Harlequinmania

Click through to see the images. First of all, what is TONMOCON? TONMOCON is a biannual conference where cephalopod lovers come together to share information about cephalopods and their keeping. As mentioned above, the event is to be held at the California Academy of Sciences on October 18-20, 2013. That gives you seven months to get your tickets and hotel arrangements in order. Tickets are only $15 per person and kids are welcome. Below is the tentative agenda for the event: Friday Evening: meet & greet at some TBD convenient location (pub/tarvern/restaurant). Saturday: TONMOCON V Presentations Presenters and Topics Note this is based on input from interested presenters. Times, presenters, and topics are all subject to change. TONMO usernames appear in parentheses. 7:45am: Doors Open, and COFFEE!! Thanks California Academy of Sciences!! 8:30am: Intro by Tony Morelli (tonmo) 9:00am: Richard Ross (Thales): Larger Pacific Striped Octopus and/or the cephalopods at California Academy of Sciences 9:45am: Dr. Roy Caldwell (Neogonodactylus): More on the Larger Pacific Striped Octopus, and/or cephalopod photography 10:30am: Greg Barord (gjbarord): Nautilus field research update 11:15am: Olaf Blaaw (OB) - Ammonite soft structure anatomy 12 Noon: LUNCH will be provided by TONMO – likely pizza (hold the calamari) During lunch we will air the trailer for Dan Monceaux’ documentary, Cuttlefish Country, inspired by Sepia apama. Event-goers can check out Kirk McGuire’s bronze cephalopod sculptures, on display! 12:45pm: Dr. Crissy Huffard (mucktopus): Abdopus, or mimics, or general octopus diversity (tbd) 1:30pm: Aaron Boyd Evans (GPO87): research at AUT (on the glass squid) and/or general squid diversity (tbd) 2:15pm: Denise Whatley (dwhatley): Identifying Commonly Kept Octopuses 3:00pm: Adam Daw (marinebio_guy): Trophic niche and trophic interactions of near-shore reef octopuses in Hawaii using stable isotope analyses. Also, Phylogenetics of near-shore octopuses of Hawaii, and Fecundity and egg development vs temperature of the Crescent octopus (Abdopus sp.) 3:45pm: Peter Godfrey-Smith (pgs): Octopuses living in groups 4:30pm: Monty Awards, Raffles & Wrap-up by Tony Morelli (tonmo) Saturday Night: More fun somewhere! Sunday: day at the aquarium? (via TONMO) View the full article

Click through to see the images. The prototype robot, nicknamed Cyro, is a larger model of a robotic jellyfish the same team – headed by Shashank Priya of Blacksburg, Va., and professor of mechanical engineering at Virginia Tech – unveiled in 2012. The earlier robot, dubbed RoboJelly, is roughly the size of a man’s hand, and typical of jellyfish found along beaches. “A larger vehicle will allow for more payload, longer duration and longer range of operation,” said Alex Villanueva of St-Jacques, New-Brunswick, Canada, and a doctoral student in mechanical engineering working under Priya. “Biological and engineering results show that larger vehicles have a lower cost of transport, which is a metric used to determine how much energy is spent for traveling.” Both robots are part of a multi-university, nationwide $5 million project funded by U.S. Naval Undersea Warfare Center and the Office of Naval Research. The goal is to place self-powering, autonomous machines in waters for the purposes of surveillance and monitoring the environment, in addition to other uses such as studying aquatic life, mapping ocean floors, and monitoring ocean currents. Jellyfish are attractive candidates to mimic because of their ability to consume little energy owing to a lower metabolic rate than other marine species. Additionally, they appear in wide variety of sizes, shapes and colors, allowing for several designs. They also inhabit every major oceanic area of the world and are capable of withstanding a wide range of temperatures in both fresh and salt waters. Most species are found in shallow coastal waters, but some have been found in depths 7,000 meters below sea level. Partner universities in the project are Providence College in Rhode Island, the University of California Los Angeles, the University of Texas at Dallas, and Stanford University. Priya’s team is building the jellyfish body models, integrating fluid mechanics and developing control systems. Cyro is modeled and named after the jellyfish cyanea capillata, Latin for Llion’s Manemain jellyfishJellyfish, with “Cyro” derived from “cyanea” and “robot.” As with its predecessor, this robot is in the prototype stage, years away from use in waters. A new prototype model already is under construction at Virginia Tech’s Durham Hall, where Priya’s Center for Energy Harvesting Materials and Systems is based. “We hope to improve on this robot and reduce power consumption and improve swimming performance as well as better mimic the morphology of the natural jellyfish,” Villanueva said, adding that the project also allows researchers such as himself to better understand aquatic creatures live. “Our hopes for Cyro’s future is that it will help understand how the propulsion mechanism of such animal scales with size.” A stark difference exists between the larger and smaller robots. Cyro is powered by a rechargeable nickel metal hydride battery, whereas the smaller models were tethered, Priya said. Experiments have also been conducted on powering jellyfish with hydrogen but there is still much research to be done in that area. In both cases, the jellyfish must operate on their own for months or longer at a time as engineers likely won’t be able to capture and repair the robots, or replace power sources. “Cyro showed its ability to swim autonomously while maintaining a similar physical appearance and kinematics as the natural species,” Priya said, adding that the robot is simultaneously able to collect, store, analyze, and communicate sensory data. This autonomous operation in shallow water conditions is already a big step towards demonstrating the use of these creatures.” How does the robot swim? Its body consists of a rigid support structure with direct current electric motors which control the mechanical arms that are used in conjunction with an artificial mesoglea, or jelly-based pulp of the fish’s body, creating hydrodynamic movement. With no central nervous system, jellyfish instead use a diffused nerve net to control movement and can complete complex functions. A parallel study on a bio-inspired control system is in progress which will eventually replace the current simplified controller. As with the smaller models, Cyro’s skin is comprised of a thick layer of silicone, squishy in one’s hand. It mimics the sleek jellyfish skin and is placed over a bowl-shaped device containing the electronic guts of the robot. When moving, the skin floats and moves with the robot, looking weirdly alive. “It has been a great experience to finally realize the biomimetic and bio-inspired robotic vehicles,” Priya said. “Nature has too many secrets and we were able to find some of them but many still remain. We hope to find a mechanism to continue on this journey and resolve the remaining puzzles.” Virginia Tech: Autonomous Robotic Jellyfish from virginiatech on Vimeo. Virginia Tech College of Engineering researchers have unveiled a life-like, autonomous robotic jellyfish the size and weight of a grown man, 5 foot 7 inches in length and weighing 170 pounds, as part of a U.S. Navy-funded project. The prototype robot, nicknamed Cyro, is a larger model of a robotic jellyfish the same team – headed by Shashank Priya of Blacksburg, Va., and professor of mechanical engineering at Virginia Tech – unveiled in 2012. The earlier robot, dubbed RoboJelly, is roughly the size of a man’s hand, and typical of jellyfish found along beaches. (Press Release VirginiaTech) View the full article

