REEFING NEWS ALERT !!!

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US gets tough on shark fins

AFP - 2 hours 36 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) - – The US Senate toughened laws against shark finning, hoping to save the ancient fish which experts fear is on the brink of extinction due to growing demand in Chinese restaurants.

Tens of millions of sharks are killed each year by fishermen who slice off their fins -- a delicacy in Chinese cuisine -- and leave them to die in the water. Sharks live long and have few offspring, compounding risks to their survival.

The United States banned finning in 2000 and has enforced restrictions in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. The new rules close a loophole that permitted trade in the Pacific so long as sharks were not finned onboard the vessel, triggering a booming clandestine industry.

The legislation cruised through the House of Representatives in early 2009 but had languished in the Senate, which approved the measure without objection on one of the last days of its session.

"Shark finning has fueled massive population declines and irreversible disruption of our oceans," said Senator John Kerry, who championed the bill.

"Finally we've come through with a tough approach to tackle this serious threat to our marine life," the Democrat from Massachusetts said.

The bill does not ban the sale of shark fin, which is readily available in many upscale Chinese restaurants in the United States.

But conservationists welcomed the bill, saying it would curb a burgeoning but largely undocumented US trade in shark fins.

"This legislation will help address not only an unspeakably cruel practice of removing fins from live animals and then releasing them to suffer a slow death," said Nancy Perry, vice president for government affairs at The Humane Society of the United States.

"It will also help address on the macro level the rapid decline of shark populations," she said.

Environmental groups estimate that up to 73 million sharks are killed each year around the world for fins, leading to declines of up to 90 percent of some species of sharks -- which have swum the oceans since the age of the dinosaurs.

Despite campaigns from activists, demand for shark fins is seen as growing as China becomes increasingly prosperous.

Matt Rand, director of the shark conservation campaign at the Pew Environmental Group, said he recently heard of shark fins selling in California for an unprecedented 800 dollars a pound, or about 1,750 dollars a kilogram.

"The United States is a major shark exporter," Rand said. "I think this legislation sends a big signal that the United States is concerned about the decline of shark populations, not just in its own waters but in international waters as well."

Sharks are caught almost exclusively for fins. While the law does not ban the killing of sharks, all fins entering the United States must have an accompanying carcass.

In one notable incident in 2002, the US Coast Guard seized a Hong Kong-chartered, Hawaii-registered ship that was hauling nearly 65,000 pounds (30,000 kilograms) of just fins -- meaning tens of thousands of sharks died.

While closing loopholes, the Senate bill also opened one. To win support from North Carolina's senators, the law makes an exception for one shark -- the smooth dogfish.

Fishermen in the southeastern US state kill the shark for all of its meat instead of just the fins, but objected to the ban because they cut off fins in their ships.

"We had hoped they would adjust their practices so there wouldn't be any loophole," Perry of the Humane Society said. "But that was done to get the legislation over the finish-line."

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MARINE AQUARIST No 57 issue focus on WRASSES !!!

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Waiting anxiously for the latest issue of Marine Aquarist No 58.

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Latest issue of Ultramarine No 25.

Show your Colours – A closer look at reef fluorescence, Cool Crustaceans – The captive care of reef lobsters, Cucumbers and Apples of the marine variety, Meet Roboshark and HydroBOB, All About Live Rock pt2 – organisms on live rock and much much more!

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Absolutely Stunning !!!

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2010 was a massive year for marine fish captive breeding

Posted on December 30th, 2010 by Matt Pedersen

In May of this year, I asked if 2010 would be the year that the marine aquarium hobby shifted to breeding. By September of this year, I felt we already had our answer since this has indeed been one of the best years in recent history for marine fish breeders. The achievements of this year also send a big message to critical and skeptical observers of our community that we care about our reefs and were working to preserve them. The marine aquarium hobby is also working to be the ark for the marine life we cherish, by virtue of learning to captively propagate as many species as we can. We can only hope to see that momentum build in 2011. After scouring the internet and Reef Builders archives, heres an in-depth look at the marine breeders highlights for 2010!

