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…
Salty Q&A: How Often Should Your Fish Fast?
Question I’ve been told that it’s a good idea to avoid feeding aquarium fish on occasion, for example once every week or once every other week. I guess this stands to reason because fish in nature can’t always get a…
What Gives with that Marine Fish that Never Eats?
I’ve had this fish in my aquarium for months now and it’s as fat and happy as can be, yet I’ve never actually seen it consume any of the food’s I’ve offered. How on earth is it getting enough to…
The Lawnmower Blenny: a Funny, Fascinating Fish of Unpredictable Utility
The lawnmower blenny, aka the jeweled blenny, jeweled rockskipper, or sailfin blenny (Salarias fasciatus), is commonly purchased not just for its comical behavior and only-a-mother-could-love looks, but also for the utilitarian purpose of controlling algae in marine tanks. While you…
Innovative Marine Gourmet Grazer will put your feeding clips out of work
The Innovative Marine Gourmet Grazer will put your feeding clips out of work. The simple design is an improved way to feed dried seaweed to your grazing fish that utilized a PVC snap lock package that many holes to secure…
The French Angelfish: Pretty, Curious, and Well Worth the Tank Space!
One of my more enduring memories of diving in the Florida Keys was coming across a pair of French angelfish (Pomacanthus paru) gliding in unison above the reef. Unlike so many other fishes that dashed into hiding as I approached,…
Ecsenius bicolor: a Beginner-Friendly Blenny with Real Character
Included in the Indo-Pacific genus Ecsenius are several interesting, beginner-friendly, generally aquarium-worthy blennies, among them the popular bicolor blenny (E. bicolor). This species’ modest size and bottom-dwelling habit also make it a great choice for smaller aquarium systems. Physical traits…
The Kole Tang: A Commendable Surgeonfish for Medium-Sized Aquariums
Among the so-called bristletooths of the genus Ctenochaetus is one of my favorite tang species and one that I highly recommend to other hobbyists with well-established, medium-sized to moderately large systems—the Kole tang (Ctenochaetus strigosus). Physical traits C. strigosus, which…
The Lowdown on Live Rock
“Live rock”: It’s one of the first terms new saltwater aquarium hobbyists hear—and one of the first times (of many) they may find themselves scratching their heads in bewilderment. Let’s clear up the confusion! What on earth is live rock?…
What Gives When Herbivores Won’t Graze Nuisance Algae?
The practice of adding herbivorous fish and/or invertebrate species to marine aquariums for the purpose of nuisance algae control is quite commonplace. Hence the popularity of those herbivore packages known in hobby parlance as “cleanup crews,” or CUCs. But almost…