Cleaner Shrimp: Practically Perfect Marine Aquarium Invertebrates

When we think of symbiosis on tropical coral reefs, the classic example of clownfishes and their host anemones often comes to mind. However, there’s another model of symbiosis that’s every bit as fascinating to observe but much easier to recreate…

Updates on the divine new Paracentropyge multifasciata x P. venustus hybrid

Few days ago, we shared with you the world’s newest Paracentropyge hybrid to hit the reefing scene. This natural hybrid between the two Indo-pacific Paracentropyge angels (P. venustus and P. multifasciata) is possibly the most stunning creations mother nature has…

Friday Smorgasbord: World Ocean Day edition (June 8)

Saturday, June 8 is World Ocean Day (WOD) and to commemorate the day, we’re dedicating our Friday Smorgasbord to observe the day. First off, the WOD organizers are asking you to “Wear blue and tell two!” tomorrow. Wearing blue is…

RTN even happens to the best of the aquarium hobby

Right or wrong, rapid tissue necrosis (or RTN) is in this hobby often is seen as a newbie mistake — a sign of bad husbandry and a sign of bad decisions. Ironically this is a view mostly held by inexperienced…

Oceanlife’s new aquarium carbonates test kit (kh)

A few weeks ago Oceanlife presented it’s new aquarium test kit line and we have been highlighting these kits here on Reef Builders. Today we will speak more in depth about the carbonates test kit (Kh). As you can see…

A trip down memory lane of Ecotech Marine VorTech pump controllers

As Ecotech Marine celebrates ten years of business in the reef aquarium scene, I am reminded of how I came to know the once scrappy three young founders Tim, Pat, Justin and first employee Mark. The company cut its teeth…

Friday Smorgasbord: Tracy Morgonian gets Incognito Sofa Love, gray whales, atolls and more

Hey! It’s Friday and that means another fresh edition of the Friday Smorgasbord fresh out of the oven. This week we have a few good nuggets including an audio post, whales and coral atolls. Let’s get the party started right…

The What and When of Feeding Saltwater Fish

Feeding time is one of the most rewarding aspects of keeping saltwater fish. Let’s face it, fish don’t exactly reciprocate affection the way dogs and cats do. The closest we can really get to interacting with them is when we…

Hybrid swallowtail angelfish has great potential for unexpected mature coloration

Another day and we have another hybrid angelfish to report. This particular specimen is a cross between swallowtail angelfish, Genicanthus lamarcki and G. melanospilos. Currently this hybrid swallowtail angelfish is of muted appearance, a nothing more than a curiosity to…

Corals of the World Online gets a beautiful and speedy website refresh

Corals of the World Online which replaced the indispensable CoralSearch a couple of years ago has already received a facelift of its own. The new cleaner layout has mostly familiar elements but the one thing that is greatly noticeable right…