Unless they are hosting clownfish or somewhat reef-safe, Anemones don’t get a fair share of attention in the aquarium world. But things could be different if we saw more mimic anemones like this wonderful blue Phyllodiscus semoni which we sighted on…
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Walt Smith doubles down on sustainability with ReefRock and ReefProject2.0
ReefRock is a new handcrafted aquarium aquascaping material from ReefProject2.0, a new effort from Walt Smith Incorporated. ReefProject aims to establish a more direct approach to sustainability and opportunity for coastal island communities by not only focusing on making the finest…
The second unknown Acropora discovered on the Fluval Sea Flores Expedition
One of the most exciting outcomes we could have hoped for on the Fluval Sea Flores Expedition is to encounter some corals that have never been seen before. Early on we observed not one but two species of Acropora the likes of which…
Trimma pajama and T. meranyx are two new exquisite species of deepwater nano gobies
A few new deepwater nano gobies from Indonesia have been described in a recent edition of the journal ZootaxaI that are sure to captivate you with their beauty. Here is information on two of the three new gobies described by Richard…
The Orangutan Crab; Another sweet coral crustacean
Following our review of crustacean relationships with corals that we accoutered during the Fluval Sea Flores expedition, we are left wondering why we never see these associations in aquarium. One other crustacean that we often come to meet even together with our last candidate Vir…
Chaetodon ocellicauda observed living with its sister species
The butterflyfish of the Chaetodon genus is rife with many closely related species that are differentiated based on geography, and seemingly subtle color differences. While on the Fluval Sea Flores Expedition we had the chance to observe one such pair of species…
We’re barely scratching the surface of Mycedium diversity
When we observe the diversity of corals found in the aquarium hobby, it’s easy to think that somehow what we’re getting is a reflection of what is available in nature. By that guideline you’d think that Mycedium was somewhat rare, or…
Massive Black Blob taking over La Jolla Shores in San Diego
No, this isn’t a huge oil slick off the coast of La Jolla Shores in San Diego as some might have guessed. Rather a massive Anchovy Shoal formed and they spend their time “munching on plankton and smaller fish and…
Large colony of Lakers Scroll Turbinaria sighted in the Flores Sea
The Lakers Scroll Coral is a popular strain of Turbinaria which is enjoyed by many American reefers for its unique color and for being one of the only “domesticated” strains of Turbinaria that reef aquarists readily recognize. Being so familiar with this…
Unknown Acropora species discovered on the Fluval Sea Flores Expedition
If we had one greatest hope for the Fluval Sea Flores Expedition, it was to find some new, undescribed, and otherwise unknown species of marine life, with stony corals topping our wish list. Wouldn’t you know it, on just the…