Caribbean Coral Diaries: Madracis decactis

Madracis decactis Madracis is an attractive species of coral often covered in stout furry polyps. This species, Madracis decactis, grows into compact yellow lobes and is common, although not abundant. Juvenile colonies start by encrusting onto rocks before forming short lobes or branches. As…

Kristen Marhaver’s TED Talk on reef-building with baby corals

We recently came across this great TED talk which presents some pretty interesting research about coral larval behavior, and what it may take for baby corals to survive and thrive in a changing ocean environment. “How we’re growing baby corals…

House of Fins 58th anniversary SPLASH sale this weekend in Greenwich CT

The House of Fins anniversary SPLASH sale is our annual excuse to share a gallery of exceptionally rare reef fish. In 2015 the infamous House of Fins or ‘HOF’ will be celebrating its 58th year in business with a huge…

The Candy Basslet: A Sweet Deepwater Denizen on Many a Hobbyist’s Wish List

Ask any group of marine fishkeepers to name their most sought-after species—the fishes they’d really love to own if money and availability were no object—and most of them will likely place the candy basslet (Liopropoma carmabi) somewhere close to the…

The deep sea is on display in Curacao

To most people the Mesophotic Zone is an entirely unknown part of the ocean that very few study and even fewer have physically visited. Yet these areas are more diverse than anticipated and contain a cornicopia of life from the…

Liopropoma fasciatum takes the title of 2014’s fish of the year

At the close of each year we religiously run through the stories of months past and gather up our favourites, condensing some of the best stories from various categories for a year in review. Although it is pretty standard to put…

Decompressing marine fish from the deep reefs of Curacao

The following is a guest contribution from Joe Oliver, a resident Marine Biologist for the Curacao Sea Aquarium and Substation Curacao. As an aquarist (hobbyist or professional) there is a huge array of fishes available as possible options when it comes…

Will you stop hiding from me! Lonesome Liopropoma

Today’s post is c0-contributed by Mr. Tay, a friend of ReefBuilders and one of my best fish buddies in Singapore. Mr. Tay is known online by his alias “Digiman”, and has an extensive collection of deepwater and unusual fish, many…

Behind the face of LiveAquaria – Kevin Kohen’s fish collection part 1

Any saltwater hobbyist worth his salt or doesn’t live under a rock surely knows about LiveAquaria. On this post MACNA trip, we managed to visit their facility and caught up with Kevin Kohen, the man behind the company. Seeing as we’ve already covered…

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…