Harlequinmania

Click through to see the images. Read more about the Banggai Resuce Project, make a pledge, and follow its progress. You can also click on the Banggai Rescue Kickstarter progress tab on the right to go directly to the project funding page. Also, make sure to read Advanced Aquarist's interview with Banggai Rescue team member Ret Talbot for more details about the project such as what your pledges will help make possible: Ret Talbot: The Kickstarter funding will, as the name implies, “kickstart” the project. As I’m sure you can imagine, the project—producing the book and all the research, writing, illustration, production, and printing that will go into producing the book—will cost far more than the $25,000 we are seeking through Kickstarter. The Kickstarter funding will, however, allow us to get the project off the ground by helping to cover the costs associated with embedding me as a journalist with the scientific expedition, by helping to fund the work that will go into establishing the breeding protocols, and by helping fund the editing, production and printing of the first edition of the book in time for MACNA 2012 in Dallas. Moving beyond just the Kickstarter funding, the Project itself will also involve collaboration with a team of scientists, collaboration with partners in Indonesia, and collaboration with academic institutions and others hoping to scale mariculture and aquaculture initiatives up to a commercial level both here in the States and in the source country. While we look forward to that collaboration and even helping to hopefully fund some of those initiatives that will benefit the species, the ecosystems from which the species originates, the local fishers and their communities, and the trade at large, it’s important, I think, to remember that Banggai Rescue is ultimately about a book we hope can initiate some important dialog and, dare I say, reform in the industry. View the full article

Click through to see the images. Read more about the Banggai Resuce Project, make a pledge, and follow its progress. You can also click on the Banggai Rescue Kickstarter progress tab on the right to go directly to the project funding page. Also, make sure to read Advanced Aquarist's interview with Banggai Rescue team member Ret Talbot for more details about the project such as what your pledges will help make possible: Ret Talbot: The Kickstarter funding will, as the name implies, “kickstart” the project. As I’m sure you can imagine, the project—producing the book and all the research, writing, illustration, production, and printing that will go into producing the book—will cost far more than the $25,000 we are seeking through Kickstarter. The Kickstarter funding will, however, allow us to get the project off the ground by helping to cover the costs associated with embedding me as a journalist with the scientific expedition, by helping to fund the work that will go into establishing the breeding protocols, and by helping fund the editing, production and printing of the first edition of the book in time for MACNA 2012 in Dallas. Moving beyond just the Kickstarter funding, the Project itself will also involve collaboration with a team of scientists, collaboration with partners in Indonesia, and collaboration with academic institutions and others hoping to scale mariculture and aquaculture initiatives up to a commercial level both here in the States and in the source country. While we look forward to that collaboration and even helping to hopefully fund some of those initiatives that will benefit the species, the ecosystems from which the species originates, the local fishers and their communities, and the trade at large, it’s important, I think, to remember that Banggai Rescue is ultimately about a book we hope can initiate some important dialog and, dare I say, reform in the industry. View the full article

Click through to see the images. Read more about the Banggai Resuce Project, make a pledge, and follow its progress. You can also click on the Banggai Rescue Kickstarter progress tab on the right to go directly to the project funding page. Also, make sure to read Advanced Aquarist's interview with Banggai Rescue team member Ret Talbot for more details about the project such as what your pledges will help make possible: Ret Talbot: The Kickstarter funding will, as the name implies, “kickstart” the project. As I’m sure you can imagine, the project—producing the book and all the research, writing, illustration, production, and printing that will go into producing the book—will cost far more than the $25,000 we are seeking through Kickstarter. The Kickstarter funding will, however, allow us to get the project off the ground by helping to cover the costs associated with embedding me as a journalist with the scientific expedition, by helping to fund the work that will go into establishing the breeding protocols, and by helping fund the editing, production and printing of the first edition of the book in time for MACNA 2012 in Dallas. Moving beyond just the Kickstarter funding, the Project itself will also involve collaboration with a team of scientists, collaboration with partners in Indonesia, and collaboration with academic institutions and others hoping to scale mariculture and aquaculture initiatives up to a commercial level both here in the States and in the source country. While we look forward to that collaboration and even helping to hopefully fund some of those initiatives that will benefit the species, the ecosystems from which the species originates, the local fishers and their communities, and the trade at large, it’s important, I think, to remember that Banggai Rescue is ultimately about a book we hope can initiate some important dialog and, dare I say, reform in the industry. View the full article

