I’ve been working in the wholesale part of the aquarium hobby industry for just over three years. It has been a unique and insightful experience that opened my eyes and allowed me to see what and how the wholesale end…
The Hidden Aquatic Gems of Tampa Bay Florida
Many people vacation around or near Tampa Bay in the beautiful sunny state of Florida. Sadly most of those people have little to no idea of the diversity of organisms that lie below the surface of the Bay. I have…
Levi’s Deepwater Reef Tank
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…
How Seven Seas Aquatics Survived Hurricane Ian and Two Weeks Without Power
Seven Seas Aquatics is a beautifully laid-out reef store with five-star reviews, but back in September 2022, it was nearly wiped out by Category 4 Hurricane Ian, which killed 150 people and caused $112 billion in damage across the State…
Lionfish Challenge removes 30,000 Lionfish from Florida state waters
The eighth edition of the Lionfish Challenge concluded this October, shattering previous records and crowning Baye Beauford Lionfish King, 2023. The competition saw 281 registrants embarking on 917 dive trips over a four-month period, which collectively removed 30,494 invasive Lionfish…
Levi’s Caribbean Biotope Aquarium
I’ve always personally wanted to set up an aquarium endemic to a certain area of the ocean. I recently moved across the country to Florida, and with the move, I happened to have an empty 75-gallon aquarium. I figured if…
Flamboyant Cuttlefish Survive Museum Hurricane Devastation
As we near peak Atlantic Hurricane season, one Florida public aquarium is only just starting to recover from the last one. The Baily-Matthews National Shell Museum in Sanibel Island, Florida, was devastated by Category 5 Hurricane Ian last September, which…
Florida and Mariana are Two New DeskMate Models from Eshopps
Eshopps continues injecting fun into the nano reef hobby with the launch of two new DeskMate aquarium models. The 9-gallon Peninsula style Florida and 7-gallon mini Drop-off style Mariana share all the design features of the DeskMate 4.8 gallon AIO…
100% Coral Bleaching as Florida Sea Temperatures Rise Over 100 Fahrenheit
As if Floridian corals weren’t under enough environmental pressures, this past week, temperatures hit triple digits in Florida Bay and the Keys causing 100% coral bleaching events in some areas. A world record-breaking sea surface temperature of 101.1F (38.4C) was…
Interview with a Marine Collector: Warren Hunt of Poseidon Aquatics
Aquaculture advocate Taras Pleskun interviews a native Floridian who catches and collects saltwater fish and invertebrates for a living. Please Introduce yourself, your background, and how you got into the marine collection/aquarium industry. I’m a Florida native that grew up…
