Captive Aquatics: An Aquarium and Ecology Blogtag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-18468072010-09-24T01:07:27-05:00A freshwater, saltwater, reef aquarium and aquatic ecology blog with beginner and advanced articles, led reef aquarium lighting info, aquarium product reviews, and more!TypePadA Montipora Eating Nudibranch Primertag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a010535f11c3d970c0133f4827a40970b2010-09-24T01:07:27-05:002010-09-24T02:23:37-05:00Some of the most difficult pests to deal with in reef keeping are Montipora eating nudibranch. Their tiny size beguiles the enormous headaches they'll cause if you end up in the unfortunate position of having them in your tank. The most unfortunate thing about dealing with these nudibranch is that by the time you spot them it's already too late. Gauging the extent of the infestation is very important, and these pictures should help to give an accurate idea of where your tank stands once you come across them as well as some telltale signs of their presence. So how do you prevent and cure montipora eating nudibranch? Read on. Nudibranch typically live on the underside of Montipora colonies, as venturing out during daylight hours makes them an easy snack for reef predators. As a result they are especially hard to see on Montipora caps and other scrolling colonies, which unfortunately makes these corals excellent breeding grounds for nudibranch. If you're seeing nudibranch in the open, or worse yet on the wall of your tank, then you've already got a serious infestation going. They are very small, and lay eggs in rows of 1/16" sphere shaped masses. Each sphere contains...Miguel Tolosa"Saving" Fish: Don't Do ittag:typepad.com,2003:post-674480532009-06-14T02:38:41-05:002013-04-11T06:50:50-05:00Ever since I started in the hobby, I have been "saving" fish or invertebrates. When I "saved" a fish, I would purchase a fish that was in poor health (clearly going to die at the store) and nurse it back to health at my home. This may seem heroic, but it is not. In reality the act of saving a fish hurts more than it helps. Pet/fish stores exist to make a profit. Rarely do you find a fish store run by a hobbyist/corporation that actually cares about the health of their fish, as unfortunately, most LFS are terrible! Purchasing fish (or invertebrates) that are overly imported and have a low survival rate in the aquarium trade (i.e. mandarin fish, anemones) or sick fish just to "save" them encourages these stores to buy more, and does the overall hobby trade a disservice. Stores see "saving" fish as just another purchase with an associated profit margine. Many stores purchase animals well aware that their systems cannot support their needs for long term: that blue carpet cost the store less than $20.00, so the chance of a 1000% markup is worth the gamble from a numbers standpoint. After more experience in the...Merritt Adkins5 tips for picking healthy fishtag:typepad.com,2003:post-661287212009-04-28T17:04:16-05:002009-05-01T15:13:33-05:00No one wants to buy a sick fish, but how can you tell for sure if the fish you want is healthy, and has a good chance of survival? Here are five ways to help you choose a healthy animal that will stay healthy, the first time! 1) Check for healthy fins that aren't torn or bitten, and make sure the body of the fish is smooth, with no missing scales, bite marks, or injury 2) Look for obvious signs of disease, including white spots (ich or crypt, more on curing this annoying parasite soon to be posted!), gold 'dusting' (Oodinium, aka velvet disease), white or black "mold" indicative of a bacterial or fungal infection 3) Less obvious signs of disease, such as breathing hard and/or fast, 'flashing' (quick scratching against the rock or tank), general listlessness, fin clamping, or unusual behavior for the species you're observing 4) Make sure the fish you're interested in is eating! If you're buying a known finicky fish online, ask the reseller if it is eating. If you're buying it from an LFS, ask an employee to feed it. 5) Quarantine the new fish for at least two weeks! Introducing diseases into your display...Captive AquaticsTip: Surviving Brooklynellosistag:typepad.com,2003:post-646912292009-01-21T23:42:38-06:002009-04-29T04:17:01-05:00(The author's Picasso breed A. percula in quarantine) I recently ordered a pair of ORA's 'picasso' breed of percula clownfish (from a vendor who shall remain nameless) that arrived heavily infested with brooklynellosis. After a week in the quaraintine tank and lots of medication, my clownfish managed to pulled through. However, this led me to thinking "how often does the average hobbyist see this disease? Will they be able to identify and treat it quickly enough to prevent mortality? I should write a post about this!" Because brooklynellosis can kill very fast, quick diagnosis and treatment is essential. What is brooklynellosis, you ask? Brooklynellosis is a protozoan parasite that commonly affects wild caught clownfish, or captive bred clownfish that were irresponsibly exposed to wild caught clownfish (as was the case with my fish). Brooklynellosis symptoms include excessive mucous production, white "fuzz" or "rashes" on the skin. Infected fish will also show a rapid respiration rate and act listless. Once you've diagnosed brooklynellosis, prompt treatment is essential. Move the affected fish(es) to a quarantine tank, and begin treatment with formalin. I used Quick Cure (a combination of formalin and malachite green sold to treat ich and crypt) at standard marine dose...Captive Aquatics