For those of us who started with freshwater tanks, the general rule for acclimating a new fish was to simply float the bag until the temperatures matched, gradually add some tank water to gradually acclimate the fish to the tank’s…
Pigment Abnormalities may be related to Significant Population Decline
Researchers have documented new records of marine fish pigmentation abnormalities, including an albino-melanistic fish, the first record of a leucistic Great Hammerhead Shark, the first record of leucistic Almaco Jacks, and the first melanistic Giant Manta ray in the North…
My Mini-Reef Past, Present, and Future
I’m Back. Well, after a brief six-year hiatus, I am happy to be back writing for Reef Builders on a regular basis. To be honest, it is kind of bittersweet, as it is not quite the same as it was…
Hands-on with the 128 Gallon Rimless Tank & Stand from Pro Clear Aquatic Systems
It’s hard to deny that the ‘saltwater fish’ aquarium hobby has almost completely transformed into the ‘coral reef’ aquarium hobby, with the majority of discussions being framed in the context of a REEF tank. This is mostly good with some…
All the Fish in the Reef Builders Aquarium Hotel [Video]
Keeping most fish in a dedicated aquarium is incredibly more easy than trying to condition and acclimate them to aquarium life in a reef tank. For most of this year the Mode retail rack at the Reef Builders studio has…
This is What Healthy Quarantined & Conditioned Fish Look Like [Video]
Several weeks ago we received a truly epic shipment of fish from RVS Fishworld and Coast Tropicals. The unboxing of these awesome fish, and my live reaction at this overwhelming bounty was captured on video in which I shared my shock…
Oddball Reef System Symbiosis
Symbiotic relationships are among the most interesting aspects of this hobby. A coral reef is a battlefield for real estate; however, there are still amazing examples of cooperation between completely different animals. Everyone is very familiar with clownfish and anemones,…
Friday Smorgasbord: School is out version
Welcome to the Veteran’s Day edition of the Friday Smorgasbord. We have a few “school” related tidbits to share along with a great overview of the mysterious depths of the oceans. Enjoy! Talk About Peer Pressure Schooling fish are hypnotic…
The Pacific Sailfin Tang: A Hardy, Bold Species Demanding Spacious Accommodations
The Pacific sailfin tang (Zebrasoma velifer), not to be confused with its Red Sea namesake (Zebrasoma desjardinii), is a fish with many attributes that make it desirable to marine aquarium hobbyists—it’s attractive, hardy, bold, easy to feed, etc. But don’t…
Scientist scans fish to uncover the amazing world beneath the skin and scales
One scientist began his quest by wondering how sharks and rays are able to move like other fish despite have a skeleton make of cartilage instead of bones. Fast forward 15 years and Adam Summers has an impressive collection of…
