Captive Aquatics: An Aquarium and Ecology Blog

25 Ways to Help Coral Reefs!

New from the NOAA: 25 ways to help save coral reefs, reprinted here for your convenience:

1. Support reef-friendly businesses. Ask what your dive shop, boating store, tour operators, hotel and other coastal businesses are doing to save the coral reefs. This is especially important in coastal areas with reefs. Let them know you are an informed consumer and care about reefs.

2. Don’t use chemically enhanced pesticides and fertilizers. Although you may live thousands of miles from a coral reef ecosystem, these products end up in the watershed and may ultimately impact the waters that support coral.

3. Volunteer for a reef cleanup. You don’t live near a coral reef? Then do what many people do with their vacation: visit a coral reef. Spend an afternoon enjoying the beauty of one of the world’s treasures while helping to preserve it for future generations.

Move Complete, Reviews Soon!

Well, we're finished moving, and I can walk outside of the house and wade around in Lake Conroe (a little north of Houston, TX).  A nice place, and plenty of freshwater life to catch and feed to our giant Mbu puffer!

Anyway, before I moved (of course) I received boxes of products to review, so in the coming week I should be posting plenty of reviews covering everything from fish food to ways to cure cloudy aquarium water to  more protein skimmers, so check back soon!

Moving!

I'm in the process of moving, so there won't be any updates for a few days, as I have to manually approve all posts to the front page.  However, when I get back I'll have a review of the new Remora Nano skimmer, a guide to sealing aquarium stands, and a video of a large reef that Captive Aquatics installed in a local hospital!

Video: Climate Change & Survival of the Fittest in Coral

Reminding me of lectures during my undergrad in marine bio, this is a neat (if long) video lecture by Dr. Todd LaJeunesse about algae and the molecular techniques he invented for/during his research. 

Advanced Aquarist Meets Amazon.com!

Advanced Aquarist, literally the best aquarium magazine available (and available for free!) is now being printed in high-quality book format which you can get at Amazon.com.  This means you can get the best and most accurate aquatics information in a beautiful book format with high quality printing, binding, and images!  (Yes, we're big fans of AA here at Captive Aquatics, can you tell?)  This also means our own Mike Maddox is now appearing in a book, as he wrote a feature article for Advanced Aquarist a few months back.  Check out the details of the new book here, or check out the nifty animation on the left for the Captive Aquatics blog recommended reading list!

Share:

© Captive Aquatics™ / Captive Aquatics™ Blog / Sponsor Info

83 Coral Species to be Protected?

The Center for Biological Diversity filed a petition with the NOAA to file 83 coral species under the Endangered Species Act, in an effort to combat losses, mosty caused by ocean acidification due to high CO2 levels in the atmosphere.  In addition, biologists think that the list should extend to an additional 267 species.  

Fluval FX-5 Spotlight Video

Not as fancy-schmancy as their new "G Series", but the FX-5 gets the job done, and has been the staple of high-bioload freshwater aquariums for a while now (cichlid enthusiast know all about 'em!).  We use these bad boys on all of the large freshwater aquariums we install, and they work great.  Without further ado (and complete with the 'movie-guy' voice!):

Share:

© Captive Aquatics™ / Captive Aquatics™ Blog / Sponsor Info

New Captive Aquatics™ Ad!

Our new ad circulating around Houston! Click for full size...

Share:

© Captive Aquatics™ / Captive Aquatics™ Blog / Sponsor Info

Mike Maddox now a Local Columnist!

When a local magazine (Texas Cats & Dogs™) decided to expand into the realm of  more exotic pets (birds, reptiles, amphibians, and ornamental aquatics) they chose international aquatics author Mike Maddox to write their monthly aquarium column.  Mike is currently Tropical Fish Hobbyist's lead contributing author, and is a regular contributor to the Conscientious Aquarist and several other publications.  The magazine is distributed free of charge to Houston residents, so sign up for free today!

Indonesia Limiting Coral Export

Indonesia, currently the largest exporter of coral and other reef invertebrates for the hobby in the US is apparently initiating quotas that determine what coral species and how many can be exported from the country.  From the Embassy of Indonesia: