The pinnatus, or pinnate, batfish (Platax pinnatus) is instantly recognizable (at least as a juvenile), not just for its attractive appearance but also for its graceful form and movement. The species is coveted for its distinctive coloration as a juvenile; however, it is nevertheless widely avoided due to a couple of decidedly undesirable traits. These …
Difficult Livestock
There are so many gorgeous and readily available marine ornamental fish species: Royal grammas, coral beauty angels, blue tangs, and so many more… Same with corals and other invertebrates. All of the best qualities in an aquarium animal, right? Sometimes not! Especially after successfully keeping aquaria for years, some hobbyists find themselves falling for the beguiling flirtation of difficult livestock. Yes, difficult, as in hard to keep. Even when they have to go great lengths to acquire the specimen (rarity appeals), or even when the species isn’t exactly colorful or showy by conventional standards. Before you judge such an aquarist as a show-off, or just plain nuts, consider this: They might simply be engaged in that which is arguably the most noble aim among us, the pursuit of ultimate challenge. Oh, so sounds a little more… evocative now? Even exhilarating, maybe? Then perhaps you too are ready for your first big trial as an advanced hobbyist. No need to go about looking for that one special species; it will find you, perchance when and where you least expect it. But when it happens, you will know. What does this manner of obsession look like in practice? Lots of research. More research. Very likely building a species tank. Maybe a little more research. At least some trouble actually locating a source for the animal. Then… that special moment when you finally take it to your home aquarium. The unboxing. Hereafter it is revealed whether you or not you have the requisite skills. If you’ve opted to chase a high-maintenance species, you might truly be put to the test. When you get lucky, you likely will be patting yourself on the back; when things don’t work out, you might shrug the whole experience off as “not meant to be.” Either way, as a lover of difficult livestock, you’ll be back on the hunt in short time. In this section, you will learn how to keep all varieties of difficult livestock, whether highly sensitive to water quality, finicky/specialized eaters or requiring special living conditions.
Feeding Your NPS Aquarium
Photosynthetic corals dominate natural, shallow tropical coral reefs. So it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that they are so prevalent in the reef aquarium hobby. But as some aquarists master the husbandry of more delicate/demanding stony corals types, and successfully keep them for long periods of time, they start to look to other …
Quarantining Your Mandarin Fish
If you have even worked at the retail or wholesale end of the aquarium fish industry–even for just a week–you are probably keenly aware of the threats posed by viral, bacterial, and especially parasitic diseases. Between fish collectors, breeders, distributors, stores, etc., your new fish may have crossed paths with hundreds or even thousands of …
5 Fish for the Refugium
For a lot of people, a refugium is an opportunity to keep an “extra” tank. This doesn’t necessarily mean more of the same; in fact, the refugium typically houses stuff that you cannot keep in the “main” tank, like Refugium Fish. Generally, this consists of macroalgae. The idea is that in the refugium, macros (1) …
A Look at the Goatfishes
On account of their huge adult sizes, there are a few fish families that should be pretty much restricted to public aquaria (we’ll just kill the goatfish buzz right away). Some of these behemoths (to nearly two feet in length) are in fact better known as game fish. Yup, that would be the goatfish, typically …
Blue Hypnea: The Next Hot Refugium Macro?
Though it sells out quickly when available, blue hypnea is out there for the grabs. And it’s well worth it for those that cater to its needs! This gorgeous plant can really spice up a refugium; it can also be displayed in the main tank (assuming no large herbivores are present) because it cannot overgrow …
Keeping the Derasa Clam
Just about any reef aquarist will, at some point, wish to keep tridacnid clams in their system. Their colors rival those of any coral. They have an incredibly exotic appearance (even their shells look cool). And (at least for most tridacnid species) they may be kept on the bottom over the substrate, which is a …
Natural Water Quality Management for Non-Photosynthetic Reef Aquaria
There was once a time when zooxanthellate corals (especially SPS corals) were considered impossible to keep in captivity. Then advancements in aquarium lighting technology changed all that. It’s hard to imagine that there so recently was a day when marine aquarists abandoned the possibility of ever keeping Acropora–one of the most abundant genera of stony …
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3 Oddball Saltwater Fish
Sure, clownfish and damsels are cool… But you may be looking to add something that isn’t seen much in the hobby. One thing to keep in mind is that most oddball fish have more husbandry requirements and can be very finicky in home aquariums. That’s why it is crucial to conduct all due research before …
3 Most Expensive Saltwater Fish
Certain fish species are considered to be “Holy Grails” in the marine aquarium hobby. These are hardly ever seen in tanks around the world and perhaps unsurprisingly come with quite a big price tag. Having one of these fish serves as a symbol of status–as well as a huge responsibility to ensure its best health, …
Knowing the Zoanthid
The zoanthid is one of the most stunning yet simplistic coral-like animals in this hobby. It can come in any color combination that you can imagine–along with any price point. This is why this particular anthozoan deserves an article of its own. There are over 100 species of zoanthids alone and the identification process can …
Are You Ready to Keep Jellyfish?
There have been a few times that I’ve been asked how to care for jellyfish. And, long story short, it’s complicated! In this short article, I describe the complications of keeping these fascinating creatures in captivity. Some creatures should just stay in the wild, and the jellyfish usually is one of them. Jellyfish tanks Meticulously …
3 Monster Saltwater Fish
Just like on the freshwater side, which has its big arowanas, catfish, pacus, etc., there is a niche for “monster” fishkeeping amongst marine aquarists. If you have a massive tank and don’t plan on keeping a conventional reef system, these fish might be perfect for you. Indeed, there are many people in this hobby that …
An Overview of the Mandarin Goby
The BIOTA mandarin goby (or mandarin dragonet) is one of the most vibrant and sought after fish in this hobby. There are actually two different species referred to as mandarins, each exhibiting its own beautiful color variations. There is the psychedelic mandarin (Synchiropus splendidus) which offers a tie dye appearance featuring blue, green, red, yellow …
Keeping Tube Worms
Undoubtedly, reef aquaria wouldn’t be much without corals. But sometimes it’s those odd noncoral invertebrates that really grab attention and make a display unique. This is certainly so in the case of marine tube worms. To be clear, we’re not talking about the squirmy little wormlike critters here (nematodes, planarians, etc.). We mean the true …
3 Tips for Keeping Maxima Clams
For a couple of decades now, tridacnid or “giant” clams (genera Tridacna and Hippopus) have been regarded as the cherries on top of any well-constructed and well-maintained reef aquarium. Though there have been a couple of newcomers along the way, most members of the relatively small family Tridacnidae have been available in the trade all …
Do You Really Want Seahorses?
No doubt about it, sea horses are really weird and cool. For sure, they make great aquarium subjects. Seahorses are fairly simple to keep if they are housed in the proper type of aquarium system, kept with mellow, peaceful tankmates and offered the right sort of foods. But are they worth it? That depends upon …
A Look at the Harlequin Shrimp
It is probably safe to say that the majority of aquarists (especially marine aquarists) are initially awestruck by the visual impact that a well-maintained aquarium can create. While they are certainly attracted to the bright colors that so many reef animals bear, they may also find themselves fascinated by the unusual behaviors that these creatures …