Harlequinmania

you can also consider supplementing the LED with 2 tube of T5, it will improve the coral growth ! Nice tank , keep the photos coming

Heard there is a Hawaii shipment at irwanna this coming sunday. Ah beng still have a few regal angel ( Grey belly ), lamarck angel, box fish, six bar angel, adult emperor, ect...

Click through to see the images. At one point in the video, a woman says "You think he just does this everyday for fun?" Priceless! Does anyone know where this is? The video's description states "Winnipeg Manitoba," but I am unable to find any public aquariums in this area, let alone one with a walk-through tropical reef tunnel aquarium and home to the world's friendliest eel. It should go without saying, but eel keepers should not attempt to handle your eels at home. " height="410" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="680"> "> "> View the full article

Click through to see the images. Everyone is encouraged to attend Next Wave 2012! — Think of this conference as going to Reef Keeping College for a day. Four speakers are being flown in to instruct attendees on successful saltwater care. After each presentation, which will be in the form of slides, PowerPoint, or video, attendees can ask questions from the speakers about the subject being discussed. Don’t miss your chance to gain knowledge that will last you a lifetime! View the full article

Click through to see the images. The overall dimensions are: 68"H x 75"W x 22"D. The condition is impressive given that this aquarium and wood stand are nearly 100 years old. Visit our friends at 3Reef for more photos and descriptions and view the eBay listing. We regret to inform you the the tank is not reef-ready. View the full article

Nitrogen derived from human activities has polluted lakes throughout the Northern Hemisphere for more than a century and the fingerprint of these changes is evident even in remote lakes located thousands of miles from the nearest city, industrial area or farm. The findings are based on historical changes in the chemical composition of bottom deposits in lakes using an approach similar to aquatic archeology. View the full article

Researchers studying sound production in perch-like fishes have discovered a link between two unrelated lineages of fishes, taking researchers a step closer to understanding the evolution of one of the fastest muscles in vertebrates. View the full article

In 2011, researchers at the California Academy of Sciences added 140 new relatives to our family tree. The new species include 72 arthropods, 31 sea slugs, 13 fishes, 11 plants, nine sponges, three corals, and one reptile. They were described by more than a dozen Academy scientists along with several dozen international collaborators. View the full article

In 2011, researchers at the California Academy of Sciences added 140 new relatives to our family tree. The new species include 72 arthropods, 31 sea slugs, 13 fishes, 11 plants, nine sponges, three corals, and one reptile. They were described by more than a dozen Academy scientists along with several dozen international collaborators. View the full article

Click through to see the images. Unfortunately, not much information is available on what additives will constitute "the first wave" nor what additives are planned for the future. The only information available at this time are the cryptic marketing names for some of ATM's new additives ... names like "Paradigm," "Outbreak!," and "Colony." Advanced Aquarist has obtained the promotional media kit for ATM's new product line. The document contains the following sections: What is “Tanked”? What does “Tanked” Mean For The Aquatics Industry? What “Tanked” Isn’t Responses To “Tanked” Why ATM product line? The Real Deal (a listing of professional clientele using ATM formulas). Click to read ATM's "Future of Aquatics" media kit (Adobe pdf | 5.5mb, allow time to download) Below is the text for the section "Why ATM product line?" Wayde King and Brett Raymer are the number one aquarium builders in the world. Because setting up an aquarium still carries risks to new hobbyists, we have all the reason in the world to get the right tools in their hands. What better tools than those that ATM uses? These are the same formulas they lean on for their own high dollar installations and getting aquariums set up quickly, from small to large from novice to expert skill levels. Being number one carries a lot of clout in any other aspect of American industry, there’s no reason aquatics should be exempt from this rule. The first wave of the ATM product line is targeted to new hobbyists and fundamental functions. If new hobbyists are not started out successfully the industry suffers. ATM is the ambassador to new hobbyists and the help to get them started right. This is how the industry grows from small to BIG and everyone wins. “Keep the new hobbyists”. That is the mantra of the aquarium industry moving forward, above all else. ATM is on the front lines of this cause getting them in the door and getting them started successfully! "Tanked" will return to Animal Planet in 2012 with 20 new episodes. View the full article