Click through to see the images. Stanford marine biologists search for the world's strongest coral Researchers are blogging about their expedition to the South Pacific, where they are studying why some corals survive the effects of climate change while others die. Stanford marine biologist Stephen Palumbi describes the back reefs at Ofu Island in American Samoa as a tropical paradise with turquoise lagoons of warm water that would please any tourist. But as the tides wash in and out, Palumbi says the corals that live in the lagoons are exposed to temperatures high enough to kill most reefs. Surprisingly, the reefs are thriving. "In fact, they're growing faster than the same species elsewhere," he says. Palumbi and his research team, currently on an expedition to Ofu Island, are trying to find out what makes these corals so tough. Are they unique, or could all corals be this heat resistant? Answering these questions will help his team find ways to protect corals, which scientists worry are at risk as climate change raises ocean temperature. The death and destruction of coral reefs, which are home to an array of fish and other sea creatures, can have devastating effects on communities that rely on the reefs for food and trade. The reefs also attract tourism. "Our research tries to find the corals that are better at resisting the negative effects of high temperature, and find out at the molecular genetic level how they accomplish this," Palumbi said. To test the corals' strength, Palumbi, director of Hopkins Marine Station, and his team use a coral stress tank, a computer-controlled aquarium that allows the scientists to heat water to a precise degree. "We place corals from different locations in these tanks, ramp the temperature up over the course of a day and record which of the corals bleach," Palumbi says. The tanks are simple in design, made using coolers that have been jerry-rigged with fans, floodlights and a fish tank heat stick. They can easily be carried to remote locations and hooked up to laptops that control the water temperature. The first part of the team's expedition takes place in Ofu Island. Palumbi will then take the tanks on the road for the first time to Rarotonga and Aitutaki in the Cook Islands. "We do not know if the strong corals we find tomorrow will be dead the next day," Palumbi says. "But if we do not find them, we will never know where to protect them." Palumbi's expedition runs through April 7. The team's travels can be followed on Twitter and through its blog. Media Contact Brooke Donald, News Service: (650) 725-0224, brooke.donald@stanford.edu " height="250" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425"> "> "> View the full article

Ecologists in New Zealand have shown for the first time that Marine Protected Areas – long advocated as a way of protecting threatened marine mammals – actually work. Their study, based on 21 years' monitoring reveals that a marine sanctuary off the coast of Christchurch has significantly improved survival of Hector's dolphins – one of the rarest dolphins in the world. View the full article

Click through to see the images. Click to read Sicce's LED Light promotional cut sheet (2.0mb Adobe PDF) The new Sicce LED Lights are constructed of acrylic enclosures/bezels with large, top-mounted anodized extruded aluminum heat sinks. Both models are passively cooled. Unlike the high-output diodes used in most LED lights on the market today, Sicce has chosen to use a lot of low wattage white diodes instead (see specs below). Multiple rows of white diodes are supplemented by higher-output blue diodes. Both fixtures use only these two LED colors, "blue" and "white," to create a correlated color temperature of 14,000°K. The blue and white LEDs can be turned on and off independently. The two new models are: AM466 18.34 x 14.40 x 1.6 inches 110 watts 420 LEDs: 392 12,000-14,000°K + 28 446nm Blue PAR value 245 μmol/m2/sec (measured at 23") Color Temperature: 14,000°K 6 ft cable AM650 25.6 x 14.40 x 1.6 inches 170 watts 630 LEDs: 588 12,000-14,000°K White + 42 446nm Blue PAR value is currently not available Color Temperature: 14,000°K 6 ft cable According to Sicce, their new LED lights feature: For tanks from 20 to 36 inches long. Sicce LED Lighting models have separate switches for the blue and white LEDs. Each model comes with everything you need for quick and simple installation. High-efficiency LED lamps for maximum lumen output and minimal power consumption Optimized for even illumination over the entire tank Safe, efficient and SILENT heat dissipation without noisy fans Light spectrum does not shift over time Modular design is ready to upgrade when you are. Units can be easily combined to illuminate larger tanks. Built-in timer with sunrise/sunset program option Pricing and availability TBA (we have unconfirmed reports the AM466 will be around $1,400 USD). Advanced Aquarist will share more information as soon as it is available. View the full article

