Harlequinmania

Click through to see the images. Who says fish aren't personable pets? We aquarists know better! Gem Tangs are the rarest and most expensive Tang in the aquarium trade, but who can deny the satisfaction of establishing a trust with any animal we care for - rare or common, $3000 or $3? Handfeeding our finned friends is one of life's simple pleasures. Turn up the volume; The soundtrack is ... well ... something. View the full article

Click through to see the images. iBluewater received shipment of three of these beauties and currently has two available for sale (in quarantine). They are asking $275 each or $545 for the pair. The Blue Spotted Picasso Amphiprion clarkii is a first generation captive-bred clownfish. A pair would make for an excellent broodstock opportunity for clownfish breeders. iBluewater hopes to receive two more of these clownfish variants by the end of August. These are not the first Picasso Clarkiis we've seen. Amongst a handful of other sightings in recent months, Aquanerd posted about another amazing Picasso Clarkii that turned up in the UK earlier in the year. However, these Picasso Clarkiis are the first we're aware of to exhibit the blue-spot gene expression. A.clarkii are destined to be the next major "designer" species of captive-bred clownfish, following the path blazed by A.ocellaris and A.percula breeders. View the full article

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Click through to see the images. Female Bleeker's Squids (Loligo bleekeri) seek out the most impressive large males, which put on fantastic technicolor courtship displays to attract females. When a female selects her mate, the male will hold her above him while inserting his tentacle holding a sperm packet into her oviduct where his sperm travels to her ovaries. The large male will watch over her while she spawns to ensure no other males fertilize her eggs. However, as the female squid begins to lay her eggs, small sneaker males will dart in and mate head-to-head with the female - an act that takes less than six seconds. Not only do females willingly accept the scrawny sneakers after she's already mated with the larger jocks, but she even has a special sperm storage organ for the sneakers! The net result is even the small males get a chance at becoming fathers. The females likely accept both types of partners because this behavior creates more genetically variable offspring. If that isn't strange enough, science has discovered the smaller sneaker males actually have bigger sperm ... upwards of 25% bigger. But it's not what you think. In the recent study published in BMC Evolutionary Biology, researchers concluded both sperm sizes swam at the same speed, meaning that the bigger sperm from the smaller male actually do not have a competitive advantage over the smaller sperm from the larger male. So what's with the drastic size difference? The authors believe the sperms likely evolved to suit females' two segregated sperm reservoirs. The sneaker's and jock's sperm end up in distinct receptacles, and the seawater around these receptacles may have varying parameters such as pH and salinity that favor one sperm size over another. According to the study, this is the first evidence of males of two different sizes possessing differently sized sperm and employing different sexual positions to copulate. This isn't the only cephalopod known for its bizarre sexual escapades. Take, for instance, the 'cross-dressing' Indonesian Octopus Abdopus aculeatus. Big males will guard the den of females in an attempt to prevent lesser males from mating. But smaller males will impersonate as females to sneak inside the den, mate with the female, then make a quiet retreat after the deed. The masquerade works so well that scientists have documented big males actually trying to mate with the small males sneaking in! The things guys will do to get with girls ... via BMC Evolutionary Biology and National Geographic and evolution.berkeley.edu View the full article

Click through to see the images. Acroporid serratiosis (APS), commonly known as White Pox Disease, has ravaged Acropora palmata across the Atlantic tropics for over the past decade. The pathogen responsible for this disease was a mystery to science ... until now. Scientists have identified the bacterium Serratia marcescens - found in human feces - as the culprit behind APS. When scientists subjected healthy A.palmata to a particular strain of S.marcescens (PDR60) found in human sewage, the corals developed APS in as little as four days. Man Bites Dog <h3></h3> White Pox is an anthropogenic disease. James Porter, a co-author of the study from the University of Georgia, states for NPR News: "This is almost a man-bites-dog story. This is a very rare and unusual evolutionary triple jump. [The bacterium] went from humans to the lower invertebrates — coral. It went from the terrestrial environment to the marine environment. And then it went from the anaerobic conditions of our stomach to the fully oxygenated conditions on the reef." Porter goes on to say in MSNBC: "This is quite an unusual discovery. It is the first time ever that a human disease has been shown to kill an invertebrate. This is unusual because we humans usually get disease from wildlife, and this is the other way around." Healthy A.palmata foster biodiversity and density Scientists are still unclear how S.marcescens make corals sick. However, now armed with conclusive evidence, science can make a convincing argument for communities in Florida to upgrade their waste management facilities, such as replacing septic tanks with modern wastewater treatment plants. Case in point: Key West upgraded their leaky sewer system in 2001 because high bacteria counts forced frequent beach closures, driving away tourism. Elkhorn coral was an unintended beneficiary of this upgrade; Key West has not had a single new case of APS since they transitioned to the advanced sewage treatment facility. Now we know why. The full study was published on August 17, 2011 in PLoS ONE. This study will hopefully accelerate progress in sewage treatment protocols in Florida, forcing local communities to clean up their act ... quite literally. View the full article

Click through to see the images. As head of Caltech's Biological Propulsion Laboratory, Dabiri studies water- and wind-energy concepts that share the theme of bioinspiration: that is, identifying energy-related processes in biological systems that may provide insight into new approaches to-in this case-wind energy. "I became inspired by observations of schooling fish, and the suggestion that there is constructive hydrodynamic interference between the wakes of neighboring fish," says Dabiri, associate professor of aeronautics and bioengineering at Caltech. "It turns out that many of the same physical principles can be applied to the interaction of vertical-axis wind turbines." The biggest challenge with current wind farms is lack of space. The horizontal-axis wind turbines most commonly seen-those with large propellers-require a substantial amount of land to perform properly. "Propeller-style wind turbines suffer in performance as they come in proximity to one another," says Dabiri. In the Los Angeles basin, the challenge of finding suitable space for such large wind farms has prevented further progress in the use of wind energy. But with help from the principles supplied by schooling fish, and the use of vertical-axis turbines, that may change. Vertical turbines-which are relatively new additions to the wind-energy landscape-have no propellers; instead, they use a vertical rotor. Because of this, the devices can be placed on smaller plots of land in a denser pattern. Caltech graduate students Robert Whittlesey and Sebastian Liska researched the use of vertical-axis turbines on small plots during a class research project supervised by Dabiri. Their results suggest that there may be substantial benefits to placing vertical-axis turbines in a strategic array, and that some configurations may allow the turbines to work more efficiently as a result of their relationship to others around them-a concept first triggered by examining schools of fish. In current wind farms, all of the turbines rotate in the same direction. But while studying the vortices left behind by fish swimming in a school, Dabiri noticed that some vortices rotated clockwise, while others rotated counter-clockwise. Dabiri therefore wants to examine whether alternating the rotation of vertical-axis turbines in close proximity will help improve efficiency. The second observation he made studying fish-and seen in Whittlesey and Liska's simulation-was that the vortices formed a "staircase" pattern, which contrasts with current wind farms that place turbines neatly in rows. Whittlesey and Liska's computer models predicted that the wind energy extracted from a parcel of land using this staggered placement approach would be several times that of conventional wind farms using horizontal-axis turbines. Once they've identified the optimal placement, Dabiri believes it may be possible to produce more than 10 times the amount of energy currently provided by a farm of horizontal turbines. The results are sufficiently compelling that the Caltech group is pursuing a field demonstration of the idea. Dabiri has purchased two acres of land north of Los Angeles, where he is establishing the Caltech Field Laboratory for Optimized Wind Energy (FLOWE). The pilot program at the site will feature six vertical turbines on mobile platforms. Dabiri and his team will systematically move the turbines around, testing various configurations to find the most efficient patterns. "Our goal is to demonstrate a new technology that enables us to extract significantly more wind energy from a given parcel of land than is currently possible using existing methods," says Dabiri. "We want to take advantage of constructive aerodynamic interference between closely spaced vertical-axis wind turbines. Our results can potentially make better use of existing wind farms, allow for wind farms to be located closer to urban centers-reducing power transmission costs-and reduce the size of offshore installations."Three of Dabiri's turbines are being provided in partnership with Windspire Energy. In exchange for the use of the turbines, Dabiri will share his research results with the company. Each Windspire turbine stands approximately 30 feet tall and 4 feet wide, and can generate up to 1.2 kW of power. "This leading-edge project is a great example of how thinking differently can drive meaningful innovation," says Windspire Energy President and CEO Walt Borland. "We are very excited to be able to work with Dr. Dabiri and Caltech to better leverage the unique attributes of vertical-axis technology in harvesting wind energy." Three turbines from another manufacturer have been purchased; the six turbines give the pilot facility a total power capacity of 15 kW, enough to power several homes. "This project is unique in that we are conducting these experiments in real-world conditions, as opposed to on the computer or in a laboratory wind tunnel," says Dabiri. "We have intentionally focused on a field demonstration because this can more easily facilitate a future expansion of the project from basic science research into a power-generating facility. Our ability to make that transition will depend on the results of the pilot program." The initial phase of the study will attempt to demonstrate which configuration of units will improve power output and performance relative to a horizontal-axis wind turbine farm with a similar sized plot of land. "In the future, we hope to transition to power-generation experiments in which the generated power can be put to use either locally or via a grid connection," Dabiri says. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided partial funding for this project. For more information on FLOWE, visit: http://dabiri.caltech.edu/research/wind-energy.html. # # # Media Relationsmr@caltech.edu View the full article

A research team has identified human sewage as the source of the coral-killing pathogen that causes white pox disease of Caribbean elkhorn coral. Once the most common coral in the Caribbean, elkhorn coral was listed for protection under the United States Endangered Species Act in 2006, largely due to white pox disease. View the full article

Reorganization of the brain and sense organs could be the key to the evolutionary success of vertebrates, one of the great puzzles in evolutionary biology, according to a new article. View the full article

Researchers have found positive associations between fish oil supplements and cognitive functioning as well as differences in brain structure between users and non-users of fish oil supplements. The findings suggest possible benefits of fish oil supplements on brain health and aging. View the full article

Scientists have discovered a remarkably primitive eel in a fringing reef off the coast of the Republic of Palau. This fish exhibits many primitive anatomical features unknown in the other 19 families and more than 800 species of living eels, resulting in its classification as a new species belonging to a new genus and family. View the full article

Scientists have discovered a remarkably primitive eel in a fringing reef off the coast of the Republic of Palau. This fish exhibits many primitive anatomical features unknown in the other 19 families and more than 800 species of living eels, resulting in its classification as a new species belonging to a new genus and family. View the full article

Click through to see the images. Researchers from Ohio State University, the University of Delaware, and the University of Georgia plan to identify corals resilient to these stressful conditions, as well as pinpoint factors that could fortify resiliency. Known as the 4Coral Research Group, these scientists hope the results of their experiment can be used by conservationists to focus their preservation efforts. As always, send any questions to AmericanReef@me.com or sound off in the comments below. Watch The Video... View the full article

Marine scientists have shown that soft corals are one of the central building blocks of reefs. An in-depth analysis of reefs in the South China Sea challenges conventional thinking about soft corals and makes their preservation a priority, researchers say. View the full article

Marine scientists have shown that soft corals are one of the central building blocks of reefs. An in-depth analysis of reefs in the South China Sea challenges conventional thinking about soft corals and makes their preservation a priority, researchers say. View the full article

Many marine organisms, including corals, build skeletons from calcium carbonate ? in the form of calcite or aragonite. The current composition of seawater favors the formation of aragonite ? but soft corals have a specific protein that allows them to form calcite skeletons instead. View the full article

