Anyone who has visited Saltwater Smarts on a regular basis knows that Chris has a bizarre fixation on Caribbean species. No livestock—fish or invertebrate—originating outside the Caribbean/tropical Western Atlantic is allowed in his tank. If he could, he’d probably go…
Nothin’ Poor about the Poor Man’s Moorish Idol
Mother Nature must have a special place in her heart for marine aquarium hobbyists. It seems as though for every heartbreakingly challenging reef fish she created, she did us a solid by making a reasonable facsimile that is much hardier…
X. auromarginatus: A Well-Mannered, Reef-Friendly Triggerfish
As I alluded in an earlier post about the Niger triggerfish (Odonus niger), triggers in general aren’t usually among the first species that come to mind when one is seeking an aquarium specimen with a peaceful disposition. Certainly as far…
The Psychedelic Sixline Wrasse
Whenever I’m asked to recommend a hardier, similarly sized, and equally attractive alternative to the green mandarinfish, the first species that usually pops into my mind is the sixline wrasse (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia). If you can acquire a healthy specimen, you’ll…
You Can Succeed with the Copperband Butterflyfish
Copperband butterflyfish (Chelmon rostratus) are among my favorite fish and have almost always been a staple in my tank since the saltwater hobby started in the 70s. It’s not just the beauty of the distinct black-bordered yellow stripes on a…
Purple Firefish: A Shy Beauty for the Small, Peaceful Aquarium
Marine aquarists looking for a gorgeous, interesting, nano-friendly fish might entertain the idea of keeping the purple firefish (a.k.a. the purple dartfish, elegant firefish/dartfish, and decorated firefish/dartfish, among various other common names). Given appropriate tankmates and care, this graceful, hardy,…
The Sally Lightfoot Crab: A Real Character of a Crustacean
Sharing the surname of a famous Canadian folk singer, of whom I’ve been an ardent fan for many, many years (once again confirming that my profound nerdiness knows no bounds), the Sally Lightfoot crab, a.k.a. the nimble spray crab, of…
Chrysiptera parasema: a Gem of a Damsel
Ask the average marine aquarium hobbyist to identify the most aggressive coral-reef fishes, and the damselfishes of the family Pomacentridae are likely to be placed somewhere very close to the top of the list. For many damsel species, the reputation…
How to Beat Those Pacific Blue Tang Blues
Its common names include the Pacific blue tang, regal tang, hippo tang, palette surgeonfish, yellow-tail blue tang, and probably several others that presently elude me. Kids know it as the addle-brained Dory from Finding Nemo. Whatever common name you apply…
Yellowheaded Sleeper Goby: A Fascinating but Challenging Sand-Sifter
Though not the most chromatically gifted species, the yellowheaded sleeper goby (Valenciennea strigata), is interesting to observe and can serve a utilitarian purpose in marine aquaria—regularly overturning and oxygenating the top layer of the substrate with its sand-sifting feeding behavior.…