Click through to see the images. Almost all sorts of reef-building corals and most all of their reef-dwelling kin contain symbiotic zooxanthellae, and require bright light to live. Thus, these are called zooxanthellate corals, and they're all restricted to life in relatively clear, shallow, warm, and well-lit waters. However, there are lots of other stony corals out there that don't contain these algae and have no need for light. These are the non-symbiotic corals, which are properly called aposymbiotic or azooxanthellate species. These unique corals still build a calcium carbonate skeleton, just like zooxanthellate stony corals, and they have feeding tentacles, too. In fact, they have relatively large tentacles, as they rely strictly on capturing plankton and particulate matter to stay alive. Some live as solitary individuals, but many others form small colonies, and a few can even form structures over a meter across, as well. A few are completely clear or white in color, which is unique to azooxanthellate species, but most all of them come in various colors. So, if you didn't know exactly what you were looking at, you'd never know that the vast majority of these corals were any different from their light-loving cousins. There are a few that live amongst their zooxanthellate relatives, finding their own place in tropical reef environments, but most of these azooxanthellate corals live in other sorts of habitats. They don't need light, so they can live in caves and such, but they can also live at any depth. Zooxanthellate corals are restricted to shallow waters where they get plenty of sunlight, but azooxanthellate corals have no such restrictions and have been found at depths of thousands of meters. They can also live in much colder waters, and often do. In fact, scientists are also finding out more and more about the widespread presence of entire reef systems that are formed by azooxanthellate corals in deep/cold waters. These are entirely different ecosystems of course, but they are most certainly reefs. If you're interested, check out Cold-water Coral Reefs: Out of Sight - No Longer Out of Mind, published by the United Nations Environmental Programme-World Conservation Monitoring Centre, which is available online1. Very interesting, indeed. Anyway, getting to the specific topic… There are numerous species of azooxanthellate stony corals out there, but more than likely the only ones you'll ever come across in the hobby are known as the sun corals, some of which are called orange cup corals. This umbrella of a common name is used for several species of the genera Tubstraea and Dendrophyllia, and these are the subject from here on out. Identification The sun corals we see in the hobby start out as single polyps, but they typically develop into fist-sized colonies that are colored in red to orange to yellow, or uncommonly pink. The tentacles may be the same color as the thin tissue that covers the rest of a colony, and are rather translucent, but sometimes they're lighter in color or even white. The tentacles are also dotted with numerous visible batteries of nematocysts used to capture food items. While some species have polyps that are independent of each other, the polyps of most sun corals form relatively tall cylinders that rise from a typically ball-like base. Regardless of growth form, the polyps can also completely retract their tentacles when not feeding. In fact, the tentacles often spend several hours at a time closed down, primarily during the day, with a thin sheath of tissue closed over the top of the polyp in a draw-string fashion that keeps them out of sight. This is normal behavior, but do keep in mind that they shouldn't stay closed all of the time. After acclimation to an aquarium, which may take several days, the polyps should open up and take food when it is offered. More on that in a minute, though. All in all, there are 7 species of sun corals in the genus Tubastraea2, and another 23 species in the genus Dendrophyllia3. However, according to Borneman4, any specimens of sun coral seen for sale are most likely Tubastraea faulkneri or T. coccinea, as these are the two most commonly imported species. However, many species of Tubastraea and Dendrophyllia are so similar in appearance that they cannot be identified at the species or even generic level without a close examination of some features that can only be examined when a specimen is dead. To show how futile it can be trying to pin a specific name on some sun coral specimens, here's what I found when I thumbed though a few of the books on my shelf: Fossa and Nilsen5 state "...it is very difficult to distinguish the Dendrophyllia and Tubastraea species from one another. A determination is only possible based on the form and position of the mesenterial filaments, characteristics which are impossible to recognize in living animals." Next to a photograph in Delbeek and Sprung6 the authors state "These look like Dendrophyllia, but cannot be distinguished from Tubastraea without examining the skeletal structure of the corallites." And, Veron7 states "Tubastraea and Dendrophyllia are not distinguishable without examination of the pattern of septal fusion." So, despite the fact that Tubastraea faulkneri or T. coccinea are supposedly the most common species available, with one distinct exception that I'll get to later and one identified under its photo below, I'm not sure that importers or hobbyists really have any idea what species any given sun coral specimen is, or even what genus it's in for that matter. While Fossa and Nilsen3 note that T. coccinea has a branching skeleton and T. faulkneri