Perhaps the most telling sign that 2010 was going to be different for the hobby mindset started with the January establishment of Green Marine, the first exclusively captive-raised/captive-bred marine retail establishment in the country, if not the world. Søren Hansen of Sea & Reef Aquaculture kicked off my Reef Builders contributions with the news of large funding procurements for aquaculture R&D . . . something that rarely occurs for ornamental fish producers. The marine breeding world suffered the loss of a commercial breeding pioneer in Frank Hoff, founder of Instant Ocean Hatcheries and Florida Aqua Farms, and author of the Plankton Culture Manual and Conditioning, Spawning and Rearing of Fish With Emphasis on Marine Clownfish, who passed away in late January of this year. We saw the closing of one of the longest running commercial hatcheries, Reef Propagations Inc., with the retirement of pioneering breeder Joe Lichtenbert. We also saw C-Quest relinquish its tropical location (Puerto Rico) to set up a new facility in Wyoming, but not before releasing some captive bred Golden Damselfish. Rumors also bubbled up that long-silent producer, Frank Baensch of Reef Culture Technologies in Hawaii, would be reentering the scene with captive bred angelfish. Just a few weeks ago, Tennessee-based Sustainable Aquatics released new clownfish variants, including 2 new varieties never before produced. Another long-silent commercial hatchery, Proaquatix, truly reentered the ornamental market this year, most notably with the first releases of captive bred Lookdowns, Selen volmer (first reported here on Reef Builders, with a more in depth article in the forthcoming Jan/Feb 2011 edition of CORAL Magazine!).

We also saw examples of the ongoing confusion that surrounds captive-bred vs. tank-raised with rumors that the Proaquatix Lookdowns were not captive bred (they are CB), while at the same time the release of captive-bred Pinnatus Batfish might actually be an example of tank raised fish being mismarketed somewhere in the supply chain the jury is still out, but its looking like the Pinnatus are probably tank-raised. Confusion like this hadnt really been an issue in the past few years as supplies of wild-sourced tank-raised fish had subsided (and so had the misinformation that there were captive-bred Hepatus Tangs freely available). With Sustainable Aquatics big push into the market with their tank-raised Sustainable Island brand of fish, we can expect hobbyists and suppliers to once again be confused over what captive-bred really is. At some levels of the supply chain, a distinction is not even made, with all captive-bred, pen-raised, tank-raised, and ocean-cultivated specimens being lumped together under general umbrellas like aquacultured, making it impossible to discern the differences.

The biggest news of the year in commercial circles was undoubtedly ORAs release of captive bred Mandarins (Synchiropus splendidus and S. picturatus). Designer Clownfish enthusiasts were not let down by ORA either, with the release of Domino and Midnight Clownfish varieties and glimpses of Misbar Maroons @ MACNA that could be though thought of as picasso-ish. However, fish breeders who were paying attention didnt miss that ORA also quietly announced successful propagation of a couple new Dottyback species (Pseudochromis elongatus and Ps. bitaeniatus). My other pick for the top spot in 2010 commercial innovations falls squarely to the folks at Reed Mariculture who refined and released their new line of improved frozen phytoplankton pastes for marine fish breeding as the RotiGrow System. While not sexy like a new fish species or variety, these feeds may affect fish breeding in 2011 and beyond in ways we cannot fully anticipate or appreciate just yet!

It is important to note that none of these commercial producers would be in business if you werent buying, so bravo to those of you who realized you dont *need* to have wild caught fish when there are captive-bred counterparts available. With the Banggai Cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni) remaining on the IUCN Red List as endangered since 2007, Im happy to report that most hobbyist Banggai breeders report having virtually no problem meeting demand and selling their offspring for a very good price to their fellow hobbyists. With commercial producers continuing to somewhat avoid this species, and wild caught specimens continuing to be imported and sometimes dying in droves, this species remains the domain of the home hobbyist breeder. It seems hobbyists are willing to line up to get their hands on captive-bred Banggais.

