Gallon Red Sea Shallow Fore Reef
Twin peaks of live rock allow ample swimming room for an impressive collection of The behind-the-tank utility room has a large downdraft skimmer, UV sterilizer and heavy-duty chiller, all fed from a 90-gallon sump via a 150-gallon live-sand refugium. A lack of invertebrate life is balanced by the electrifying colors of the fishes, such as the Masked Butterflyfish, Sohal Tang, and Lyretail Anthias, in an elegant, active aquascape. atural methods can be readily adapted to tra- watering trough...
Record Keeping
One should keep records of all water tests carried out. Include the date, time, and any comments needed to describe conditions in the aquarium at that moment. In this way, you develop a history of conditions in the tank that can be of great value in diagnosing problems later. Such a log can also help identify trends in water-quality fluctuations, enabling corrective action to be taken before such fluctuations become serious. One can purchase record books with printed forms for aquarium records,...
Info Buo
Wrasse Pseudocheilinus hexataenia , and the Hawaiian Neon or Four-Line Wrasse P. tetrataenia several smaller species from the genus Halichoeres, such as the hardy Yellow or Golden Coris Wrasse . chrysus and the fairy wrasses genus Cirrhilabrus . Fairy wrasses sometimes called social wrasses should be kept in groups consisting of a single male and several females. CLOWN FISHES AND DAMSELFISHES. Clownfishes and damselfishes Pomacentridae are often the first fishes kept by a beginner. They are...
Cnidarians
While most cnidarians require very bright illumination, there are several types that prefer shade or darkness. ORDER CERIANTIPATHARIA Tube Anemones and Black Corals . Tube-dwelling anemones Family Cerianthidae have no symbiotic algae and thus do very well in the deep-reef aquarium microhabitat. Cerianthids may be distinguished from true anemones in that the former have two sets of tentacles. The outer rows are quite long, and the inner ones, sur- Tube anemone Order Ceriantipatharia the tube and...
Coralline Algae
obbyists interested in reef tanks and live rock certainly hear a lot about coralline algae. Most are aware that this is something good to have in a marine aquarium, but not many know what coralline algae are and how to encourage them to grow. Classification of the marine algae is a subject for experts, although the corallines form a distinct group. They are red algae Rhodophyta, Order Cryptonemiales scientifically identified by certain microscopic details of their reproductive structures. The...
Chapter Ten m
SEA BASSES. The Swissguard Basslet Liopropoma rubre , is but one of many small serranids suitable for the aquarium. Ranging from south Florida and the Bahamas to the Yucat n, this species is found at depths ranging from 10 to 150 feet. It prefers a cool, dimly illuminated aquarium with suitable h iding places among the live rock. It feeds on small, meaty foods and is hardy in captivity. The related Candy Basslet .L. carmabi is less frequently seen, primarily because it is found at greater...
The MonacoStyle Aquarium
It appears that this technique not only results in deni- places a second sheet of screening on the bottom layer of trification, but also that the dissolution of calcareous sand sand to prevent burrowing fishes and other organisms from returns important ions calcium and carbonate in partic- disturbing the bacteria that will develop deep in the bed. A ular to the water. Jaubert reports extremely low levels of top layer of substrate composed of aragonite sand, coral nitrate and phosphate, high...
Part 2 1
Species That Can Make, Break or Terrorize a Captive Reef ithout herbivorous fishes, there might inputs of food to the system, and this ultimately means a not be any coral reefs. Algae can easily outcom- higher level of pollutants. Fish also compete with all the pete the reef-building corals for light and growing other living organisms in the aquarium for available oxy space. This has been demonstrated by fencing off gen. Perhaps most importantly, fish exhibit behaviors that sections of reef and...
Early Aquariums
Ancient humans probably first kept sea creatures alive in captivity as a means of having fresh seafood close at hand. Fish and invertebrates have been held in various containers for purposes of study or exhibition for centuries. According to Sterba 1983 , there are accounts dating back to ancient Egypt. In Rome, fish-holding tubs called piscinae have been found in the gardens of the wealthy and powerful. In the New World, containers for both fresh and marine fish adorned Montezuma's gardens. In...
Info Avr
Banggai Cardinalfish Pterapogon kauderni Pajama or PJ Cardinalfish CSphaeramia nematoptera east of Sulawesi in Indonesia, created a sensation at the Seventh Marine Aquarium Conference of North America in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1995, when Dr. Gerald Allen unveiled stunning photographs the first ever presented of a species previously unknown to aquarists and modern ichthyologists. Allen at first assumed it to be a new species, but eventually learned that it had been identified decades earlier...
