Harlequinmania

Hi bro, Thanks for the suggestion, it will not be biased only toward a SPS dominated tank . In fact there had been a few mixed reef winner keeping successful SPS and LPS corals. The reason why most of the time a SPS tank get to win ( Not only in our forum as well as oversea forum if you observed ) is mainly due to the reason that up-keeping a successful SPS tank required more Challenges , knowledge and husbandry care. I think many those who keep SPS can be able to testify on that . Of course, we will keep a look out for other LPS/NPS setup . But for a FOWLR tank, it is a little bit difficult to judge, maybe some of the members can contribute and share upon what we can judge on a FOWLR setup ? If anyone had seen a nice tank, don't forget to vote for that member in this section here ; http://www.sgreefclub.com/forum/forum/146-winner-nomination/ .

Power consumption (wattage) and par reading if u have a par meter ? Just a suggestion. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Yes I agreed with gary as well that ehiem is a workhorse which never fail me. Hopefully they come out some energy saving pump in future. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

U can try C328 Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Coral farm still have one large AT with big teardrop, griffin angel, blue face, muti bar angel, earspot, emperor , kole tang, blue lip angel, regal angel, percula clown ect... Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Click through to see the images. We're not talking just about corals, which every reefkeeper already knows about. Fish, cephalopods, crustaceans, tunicates, sponges, cowries, nudibranchs, flatworms, algae, and all forms of sea life emit other-worldly biofluorescence. With the aid of special photography equipment (blue light + barrier filters), we can view these animals like never before. All the neon colors you see in this dive video by Jeff Honda are 100% real. The ocean is truly an amazing, alien world! What is fluorescence? Adam Blundell, M.S. writes about 'The Seen and Unseen World of Coral Fluorescence' in Advanced Aquarist's June, 2005 issue: Fluorescence is a process whereby a matter of energy is absorbed by a substance, and then released by that substance with less energy. In this case a light source of high energy (lets say blue light) is absorbed by a substance (a coral) and then released with less energy (i.e. green light or red light). Dana Riddle writes what may be the most comprehensive series of articles on coral coloration & fluorescence: Coral Coloration: Fluorescence: Part 1 Coral Coloration, Part 2: Fluorescence: Pigments 510 - 565 and Notes on Green Fluorescent Proteins Coral Coloration, Part 3: Pigments Responsible for Coral Coloration, Part 4: Red Fluorescent Pigments, a Preliminary Report of Effects of Various Environmental Factors and Color Mixing Coral Coloration, Part 5: Non-fluorescent Chromoproteins (CP-480 to CP-562) Coral Coloration, Part 6: Non-fluorescent Chromoproteins (CP-568 – CP-610) And A Newly Discovered Colorant Coral Coloration - Part 7: Coral Reflectance, Chromoproteins and Environmental Factors Affecting Non-fluorescent Pigmentation Coral Coloration, Part 8: Blue and Green Coral Fluorescence: Environmental Factors Affecting Fluorescent Pigmentation Coral Coloration, Part 9: Tridacna and Other Photosynthetic Clam Coloration, With Observations on Possible Functions View the full article