does not, after spending a considerable amount of time online I have been unable to find any sort of an identification key that points out any differences between these two species, much less any of the other similar species. Thus, for the most part, I'm not even going to try to identify any of these. If I had to guess, I'd say this is Tubastraea coccinea, since I found one source that says it is branching species. However, that's only a guess. Here's one of the sun corals that can easily be identified at the species level. It's Tubastraea diaphana, which is dark-colored but does not form a branching skeleton like T. micrantha (covered below). While identification is difficult, I did find that the polyps of Dendrophyllia are often oval and larger in diameter than those of Tubastraea. So, I'm thinking this might be a dendrophyllid. Regardless, as best as I can tell, all of these look-alikes have the same care requirements, and not knowing exactly what is what is unlikely to have any effect on your chances of success or failure with them. So, let's get on with the aquarium husbandry of sun corals, starting with water quality requirements. Water Quality As mentioned above, despite being azooxanthellate, sun corals still build a calcium carbonate skeleton just as other stony corals do. And, they're adapted to life in reef waters, so water quality should be the same as it would be for any other stony corals. The salinity should be in the range of 1.023 to 1.027 as measured using its specific gravity. The temperature should stay in the range of about 72° to 84°F. However, somewhere around 75° to 81°F is really the optimal range you should try for, as this is perfectly suitable for corals and gives some room up and down if your heater/air conditioner should ever fail. The concentration of calcium, the pH, and the alkalinity of the aquarium's water are particularly important for all stony corals too, so all three of these must be maintained at acceptable levels, as well. Keeping calcium concentrations in the range of 400 to 450ppm is optimal, but they can be a bit lower or higher. The pH should optimally be kept around 8.2 to 8.4, and alkalinity should be kept in the range of 7 to 12dKH, although these often go a little higher or lower, as well. Lastly, you'll also need to keep waterborne nutrients at minimal levels, particularly phosphorus in the form of phosphates. The presence of phosphates can affect the production of calcium carbonate skeletal material by stony corals, and elevated phosphate levels can shut down its production completely. In addition, phosphates also act a great fertilizers, but for all the wrong stuff. Elevated phosphate concentrations can quickly lead to the rapid growth unwanted algae, which can really muck up an aquarium and can even overgrow and kill many corals. It is particularly important to think about this with respect to sun corals, as they lack zooxanthellae and will require significant amounts of food on a regular basis (covered below). Adding enough food to keep sun corals healthy can easily lead to unsuitable nutrient levels in a closed aquarium system, and that's really the single biggest issue with respect to caring for these corals. It can be difficult enough to keep nutrient levels low in a "regular" reef aquarium, but the constant addition of extra foods can make it even harder. Thus, you'll very likely need to use a good skimmer and perform more frequent and/or larger water changes than normal in order to keep things in check. For example, you can find two articles online8/9 covering the aquariums of Mike Cao, which are stocked with a variety of azooxanthellate corals. He started with a 20 gallon aquarium, and was doing two 25% water changes a week (yes, that's 200% per month), using activated carbon, running an oversized skimmer, and using ozone in order to keep nutrient levels in check. Then he created a multiple tank system with a total volume of 155 gallons. Now he's doing 22.5% water changes weekly (90% per month), and is still using carbon, a large skimmer, and ozone. That obviously quite demanding. Of course, you may get by just fine doing something much closer to "regular" maintenance if you only have one or a few sun coral specimens in a relatively large aquarium. Regardless, the bottom line is that it's important to remember that the more food that goes in, the more time, effort, and money it's going to take to keep nutrients levels low. Feeding Again, sun corals have no zooxanthellae, so they'll obviously rely on capturing food particles to stay alive. Fortunately, they can feed on relatively large bits of food and can be kept healthy using a variety of things, which can be target fed directly to polyps using a turkey baster or large needleless syringe, or by adding other sorts of foods to the whole tank. Brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, rotifers, copepods, etc. and even bits of chopped fish, clam, or other marine meats can be used. Soaking bits of such foods in a vitamin supplement is often suggested, as well. While many hobbyists have been successful feeding sun corals every two or three days, some suggest that doing so daily is best. Some hobbyists even use a drip/dosing system to constantly add zooplankton products, oyster eggs, etc. However, I've found that using a turkey baster every other day will get the job done just fine, and numerous other hobbyists have been successful doing the same. Regardless of the timing, a good way to do the job if a specimen's tentacles aren't extended when you're ready to feed is to put whatever food you're using into a shot glass along with some water from the tank. Swirl the food around a bit (and let it thaw if it's frozen), and suck up a little bit of the water with a baster/syringe, then squirt a little of the water over a specimen. This will typically elicit a feeding response, and the tentacles should emerge within a few minutes. At that point you can go ahead and suck up some of the food and begin squirting it into the waiting tentacles. Sun corals typically extend their tentacles when feeding, but may spend most of the time with them retracted. With that said, it's also interesting (and convenient) that with some diligence it's typically possible to train a specimen to eat at a particular time. While many new specimens seem reluctant to extend their tentacles, if you make attempts to feed a specimen at the same time every day for anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, it'll catch on. Once a specimen begins to consistently open up and feed at that time, it's common to see them opening up in anticipation of food before any is even added. Once that happens, you can obviously skip the teasing step of feeding it and skip straight to adding the food. Also, when feeding you'll need to see that each polyp receives its own meal. This is especially important for species that have polyps that are not connected together by soft tissue, and for normally connected species that are suffering from any tissue loss between the polyps. Once a polyp has some food it will ingest it and momentarily retract its tentacles. So, it should be easy enough to see if they've all gotten something to eat. If you aren't giving them enough of what they need, the first clear sign of trouble is often a lack of polyp expansion, which is followed by a deterioration of the thin sheet of tissue that covers the skeletal area between the polyps. Once it starts to go, the rest will soon follow if things aren't changed quickly. To make matters worse, algae will oftentimes show up on any exposed area where the tissue has died, which can lead to further tissue loss and can also make it more difficult for a specimen to recover if feeding is increased. So, it is imperative that you take action if you see any such signs of ill-health. Oh, and I almost forgot. If you use any sort of food that is big enough to attract the attention of your fishes, be sure to feed them first and feed them well. If you don't they'll oftentimes gobble up anything you try to give to a sun coral. Current Sun corals are found in areas where there is sufficient water motion to bring them food, and to keep them clean and free of sediment, too. So, all of them will do best where water flow is moderate to strong. For species that have a layer of tissue connecting the polyps at their base, keep in mind that if the flow is too low sediment can easily settle onto this tissue and collect over time, especially if they're not placed in a vertical or upside position. Thus, you'll need to keep a close watch on any such specimen and make sure that it is getting a strong enough current to prevent this from happening. If sediment does accumulate on a specimen it will typically lead to tissue loss in the covered area. This is what a sun corals typically look like when unhealthy. The tissue that covers the colonies' bases has disappeared, which often leads to further problems and death if water quality and flow is not improved and/or feeding is not increased. Aggression Despite having relatively large batteries of nematocysts lining their tentacles, sun corals are not aggressive and should not cause troubles for other corals in an aquarium. To the contrary, they're more likely to be the victim of a more aggressive species, so pay attention to how close they may be placed to such neighbors. Placement Sun corals are typically found in shaded and dark areas, such as the undersides of overhangs and in open caves. However, if space is available, they can also be seen in many other areas, too. I've seen them cover entire walls at times, where there was little or no competition from other types of corals. Regardless of location, they're always firmly attached to the substrate, and most are found in a vertical orientation or upside down. This likely helps to keep sediment from settling and collecting on the tissue covering the areas of a colony down between the polyps. Due to their lack of zooxanthellae, they can also live much deeper than most corals, being found as deep as about 360 feet2. The absence of light obviously doesn't hurt these corals. So, a specimen can be placed anywhere that there's a sufficient current to keep it clean and where it won't be potentially harmed by other corals. It's okay to place a specimen on the bottom, but it's far better to place it in a vertical or even upside down orientation and attach it to the rockwork using glue or epoxy. Drilling a hole in a colony and attaching it to some live rock with plastic screws is another option that works well when done properly. You do need to keep in mind that no matter where you place a specimen, you'll need to be able to get at it at feeding time without too much trouble, though. Also note that light certainly won't harm a sun coral as long as it is slowly acclimated. Any specimen should initially be placed where it doesn't get much light at all, then it can slowly be moved out/up into a more brightly lit area over a period of several days to a couple of weeks depending on the intensity of your lighting. Reproduction Under optimal conditions, sun corals can reproduce quite rapidly in a number of different ways. First, they can produce small versions of themselves, called polyp buds or