Scientists report "compelling evidence" that the Deepwater Horizon oil spill has impacted deep-sea corals. Their study used underwater robots to investigate the corals and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography to determine precisely the source of petroleum hydrocarbons found. View the full article

Scientists have discovered compelling evidence of the impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on deep-sea corals. The researchers used a wide range of underwater vehicles, including the research submarine Alvin, as well as comprehensive chemical-analysis techniques to determine precisely the source of the petroleum hydrocarbons they found on the corals. View the full article

Bottlenose dolphins in Barataria Bay, Louisiana, are showing signs of severe ill health, according to marine mammal biologists. Barataria Bay, located in the northern Gulf of Mexico, received heavy and prolonged exposure to oil during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. View the full article

Bottlenose dolphins in Barataria Bay, Louisiana, are showing signs of severe ill health, according to marine mammal biologists. Barataria Bay, located in the northern Gulf of Mexico, received heavy and prolonged exposure to oil during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. View the full article

Click through to see the images. In their paper "A test of the senses: Fish select novel habitats by responding to multiple cues" published in the journal Ecology, researchers Huijbers, Chantal M., Ivan Nagelkerken, and others explain how they came to this conclusion. For this test they chose centimeter long juvenile French Grunts, Haemulon flavolineatum, as they are a common fish throughout the Caribbean. These particular fish settle out of the plankton and then somehow navigate from far out at sea to mangrove / seagrass nurseries where they mature among others of their species. These researchers wanted to know exactly how the grunts managed this feat given their size and how far away they were from where they grow up. In the first round of experiments, the researchers setup auditory chambers that allowed fish to "choose" which sounds they prefer by preferentially swimming toward one particular sound versus another. When given a choice, these fish showed a high preference to swim toward the sound of waves crashing on a coral reef. When fish are far out at sea, the logic is that the crashing of waves on a reef would orient them toward land and ultimately the mangrove swamps that they're trying to navigate toward. Since these fish do not grow up on coral reefs, the next question was how do they navigate from reef areas to mangroves and seagrass areas. Since they still can't see the mangrove / seagrass nurseries from the reef, the researchers thought that maybe they can somehow smell their way after getting close using the sound of the reef. To test this hypothesis, they setup olfactory "Y"-shaped mazes using different scents for the fish to "choose" from. Given the choice, they chose the smell of mud flats which is where the mangroves and seagrasses would be located. The third test had the fish choosing between images of different habitats and shoal mates. In this particular test the fish did not discriminate based upon images of different habitats. However, they were highly drawn to potential shoal mates. Interesting! The last test performed was a combination test. The fish were again placed back in the olfactory test maze and allowed to choose their preferred scent. Immediately after that, images of potential shoal mates were shown. Then the preferred scent was switched. The researchers found that once visual recognition of shoal mates was made that preferred scents were less important. According to Dr. Ivan Nagelkerken, the corresponding author of the paper: "This study demonstrates the complex behavior employed by young juvenile coral reef fish, and highlights the importance of maintaining a mosaic of different habitats and healthy local populations in order for the French grunt, and many fish like it, to complete their life cycle." (via Underwater Times) View the full article

