2.3 Fairy Wrasses: The exquisitus complex

Cirrhilabrus exquisitus is an unusually widespread and variable species which appears to form a lineage alongside the scottorum and cyanopleura groups, with all three sharing characteristically mid-length pelvic fins. Unlike any other species of Cirrhilabrus, the Exquisite Fairy Wrasse has…

Living the Dream

To paraphrase the old adage, you should find a job that you really enjoy doing and then every day going to work is a pleasure. Unfortunately for most of us this is not possible and many of us are content…

The Pyramid Butterflyfish: A Hardy, Reef-Safe Chaetodontid

While many of the butterflyfishes are challenging—if not outright impossible—to maintain in captivity for one reason or another, there are various species that go against the grain and make excellent or reasonably solid aquarium candidates. Among the “reasonably solid” species…

Balinese faux gold: Captive bred hybrid Goldflake Angelfish

In continuation with our previous post on Bali Aquarich’s new Euxiphipops angelfish, we’re revealing the second angelfish to hit the scene. This time its not one species, but a hybrid combination of two. This marks the eighth species of angelfish…

Why you should go to the bigger reef shows

    While driving home from the great Reefapalooza event that Lou and Victor of World Wide Coral put together in New York last weekend, I began thinking about how much events like that one had evolved on my way back to…

The top new reef aquarium sumps of the last two years

There’s been a ton of new interest in better and improved sumps for reef aquariums over the last couple of years. There’s been so many new sumps and designs introduced lately, we decided to put together this nice synopsis of how…

Socotra is a convergence of hybrid reef fish

Socotra is a far flung island of the Western Indian Ocean which is incredibly hard to reach, and even harder to study underwater. A couple years back however, a team of researchers including California Academy of Sciences ichthyology curator and…

Poetry in motion, Priolepis nocturna in notion

I live in seclusion, cloistered and coy. Taciturn and weary, I watch you go by. From under my ledge, I yearn to be free. If only I dared, if only I cared.

Freshwater planted tanks, something completely different

As those of you that know me or have seen me speak or have read my stuff or watched my videos know, I love the saltwater side of the hobby, and especially anything to do with reefs. I consider myself…

Sarcophyton Leather Corals: Attractive, Toxic, and Tough as Nails

When it comes to hardiness, ease of care, and general adaptability, few corals can compare to those of the genus Sarcophyton—the so-called toadstool, or mushroom, leather corals. Despite their lack of chromatic brilliance, they’re also pretty neat looking to boot.…