Other Eastern US Habitats
The northern Gulf of Mexico, the Flower Garden Banks in the western Gulf of Mexico, the Grand Strand and cold water species of our Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Most of sandy beaches stretching from Fort Lauderdale to the people even those who have lived all their lives on the shores of Delaware, the mid-Atlantic region from the coast have no idea of the diversity and beauty of under-Chesapeake Bay to Cape Cod, and the northern Atlantic water life in their own region. The intrepid aquarist in these...
Mm
There are three major features of my approach to keeping microhabitat displays of tropical shallow-water invertebrate species. The first of these I will call less technology, more biology. The husbandry of marine life must be performed in light of the specific ecological needs of the species of interest. Granted, system design cannot be overlooked, but one must begin the thinking process about any aquarium by asking questions about the needs of the species that will occupy it. This principle is...
Experimental Techniques
A host of marine species can probably be used as live foods. Copepods, for example, and especially their larvae nauplii , appear to be important components of the natural diet of marine fish larvae. Copepods and other small crustaceans may form the bulk of the diet for adult drag-onets, such as Synchiropus picturatus. These tiny crustaceans often undergo spontaneous population explosions in mature aquariums established by the methods outlined in this book. When such an explosion occurs, one can...
Info Pok
the spectrum. When illuminated with such lights, the water will have a definite bluish cast, well known to divers, but will not have the eerie black light effect created when the very blue actinic lamps are used alone. Combining one blue actinic lamp with one bulb of about 5,000 degrees K will create the desired effect. Apart from crustaceans, such as a mated pair of Banded Coral Shrimp, this aquarium habitat can be used to showcase some of the reef's most spectacular inhabitants. The muted...
Spectral Characteristics
What about the quality of the light, its spectral characteristics, or, if you prefer, its color Sunlight is composed of many wavelengths colors oflight. To meet the needs of photosynthesis and to create a natural appearing aquarium, a light source that duplicates the spectrum of sunlight as closely as possible is desirable. There is a relatively simple way to compare the spectral output of various light sources to that of sunlight. This is called the Kelvin temperature scale. Noonday sun under...
Algae Control Tips
INSTALL A PROTEIN SKIMMER. DOC is not one but many different compounds. Methods to reduce DOC include the use of protein skimmers, activated carbon, chemical resins, and ozonization. Removal of DOC by means of a protein skimmer is one of the simplest techniques. Besides removing DOC, protein skimmers lower the concentration of carbon dioxide in the water. The protein skimmer also lowers the concentration of nitrate see below indirectly, because the DOC would eventually be decomposed into...
Dorsal Fin Banggai
Purple Dottyback Pseudochromis porphyreus Neon Dottyback Pseudochromis aldabraensis Orchid Dottyback Pseudochromis frid man i Bicolor Dottyback CPseudochromis paccagnellae Diadema Dottyback Pseudochromis diadema Sunrise Dottyback Pseudochromis flavivertex one of the bachelors will move to the head of the class with the best specimens coming from Hawaiian collectors, within a few days. The primary drawback to successful DOTTYBACKS. Among the Pseudochromidae, or dotty-aquarium husbandry of these...
The SmithsonianStyle Aquarium
low in nutrient compounds, Dr. Walter Adey of the Smithsonian Institution places heavy emphasis on the role of specially cultivated turfs composed of various species of algae Adey and Loveland, 1991 . This is commonly known as the Algal Turf-Scrubber approach, and it is currently more common in institutional aquarium installations than in the hobbyist world. Periodic harvesting of a portion of the algae growth serves to export accumulated wastes. In other words, such systems rely heavily upon...
Gallon Clam Lagoon
Overhead view of a shallow-water clam and coral nursery, typical of an Indo-Pacific patch reef in a lagoon area, featuring cap-tive-propagated Tridacna clams, young stony coral colonies, neon-green and orange zoanthids, and a scattering of fishes. ere is an eyecatching aquarium that reflects by Gerald Heslinga's Indo-Pacific Reef Farms. The rela- a small patch of Indo-Pacific back reef or shallow la- tively small foam fractionator suits a system that should goon where baby Tridacna clams and...
Info Mvc
Chlamys Lion's Paw Scallop , 188 Ch lore I la, 270 Chloride, 60, 61 Chlorophyta, 169-172 Chloroplasts, 262 Choerodo n fasciatus H ar 1 e qu i n Tuskfis h , 301 Chondrilla Chicken Liver Sponge , 86, 157 Christmas Tree Worm, 87, 90, 183-190 photos, 182,184,185 companion species, 186-187 chart, 188 atripectoralis Black-Axil Chromis , 77 Black-Axil, 77 photo, 77 Blue, 177,180 Blue-Green, 243 photo, 242 cyaneus Blue Chromis , 177 Green 153 vanderbilti Vanderbilt's Chromis , 221 viridis Green or...