Click through to see the images. We're not talking just about corals, which every reefkeeper already knows about. Fish, cephalopods, crustaceans, tunicates, sponges, cowries, nudibranchs, flatworms, algae, and all forms of sea life emit other-worldly biofluorescence. With the aid of special photography equipment (blue light + barrier filters), we can view these animals like never before. All the neon colors you see in this night dive video by Jeff Honda are 100% real. The ocean is truly an amazing, alien world! What is fluorescence? Adam Blundell, M.S. writes about 'The Seen and Unseen World of Coral Fluorescence' in Advanced Aquarist's June, 2005 issue: Fluorescence is a process whereby a matter of energy is absorbed by a substance, and then released by that substance with less energy. In this case a light source of high energy (lets say blue light) is absorbed by a substance (a coral) and then released with less energy (i.e. green light or red light). Dana Riddle writes what may be the most comprehensive series of articles on coral coloration & fluorescence: Coral Coloration: Fluorescence: Part 1 Coral Coloration, Part 2: Fluorescence: Pigments 510 - 565 and Notes on Green Fluorescent Proteins Coral Coloration, Part 3: Pigments Responsible for Coral Coloration, Part 4: Red Fluorescent Pigments, a Preliminary Report of Effects of Various Environmental Factors and Color Mixing Coral Coloration, Part 5: Non-fluorescent Chromoproteins (CP-480 to CP-562) Coral Coloration, Part 6: Non-fluorescent Chromoproteins (CP-568 – CP-610) And A Newly Discovered Colorant Coral Coloration - Part 7: Coral Reflectance, Chromoproteins and Environmental Factors Affecting Non-fluorescent Pigmentation Coral Coloration, Part 8: Blue and Green Coral Fluorescence: Environmental Factors Affecting Fluorescent Pigmentation Coral Coloration, Part 9: Tridacna and Other Photosynthetic Clam Coloration, With Observations on Possible Functions View the full article

Both 1.5W and 3W are high power LEDs. It really depend on the total numbers of LEDs and wattage of your lighting set. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

The part A which is the amino acid is nutrient for the corals, so if you have alot of fish inside your tank, you can actually half the dosage or reduce this. If not there might be algae bloom if too much nutrient.

The exhibitors list is out ; http://aquarama.com.sg/pdf/floorplan.pdf Look rather small this year. Only 3 shop participating from marine.

Click through to see the images. In past blog posts, I discussed uses for 3D printing in our hobby - from fragging coral to fish breeding to even printing your own liverock. One intrepid member of Thingiverse - a site for sharing 3D printable "things" - took it a step further. He decided to do something about the lionfish population on his latest trip to Cuba using his 3D printer so he designed and printed a lionfish spear: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:54756 The member's name is Michael G. and he goes by the name "Mold Busters" on Thingiverse. 3D printed fish spear. After seeing the design pop up in my news feed, I decided to get in contact with Michael to learn more about how he was going to use his lionfish spear and to report back after his trip. Below is his response along with some awesome photos of his dives: - - - - - Like any other creature in the world’s vast array of living beings, the lionfish is both beautiful and fascinating. Native to the tropical Pacific and Indian oceans where it lives in unison with its environment, the lionfish has large, spiky, and venomous fins, which it uses to corner its prey and defend itself against predators. The problem with lionfish, however, is that recently their numbers have been growing uncontrollably in the Atlantic Ocean. This is believed to be the result of their introduction into the Atlantic and Caribbean by local aquariums or fish collectors in the early 1990s. With no natural predators in the area, lionfish have, since then, quickly multiplied out of control and become a serious threat to marine life in the Atlantic. You can now find them throughout much of the Caribbean Sea and as far as Rhode Island. Luckily, there are ways that lionfish populations can be controlled, mainly by encouraging diving enthusiasts to hunt these fish during their dives. According to Dr. Dayne Buddo of the Discovery Bay Marine Lab at UWI, removing just 20 lionfish from the Atlantic would equate to saving about 300,000 other fish over a period of one year. After reading about the lionfish problem and becoming concerned about the well-being of the marine environment, the Mold Busters team decided to do something about it. So, before embarking on their next holiday (a diving adventure in Santiago de Cuba), Mold Busters designed the world’s first 3D-printable dive spear. Check it out here: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:54756. They used this spear during their dives and successfully killed over 50 lionfish—saving approximately 750,000 fish from the invasive lionfish species!!! With this revolutionary new tool, every diving enthusiast can do his/her part to save the native species and coral reefs of the Atlantic Ocean. View the full article