balls, which grow from a parent polyp until they are large enough/heavy enough to break away. Then they settle somewhere else and begin the formation of a new colony10. Second, sun corals are hermaphroditic and can also reproduce sexually and/or asexually by producing planulae larvae11/12, which they will also do in aquariums at times. These can drift around an aquarium until they eventually settle and develop into a new colony. So, don't be surprised if new colonies seem to spring up from nowhere in an aquarium containing a well cared for specimen. Under optimal conditions, sun corals may reproduce rapidly. These new polyps seem to arise from nowhere where parent colonies produce offspring in aquariums. And there's more… While I haven't heard of anything like this occurring in an aquarium, some sun corals can produce "runners" that can extend several inches per year from a parent colony. Then, new polyps can develop at the ends of the runners, leading to the formation of a new colony13. Sounds a lot like the stolons that daisy polyps and such form. Lastly, if you're interested in manual propagation, it can be done. Healthy colonies can be cut into fragments using a small saw or power tool. But, that's another topic. Lastly, a warning Before stopping there's one species, Tubastraea micrantha, commonly called the black sun coral, that I have to warn you about. It isn't offered very often, but that's a good thing, as its survival record in aquariums is dismal to say the least. It looks quite different, forming a branching skeleton covered with fluorescent dark olive green to brownish black tissue and tentacles. Ittypically grows in a rather two-dimensional branching form, as well. It can also get rather large, as individual specimens can grow into fan-shaped colonies that may be up to a few feet across at times, with the branches being thicker than a big finger. This is Tubastraea micrantha, the black sun coral, which is apparently exceptionally difficult to keep long-term in aquaria. I found this beautiful specimen off the coast of Sulawesi, Indonesia. For reasons unknown, the black sun coral apparently requires especially high current, and while I've never tried to keep this species in an aquarium myself, from what others have said it seems that it needs considerably more food input than the other sun corals. While it isn't clear if it's the quantity, quality, or delivery of food in aquariums that's the problem (or all of the above), this species apparently has almost no chance of surviving long-term in captive systems no matter what or how you try to feed. It has been unanimously black-listed by those in the know, and Fossa and Nilsen5 state quite plainly, "We are of the opinion that it is not possible to maintain this species successfully in reef aquaria." I think that should get the point across. And with that said, it should be clear at this point that, despite their appearances in stores, none of these corals are as easy to care for as the zooxanthellate corals we keep in our aquariums. So avoid the black sun coral completely, and be ready to do what it takes and put forth the extra effort if you think you want to try a sun coral in your tank. If you'll provide them with ample food supplies and good conditions, they can certainly thrive in aquaria and even reproduce, thus there's no need to shy away from the other species of sun coral if you're up to the task. Just to throw in something else, these are specimens of the deepwater azooxanthellate stony coral Rhizotrochus typus, which I came across at a public aquarium in Japan. Notice that it has relatively long tentacles for capturing food, but lives as a single polyp unlike the Tubastraea species. This is quite unusual too, as it's a branching, white azooxanthellate stony coral that I also saw at an aquarium in Japan. A few more sun corals. References Freiwald, A. et al. 2004. Cold-water Coral Reefs: Out of Sight - No Longer Out of Mind. UNEP-WCMC, Cambridge, UK. URL: http://www.unep-wcmc.org/medialibrary/2010/09/10/29fefd54/CWC.pdf World Register of Marine Species. URL: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=267930 Marine Species Identification Portal. URL: http://species-identification.org/species.php?species_group=corals&id=38&menuentry=groepen Borneman, E. 1997. Tubastraea The Striking Sunflower Coral. URL: http://www.reefs.org/library/aquarium_net/0797/0797_3.html Fossa, S. and A. Nilsen. 1998. The Modern Coral Reef Aquarium, Volume 2. Birgit Schmettkamp Velag, Bornheim, Germany. 479pp. Delbeek, J.C. and J. Sprung. 1994. The Reef Aquarium: Volume One. Ricordea Publishing, Coconut Grove, FL. 544pp. Veron, J.E.N. 2000. Corals of the World, Vol. 2. Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Australia. 429pp. Blank, B. 2011. Uhuru's Stellar Azoox Nano Reef. URL: http://reefbuilders.com/2011/04/25/uhurus-azoox-nano-reef/ Cao, M. 2011. Feature Aquarium: Mike Cao's Non-Photosynthetic Reef. URL: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2011/1/aquarium Borneman, E. 2001. Aquarium Corals - Selection, Husbandry, and Natural History. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, NJ. 464pp. Glynn, P.W., et al. 2008. Reproductive ecology of the azooxanthellate coral Tubastraea coccinea in the equatorial eastern Pacific: Part V. Dendrophylliidae. Marine Biology 153: 529-544. Ayre, D.J. and J.M. Resing. 1986. Sexual and asexual production of planulae in reef corals. Marine Biology 90:187-190. Vermeij, M.J.A. 2005. A novel growth strategy allows Tubastrea coccinea to escape small-scale adverse conditions and start over again. Coral Reefs 24:442. View the full article

