Equipment brand Maxspect has made its first foray into large reef-ready aquariums with the news of the Lagoon Series Smart Aquarium. Available in four sizes, and with volumes from 50 – 134 gallons, the Lagoon Series ticks all the essential…
News
Industry Pioneer Walt Smith Confirms Fiji Corals Are Back for 2024!
Victories come through perseverance and Reef Builders is delighted to learn that after six long years, Fijian corals will be available again to be sold in America. We contacted the Godfather of Fijian aquaculture, Walt Smith, to get the facts…
Phestilla arnoldi is a New Species of Acropora Eating Nudibranch
Researchers surveying a coral reef in the Gulf of Thailand have found 13 species of coral-eating nudibranch, including one that’s totally new to science. The nudibranchs belong to the genus Phestilla – small, frilly, parasitic/predatory sea slugs which mimic the…
Surge Marine Life Breeds Zebrasoma Hybrid Tangs with Unknown Parentage
Florida-based aquaculture facility Surge Marine Life has announced that they have successfully bred and raised Zebrasoma spp. tangs, the result of which is a batch of hybrids of unknown parentage. The family-owned and operated company teased some shots of captive-raised…
World’s Largest Deep-sea Coral Reef Discovered off the Southeast United States
A deep-sea coral reef covering 6.4 million acres has been discovered off the southeast United States. Researchers working for NOAA and its partners mapped an underwater seascape of coldwater coral mounds the size of Vermont, deeming it the largest deep-sea…
California Issues Total Ban on Caulerpa: Warns Retailer of $10,000 Fine Per Violation
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife Agency has written to e-commerce company Etsy and notified them that the sale, possession, or transport of all species of marine macroalgae Caulerpa is now prohibited. In a letter written on Jan 2,…
Coral City Camera Records World’s Most Comprehensive Coral Bleaching Timelapse
Everyone’s favorite underwater camera now has the dubious honor of creating the world’s most comprehensive in-situ coral bleaching timelapse video. Underwater content creator Coral Morphologic says that the summer of 2023 will go down as the hottest in recorded history…
Powder Blue Tang feeding mechanism minimizes exposure to high water flow
Researchers have used high-speed video to study the feeding mechanisms of the Powder Blue Tang, Acanthurus leucosternon. Reef fish use feeding modes including high-speed suction and biting, the former method proving key to the explosive success of ray-finned fishes. But…
Is it Okay to Name Living Creatures after People?
It’s human nature to name things. It’s part of how we label and describe items, communicate, and even differentiate one another. But nomenclature stretches to living things too, like plants, animals, and fish, and we want to know if it’s…
Jack Resurrects the Reef Builders Studio Soft Coral Acrylic Tank
The Fat Cube second-hand acrylic tank was one of Jake Adams’ last projects in the Reef Builders Studio, and sadly, one that he didn’t get to see come to full fruition. Jake passed away in October 2022, and the then-still…