Click through to see the images. A Beautiful Life We recently visited Sulawesi, Indonesia in our Destination Reefs series. We're back again to witness amazing footage of baby flamboyant cuttlefish (Metasepia pfefferi) being born into the world. This beautiful video was filmed by Christian Loader at Lembeh Strait, Sulawesi. Learn more about flamboyant cuttlefish by reading Richard Ross' fantastic Advanced Aquarist article. " height="408" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="680"> "> "> View the full article

Click through to see the images. A Beautiful Life We recently visited Sulawesi, Indonesia in our Destination Reefs series. We're back again to witness amazing footage of baby flamboyant cuttlefish (Metasepia pfefferi) being born into the world. This beautiful video was filmed by Christian Loader at Lembeh Strait, Sulawesi. Learn more about flamboyant cuttlefish by reading Richard Ross' fantastic Advanced Aquarist article. " height="408" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="680"> "> "> View the full article

Click through to see the images. Ha'apai is group of sparsely populated, rarely visited islands in Central Tonga. As such, the reefs of Ha'apai are some of the most pristine in the world. Its underwater topography is dramatic and diverse: Coral flats, drop-offs, caves, sandy "plains" and and rocky "mountains" define Ha'apai's reefs. We present five short but glorious videos by Liquid Image Productions. The imagery is jaw-dropping. It's no surprise humpbacks frequent Tonga; It's truly a South Pacific paradise. Watch every video; We promise you it's time well spent. The Destination Reefs video series showcases the diversity of coral reefs around the world. Through these high quality videos, Advanced Aquarist hopes we can all gain a greater appreciation of reef life beyond our glass boxes. View the full article

Click through to see the images. The strangely colored fish was recently imported by Tropical Live Imports, a German wholesaler. This photo was originally shared by our European friends at reefnews.eu. View the full article

Click through to see the images. The strangely colored fish was recently imported by Tropical Live Imports, a German wholesaler. This photo was originally shared by our European friends at reefnews.eu. View the full article

Click through to see the images. The video shows the flexibility/tunability of a RLSS R8U protein skimmer using a RPM-adjustable DC pump. The DC-5000 pump features soft ramp-up as well as integrated feed mode. We also see that the skimmer cup is a fitted slip design (with O-ring) and is not threaded; This is a nice design choice and will allow for fast and easy cleaner cup maintenance. From the information we've gathered thus far, the RLSS skimmers represent an impressive value. Read more about the RLSS protein skimmers and about the Waveline DC pumps. " height="350" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425"> "> "> View the full article

In the search for sustainability of the ocean's fisheries, solutions can be found in a surprising place: the ancient past. Marine scientists reconstructed fisheries yields over seven centuries of human habitation in Hawaii and the Florida Keys, the largest coral reef ecosystems in the United States, and evaluated the management strategies associated with periods of sustainability. The results surprised them. View the full article

In the search for sustainability of the ocean's fisheries, solutions can be found in a surprising place: the ancient past. Marine scientists reconstructed fisheries yields over seven centuries of human habitation in Hawaii and the Florida Keys, the largest coral reef ecosystems in the United States, and evaluated the management strategies associated with periods of sustainability. The results surprised them. View the full article

A biosensor made of fluorescent proteins embedded in the shell of microscopic marine algae called diatoms could help detect chemicals in water samples. The same research could also lead to new, diatom-inspired nanomaterials that could solve problems in sensing, catalysis and environmental remediation. View the full article

Click through to see the images. The 2012 MTRC Reef Expo and Frag Swap $5.00 Admission Guest Speakers Joe Warner from Warner Marine and Randy Reed from Reed Maniculture will be speaking. Many coral and dry good vendors will be present, with raffle prizes and more! A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. View the full article

