Marine Aquarium Photography: Post Processing of Coral Images

Often the subject of heated online debate is the post processing of coral photos—the manipulation of the coral image by software to tweak color and exposure levels. Post processing of coral images is a particularly hot-button issue because it is…

Skimz Monzter Mini Calcium Reactor debuting at Aquarama next week

Skimz is at it again with its mission to gain more real estate in your sump with the introduction of its Skimz Monzter Mini Calcium Reactor next week at Aquarama in Singapore. Powered by what they are touting as the…

Signs that Allelopathy Might Be Agitating Your Inverts

Since corals and other sessile invertebrates are more or less stuck in place and can’t chase away competitors or run from predators, many of them—particularly among the soft corals—have evolved the tactic of exuding toxins into the water to prevent…

The Rockmover Wrasse: What a Difference Adulthood Can Make!

In a previous post titled “Marine Fish Bait and Switch—5 Adorable Juveniles that Blossom into Brutes,” I listed the rockmover wrasse (Novaculichthys taeniourus), aka the reindeer wrasse or the dragon wrasse, among four other species that are typically sold in…

Beware Marine Aquarium Complacency!

A funny thing sometimes happens to marine aquarium hobbyists who have a few years’ experience under their briny belts—they have a tendency to become complacent in their methods and attitudes. Once they’ve mastered the basics of aquarium keeping, it can…

MaxSpect Ethereal LED is just about ready for prime time

It’s been a long time since we’ve had any updates on the MaxSpect Ethereal LED, but after nearly a year we are looking forward to seeing the new light at Aquarama next week. First revealed at InterZoo last year, Maxspect’s…

The rarely seen Striking Sea Star

Despite the diversity of sea stars that abound in tropical waters, relatively few species find their way into aquariums with any regularity. One of the most interesting species—morphologically, behaviorally and evolutionarily—is also one of the most seldomly encountered: the “Striking…

The Ecosystem Aquarium Method: What’s in the Miracle Mud?

  Of all the articles that I’ve written and all of the talks I’ve given over the years, none have stirred the souls of reefkeepers as much as my discussions of “Miracle Mud” and what it does and doesn’t do. For the…

Mocha Frostbite Clownfish are one of the Newest Designer Hybrids

ClowfishDepot.com has started offering one of the latest permutations of designer hybrid clownfishes, the Mocha Frostbite. It didn’t take rocket science to create this new variation. At its core, the Mocha hybrid has been around for over a decade, being the…

A selection of Echinophyllia chalice corals from the Solomon Islands

As far as the hobby is concerned, nearly all of the stupid-awesome colored chalice corals are basically only found in Indonesia. Australia throws out some winners here and there but by and large, Indo is where it’s at when it…