Opistognathus trimaculatus is a new species of jawfish from Japan that was discovered in the famous Tosa Bay. This bay in the Kochi Prefecture of southern Japan is also the namesake of the incredible Tosanoides anthias which are highly sought after,…
Japan
Arothron multilineatus, a new pufferfish species described from Japan
Arothron multilineatus is a new species of large pufferfish that has just been described from Japanese caught specimens. The new pufferfish species is most closely related to the starry puffer, Arothron stellatus, but it is easily distinguished by a network of thin…
Master Refractometer hot rod salinity measurement from Atago Japan
The Master Refractometer series by Atago is a high performance line of salinity measuring tools from Japan. We recently got some hands-on time with the Atago Master-S/MillM refractometer at the Bali Aquarium water monitoring laboratory, and it was quite refreshing to see a…
True pink Nephthea is Japan’s best kept secret
There’s a gorgeous pink Nephthea soft coral that seems really common in Japanese reef tanks, but yet seems virtually unknown in American or European reef aquariums. We’ve been drooling over the pink Nephthea that can be seen in many photos of…
Destination Tokyo, the final frontier
In all the years as a fish writer, nothing has been more rewarding to me than travelling the world and seeing new things. The relationships that i’ve forged with people throughout my time is something that can never be taken away, and…
Okayama’s “Liopropoma boss” shows us how he got that name
We’re at the penultimate last leg of our recent Japanese tour recount, and if you’re just following, be sure to check out the previous parts here, here, here, here and here. We’ve toured Osaka and the surrounding Kansai region extensively…
A visit to the okayama University of Science
In light of MACNA and the hectic schedule of traveling, we haven’t been able to finish up recounting our visit to Japan. Now that the dust has settled, we’re obligated to tie up the loose ends and finish up this short series.…
A Mauritian gem residing in Japan
As the metonymic dust begins to settle after our whirlwind tour of Japan, it becomes increasingly clear that this country is without a doubt, the capital mecca for rare fish and all things associated. With lolita inspired fashion and crazy pop…
Japanese coral video is in “supernatural” high definition
We share a lot of rare fish and exotic coral eye candy here on Reef Builders, and Japan has its fair share. There is coral “porn”, and then there are superbly close and exquisite corals that look so surreal and perfect,…
Is Japan really home to any endemic Fairy Wrasses? Cirrhilabrus katoi disagrees
The reefs of Japan are known to harbour unique fauna found nowhere else on this earth. Rife with endemics, species such as Centropyge interrupta, Chaetodon daedalma, Genicanthus takeuchii, Chromis mirationis and a whole hodgepodge of other reef fish call this…