Gulf Marine Life Found With Christmas Tree Worm Rock
Blue Angelfish Holacanthus bermudensis Gray Angelfish Pomacanthus arcuatus Spotfin Butterflyfish Chaetodon ocellatus Foureye Butterflyfish Chaetodon capistratus Jackknife Drum quetus lanceolatus High-Hat Drum quetus acuminatus Slippery Dick Wrasse iHalichoeres bivittatus Beau Gregory Damsel .Stegastes leucostictus Colon Goby Coryphopterus dicrus Blue Goby loglossus calliurus Tiger Goby Gobiosoma macrodon Seaweed Blenny Parablennius marmoreus Red-spotted Hawkfish Amblycirrhitus pinos Sponges...
I 1
Crocea Clam Tridacna crocea among the most colorful of the tridacnids. they will not come into contact with the anemone's tentacles, or nettling is possible. Including a Six-Line Wrasse, Pseudocheilinus hexa-taenia, will help protect the giant clams from parasitic snails they may be harboring. A coral goby, such as Gobiodon citrinus, will makes its home in the branches of the SPS corals if placed in this tank. Schools of Orange-lined Cardinal-fish, Apogon cyanosoma, emerge from hiding to feed...
Filtration
Filtration is a catchall term for any technique that seeks to maintain appropriate water quality in an aquarium. I define water quality as that set of physical and chemical parameters regarded as typical for the wild aquatic habitat being duplicated. In the case of the tropical coral reefs, very low concentrations of dissolved organic matter and inorganic nutrient ions are the rule, and preventing the accumulation of these pollutants in the aquarium is the primary goal of filtration....
Continental
Reef Zonation a cross-sectional map of the natural habitats a marine aquarist can choose to mimic in a captive setting. imens offered for sale were illegally collected. The same holds true for Australia. Given the growing success of stony coral propagation at the hands of a number of pioneering marine aquarists, it is possible that captive-grown specimens of currently banned Caribbean species will be available. The tons of cultured live rock now being readied for harvest off the Florida...
Info Owy
Color separations by Horsman, Williston, VT and Bergman Graphics, Colchester, VT Designed by Eugenie Seidenberg Delaney Dedicated to my best friend and business partner, Jerry Yarnell, without whom much of what I know 1 could not have learned. It were happy if we studied nature more in natural things, and acted according to nature, whose rules are few, plain and most reasonable. FOREWORD, by Martin A.
Exercise Caution
An important subset of fish families are those that will not bother corals, anemones, and other cnidari-ans, but may feed on mollusks, worms, shrimps, other crustaceans, and or smaller fishes, if the food item is small enough for the fish to swallow. A member of any of these families is not to be trusted with any active organism that will fit into its mouth. Therefore, although the following families are generally hardy in captivity, exercise caution in choosing specimens from them for your...
The OuterReef Habitat
Outer reefs of the Indo-Pacific are the home of the most widely available giant clam, Tridacna derasa, which is an adaptable species that can be recommended to any aquarist. This is a good species to accompany SPS corals. Dartfishes, such as the Common Firefish, Nemateleotris magnified, and the Purple Firefish, N. decora, occur here in pairs, and shoals of anthias hover in the strong currents. See the discussion of anthias in Chapter Ten before attempting these fish, however. The striking...
I M
Natural substrate materials of coral reef origin assist greatly in maintaining a proper chemical balance and can be used to create authentic and unusual aquarium microhabitats. 2. On top of the eggcrate, one or more layers of plastic window screening are used to prevent the sand from falling through to the plenum, the area underneath the grid where wa- jg Jr.-. OW nF b Tif-' 'Tnr- wi MMMWWbi. riMaMmBcSMpfr- '' --- gt _ 3____' ter, but no sand, is present. This is important, as the plenum must...
The Clownfisk Host Anemone lank
Clownfish and their anemones are popular aquarium subjects, never failing to capture the attention of all who view them. Yet they are widely misunderstood. Before com mitting to creating an aquarium for them, one should consider their special needs. THE HOST ANEMONES. Given its powerful stinging tentacles and its demanding care requirements, the anemone is the Pivotal Species in the aquarium community. Three families of anemones are represented among the clownfish hosts. One,Thalassianthidae,...
