Cirrhilabrus lanceolatus in nuptial display is a sight to behold

Cirrhilabrus lanceolatus is a japanese endemic fairy wrasse that is so beautiful and so rare, its almost cruel and karmic how unobtainable it is. Most reefers are familiar with the rose-banded fairy wrasse (Cirrhilabrus roseafascia) which closely resembles the lanceolatus fairy…

Hanapapa’s NPS stony corals are a dream for azoox coral lovers

We’ve covered plenty of amazing azoox reef tanks and azoox corals before, but this Japanese azoox corals in Hanapapa’s tank is on a whole new level. The azoox corals in this tank are so drool worthy that we are not…

A short reminder why Halcurias anemones are awesome

We covered the first Halcurias anemone that appeared at live aquaria a couple weeks ago, and as there is more and more of these puppy’s popping up in the trade, here is a reminder why they a freaking awesome. One…

Downdraft protein skimmer prototype uses modular neck modules

Cone skimmers, meshwheels and bubble plates are what we tend to compare in most skimmers nowadays but we often forget just how well some previous technologies worked. This strange looking prototype protein skimmer looks to be a downdraft or Beckett design that…

Valenciennea bella is a goby you’ll definitely want sifting your sand

Most reefers get a little bit iffy at the thought of adding a sand sifter goby to the reef tank. The thought of a sand spewing fish dropping aragonite particles all over the ever precious acan frags and scolymia is…

Halcurias anemone is the ‘Glofish’ of the cnidarians

Halcurias carlgreni is an amazingly bright neon yellow green anemone from the deeper cool waters of Japan. If you have a typical reef tank the Halcurias anemone is definitely not for you but if this kind of creature is interesting to you,…

Male Plesiops coeruleolineatus is a little orange throated beast of a fish

Plesiops coeruleolineatus is a cryptic little fish that is not often seen in the hobby. Aptly named the Crimsontip Longfin, the fish is equal parts crimsontipped and equal parts long-finned. Though usually drably colored, males can get absolutely gorgeous when…

Super rare Chaetodontoplus niger photographed in Oak Island, Japan

Chaetodontoplus niger is a fish so seldom seen and so little is known about, that the word rare is quite simply, an extreme understatement. It is possibly the rarest member of the Chaetodontoplus genus, along with C. ballinae. There have…

Stunning male Tosanoides filamentosus for sale in Japan

Japan has once again, secured the rarest of the rare. This time, its a pair of Tosanoides filamentosus. The 8cm stunner shown above is a young male specimen, caught together with its 6cm female partner. The rarity of this fish…

Centropyge madness hits several Japanese LFS

The local fish stores of Japan are once again in the spotlight as they chaperon a new batch of very unusual Centropyge pygmy angelfish. The fish shown above is a very unusual dwarf angel brought in by B-Box Japan. We’re…