Captive Aquatics: An Aquarium and Ecology Blog

Ecoxotic Announces LED-Lit Pico Aquarium

Dubbed the "EcoPico", Ecoxotic will be offering this clean, LED-lit 5 gallon setup on the 31st for just over $100.  Follow the link for more info, and expect a review soon!  Oh, and please don't stock it with three cardinalfish...

A Documentary Showcases Our Hobby

 

A new documentary showcasing our hobby was just released by Scion Magazine, and it's really good!  It includes interviews with Richard, Dr. Bob and myself (yay), and really shows why we love this hobby so deeply.  With environmental groups putting out so much misinformation and so many flat-out lies about this hobby, it's nice to have something show what it's really all about.

Nano Reef Column Debuts in Tropical Fish Hobbyist

A nano aquarium column, geared towards beginner aquarists and authored by yours truly has debuted in January 2011 issue of Tropical Fish Hobbyist Magazine.  I'll be writing about all kinds of nanos, from planted to biotopes, to the ever popular nano reef aquariums. 

My new column has a fun twist: every month I feature a reader's nano reef, complete with photographs and an interview with the aquarist.  If you'd like your nano aquarium (freshwater or saltwater) considered, feel free to contact me!

Marine Habitat Magazine Launches!

Marine Habitat Magazine launched in the UK on the first of this month, as did their website and blog!  The mag is dedicated to saltwater aquariums and marine ecology, and I'm looking forward to a more advanced, quality publication (even if it'll be a bit harder for us here in the states to get our hands on a copy). Our own Mike Maddox is a launch columnist of this new publication, as well! 

Species Rebound after Gulf Fishing Moratorium

The results of the moratorium on fishing in the gulf are starting to come in, and they look very promising.  All species sampled have experienced a population rebound, especially in species with a short life cycle. 

The Multibillion Dollar Tuna Black Market

I've reported the plight of the bluefin tuna a few times, but a new investigative report details the plight of this species that should already have been placed on the endangered species list - and probably would have, except tuna are worth too much money to bother regulating or protecting.

Money talks, and Japan's black market on tuna is worth $2 billion a year alone.  "The fisheries industry is one of the most criminalized in the world", says Daneil Poley of the University of British Columbia.  National fisheries administrations of various countries are a joke: for example, French fisherman undergoing trial all state that their own national fisheries ministry routinely violated their own laws. 

Jakarta Volcano Eruption Halts Flights from Indonesia

Yesterday, Mount Merapi in Jakarta, Indonesia erupted, killing at least 132 people and causing dozens of flights to be delayed, re-routed, or canceled.  As most of us hobbyists know, a large percentage of the marine livestock that enters this country hails from the reefs of Indonesia, and is shipped out of Jakarta for arrival on the east and west coast, meaning wholesalers will be a little short of livestock for a week or two. 

Gulf of Mexico Reef Ecology "Dodged a Bullet" - Mostly

Deepwater reef ecosystems a mere twenty miles from BP's oil leak appear to have "dodged a bullet" according to Steve Ross of the University of North Carolina.  Plankton, anemones, coral. and other invertebrates appear to be alive and well, except for those in the immediate vicinity of the leak. 

Tank Raised Pinnatus Batfish Sighted!

  

A surprsing and welcome new addition into the hobby today are tank raised Pinnatus Batfish.  Like mandarins, they are another of the beautiful species known to have low survival rates, and these tank raised fish will allow knowledged hobbyists to add a beautiful new tankmate.  On an important note however, these new captive raised arrivals are only 3" tall, it's important to keep them in a system that can adequately handle their adult height of 18".

Sustainable Aquatics Now Offering Tank Raised Angelfish

As their Sustainable Islands project progresses, our favorite aquaculture company continues to offer more and more tank-raised species available to hobbyists.  This week Sustainable Aquatics announced limited availability of tank-raised Queen Angelfish and Blue Angelfish (Holacanthus ciliaris and Holacanthus isabelita, respectively).  Both species are available at 2-3" in size at very respectable prices to dealers.