Click through to see the images. The new ARC research (see below) also poses an interesting theory for aquarium coral husbandry. Could the use of calcium reactors with CO2 and higher temperatures in aquariums increase damage to stony corals if boring algae is present? Learn more about Green Boring Algae at Aquarium Coral Diseases, a terrific science-based website dedicated to the identification and potential cures for the pathogens and predators that attack corals in public and home aquariums. From the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies: A world-first scientific study has found that, weakened by microscopic borers, the world’s coral reefs will erode more rapidly as the oceans warm and acidify. This phenomenon, combined with a slower growth of coral reefs due to ocean acidification, may make reefs more vulnerable to storms and cyclones, says Ms Catalina Reyes of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (CoECRS) and The University of Queensland (UQ). “So fish, turtles, sharks, lobsters and other reef organisms may lose their homes, threatening reef biodiversity and the livelihoods of tens of millions of people,” Ms Reyes says. Ms Reyes explains that corals use calcium carbonate, or limestone, to build the reef structure. As they accumulate carbonate and extend their skeleton, the old, dead parts are eroded by waves, currents, fishes, sponges and by tiny plants that live inside the reef. “There is a fine balance between accumulating and losing carbonate, and healthy reefs are the ones that gain more than they lose,” Ms Reyes says. “Anything that disrupts this balance puts coral reefs in danger.” Coral reefs are already threatened by ocean acidification, caused by human carbon emissions dissolving into the oceans, as this process reduces the amount of carbonate in the seawater, causing the corals to build the reef at a slower pace, says Associate Professor Sophie Dove of CoECRS and UQ. In this latest study, CoECRS researchers found that the lack of carbonate to build coral reefs isn’t the only challenge that these ecosystems face. “Our research shows that when seawater is both acidic and warm – which is predicted to happen under future climate scenarios – coral reefs could be made more fragile by microborers, such as algae, blue-green algae and fungi that inhabit reefs and bore tiny holes in it that undermine the strength of the coral skeleton.” To explore how the combination of a warm and acidic ocean affects the activity of microborers, the researchers exposed different types of coral skeletons in tanks containing seawater which simulated two future climate scenarios. “The first scenario was ‘business as usual’ where nothing is done by humanity to decrease CO2 emissions,” says Ms Reyes. “In this case, the rate of erosion by the microborers of the coral skeletons almost doubled compared to the present day.” In the second scenario, in which CO2 was above current levels, but less than the ‘business as usual’ scenario, the rate of erosion was 35 per cent, Ms Reyes says. “So if we look into the future, not only do corals have less material with which to build their reefs, but the old, dead parts that support them are eroded much faster,” says Dr Dove. “If we think of the reef as a scaffold, it’s now being taken apart faster than it can re-build, which means that it’s at a higher risk of collapsing.” “We found that microborers were more abundant under both predicted scenarios, so it is possible that acidic and warm seawater will stimulate their growth, leading to coral skeletons dissolving faster,” Ms Reyes says. Ms Reyes says that the most abundant type of algae identified in the study is also the world’s most common photosynthetic microborer, capturing sunlight to fuel its activities. It currently inhabits 85 per cent of the world’s corals and has an extraordinary ability to cope with low light conditions, allowing it to penetrate deep into coral skeletons. “Even if there are ‘super corals’ that do well in an acidic ocean, this study shows that we mustn’t underestimate how much climate change can affect other important reef processes,” Dr Dove cautions. The study “Ocean acidification and warming scenarios increase microbioerosion of coral skeletons” by Catalina Reyes-Nivia, Guillermo Diaz-Pulido, David Kline, Ove-Hoegh-Guldbeg and Sophie Dove has been published in the latest issue of Global Change Biology. See: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.12158/abstract View the full article