Kosterhavet National Park was created to provide a haven for both protected species and nature lovers. Now researchers have analyzed species living on the seabed (benthic species) in the marine national park to determine which marine areas require special protection. View the full article

you have a tank build similar to the video ? Maybe can share some pix with us lol.. What is the thickness of the glass you use ?

Check out this video on a shallow ADA tank. Simple is also a beauty

Click through to see the images. Instead of stealing their thunder, read more about the XBOX 360 Pico-Reef at Blue World Aquarium's blog. We'll just share one additional photo and a video of this creative build. " height="410" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="680"> "> "> View the full article

Scientists tracked a southern elephant seal for an astonishing 18,000 miles -- the equivalent of New York to Sydney and back again. View the full article

Scientists tracked a southern elephant seal for an astonishing 18,000 miles -- the equivalent of New York to Sydney and back again. View the full article

Click through to see the images. Staghorn (Acropora cervicornis) and Elkhorn (Acropora palmata) are the two threatened species that the CRF primarily work with at their nurseries. Divers asexually propagate the corals from broodstock, allow them to grow out for a year in an off-shore nursery, and then transplant them onto selected reefs. Throughout the years the CRF has restored thousands of Staghorn and Elkhorn to Florida's reefs. A personalized Staghorn fragment. They currently offer two ways that you can adopt a coral: Month-by-month for $50/month Yearly for $100 It's a bit pricey, but it's a good way to show support for their program and for coral reef restoration in general. In addition, each adopter will receive: Personalized certificate of adoption Personalized coral tag for use in the nursery (photo at right) On-line access to adoption status Full color on-line photo updates of adopted coral for a year Sharable links for friends and family Adoptions make great gifts for holidays (Christmas is right around the corner!), birthdays, graduations or other special events. To adopt your own personal Staghorn or Elkhorn this holiday season, head over to the Coral Restoration Foundation's Adopt a Coralâ„¢ website and begin shopping. Interestingly enough, EcoTech Marine is also sponsoring this worthwhile project as can be seen in the below video: (via Adopt A Coralâ„¢) View the full article

Click through to see the images. Download your free copy today. This issue features articles on: Where land and water meet: Ripariums Red Lotus Today in the fishroom Klunzinger's Wrasse Not just Groupers: Serranidae Snorkel Vanuatu Illumination - Aquarium Lighting Part Two View the full article

Click through to see the images. Arowanas are large fish, so it is no surprise they lay large (and dramatically golden) eggs. Arowanas are also paternal mouthbrooders, meaning the father incubates eggs in his mouth. This Korean video captures Golden Asian Arowana courting, copulating, laying eggs, and taking up the eggs into the father's mouth ... all within two minutes. Not only is the behavior fascinating, but it's always great to see captive breeding of endangered species. " height="410" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="680"> "> "> View the full article

