We’ve hated vermetids for as long as we’ve been reefing, and now science has given us the last nail in the coffin for this unwanted aquarium critter. Although they look like tubeworms, vermetids are actual a kind of snail which…
Red Zoanthid Nudibranch Are Beautiful, But Not In My Reef
Corals can harbor such a wide variety of different pests and parasites, that learning about and controlling all of them is a hobby unto itself. This is especially true of live coral dealers who are at the front lines of…
Why it is important to quarantine your fish and coral
Similar to the state of Hawaii’s required 120-day quarantine for pets, to maintain their status as the only rabies-free state, you can think of your quarantine tank as a model to prevent the “rabies” of the marine world. There is…
An introduction to coral crabs, good and bad
There is surprisingly little information specifically about coral crabs in aquaria. Every now and then some hitchhikers arrive on our aquacultured and wild corals and we are able to gain a bit more insight into the life of coral crabs. Some crabs…
New insights on eradicating the dreaded Acro Eating Flatworm
Acropora Eating Flatworms aka AEFW aka Amakusaplana acroporae are the bane of SPS coral keepers, especially those of us with a penchant for Acropora species. Acro flatworms can turn an otherwise perfect reef system into an nightmare for the Acros in our…
How to thoroughly quarantine your Corals
With just about every endeavor success breeds new challenges. As I have already noted in several articles, with the improved success we have now achieved in keeping just about every type of coral and invertebrate long-term we are now seeing…
Coral flatworms can even infest our beloved Trachyphyllia
Coral flatworms come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors, but if we find them on our beloved corals, chances are that the flatworm is not doing any good for it. The more corals we keep and see and…
Lots of things can kill corals, suicide is not one of them
Over the years I have been asked a lot of questions by hobbyists regarding their corals and their tanks. Of these queries, the single most frequently asked question is” Why are my corals dying or why did this coral die?”…
New Crowdfunding project tackles the dreaded AEFW
Even the hardiest and most seasoned aquarium veterans are susceptible to the dreaded acropora eating flatworm(AEFW), only recently described as Amakusaplana acroporae. The dreaded AEFW can devastate an aquarium relatively quickly taking years of growth out in a matter of…
Zanclea hydroid is an Acropora and stony coral parasite you’ve probably never heard of
Zanclea is a genus of small hydroids that specializes at living on other marine creatures like corals, anemones, sponges and bryozoans. About five years ago we visited a healthy stony coral reef aquarium Seattle that had some staghorn coral colonies…
