Captive Aquatics: An Aquarium and Ecology Blog

Introduction to Saltwater Puffers

 

Due to the popularity of my An Introduction to Freshwater Puffers I decided to do one for saltwater because everyone should be able to experience the joy of having a puffer.  So, lets quit messing around and bring on the puffers!

 

But, before I start introducing these amazing saltwater puffers I want to make a few points that every hobbyist should keep in mind before purchasing a puffer.

Re-homing Fish?

We have all done it.  Just had to drop in on your favorite fish store to see their new stock and you end up purchasing a fish you knew nothing about and now the "cute litte fish" is 15 inches, eats everything in the aquarium and is messier than your kids.  Where do you go from here?

Sustainable Aquatics Breeds Upside-Down Jellyfish

Sustainable Aquatics has been my favorite source for captive bred and tank raised livestock for almost two years, and they continue to add to their repertoire almost every month.  This month, however, I was surprised more than usual: they've started breeding Cassiopeia upside-down jellyfish! 

SWC150 BMK Protein Skimmer Review

Saltwater Connection has yet another product to be proud of. Their Xtreme Cone 120 and 160 are favorites among many aquarists, and the 150 BMK is going to be no different, I expect!

 

Great Coral ID Resource Unveiled by SDMAS

Remember the AIMS coral ID site?  It's an amazing yet relatively untapped online representation of JEN Veron's Corals of the World books.  I say "relatively untapped" because it's nearly unuseable - navigating and searching AIMS is about as user friendly as this intersection.  You'll notice the AIMS link is to an Acro valida, because after 15 minutes I still couldn't find the index page for that site.

Well, fortunately for us the good people at SDMAS said "no more!", and through an incredible amount of work they put together a hobbyist-friendly version of the AIMS site.  The link is right here, enjoy!

Refractometer Calibration: the Myth and Risks of using RO/DI Water

I recently got a new refractometer over the holidays, and immediately after my first water change my tank began having problems.  Well, to be fair my wallet was what immediately had a problem being that those have gotten ridiculously expensive in my area, especially when combined with California's seemingly 3,000% sales tax these days.  I couldn't figure out what was wrong, I mean, my water was at 1.025-1.026, my refractometer came with instructions that said to zero it out with distilled water, and they wouldn't give out bad information would they?  Turns out yes, yes they would.

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 Spotlight: Cryptic Six Line Wrasse

The Cryptic Six Line, also known as Pink Streaked Wrasse, is often bypassed and unheard of by many. Both names do not suit Pseudocheilinops ataenia. The wrasse actually has eight lines and the streaks are a bright orange-yellow. The eyes of these fishes are bright. They glow neon orange. They are commonly mislabeled as Pteragogus cryptus, but do not resemble the Pteragogus genus. The confusion continues today as some dealers continue to lable them Pteragogus cryptus.

 

Holiday Vacation? 6 Ways to Prepare Your Aquarium

Getting away for awhile is one of the best things anyone can do for themselves. After enjoying our vacations, we hobbyists want to come home without any troubles from our tanks. They bother us enough when we're around!

You'll find many horror stories of people finding their tanks crashed after a short trip. Take that trip. Simple steps can help save your investment.

Phytoplankton - What Your LFS Isn't Telling You

Ah, the green stuff. The miracle cure, the lifeblood of a reeftank, the savior of fan worms and clams of all ages... Or maybe not so much.  Could it be that phytoplankton actually does more harm than good in a reef aquarium?

In the ocean there is a lot of phytoplankton and it's crucial to the ecosystem. In the ocean. In your tank, however, phytoplankton dies and fouls up your water quality. I mean let's think about it, you're pouring live green stuff into your tank where chances are that only a miniscule part of it will be used for food. In fact, it is arguable if any realistic part of it will be used for food by your tank's inhabitants.