Friday Smorgasbord: Mixed media, Orcas, Old Clams and more

After taking a few Friday’s off, we’re getting back on pace with another edition of the Friday Smorgasbord. Leading off this week’s version with a pirouette is a unique and fascinating mashup. Looking at our aquariums, we are mesmerized with the…

CAD Lights Updates their AIO line with the 34-gallon Mini II

CAD Lights is no stranger to All-In-One aquariums, and they continue roll out great looking tanks. The new Mini-II looks like a winner, as it expands the mini line of aquariums with a larger volume system and some enhancements as…

Two new Lipogramma sp from Curacao, including a never before seen juvenile makes these the 4th and 5th known specimens caught alive

The incredibly deep and rare Curacao undescribed Lipogramma robinsi lookalike strikes again, and this time, two new specimens including a never before seen juvenile were caught by the Curasub. These two are currently the 4th and 5th specimens that we…

Awesome Fish Spotlight: Deep water Chromis sp

This deep water undescribed Chromis species is a lesser known fish that has been living in the shadows of the deep, as well as the recent haul of Peppermint angels. The recent peppermint collection has created much buzz around the…

Join us for the Aquatic Experience in Chicago this weekend

There’s a new kind of aquarium show happening this weekend in Chicago. The Aquatic Experience is not just for reefers, but for all manner of people with aquatic interests including freshwater, saltwater, planted, reef, pond and probably a little bit…

Reef Suds is a reef safe soap for before and after tank-play

Aquarium soap is a new one on us and a new company called Reef Suds is aiming to make hand washing a thing before working on the tank. As lifelong aquarists, we have just taken it as a given to not wash…

Zoanthids vs Palythoa Identification

Over the years, we’ve seen hundreds of different Palys and Zoas. In that same time, there were varieties we confidently called Palythoa and others Zoanthids. For example, I can easily point to a Palythoa grandis and say for sure that…

Awesome Fish Spotlight: Cirrhilabrus claire like you’ve never seen, up close and in HD

Today’s Awesome Fish Spotlight features what is probably the rarest and least often seen species of Cirrhilabrus currently that has entered the trade. These are some of the clearest pictures of a large stunning alpha male anywhere right now and…

Pseudojuloides sp 4 has entered the trade before under our watchful radars

Lagoon is a well known LFS in Japan that occasionally snares up pretty amazing rare fish. While checking their website out recently, we stumbled upon this image in their rare fish hall of fame archives. While this specimen is not…

Yellowheaded Sleeper Goby: A Fascinating but Challenging Sand-Sifter

Though not the most chromatically gifted species, the yellowheaded sleeper goby (Valenciennea strigata), is interesting to observe and can serve a utilitarian purpose in marine aquaria—regularly overturning and oxygenating the top layer of the substrate with its sand-sifting feeding behavior.…