After what has been a lengthy period of preparation, scouting and diving, the California Academy of Sciences’ expedition to the Philippines is beginning to yield a nice catch of truly exotic deep reef fish. The first notable catch of the…
Saltwater Fish
Green Gramma sp. found deep below the Cuban water surface
As mentioned in my previous post, we decided to take the plunge to see ‘something special’ in the deep waters of La Boca, near Trinidad, Cuba. In relatively shallow waters, say from 10 meters and deeper, the first Gramma loreto…
I am still in love with my fish only tank
I’ve got a little secret, unbeknownst to the general public; I, Jake Adams the coral junky, have a Fish-Only aquarium. This fish tank was the second aquarium I set up after college and it has persisted as one of my…
Liopropoma olneyi “discovered” thanks to a lucky larval catch
Liopropoma olneyi is a “new” species of the popular deepwater basslets which has actually been making it into the aquarium trade for some time now. If you recall the exciting deepwater collections being undertaken in the manned submersible in Curacao…
Diving in Cuba and enjoying a lionfish barbecue with collectors of Gramma dejongi
I like travelling and diving nearly as much as reefing. These hobbies combine often bring me to great places. Although I currently do not keep any Grammas in my reef, I do love them a lot. When I saw Gramma dejongi for…
Pseudojuloides edwardi: a spectacular new wrasse species is named after a fellow aquarist
Pseudojuloides edwardi is a new species of slender pencil wrasse from Mombasa Kenya which was actually discovered in a fish store, long time friend of the Reef Builders team, Greenwhich Aquaria. The new species is named in honor of one of…
The Show Episode 3: Jake talks with Kevin Kohen about LiveAquaria and Reefing
Our latest installment of our new video series The Show is heart to heart sit down with America’s number one fish monger, Kevin Kohen. The LiveAquaria director received us earlier this year for a visit and a sitdown interview to…
Tropical Marine Centre photo confirms a surge in gem tang supply
For the last several weeks now we’ve been hearing reports that there has been a spike in the availability of gem tangs. One international marine fish wholesaler after another have confirmed receiving ten or more Zebrasoma gemmatum, with the UK’s Tropical Marine…
A good look at a nice supermale comb wrasse, Coris picta
The comb wrasse is an Australian endemic reef fish which is sometimes seen in the trade, but no one deliberately clamoring for it. But Rudie Kuiter knows the striking beauty of this fish as it was selected to grace the…
Synchiropus circularis is the first gem of a reef fish pulled up by CAS in the Philippines
Synchiropus circularis is one of those “book fish” that we have admired in pictures and from a distance, never really expecting any fresh specimens to be documented by our colleagues. The circled dragonet is so rare, it doesn’t really have…