Click through to see the images. Energy Efficient Pontellid copepods live near the ocean's surface where food (phytoplankton) is plentiful. However, living in this open environment exposes them to increased predatory risk. Some of these neustonic ("water surface dwelling") copepods escape predators by jumping out of the water - like flying fish - with a sudden kinetic burst. While common sense might tell us expending so much energy to break the surface tension of the water is inefficient, the math shows otherwise. This is because air is 850 times less dense than water. The net energy required to travel through air after accounting for the energy required to break the water's surface is still less than the energy required to travel the same distance through water. If you've observed copepods in your aquarium, you have probably witnessed the jerky bursts they use to dart from place to place. Each burst will only take the copepod so far then it will have to burst again to cover more distance. The researchers found that it takes less energy for a copepod to travel through air with a single burst compared to multiple underwater bursts. This research by the University of Texas in Austin is published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Here is a video of "flying" copepods escaping larval mulletfish (Mugil cephalus). " height="408" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="680"> "> "> [via BBC News] View the full article

Click through to see the images. Last year husband and wife Ned and Anna DeLoach of BlennyWatcher.com were diving in Indonesia when they and one of their dive buddies happened upon a interesting sight: a ball of juvenile striped catfish (Plotosus lineatus). Juveniles of this species regularly form ball aggregations of 100 fish or more for protection from predators. However, the ball itself wasn't what was interesting. What was interesting was what was inside the ball along with the striped catfish. A number of juvenile bluespotted trevally jacks (Caranx bucculentus) inside the writhing ball had taken on the black and white striped pattern of the striped catfish. When they showed their photos and video to jack expert Dr. William Smith-Vaniz, he stated that this striped pattern matching the striped catfish coloration had not been observed before and that this was most likely a case of opportunistic mimickry. Most likely the jacks were gaining some protection out of being associated with the large catfish ball and possibly gaining access to food items that were disturbed as the undulating ball moved across the reef. We thank Anna DeLoach of BlennyWatcher.com for sharing this incredible discovery with us! View the full article

Toothed whales and dolphins are remarkable accurate hunters, considering that they locate prey using echolocation alone, so how do they pull this off? Biologists tested the echolocation skills of a false killer whale called Kina and discovered that she focuses her echolocation beam on targets, effectively "squinting" to locate far off objects or objects that are hard to differentiate. View the full article

Click through to see the images. If you've ever dreamed about living by a coral reef, it doesn't get better than this. Here is an aerial view of the massive 75 acre estate. On one side of your 14,500 square feet palace: a lush tropical forest inhabited by wallabies and exotic birds. On the other side: the Great Barrier Reef stretching out into the big blue turquoise Pacific! Coral bommies are literally at your doorstep. And of course like any seaside mega-estate, you have your tennis court, helipad, boat slipway, dual spas and gymnasium. When we say Heaven's Gate is secluded, we mean it. The estate is located on beautiful, undeveloped land. No pesky neighbors or tourists will disturb your private paradise. I can think of no better way to power this house than with the tropical sun. According to the estate listing: [Heaven's Gate] is eco-friendly and self-sufficient. The electricity is produced from solar panels with mains and its own generator as back-up, there is 350,000 litres of rainwater stored in tanks, including 110,000 litres of high level gravity fed water storage and 2 bores and a private well. All grey and waste water is automatically pumped from its own eco septic system on to the vegetable garden. Outdoor entertaining decks abound throughout the estate. Hello private beach. Bedroom suites overlook the Great Barrier Reef. Imagine waking up to the view every morning! The seller is nice enough to include two Honda dirt motorcycles and quad ATVs in the $10,000,000 asking price. Hey! It's not easy filling a 10 car garage. A few more photos of Heaven's Gate, including a home theater room, Japanese-inspired courtyard, modern kitchen and baths, and an expansive "great room." But let's be honest: who's going to spend much time indoors with the GBR beckoning right outside? For more information or to contact the real estate agent of your future dream home, visit Real Estate of Distinction's website. View the full article