Some years of the reef keeping hobby bring us new varieties and new species of corals for us to enjoy, but in 2013, the wall hammer was incredibly well represented across the globe. Euphyllia ancora, the wall hammer coral with the…
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The weeping willow leather coral has impossibly long polyps
The “Weeping Willow” leather coral is an example of how unique and cool a Sarcophyton toadstool coral has to be for me to specifically grow it for more than a dozen years. I still remember the first time we saw the…
Online coral shopping: is What-You-See really What-You-Get?
Many die-hard hobbyists know exactly where and when the new cool stuff comes in. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to be present physically when a new shipment is unpacked. In these cases, the internet is a great thing: lots…
ORA’s Shortcake Acropora microclados is ready to come out of the oven
ORA is hot out of the gate with their newest release for the new year, the ORA Shortcake Acro. Acropora microclados is one of the most iconic species of Acros that were made available by Australian exports in consistent quality and…
5 Common Reasons Leather Corals Refuse to Expand
The soft coral species commonly known as leather corals (various and sundry Sarcophyton, Lobophytum, Sinularia, and Alcyonium species among others) are often among the first invertebrates budding reef hobbyists select for their systems—and with good reason. The leather corals, so…
Coral Eye Candy, Vol. 1
For the first installment of Coral Eye Candy, we bring to you some absolutely stunning macro and extreme macro photos. In addition, you’ll find brief care requirements if you’re interested in keeping anything shown below in your reef aquarium. Enjoy!…
“Once upon a Montipora” by George Adkins
Once upon a Montipora… Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the aquarium. Not a fishie was stirring, not even Z. veliferum The socks were all hung by the reefer with care, In hopes that Poseidon soon would be…
Three snippets of recent good news about fish and corals
With a the whole news-cycle industry programmed to grab your attention with “if it leads it bleeds” headlines, we’ve got a trio of stories to counter all the downer news out there. Earlier this year, aquarists at the Zoological Society…
Five best new coral species of 2013
Over the past 12 months, there was a slow steady trickle of new species being described. We didn’t have any sensational new species like new Acros in 2012, or any wild Astreopora like in 2011, but we did get some new chalice,…
Why Did My Pulse Corals Stop Pulsing?
Pulse corals (e.g., Xenia and Heteroxenia spp.) are among the more enigmatic sessile invertebrates. Many hobbyists and non-hobbyists alike find their rhythmic, hypnotic pulsing behavior fascinating and relaxing to observe, but precisely why they pulse the way they do has…