Click through to see the images. The new ARC research (see below) also poses an interesting hypothesis for aquarium coral husbandry. Could the use of calcium reactors with CO2 and higher temperatures in aquariums increase damage to stony corals if boring algae is present? Learn more about Green Boring Algae at Aquarium Coral Diseases, a terrific science-based website dedicated to the identification and potential cures for the pathogens and predators that attack corals in public and home aquariums. From the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies: A world-first scientific study has found that, weakened by microscopic borers, the world’s coral reefs will erode more rapidly as the oceans warm and acidify. This phenomenon, combined with a slower growth of coral reefs due to ocean acidification, may make reefs more vulnerable to storms and cyclones, says Ms Catalina Reyes of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (CoECRS) and The University of Queensland (UQ). “So fish, turtles, sharks, lobsters and other reef organisms may lose their homes, threatening reef biodiversity and the livelihoods of tens of millions of people,” Ms Reyes says. Ms Reyes explains that corals use calcium carbonate, or limestone, to build the reef structure. As they accumulate carbonate and extend their skeleton, the old, dead parts are eroded by waves, currents, fishes, sponges and by tiny plants that live inside the reef. “There is a fine balance between accumulating and losing carbonate, and healthy reefs are the ones that gain more than they lose,” Ms Reyes says. “Anything that disrupts this balance puts coral reefs in danger.” Coral reefs are already threatened by ocean acidification, caused by human carbon emissions dissolving into the oceans, as this process reduces the amount of carbonate in the seawater, causing the corals to build the reef at a slower pace, says Associate Professor Sophie Dove of CoECRS and UQ. In this latest study, CoECRS researchers found that the lack of carbonate to build coral reefs isn’t the only challenge that these ecosystems face. “Our research shows that when seawater is both acidic and warm – which is predicted to happen under future climate scenarios – coral reefs could be made more fragile by microborers, such as algae, blue-green algae and fungi that inhabit reefs and bore tiny holes in it that undermine the strength of the coral skeleton.” To explore how the combination of a warm and acidic ocean affects the activity of microborers, the researchers exposed different types of coral skeletons in tanks containing seawater which simulated two future climate scenarios. “The first scenario was ‘business as usual’ where nothing is done by humanity to decrease CO2 emissions,” says Ms Reyes. “In this case, the rate of erosion by the microborers of the coral skeletons almost doubled compared to the present day.” In the second scenario, in which CO2 was above current levels, but less than the ‘business as usual’ scenario, the rate of erosion was 35 per cent, Ms Reyes says. “So if we look into the future, not only do corals have less material with which to build their reefs, but the old, dead parts that support them are eroded much faster,” says Dr Dove. “If we think of the reef as a scaffold, it’s now being taken apart faster than it can re-build, which means that it’s at a higher risk of collapsing.” “We found that microborers were more abundant under both predicted scenarios, so it is possible that acidic and warm seawater will stimulate their growth, leading to coral skeletons dissolving faster,” Ms Reyes says. Ms Reyes says that the most abundant type of algae identified in the study is also the world’s most common photosynthetic microborer, capturing sunlight to fuel its activities. It currently inhabits 85 per cent of the world’s corals and has an extraordinary ability to cope with low light conditions, allowing it to penetrate deep into coral skeletons. “Even if there are ‘super corals’ that do well in an acidic ocean, this study shows that we mustn’t underestimate how much climate change can affect other important reef processes,” Dr Dove cautions. The study “Ocean acidification and warming scenarios increase microbioerosion of coral skeletons” by Catalina Reyes-Nivia, Guillermo Diaz-Pulido, David Kline, Ove-Hoegh-Guldbeg and Sophie Dove has been published in the latest issue of Global Change Biology. See: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.12158/abstract View the full article

I still got one unit of 5ft T5 spare in my store. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Marine life still have mandrian, clipping shrimp, arrow crab, coral beauty ect... Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

i used to run it in a FR before, but the media is too fine and keep cloaking up the sponge that i decided to remove it.

