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…
Caribbean
The Blunt-nosed Basslet is a perfect Caribbean curiosity for your deepwater tank
Bullisicthys caribbaeus is a remarkably cute fish from the deep waters of the Caribbean that is worth taking a second look. Not often is the word cute used to describe a fish, but the blunt-nosed or pug-nosed basslet is certainly cute,…
Rock Flower Anemones Resurge in Popularity
Rock flower anemones are trending in popularity as of late in the reef aquarium hobby. They have always been readily available in the industry, as they are harvested close by in the Caribbean. But despite their relatively easy accessibility, they’ve…
Why You Should Never, Ever Release Marine Aquarium Livestock into the Wild
In a perfect world, every fish, invertebrate, or alga introduced to a marine aquarium would be allowed to live out its entire lifespan there. But as we all know, there are many contingencies that can make it necessary for hobbyists…
The Sally Lightfoot Crab: A Real Character of a Crustacean
Sharing the surname of a famous Canadian folk singer, of whom I’ve been an ardent fan for many, many years (once again confirming that my profound nerdiness knows no bounds), the Sally Lightfoot crab, a.k.a. the nimble spray crab, of…
This sponge sure does look familiar…
We had to chuckle when we came across this image of a stovepipe sponge along side Sesame Street’s Cookie Monster in the Daily Mail. Spotted by underwater photographer Mauricio Handler, while he was diving in off the Dutch Caribbean, this Muppet-like…
The Anatomy of an Invasion: Lionfish
As iconic ornamental marine fish, Pterois spp. are coveted for their unique beauty which is bookended by elegant (but venomous), banner-like finnage. Native to the Indo-Pacific region, lionfish were reportedly discovered in South Florida as early as 1985 with sightings…
Photosynthetic Gorgonians for the Home Aquaria
Of all the amazing corals that are available to the reef aquarium hobbyists nowadays, gorgonians are frequently overlooked when choosing corals for our aquariums. In the wild they are a vital part of the environment; they filter water, provide sanctuary…
Blackbar drum Pareques iwamotoi is an unknown but stunning Caribbean beauty
As big of fans as we are of Caribbean drum fish, we’ve only recently learned of the gorgeous black bar drum, Pareques iwamotoi. Hailing from the coastal waters of the United States Mexico and Central America the black bar drum is…
Caribbean reefs are nearly all dead says grim, new IUCN report
Where once there were 50 to 60 percent coverage of coral on Caribbean reefs in the 1960s and 70s, now surveys measure coral cover at a meager 10 percent marking a significant environmental statement — coral reefs in the Caribbean…