Click through to see the images. According to a recent paper in Marine Policy, researchers place the number of sharks finned each year at 100 million, almost three per second. In contrast, sharks killed a grand total of 12 people in 2012. Let's let this infographic do the talking: (via Oceana) View the full article

Max spec?

Click through to see the images. View the full article

Wow..that is alot of work. Cant wait to see your new scape. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Click through to see the images. The squid in question measured 3 feet long and was caught off Guangdong province, China, by local fishermen. The surprise was not found until later, when a fishmonger began cutting the squid open for sale in the fish market in Jiaoling county. "This sort of squid lives close to the shore and normally makes a meal of small fish and prawns," said the fishmonger, who gave his name only as Mr Huang to the local Guangzhou Daily newspaper. "Perhaps he thought the bomb was his favourite food and gulped it down. He certainly had a big belly when he was caught," he added. When pulled from the squid, the bomb weight almost three pounds and was shaped somewhat reminiscent to an eggplant. Mr. Huang contacted the local police, who immediately removed the bomb from the fishmarket and later destroyed it in a controlled detonation. They also mentioned that even though the bomb was old and rusty, it was still very much active and could have exploded at any time. There was some speculation that the bomb was dropped from a fighter jet. However officials did not date it. (via The Telegraph) View the full article

Wow good price. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Click through to see the images. From his studios in Melbourne, Australia, Chierchia Gerardo crafts his little works of 3D wonders. He gradually adds clear resin upon clear resin, painting with acrylic on each layer to meticulously build up art pieces with incredible perception of depth and detail. Sound familiar? Some of you may have read about the impressive art of Japanese 3D goldfish artist Riusuke Fukahori, who appears to have served as inspiration for Gerardo. Fukahori is a true master of this fascinating artistic technique and subject matter. Chierchia Gerardo Perhaps is not as refined as Fukahori, Gerardo is extremely gifted in his own right. Furthermore, Gerardo's work is much more accessible. He sells his art pieces for as little as $30 to over $1,000. For their beauty and the amount of work it takes to create art using this medium, it's a small price to pay to own something so lovely and unique. Visit his website, GoldfishInspiration.com, to view more of his art and to purchase one of his works. Here's a small sampling from this prolific artist. Now tell me you don't want one of these! (FYI: These pieces are all sold, but more art is available for sale at Gerardo's web shop) View the full article

Yes Uncle mike, the voices here had been heard. This is also our first time running this TOTQ , and there is definitely alot of rooms for improvement, but i am also glad that we are getting alot of good respond and feedback on it. The main idea of the TOTQ is to inspire reefers to be as well as giving recognition to the effort that the reefers had put into the hobby . The reason why we did it quarterly is because there is alot of works to be done trying to look out for a good tank, getting sponsor for the prizes and appointing some one to visit the winner tank to take good photos ect ect.. So you guys can imagine the work involved . Hopefully one day when our time allow, and we have enough good tank locally to be able to featured each month to show to the world . We have only 5 winner for TOTQ so far, but definitely looking into other great setup . Keep your suggestion coming...

