There is something almost archetypal in the legend of man-eating clams. Perhaps this evokes allegorical imagery of a greedy or overly
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Invertebrates
Invertebrates are animals that lack (as you might guess) vertebrae--backbones. This is not a very meaningful distinction from a zoologist’s perspective, as it pretty much includes all animals except for one phyllum, Chordata, if not a single subphyllum, Vertebrata. Still, it is a somewhat useful distinction for aquarists, who tend to best understand the needs of fish (i.e. fellow vertebrates). Fish are very widely available and generally are relatively easy to maintain in captivity. They are active and reasonably (sometimes surprisingly) intelligent. We can even (at least to some extent) train them. Invertebrates, on the other hand, might seem a comparatively alien. Often, they don’t eat in the same manner that we do. They may require very special foods or lighting. They might be extremely fussy about certain water parameters (iodine, calcium, etc.). For sure, they might be a little intimidating for beginner aquarists. Worst of all, because they are such a diverse group (everything from sponges to octopuses to mantis shrimp!), they oftentimes require a lot of research and planning to keep successfully in captivity. All that being said, it is the sheer variety of marine inverts as a group that makes them so fun and rewarding to keep in aquaria. For sure, nothing can be more amusing for an aquarist to show their well-stocked reef tank to a non-aquarist friend/family member and get questions like, “Is that real?” or, ”Is that alive?” In this section, you will learn about the natural history of diverse invertebrate marine life and how to successfully keep each type in captivity.
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Frequently Asked Questions: Keeping Giant Clams
At AlgaeBarn, we are always happy to hear from our customers and we often are asked a lot of questions about husbandry. Sometimes, we
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AlgaeBarn is celebrating the octopus!
Everyone's favorite eight-armed mollusk is having its very own day! October 8th is Octopus Day, and what better way to celebrate than
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Should I Add Snails to My Refugium?
If you guessed that a refugium is a wordplay on refuge and aquarium, you guessed right! A refugium is simply a tank for plant and
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Conservation Week: Celebrating Aquaculture
Welcome to Conservation Week! Although we talk about conservation and sustainability on the regular here at AlgaeBarn, we are going the
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Why Peppermint Shrimp are a Good Choice for Reef Tanks
Peppermint shrimp make fantastic additions for community reef tanks! The peppermint shrimp, sometimes known as a sweeper shrimp, has
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The Tank Booster Pack: Wholistic Reef Aquarium Balance
If AlgaeBarn is known for one thing, it is our focus on natural aquarium maintenance methods. Some of our products are designed to
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Are Giant Clams Reef Safe?
Giant clams are one of the most gorgeous and interesting creatures in our hobby! In this article, we will explain why Tridacnid clams
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The Fascinating Captive-Bred Giant Clam: How Breeding Programs Are Saving Natural Coral Reefs
As you may or may not know, World Oceans Month and World Reef Day are in June! And here at AlgaeBarn, we wanted to take this
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How the Aquaculture of Peppermint Shrimp Improves the Health of Coral Reefs in the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic, and the Caribbean
It’s World Oceans Month!
In this article, we are continuing with our month-long spotlight on ocean conservation and environmental
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How Tridacna Squamosa Captive Breeding Programs are Improving the Oceans of the Indo-Pacific and Great Barrier Reef Regions
In June, we will be focusing on how we can all help with ocean conservation efforts. Our discussions on preservation are inspired by
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Keeping the Crocea Clam
Since coral reefs are (obviously) dominated by corals, it shouldn’t be all that surprising that reef aquaria are dominated by corals.
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Tuxedo Urchins for Hair Algae Control
Hair algae is not just one of the common forms of nuisance algae, it is also among the most difficult to eradicate. Indeed, despite the
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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.
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Hard to Kill: Using Cerith Snails and Siphonaria Limpets
Nuisance algae is almost certain to emerge—at least to some extent—in all reef aquarium systems. Of course, the maintenance of good
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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
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The Pincushion Sea Urchin: A Beginner’s Best
Seldom are sea urchins described as “difficult” or “sensitive” aquarium animals. Yet, they can be quite touchy. Seemingly small insults
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Keeping a Coldwater Marine Aquarium
Marine aquarists have always had access to temperate species. In fact, in the days before improved packaging/shipping procedures
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3 Symbiotic Relationships in the Marine Aquarium
Symbiotic relationships are perhaps the most amazing thing that occurs in marine environments. While there are some that you can
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3 Unique Invertebrates
There are many types of invertebrates in the marine aquarium trade and typically you will see the same 10-20 types. However, this
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