Amazing aquarium uses common corals to produce an uncommon effect

At Reef Builders, we strive to bring you aquariums that reflect  a unique perspective. Some blow us away with their sheer beauty. Others with vibrant animal growth. Still others tease us with their high-tech gadgetry and bleeding edge technology.  And…

Something old, something new: Evolution within the hobby

One of the coolest things about our hobby is the amazing progression over the years in both the state of the art and the technology that we embrace.  Improvements that have enabled us to do things previously thought incredibly difficult…

Amazingly clear video of many different deep sea squids from MBARI

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq2E2D-y11g&fmt=18[/youtube] Since the whole world of football (soccer) is particularly thrilled with cephalopods right now, it seems like a perfect time to share with you the video above from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), a self-titled anthology of…

So really, how important is it to feed aquarium fish frequently?

Most of us are familiar with recommendations like “feed your fish only a couple times per week to minimize organic waste in a reef tank”.  These recommendations also stem from the fact that most beginning hobbyists simply overfeed so we…

What seasnake coloration can teach us about algae growth

The subject of algae growth is likely one of the most frequently discussed among the freshwater and saltwater aquarium hobbies. Although we know that light and nutrients are key factors affecting the growth of unwanted algae, new research on the…

The Danger of “Regurgitation”

If you’ve been “around the block” a few times in this hobby, you’ll often hear fellow hobbyists dispensing words of aquatic wisdom to anyone who needs it. You know, the usual stuff, like “you need to quarantine new animal purchases”, …

Aberrant Amphiprion percula clownfish from the Solomon Islands arrive en masse at Blue Zoo Aquatics

Blue Zoo Aquatics has revamped their “Collector’s Choice” WYSIWYG offerings, lumping their choicest fish into a new, broader category called the “Weekly Top 50”. Some beautifully unique wild-caught Solomon Island Percula Clownfish (Amphiprion percula) were placed up last week. It’s…

The only thing cooler than a peppermint angelfish action figure

I officially sealed my fish geekery not only by getting myself a peppermint angelfish action figure, but by having it signed by Richard Pyle, the ichthyologist who originally caught and described this most sensational of reef fishes. However we’re not…

Will 2010 mark the marine hobby’s shift to captive breeding?

We may look back at 2010 as the year the marine aquarium hobby truly realized the importance of captive breeding and started doing something about it.  I’ve just returned from speaking at Reef Ed, the annual educational event put on…

Beta mini cube is a stylish nano tank with built in filtration

The Beta Mini Cube is a novel, modern looking small aquarium which is packing some serious features for a beta setup. Low power LED light, curved acrylic front pane and a built-in filter in the rear makes this small aquarium…