The Inshore Zone
One of my favorite spots in the Keys is a huge, bowl-shaped tidepool just off U.S. 1. Protected from wave action by a sea wall of coral rock rubble, this pool is a giant natural aquarium. Dozens of species of macroalgae occur here. By far the most common are members of the large genus Caulerpa. C. prolif ra has a simple flat blade botanically, the assimi-lator that often spirals like a loose corkscrew as it grows upward. C. mexicana has a blade more reminiscent of a fern frond, that is, it is...
Clownfish Host Anemones Difficult Choices
Though the clown fishes are generally a hardy lot, the anemones with which they associate in the wild are not. Some experienced aquarists have come to believe that most Pacific anemones are more difficult to maintain than even the sensitive small-polyped stony corals. Most aquarists should choose between Entacmaea quadricolor and Macrodactyla doreensis and leave the others to the experts. Many species of clownfish will bond with anemones other than their native favorites if they have no other...
Starter Reef
Setting Up a First Marine Aquarium or Young Aquarist's Tank Using a Simplified, Natural Approach ften perplexing for those who haven't tried it before, setting up a new aquarium can be simple when done in logical, unhurried steps. The accompanying photographs illustrate a straightforward sequence one might use to create a simple reef system, using the techniques discussed in this book. The theme we have chosen is a bit of Micronesian deep fore-reef habitat, which will be housed in a 20-gallon...
Gallon Gulf of Mexico Patch Reef
Full of surprises for those unfamiliar with the beauty of reef organisms from North American waters, this Gulf of Mexico display makes attractive use of a cube-shaped acrylic aquarium. Rear view of the system shows the integrated sump that easily accommodates a venturi skimmer, system pump, heater, and chemical filtration media in nylon pouches. Side view of the reef, showing the stable structure of aqua-cultured live rock and numerous sponges, gorgonians, small colonies of coral, and a...
Info Jsb
Goniopora lobata is commonly called both Flowerpot Coral and Sunflower Coral. described by a biologist has but one scientific name, and this name is used throughout the world to refer to that particular organism. So whether one is in Bangkok or Boise, Goniopora lobata refers to the same animal. Conversely, Flowerpot Coral could mean something entirely different to two individuals, depending upon local usage. As aquarists gain more experience with maintaining marine fish and invertebrates and...
Tips On Coral Placement
ne of the more vexatious challenges, even for experienced reef keepers, is the appropriate placement of corals within the aquarium. Finding just the right level of light intensity and water motion can mean the difference between a specimen that thrives and grows, showing full polyp extension and brilliant col oration, and one that leads a lackluster existence, with polyps retracted or shrunken, dull coloration, and no growth. Specific recommendations for each species of coral that an aquarist...
Continental Shelf
Types of coral reefs, divided between those that have developed along the continental shelves and those that are found in the open ocean. Living corals occur at depths ranging from less than a foot to more than 300 feet in certain exceptional regions. The illustration on page 150 is a schematic of a typical barrier or fringing reef. The shore is on the left side of the diagram, the open sea on the right, and live corals are shown in deep pink. Buried or dead coral growth appears in light pink....
Info Tgc
Debelius, Helmut. 1989. Fishes for the Invertebrate Aquarium. Mentor, OH Aquarium Systems. Delbeek, J.C., and Julian Sprung. 1994. The Reef Aquarium, Vol. 1. Coconut Grove, FL Ricordea Publishing. Dempster, Robert P., and Melvin S. Donaldson. 1974. Cyanide tranquilizer or poison Aquarium Digest International2 4 21. Dunn, Daphne Fautin. 1981. The clownfish sea anemones Stichodactylidae Coelenterate Actinaria and other sea anemones symbiotic with pomacentrid fishes. Transactions of the American...
Category 8
The species can he maintained only if its special requirements are met such requirements can be provided in a home aquarium setting, given sufficient effort. provided with a deep substrate in which to excavate a burrow. Lacking a burrow, jawfishes spend all their time hiding and thus starve. Seahorses and pipefishes Family Syngnathidae are also difficult to keep if not provided with abundant, living foods. Creatures typically found in deep water, such as the Pinecone Fish Monocentrus japonicus...
Periodicals
Russ Case, Editor Fancy Publications Mission Viejo, CA 92690-6050 949 855-8822 Web site www.animalnetwork.com fish 400 Market Street, Suite 750 Philadelphia, PA 19106 Web site www.thomsonscience.com e-mail chsub itps.co.uk Patricia Crews, Editor 144 West Sierra Madre Boulevard Sierra Madre, CA 91024 818 355-1476 PO. Box 255373 Sacramento, CA 95865-5373 Boyce Phipps, Editor 3243 Highway 61 East Luttreil, TN 37779 e-mail pubcon worldnet.att.net Ocean Realm Charlene dejori amp Cheryl Schorp,...