Click through to see the images. The genus Sarcophyton is comprised of several soft corals belonging to the Subclass Octocorallia and Order Alcyonacea. Depending on where you look, there are between 41 and 46 species altogether (ex. Aratake et al., 2012 & WoRMS, undated), with all of them being commonly known as toadstool corals. The name comes from the fact that they look much like large toadstool mushrooms, and they're generally fast growing and hardy corals, too. They can also be easily propagated by cutting, all in all making them a good choice for aquarists looking for an attractive and oftentimes large addition to a reef aquarium. So, I'll give you some good information about them. A grove of Sarcophyton on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. To start, toadstool corals usually have a rounded trunk that stays firmly attached to the substrate. This trunk can be relatively tall and slender compared to the size of the whole, but may also be rather short and fat to non-existent depending on the species and size of a particular specimen. This trunk is topped by a generally rounded and typically flattened cap called a captitulum, although the capitulum often becomes rather ruffled or folded when some species grow to a large size. This does make them look much like an aquatic toadstool mushroom though, and makes it easy to see where these corals got their common name from. These are also called toadstool leather corals at times, as their body has something of a wet leather-like feel and is relatively stiff for a skeleton-less coral. This is in part due to the presence of numerous tiny hard carbonate structures called sclerites, which are found throughout them. The trunk can vary in size relative to the capitulum, and may even be essentially absent at times. Regardless of overall form and feel, toadstools have numerous polyps that arise from the capitulum, oftentimes being long and slender and waving back and forth in currents. Here again there is some variability though, as some have long polyps possessing relatively large tentacles, while others may be rather short and/or have tiny tentacles at their tips, or anything in between. And, unlike those of stony corals, the tentacles are pinnate with each being lined by small branches that can make them look much like little feathers. The polyps can also vary a great deal with respect to length and the size of their tentacles. When it comes to coloration, toadstools are most commonly cream to light brown, but may also be green, pinkish, or yellow. The base/stalk of the polyps that emerge from the capitulum may be the same color as the rest of the body, or sometimes a bit darker, but the tentacle-bearing tops of the polyps frequently have different colored tips/tentacles. Typically they're much lighter in color, being light cream, white, or rarely light blue, providing some contrast and making many specimens especially attractive. While the majority of toadstools are cream to light brown in color, there are other colors available. Regardless of coloration, do note that a toadstool's polyps won't always be out, though. The capitulum is dotted with little pores that the polyps can retract down into, so there are times when it may be smooth looking and apparently polyp-free. In fact, it's common to see the polyps fully expanded during the day/when the lights have been on for a while, and then completely retracted within the capitulum at night. If a specimen is in good health, the polyps will emerge regularly though, which is often called "polyping out", and won't stay hidden long-term. There may be a period when they stay retracted for several days when first introduced to an aquarium, but once a specimen has settled in you should observe the coral's very slow polyping out reaction to the aquarium lights being turned on in the morning. Here you can see numerous slender polyps emerging from the capitulum of this specimen. Still, there's an odd exception. Toadstools can also produce a waxy coating that usually covers most of the coral, but is especially thick on the capitulum. This is normal behavior though, and the coating is generally thought to be a mechanism to remove any unwanted detritus that has settled onto a specimen, or algae that has grown on it. The coating is typically sloughed away after a few days, allowing the polyps to emerge. While in most cases this seems to be a harmless process, on occasion it has been observed that the coating material can strongly irritate other corals that it may come to rest upon in an aquarium. So, it's a good idea to watch closely and when a toadstool begins to shed its coating you should net and remove any bits and pieces that you can. The periodic production of a waxy coating is normal, and is typically nothing to worry about. In the event that the polyps won't emerge for long periods, or a coating won't slough away after several days, you can try moving the specimen to an area where the lighting and/or current is different. While toadstools can thrive under intense lighting, it is possible to "light shock" a specimen if it has been under relatively low-intensity lighting for some time and is then put right under something much, much brighter. A specimen can adapt to an increase in lighting, but it can take time. Likewise, water flow to be inappropriate, so you can use some judgment and try a different spot where the current is stronger or weaker depending on the situation. In my experience, a change of current is typically all it takes to get a positive response from non-responsive polyps, unless a specimen is really in poor health after collection, shipping, and handling. However, I do have to add that over the years I've come across a couple of toadstools that kept their polyps retracted no matter what. Even in exceptionally well-maintained tanks, there are such times when a healthy, growing specimen has just refused to polyp out. This is uncommon though, and is likely a sign that it is being stung or irritated by another coral(s). I'll say more about this momentarily. Some hobbyists have also reported that the use of phosphate-removing products that contain aluminum can have strongly adverse effects on a variety of soft corals, including toadstools. Apparently some phosphate removers release aluminum into the water, and if concentrations get too high, specimens may retract their polyps and shrivel up. So, if such a product is used and a previously healthy-looking toadstool starts to look bad, this might be the reason. Take a look at Holmes-Farley (2003) for more on this. At times a toadstool may retract its polyps and take on a rather shriveled up look. This is not unusual though, even when healthy and growing, and they typically "recover" from such states within a few days unless there's a real problem. Moving along, it's important to note that toadstools can get big, too. So big, in fact, that they can literally fill up a large portion of any but the largest home aquariums. Be aware that many can develop a capitulum that's well over a foot (or two) across, with hundreds of polyps emerging from the top. So, they'll need plenty of room in an aquarium and usually won't last long in small tanks before needing more space. It's difficult to figure out how big a specimen will get though, as it varies depending on environmental conditions and from species to species, with the species identification being difficult to figure out, at best. Here's a look at a few big specimens in Australian and Indonesian