The cisco, a key forage fish found in Wisconsin's deepest and coldest bodies of water, could become a climate change casualty and disappear from most of the Wisconsin lakes it now inhabits by the year 2100, according to a new study. View the full article

The cisco, a key forage fish found in Wisconsin's deepest and coldest bodies of water, could become a climate change casualty and disappear from most of the Wisconsin lakes it now inhabits by the year 2100, according to a new study. View the full article

Click through to see the images. Originally designed with very open aquascaping, chingchai's reef has matured into a lush SPS garden. His system profile is as follows: Main tank: 120" x 48" x 48" Sump: 60" x 20" x 35" Skimmer: BK 650 Return pump: RDII 1500W Water movement: Tunze 6305x8, Tunze Waveboxx4 Lighting: 400w Aquastar 14500Kx8, VHO 140wx4(454), VHO 110wx6{454) Eco-lamps KR99M 48" x 3 Cooling system: Titanium coil 5HP with compressor Ca / KH addition: Schuran Calcium Reactor Jet 2, Kalk Reactor from Siamocean Controller: Profilux Other equipment: Ozoniser (Sander S-500) Live rock: 200kgs Live sand: 180kgs From this unique reefscape in December 2009 ... ... maturing into this masterpiece in this June, 2011 video: It's ok to drool. I know I did. View the full article

your KH is rather high, it should drop during your next water change if not adjust it by adding ca since rising Ca will reduce the KH . Marine life got quite alot of Duncan to choose from now .

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Dont consider only at the prices when you are buying your livestock, do consider the health of the live stocks as well during your next purchase. Imagine buying a fish which is cheaper by 2.00 but the condition of the fish is so bad that it die within days after you purchase, so you might have to spend more money again to buy another one, which only result in spending more...

Click through to see the images. When officials at the Husein Sastranegara Airport (Bangdung, Indonesia) x-rayed packages originating from Singapore, they discovered a trunk containing ten plastic bags with 440 ornamental fish. All the fish were culled. As sad as it is to witness life being put down in this seemingly unjust manner, it is deemed by the Indonesian government as a necessary evil; The Fish Quarantine Unit is commissioned to destroy all undocumented livestock due to fears of infectious diseases that could endanger local fish populations. This is not the first time Indonesia has taken measures to insure potentially harmful fish do not enter their borders. In 2009 alone, they destroyed 342 Japanese Koi (which had tested positive for hepatitis). That same year, they also destroyed approximately 3,000 fish from Malaysia due to the lack of official documents. This is the first time in 2011 the Fish Quarantine Unit has had to cull fish (and hopefully last). via Galamedia (Indonesia) View the full article

Norwegian research has revealed that the immune system of cod is very different from other fish and from mammals -- a discovery that may shed light on the human immune system as well. View the full article

Norwegian research has revealed that the immune system of cod is very different from other fish and from mammals -- a discovery that may shed light on the human immune system as well. View the full article

Click through to see the images. Sugar Cane is one of Australia's top agricultural productions, but the industry is receiving criticism and a lot more oversight from the government as of late. Following the ground fall of Hurricane Yasi in northern Queensland earlier this year coupled with heavy flooding, sugar cane pesticides have washed down the hills into the ocean, blanketing the GBR with 28,000 kilograms of toxic runoff. With pesticides found at toxic levels and as far inside the GBR as 60km (38 miles), Australia is having a hard time protecting its World Heritage-listed natural wonder. The agricultural industry has thus far responded with the stance it has improved upon the use of pesticide and that positive changes have been made over the past years, but these findings are an obvious indictment of the sugar cane production. While the government agrees the agricultural industry has been using more environmentally friendly methods, the report states more progress is required for the health of the GBR. The agricultural industry has been given until September 30 to make a case to national regulators for the continued use of the weed-killing pesticide Diuron. The Queensland government is investing $175 million over five years to implement a reef plan, of which $50 million will directly support reef protection laws and research. You can read the media release at http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/burke/2011/pubs/mr20110323.pdf View the full article