Internet Sites
Perhaps the best source of information for a beginner is a consultation with an experienced aquarist in his or her neighborhood. On the Internet, almost anyone in the world might be in your neighborhood. Below are a few of the sites I have found useful. This is necessarily only a partial list. Each of the sites has multiple links to other sites of interest. www.amdareef.com Aqualink Aquaria Web Resources www.breeders-registry.gen.ca.us Compuserve Aquaria Fish Forum petsforum.com Coral Reef...
Info Ahp
there is potentially a much larger market for reef aquari- extremely delicate aquariums subjects. For example, Stan ums than at present. When people learn what can be done Brown of the Breeder's Registry has a photograph depict- with a 30-gallon tank, provided a few simple techniques ing spawning by captive Orange-spotted Filefish Oxy- are mastered, dealers will sell more of them, along with the monacanthus longirostris . This species is generally livestock to go in them. This can only help the...
Info Ccv
of Indo-Pacific habitats, 193-221 of Indo-Pacific outer-reef habitat, 217-221 of Indo-Pacific shallow inshore habitat, 194-204 of inshore zone, 157-158 of lagoon habitats, 163-164 of the fore reef, 173-176 preferred depth, 150-151 protected, 291 to avoid or take precautions with, 289-301 too aggressive for aquarium, 292 too large for home aquarium, 292 venomous and toxic, 293-294 with needs not met in aquariums, 294-297 Organizations, 311-312 Osci-Wave wave maker, photo, 52 Ostraciidae, 294...
Info Hqb
Discosoma neglecta is commonly called the Neon Disc Anemone. It lives in inshore waters, usually on hard-bottom areas where branched Porites corals and many macroalgae are found, as well as on the fore reef. This species is seldom collected for the aquarium but well worth obtaining for its bright blue-green coloration. Tentacles are completely absent. SEA MATS Order Zoantharia . This is an interesting and hardy group that lies somewhere between anemones and corals in the scheme of cnidarian...
Other Denizens Of The Gorgonian Forest
While one can find the usual snails and hermit crabs crawling around on the floor of the lagoon, it is among and upon the gorgonians that the most interesting animals may be found. There are a number of snails and nudibranchs that feed solely upon gorgonian polyps, and these may be found munching their way along one of the branches. One must look closely in order to find many of these, as they are often well camouflaged and look remarkably like their host species. These browsers are never very...
Reef Aquarium Plumbing Scheme
box serves two functions. One is to allow for removal of can lose siphon and thereby shut down the flow through surface water from the tank and to direct water into a sump the system. Devotees of these systems swear they can op- below the tank. The other is to trap large debris in a spot erate for years without loss of siphon others just swear at from which it can be conveniently removed and discarded. these systems as being disaster-prone. Another drawback is Some aquarists use the overflow...
Electrical Safety Induced Charge
All this equipment requires electricity, of course. Plan on having a sufficient number of electrical outlets near the tank to accommodate all of the power cords you will be using. Be sure to install special ground-fault interrupt outlets that are designed for safe operation in wet areas. Ideally, lighting and pumps should be on separate circuits, especially for large systems. See Chapter Four for more information about lighting the aquarium. Consult a qualified electrician if there is any doubt...
The Aquarium As Hobby
by how carefully the theme of the aquarium is chosen. The Hobbyists comprise the third customer category. These simplified designs of the systems described in this book re- are people who are interested in something for the sake of suit in lowered maintenance, especially after the first year diversion, curiosity, personal challenge, and a rewarding or so. This makes the aquarium much like a landscape use of nonworking hours. Personal fulfillment comes in project, another way in which people...
Components Of A Berlinstyle Aquarium
1. Biological filtration and denitrification is accomplished by the use of a large quantity of cured live rock. 2. Chemical filtration is accomplished through the use of a protein skimmer and activated carbon. 3. Lighting is usually accomplished with metal halide lamps, in combination with blue actinic fluorescent lamps. 4. Nothing in the way of organic nutrients is added to the tank, except for feedings for the fish, and inorganic nutrients are limited by using phosphate-free water and sea...
The Aquarium As Decoration
i vividly recall the visit one Saturday of a gentleman of about 50, accompanied by a younger man, whom I later learned was both the gentleman s son and the person responsible for the interior design work on his father's residence. Sizing up the situation and instinctively zeroing in on the manager of the shop as his target, the older man strode right up to me. I was, at that moment, standing in front of our magnificent 135-gallon reef display tank. It had only recently received maintenance and...