waters, all of which are obviously more than a foot across. Don't think they can't get so large in an aquarium. This toadstool is taking the whole end of this 150 gallon aquarium, but started as a relatively small specimen. In fact, most all of them are identified only at the genus level (especially in the hobby), because species-level identification usually requires the collection of a few sclerites from a specimen and a good look at them under a microscope, and/or genetic and chemical analyses. Even the pros have difficulty identifying many soft corals, and as noted in Sprung and Delbeek (1997), "Their appearance is highly variable, and the same species from slightly different locations can look radically different." So, given that sclerite/genetic analysis obviously aren't an option for us, don't expect to see too many species names on offered specimens. There are exceptions though, as the yellow variety is quite distinct and is known to be Sarcophyton elegans. The yellow toadstool, Sarcophyton elegans. Regardless, I mentioned environmental conditions above because water quality and lighting will strongly affect their health growth. Poor water quality is detrimental to the health of all aquarium inhabitants, and all species of Sarcophyton contain symbiotic zooxanthellae like almost all of the other reef-dwelling corals and thus rely on light for survival. Using high-output fluorescent lighting will work fine and will typically result in good growth, but they can be kept under very intense LED or metal halide lighting, as well. Then there are the tankmates… As hardy as toadstools are, they most certainly can be irritated or even outright burned up by other corals that can come into direct contact with them, or reach them with stinging tentacles. So, it's best to leave plenty of space between any corals that may harm a toadstool at the time of placement, or in the future as each grows. A wide variety of corals can also produce and exude a range of toxic chemicals into surrounding waters, producing a flow of nasty compounds that can irritate, stunt the growth of, or even kill other types of corals growing nearby. Things like terpenoids, diterpenoids, and acetates can be released, and all of the corals in any aquarium can be bathed in a low concentration, but potentially never ending flow of these. Soft corals generally lack the powerful tentacles that stony corals posses, but essentially all of them carry a chemical punch, and I suspect that these chemicals are responsible for the lack of growth I've witnessed at times. For example, I have a 125 gallon reef aquarium that is dominated by soft corals, and there's a lot of diversity at that. I've placed four different toadstools in the aquarium, but only one has grown well, while the others have grown little or none. The specimen of Sarcophyton elegans pictured above is one of them. While it looks perfectly fine, this specimen is a cutting from a much larger one, which was growing very well under similar lighting, but in an aquarium with only a few other soft corals in it. When the cutting was made it quickly increased in size, but after being moved into my aquarium, it just stopped growing. It hasn't had any problems that I know of, but it hasn't grown even an inch in over two years. Likewise, two of the other smaller cuttings from other types of toadstools that haven't grown very much, despite the fact that ALL other types of soft coral in the aquarium have been growing well - including a fourth toadstool cutting from yet another very different-looking specimen. It has grown as expected. So, that's why I'm under the impression that there's some form of chemical warfare going on in the aquarium, which shouldn't be a surprise, really. Water changes and the use of fresh activated carbon and a big skimmer haven't had any affect that I could see, so I guess I'm just stuck with a few small toadstools and one bigger one. Toadstools are generally very tough corals, but they can be irritated or injured by some others. Be mindful of this when placing one in an aquarium. Anyway, like many other corals, toadstools are colonial organisms that can reproduce by releasing parcels of themselves. In particular, they sometimes "auto-fragment" by dropping off bits and pieces of their own capitulum, which can readily grow into whole new colonies. While it's far less common, they can sprout bud-like projections on their trunks that can drop off and produce new colonies, as well. Even more uncommon, at times a large specimen may very slowly migrate along a surface, leaving small parts of itself attached to the substrate to form a trail of new colonies. Or, these buds may instead slowly migrate away from a stationary parent. Regardless of how they form, it should be obvious that a little piece of a specimen can grow to a full size specimen. Here you can see one of the ways toadstools reproduce. They can auto-fragment, dropping off pieces of themselves, which typically attach to the substrate near the base of the parent colony and grow from there. This is a good thing, as toadstools are yet another coral that can be easily propagated by hobbyists. Any of them can be cut up to produce more specimens, and the parent specimen typically heals quickly and without problems. To do so simply cut away a small piece of the top of a toadstool using a razor blade. Or, for a bigger piece you can actually cut off the whole capitulum by slicing through the trunk. The parent specimen should then be placed in an area with a good current to ensure that the cut area stays clean and free of detritus, and the cutting produced should be given something to attach to in a low-current area, or affixed to something manually. Using cyanoacrylate glue to stick a cutting onto a rock or frag pug often doesn't work so well. But, I've had good luck using some monofilament fishing line and a needle to do the job. All you have to do is run the line right through the bottom of the piece then tie it onto a piece of substrate. The line can then be snipping and carefully pulled out of the specimen later, after it has developed a firm attachment. You can also purchase and use a perforated breeder box which is usually used to separate baby fish from larger fish in freshwater aquariums. One of these boxes can be hung inside the aquarium with the bottom covered with some pieces of rock, and a cutting can be placed onto them. After anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, cuttings will usually take firm hold of one of the pieces of rock and can then be moved out. Easy. So, while there can be some issues from time to time, overall toadstools are attractive, hardy, and easy to propagate, making it easy to see why they are a long-time hobby favorite. By the way, when no host anemone is around, don't be surprised if a clownfish takes up residence in the polyps of a toadstool. A number of other fishes will do this, too. References Aratake S., et al. 2012. Soft Coral Sarcophyton (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Octocorallia) Species Diversity and Chemotypes. PLoS ONE 7(1). Delbeek, J.C. and J. Sprung. 1997. The Reef Aquarium: Volume Two. Ricordea Publishing, Coconut Grove, FL. 546pp. Holmes-Farley, R. 2003. Aluminum in the Reef Aquarium. Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine, URL: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/july2003/chem.htm World Register of Marine Species, undated. URL: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=205483 View the full article

