing filter media by Seachem which is part of their high performance Aquavitro line. After years of offering only their Aluminum Oxide phosphate remover Phosguard, Seachem has gone all in with three different types of…
GHL USA launches to add direct distribution arm in North America
We have been a fan of the GHL product line over the years and like many European companies, they forged relationships with distribution partners overseas to handle getting its products out to new markets. Today GHL has launched an affiliate…
Long Island’s 20,000 gallon reef tank is STILL one of the best displays in the world
The 20,000 gallon reef tank in Long Island NY designed and maintained by Joe Yaiullo has long been the apex of large reef aquarium displays. Featuring luxuriant coral growth and a dense and eclectic mix of large and colorful reef…
Steinhart Aquarium’s Caribbean display is a truly realistic representation of a biotope
Few set ups truly elicit fascination and marvel quite like those done in a biotope fashion. A biotope refers to an area of uniform environmental conditions which provides a specific niche for a particular set of organisms. Because aquarists are spoilt for choice…