Captive Aquatics: An Aquarium and Ecology Blog

A Clam in your Nano Reef: Tridacna crocea

Traditionally, Giant Clams of the genus Tridacna (or simply tridacna clams) have been kept in larger reef aquariums, because larger reef aquariums are easier to illuminate, easier to supplement, and have the room needed for these accurately-named animals.  However, I think that one species of the giant clam; Tridacna crocea (the crocea clam) makes a good nano candidate as it's maximum size is around five inches.  I wanted to write a short piece that I hope will help everyone interested in clam keeping to achieve success with clams in their nano reef!

Five Anemone Care Tips

Anemones are fascinating creatures, but have a poor survival record in captivity, are difficult to care for, and are not recommended for the beginner.  However, for the dedicated aquarist, here are a few tips and tidbits for mastering the care of these amazing creatures!

Review: Hydor Performer 700 Protein Skimmer

Hydor has always been generous to us here at the Captive Aquatics blog, but unfortunately this review won't be kind to their latest line of skimmers, the Performer series.  Today I'm reviewing their Performer 700, a skimmer designed to operate on a tank between 185-265 gallons, depending on the stocking level.

Pet and Local Fish Stores: a Disgrace to the Hobby?

I detest the vast majority of pet and local fish stores (LFS).  Why?  To put it simply, I very rarely see a store that provides decent care to their livestock, and offers sound, accurate advice.

 

 

A Few Thoughts

I've been enjoying marine aquarium keeping for fifteen years as of 2009, and I've seen the hobby progress and change a great deal; but the simple pleasure of observing the "simple" organisms in my aquariums hasn't changed for me.  I know all about 'fad' corals, and am constantly bombarded with the "must-have" acans and zoo and acros, but that isn't what keeps my love for the hobby alive, or even what I spend most of my time observing.  For all of the beautiful corals available, I derive the most enjoyment and have spent the most time watching the more "lowly" animals in my aquarium, especially gastropods and copepods. 

I remember being twelve and being completely fascinated by a limpet that had hitchhiked on a piece of live rock I bought from Petco.  I would spend hours at night watching this limpet via flashlight, as it slowly grazed across the rockwork in it's twenty-gallon 'ocean'.  As I am writing this after spending the last hour dividing my attention between observing snails and watching generations of copepods crawling on the glass (and wishing I could find my magnifying glass to better see the youngest of them) I realize that a lot of that twelve year old is still in me. 

The fascination and appreciation for the miracle that is life has never tarnished for me, even if the reality of it has left me more of a cynic than I was then.  Let the appreciation for life, (and not how much it cost, or how rare a color variation it has) and the perspectives our aquariums allow be the point of my late-night ramblings. 

What are your unusual but much-loved fascinations with our hobby?  Feel free to comment!

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Feeding Fish 101

The best part of owning an aquarium is feeding the fish, because it is the main form of interaction that you will have with your fun aquatic pets.  But, you ask, how hard is it to feed fish?  I am not saying that it is difficult to do the actual feeding part, but you do need to follow a few guidelines to best satisfy your fishes appetite.

5 Common Beginner Aquarist Mistakes

I would have loved to have found this list when I was a beginner in the hobby because it would have saved me from causing the death of countless fish.  With this list hopefully I can help some newcomers to the aquarium hobby by avoiding these common five mistakes.

A Quick "Light Requirement" Interpretation Guide

Often, while researching coral, the beginner aquarist will see general light requirements for that particular species. They will generally see one of three words: Low, Moderate, and High.

Species Spotlight: Mushroom Coral

This post begins our new Species Spotlight category, bringing you species-specific information about popular freshwater and saltwater fish and invertebrates. 

Mushroom Coral are the most forgiving coral any aquarist could ask for. Quick to reproduce in the home aquarium, with low light and flow requirements, they may very well be the best beginner’s coral available in the hobby. They also have much to offer to more advanced aquarist, whether it be as a space filler, or a "Mushroom Garden" which displays the many, many color and texture varieties these coral exhibit.

Three Ways to Feed your Reef Aquarium

Reef aquarists often overlook the necessity of a well-fed reef aquarium, and instead worry that increased feedings will only result in undesirable nutrient levels.  However, on a wild reef, corals are literally bathed in a soup of edible plankton.  The more effort that the aquarist puts forth to mimicking these conditions, the more colorful, healthy, and faster-growing their corals will be!  Although feeding a reef aquarium undeniably increases the dissolved nutrient level in the water column.  However, this is most definitely not a reason to avoid feeding, or to feed sparingly, and in fact, can be a good thing.