After almost four decades of absence from local waters, a special sea slug appears to be making a comeback, and marine scientists at UC Santa Barbara are eagerly anticipating its return. (2013-03-19) View the full article

Click through to see the images. Stingray City is an ecotourist attraction in the Cayman Islands where an estimated 1 million tourists visit each year for an opportunity to mingle with the large local population of southern stingrays, Dasyatis americana. Researchers Guy Harvey and Mahmood Shivji wanted to know if all of the interaction caused a change in behavior of the southern stingrays that call Stingray City / Sandbar their home. They published their research in the March 18 issue of PLoS ONE: "Supplemental Feeding for Ecotourism Reverses Diel Activity and Alters Movement Patterns and Spatial Distribution of the Southern Stingray, Dasyatis americana." Co-author Guy Harvey stated that "measuring that [ecotourism] impact is important because there's a lot of interest in creating more of these interactive ecotourism operations, but we know little about the life histories of the animals involved or how they might change." Shivji, the other co-author on the article said they "...saw some very clear and very prominent behavioral changes, and were surprised by how these large animals had essentially become homebodies in a tiny area." Southern stingrays are normally solitary, nocturnal animals, sleeping during the day and feeding at night traveling long distances in search of food. The rays at Stingray City, however, show very different behavior. Instead of solitary lives, they live together in dense clusters rarely traveling far from Stingray City and sometimes even schooling together during feeding. The rays also switched their sleeping patterns from nocturnal to swimming and feeding during the day and sleeping at night. Aggression between animals also increased with rays showing bite marks from other rays. Finally, their mating patterns changed. Normal southern rays mate only during mating season each year. Stingray City southern rays, however, mate year-round. These are significant changes that could have dire consequences for the local population of rays. "Right now, these animals have no protection at all," mentions Guy Harvey. "Without more studies like these, we won't know what that means for the wildlife or if we need to take action. It's unclear how much of the stingray's daily diet comes from tourism provided food, but the good news is we have seen the animals forage when tourists are absent suggesting that these animal are not completely dependent on these handouts." (via Eurekalert) View the full article

