When I was a brand new hobbyist, one of the facets of keeping fish I enjoyed most was research. Like most scientifically inclined people, learning about livestock was (and is) something I spent immense amounts of my free time doing.…
What Makes Someone a Marine Aquarium Expert?
Being in a somewhat contemplative mood as I enjoy my third cup of coffee this Friday morning, I’ve posed to myself the philosophical question, what does it mean to be an “expert” marine aquarist? In other words, when I write…
You Can Help Discourage the Sale of Hard-to-Keep Marine Species
Regular Saltwater Smarts readers might wonder why we often post profiles of fish or invertebrates that are very difficult if not impossible to keep in home aquariums. After all, if we want to discourage you from buying these animals, why…
Ribbon Eels: Elegantly Exotic but Usually Best Left on the Reef
Why are the most attractive and interesting-looking marine fish always the most difficult to keep alive in aquariums? Okay, maybe this isn’t actually such a truism. After all, there are lots of gorgeous-yet-easy-to-keep fish in the aquarium trade. It just…
How Do We Measure Success with Hard-to-Keep Marine Species?
“What do you mean the bluestreak cleaner wrasse is hard to keep? I once had one in my half-gallon pico tank for a year and a half, feeding it nothing but frozen brine shrimp and flake food, and it was…