Click through to see the images. It only takes one bad apple to tarnish our industry. Multiple Canadian newspapers are reporting on the conviction of Winnipeg businessman Jayson Daeninck on counts of importing protected species without proper permits. Daeninck was found guilty of 18 charges under the federal Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act. Sentencing is scheduled for early 2012. In 2007, Canada Customs intercepted an unpermitted shipment of 20,000 pounds of scleratinia rock into British Columbia. Officials arrested Daeninck soon thereafter and executed a search warrant at his home and business, SaltWaterConnection.com, where they discovered evidence of more illegal importation (with clear intent to defraud) of sea horses and giant clams. Reefkeepers may be familiar with this company under the trade name SWC - makers/importers of protein skimmers, reactors, and LED lighting systems. Daeninck claimed he had actually ordered another type of rock (that did not harbor protected corals) for the purpose of building a fence. However, the judge dismissed his defense as "meek and unbelievable." View the full article

Click through to see the images. It only takes one bad apple to tarnish our industry. Multiple Canadian newspapers are reporting on the conviction of Winnipeg businessman Jayson Daeninck on counts of importing protected species without proper permits. Daeninck was found guilty of 18 charges under the federal Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act. Sentencing is scheduled for early 2012. In 2007, Canada Customs intercepted an unpermitted shipment of 20,000 pounds of scleratinia rock into British Columbia. Officials arrested Daeninck soon thereafter and executed a search warrant at his home and business, SaltWaterConnection.com, where they discovered evidence of more illegal importation (with clear intent to defraud) of sea horses and giant clams. Reefkeepers may be familiar with this company under the trade name SWC - makers/importers of protein skimmers, reactors, and LED lighting systems. Daeninck claimed he had actually ordered another type of rock (that did not harbor protected corals) for the purpose of building a fence. However, the judge dismissed his defense as "meek and unbelievable." View the full article

The eel-like body and scrawny "limbs" of the African lungfish would appear to make it an unlikely innovator for locomotion. But its improbable walking behavior, newly described, redraws the evolutionary route of life on Earth from water to land. View the full article

Field research has uncovered the world's smallest frogs in southeastern New Guinea. The discovery also makes them the world's smallest tetrapods (non-fish vertebrates). The frogs belong to the genus Paedophryne, all of whose species are extremely small, with adults of the two new species -- named Paedophryne dekot and Paedophryne verrucosa -- only 8 to 9 millimeters in length. View the full article

Click through to see the images. Published this week in Coral Reefs, researchers Hoeksema and de Voogd report in their paper "On the run: free-living mushroom corals avoiding interaction with sponges" about this observation of Heliofungia fralinae, commonly known in our hobby as the plate coral. While it is known that different corals will exhibit this trait between other corals, this is the first report of Heliofungia sp. coral movements caused by interaction with a non-coral invertebrate. In this particular study, Hoeksema and Voogd wanted to understand confrontations between coral and non-coral invertebrates. Four different sponges were selected (in decreasing order of toxicity): Callyspongia biru, Amphimedon paraviridis, Niphates olemda, and Aaptos suberitoides. Heliofungia fralinae, a free-living mushroom coral, was selected due to its ability to move across the reef surface and commonly reproduces asexually by budding which may result in dense aggregations that cover the substrate. As can be seen in the photos below, a number of different H.fralinae were tied to different sponge fragments and monitored over time. It was observed that the mushroom corals actively moved away from the most toxic sponge, Callyspongia biru, but not so for the other three. It was noted that one specimen moved completely off of the test substrate. a) Corals placed in contact with fragments of the sponge Callyspongia biru (start of experiment. Some corals are escaping, only number 1 remains fixed. The authors noted that "The experiment demonstrated that mobility of mushroom corals helps them to flee from organisms that secrete secondary metabolites in competition for space." Incidentally, if you are interested in keeping Heliofungia spp. mushrooms, check out Julian Sprung's article "Heliofungia: Husbandry Considerations And Taxonomical Relationships" in our April 2003 issue of Advanced Aquarist. (via Coral Reefs) View the full article