Turbinaria bifrons is the rarest stony coral you’ve never heard of

Turbinaria bifrons is quite simply unlike any coral anyone has ever seen, and it is perhaps one of the rarest stony coral species in the aquarium hobby. When we say T. bifrons is rare we don’t mean rare as in a strain…

Tank Profile: Roy Seine’s Alluring 312-Gallon Reef

When I came across a full-tank shot of this large aquarium, I knew I had to learn more about the system and its owner. Great profiles, large coral colonies, showcase-size specimens, and a clean bare-bottom layout all collaborate to catch…

Gyre Flow: What a difference ten years can make

The year is 2003 and I was just starting to delve into the first year of real marine science courses like ecology, oceanography, and fluid dynamics. At that time I’d already been keeping marine aquariums for 8 years and i was…

Our Top 5 favorite stories from Cairns Marine

For twenty years Cairns Marine has been a leading collector and supplier of sustainably harvested marine aquarium livestock and for most of Reef Builders’ existence Cairns Marine has been an invaluable partner in helping us get the word out about…

Dr. Chung Wing Hung’s Pomacanthid perfection

Dr. Chung from Hong Kong is a familiar name to any rare fish lover worthy of his salt. A dentist by profession, Dr. Chung has had the privilege of owning some of the most elusive and rare species in the same tank.…

Time Travel Thursday: Mr Wong’s collection from the film era

In our previous installation with regards to Mr. Wong, we took a look at some of his existing collection of butterflyfish in his home aquarium. Today we’re stepping into a time machine to explore some of Mr. Wong’s fish that he…

Pearl of The Orient: Mr Wong’s butterflyfish collection

When it comes to the rare fish game, there are only two players that immediately come to mind. Hong Kong and Japan. Together these two are undeniably the largest absorbers of rare fish, and have been consistently spitting out amazing specimens…

Elasmobranch Enthusiasts (Part 4): Modern Husbandry—Reproduction

From the ferocious great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) to the graceful white-spotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari), Elasmobranchii are a diverse group of boneless fishes that are circumglobal, inhabiting a diverse array of habitats, temperature ranges, salinity, and niches in the…

Teardrop ‘maxima’ clams are now a distinct species, Tridacna noae

Tridacna noae is a newly recognized species of giant clam which reefers have been enjoying in our aquariums for many years now. We’ve always been told that the morphology of the shells of giant clams is the key to identifying…

Survival on the reef part 1: Masquerading under false colours

Look at this amazing pair of Meiacanthus grammistes. Eh hmm…wait a minute. That’s not quite right. Look closer. Cardinal fish? Bingo. This is a pair of Cheilodipterus nigrotaeniatus and they are excellent mimics of their venomous fang blenny models. Mimicry is an…