GO expecting a new shipment this friday night.

Or use kalkwasser as your top up water. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

You can contact aquanautic, there is a similar topic posted eariler by another member which give the contact no. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Its not ideal to mix the salt brand as the parameter will all be out. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Click through to see the images. The above specimen was found in an adult bull shark by fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico on April 7, 2011. According to Michigan State University researchers, this is the first recorded instance of a two-headed bull shark, although two-headed specimens of other sharks have been found in the past. Due to its deformity, it would not have lasted long in the wild. According to the UPI: "This is certainly one of those interesting and rarely detected phenomena," MSU fisheries and wildlife Professor Michael Wagner said. "It's good that we have this documented as part of the world's natural history, but we'd certainly have to find many more before we could draw any conclusions about what caused this." View the full article

Click through to see the images. Last May, we reported that construction was underway for the Denmark's Aquarium (nicknamed The Blue Planet). Not only was The Blue Planet destined to become Northern Europe's largest aquarium at 9,000 m2 (97,000 sq ft), but it was also easily in contention for the title of world's most beautiful aquarium. The artist renditions and architectural models were jaw-dropping. We're happy to report the completed aquarium is as beautiful as (if not more so than) initial reports. The Blue Planet not only houses an impressive collection of exhibits; The amazing metal-clad structure manages to harmonize perfectly with nature around it. The land and sea are every part an extension of the man-made object. We share photos originally posted by Gizmag proving The Blue Planet is worthy of praise by aquatic life lovers, aquarists, and admirers of architecture alike. It's simply stunning. View the full article

Click through to see the images. Last May, we reported that construction was underway for the Denmark's Aquarium (nicknamed The Blue Planet). Not only was The Blue Planet destined to become Northern Europe's largest aquarium at 9,000 m2 (97,000 sq ft), but it was also easily in contention for the title of world's most beautiful aquarium. The artist renditions and architectural models were jaw-dropping. We're happy to report the completed aquarium is as beautiful as (if not more so than) initial reports. The Blue Planet not only houses an impressive collection of exhibits and animals; The amazing metal-clad structure manages to harmonize perfectly with nature around it. The land and sea are every part an extension of the man-made object. We share photos originally posted by Gizmag proving The Blue Planet is worthy of praise by aquatic life lovers, aquarists, and admirers of architecture alike. It's simply stunning. View the full article

Depend on what you want to keep? Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Yes It might attack small fish when it grow in size. But for corals is safe. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Very interesting cheap version of coral RX. Dont think this product is available here. Bayer only concentrate mainly on their health supplements in singapore. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Click through to see the images. Deep-sea isopods look a lot like the every day pill bug that one can find in your yard, and while they are related, these deep-sea isopods reach enormous lengths compared to their distant relatives: anywhere from 7.5-14 inches with the largest reaching 3.7 lbs and 30 inches. That's a HUGE bug! As mentioned, these isopods are scavengers, subsiding off of whatever falls to the seabed that is edible. They are typically found anywhere from 170 feet to 2,140 feet deep in waters reaching down to almost 39 degrees fahrenheit. It's not often that we get to see what these creatures do on the seafloor, as the depths they live in are normally only accessible via a ROV. In this case, the below videos were recorded by the ROV Isis as it was surveying areas around Montserrat in the Caribbean. During the Isis' dive, it bumped into two deep-sea isopods going about their normal day-to-day activies. What is awesome to see is how effortlessly the isopod swims away in the second video: (via Southern Fried Science) View the full article

Click through to see the images. The scientists wrote in Monday's edition of the journal Nature Climate Change: "Reef communities may shift from reef-building hard corals to non-reef-building soft corals under (carbon dioxide levels) predicted by the end of this century. When combined with their ability for rapid colonisation, soft corals may out compete hard corals in coral reef environments subject to ocean acidification." [via Reuters] What's the big deal? Corals are corals, right? No. Stony corals are responsible for the bulk of reef-building (think: live rock), so coral reefs favoring soft corals will gradually erode and decline. Although some stony corals can cope with ocean acidification by switching from carbonate to bicarbonate ions (a natural buffering mechanism), countless studies have proven the negative effects of acidification on corals - from reducing calcification to changing the behavior of coral larvae to even altering their genes! And regarding the title: I realize that all corals are spineless, so please no angry comments. View the full article

Yes i agreed with Gouldian, SRC took part 2 years ago and we spend like hundreds of dollars on the corals and livestock but it is still very hard for us to compete on a fair ground. It is also very hard for us as a hobbyists to compete in the competition as most of the participant are LFS which has access to corals and live stocks from their own shipment or show tank. Don't be amaze if you see one of the coral which looks similar to the one from their show tank However, it is a good display to the public which LFS can show off their setup .

So far running about 6 month now. Super silent and doesn't give out heat . Much much better than my old Red dragon.

The pro about ehiem , reliability but con is power consumption is higher and give out more heat as compare to a DC pump. Which also mean adding heat into the water if you place it in-sump.