Deepwater organisms have always had a special place in my heart. In this article, we are going to explore my “Deepwater Reef”. First things first, what is generally considered to be “deepwater”? Many people have their opinions on this, but I…
The Orange Tree Gorgonian is a Rare, Deepwater Treat
The wonderful Swiftia exserta, also known as the Orange Tree Gorgonian, is a treat for all those reef hobbyists who enjoy oddball marine life. Their striking color and shape have them highly sought after in the non-photosynthetic side of the…
Meet Nemateleotris lavandula, the Lavender-blushed Dartfish
The 19th century was a golden age for ichthyological exploration. It signified an era of what seemed like an endless slew of new discoveries, where even the most iconic and noble of species we know today were without names. Taxonomists…
New deepwater butterflyfish extends its range to North East Taiwan
A recently described butterflyfish has been reported for the first time from northeast Taiwan. Roa haraguchiae was described in 2020, but the only member of its genus represented in Taiwan until now has been Roa modesta. Most of the eight…
Euphyllia baliensis, the Holy Grail Quest!
It’s been over eight years since the small polyp Euphyllia baliensis was described from the deep waters around the Indonesian Island of Bali. It’s also been around eight years that we’ve been searching for this coral, pushing the limits of…
First Live Photos of Rare Deepwater Grammatonotus xanthostigma
Grammatonotus xanthostigma is a new species of deepwater basslet that was recently described in 2017 after their discovery by technical divers Drs. Brian Greene and Rich Pyle in 2015. Despite its objective beauty both in shape, pattern and color, the…
New Species of deepwater scorpionfish, Scorpaenodes barrybrowni
Scorpaenodes barrybrowni is a new pretty little species of scorpionfish from the deepwaters of the Caribbean Sea. Discovered in Dominica by the Curasub, the newly described Scorpaenodes barrybrowni is named in honor of Barry Brown, a member of team Curasub and the…
Acropora for Beginners
With the introduction of more aquaculture and mariculture facilities, there has been a boom in specimens available at the local fish stores these days. But I will say for certain that if you can get a frag from a successful…
Blackcap Basslet: A Comely Deepwater Cousin to the Royal Gramma
Most marine aquarium hobbyists are well acquainted with the royal gramma (Gramma loreto), a worthy tank inhabitant by virtually any measure. But G. loreto isn’t the only member of the Gramma genus that is well worth its salt. Another is…
The ABCs of deepwater Chromis
The pan-oceanic genus Chromis is a ubiquitous component of any coral reef, and can be found anywhere from sun speckled coral gardens to lung compressing depths in the mesophotic twilight zone. Despite their near abrasive presence both in the field and in…