Click through to see the images. CITES agreed to regulate the international trade of oceanic whitetip sharks, the porbeagle, three types of hammerheads and the manta ray. Fisherman will be required to obtain export permits to conduct businesses pertaining to these species. Violators face sanctions by the global members of CITES. However, the agreement must still be formally approved by the CITES plenary session to go into effect. CITES regulates the international trade of over 35,000 species, including the trade of many marine ornamentals such as coral, clams, and live rock. CITES is a treaty ratified by almost every nation (177 countries) including the United States, members of the European Union, Japan, and China (which to no one's surprise unsuccessfully attempted to block the proposal). View the full article

Click through to see the images. It certainly helps that his livestock is incredibly healthy. And it doesn't hurt that his photos and video are beautifully shot and produced. Great job all around, Javier! You're an inspiration to us all. For more photos of his reef aquarium (including some unreal top-down photos), visit his thread at zeovit.com View the full article

There is a previously discussion on hang carry of fish from oversea being discussed here before if you do a search on it. As far as i know, there is a limitations on the liters of water that can be bought in but you must check in the bag.

Another new week.. Where are all the exotic shipment ?

There is a recent good article from the Online magazine talking about the QT procedure here ; However not all the medicine which they mention can be found locally, i would replace the Przi Pro with Prazi Gold and Maracyn Two with OF yellow powder. These are the 3 bottle of medicine which i would usually stock up at home, since i think it is necessarily especially for a Fish only tank. And the additional bottle which i usually would get is Para Guard which is a mix of everything but unlike copper which can be too harsh on some fishes.

Click through to see the images. Peter Lynch and his crew were fishing for cod and rays in the sea off Co Waterford when an unexpected "red thing" showed up in their nets. Intrigued, they carefully placed it in a holding tank and then contacted the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) to find out what it was. It turns out that it was a poisonous red scorpionfish. The reason this catch is so unique is because scorpionfish are normally found in much warmer waters than where it was captured. Typically these fish are found in thbe Canaries, the Mediterranean and southern Spain. To date, only four of these fish have ever been found in Irish waters. After identification, the fish was taken to the Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium in Co Kerry where it will be displayed in the rare fish section. (via PFK) View the full article