Not surprisingly, we also have non-commercial breeders to thank for some advancements in captive propagation. In September, 2010, notable marine fish breeder and author Matthew L. Wittenrich was selected as the MASNA 2010 Aquarist of the Year. While some incorrectly believe Wittenrich was the first to spawn and rear Mandarins (he wasnt) it was his work producing them in such quantity that grabbed everyones attention. In my opinion, it is not this singular achievement, but rather a massive body of work including his 2007 Complete Illustrated Breeders Guide to Marine Aquarium Fishes that earned him this long overdue recognition.

Im hard pressed to think of any species firsts that occurred in 2010 when it comes to fish. But who cares when we have Richard Ross @ Steinhart and the California Academy of Sciences breeding the Flamboyant Cuttlefish, Metasepia pfefferi! (yes, there have been babies). This wasnt the only innovation at Steinhart, with Richard Rosss earlier reports on the captive spawning of Rhinopias sp. Scorpionfish (making it to 15 days post hatch) as well as Matt Wandells report on the captive spawning of Black Ribbon Eels. And talk about coming close, Atlantis Marine Worlds Todd Gardner is continuing to push the envelop, getting captive-spawned Liopropomma Reef Basslets to 46 days post hatch! We are all watching with optimism to see if 2011 brings us captive-bred Candy Basslets!

In my opinion, breeders suffered a setback this year with the ongoing problems @ MOFIB (Marine Ornamental Fish and Invertebrate Breeders Association). While Im hesitant to even bring it up being the ousted founder of the organization, honest and complete reporting requires that we share the disappointments as well as the triumphs. The current BOD has not released meeting minutes since the August 2010 meeting, and shortly after the 2010 elections, the board scrapped plans for progress towards charitable / non-profit status. More recently, member pleas for information or even to volunteer seem to be met with relative silence. The quality of day-in-day-out operations seems to have hit an all time low and the level of poor and misinformation showing up continues to rise. It would seem that the only real thrust this year was to have a presence at MACNA, but of course, a MACNA booth isnt what MOFIB is all about. While MOFIBs status is sad, other organizational developments at the hobbyist and academic level have me looking forward with the knowledge that just like in fish breeding, you may fail many times before you get it right!

Marine breeders found new encouragement in the form of the Marine Breeding Initiative, or MBI, spearheaded by Chad Penney and Tal Sweet of MASM. Conceived in late 2009, this universal Breeders Award Program (BAP) for marine breeders of fish and invertebrates rolled out in 2010 and continues to grow and gather attention (including this Reef Hobbyist Magazine article on the MBI). It brings the motivation of friendly competition to the pursuit of propagation, while also building a robust knowledge base of breeding data as part of the program requirements. The decentralized, universal BAP model brings breeding back to the local level, being a free program for every marine aquarium organization to join and participate in. The MBI/MASM also organized a possible first of its kind Marine Breeders Workshop in March, 2010, and is in the planning stages to expand on this event for 2011. Given the relatively small but growing interest group, this niche-within-a-niche marine aquarium event may turn into something really special in the years ahead. Yes, in the interest of full disclosure, I do currently set on the MBI Council, and for anyone with the once-bitten, twice-shy mentality, the MBI leadership is a benevolent dictatorship model…no politics to worry about because we all know exactly who the bosses are!

Another non-commercial program, discussed at this years MACNA by Judy St. Leger, is Seaworlds Rising Tide Conservation program. While this program is still in the infancy stages, Seaworld and other organizations are trying to once again bridge the gap between academic, commercial, and amateur breeders and fund projects in the realm of marine ornamental propagation. The goals and ideas have merit, and 2011 will hopefully show how this program comes together.

Still, day-in, day-out, hobbyist breeders continue to tread where the commercial breeders may not, or can not. We featured the work of Junkai Ong here on Reef Builders, being one of only a few people in the world whove ever spawned and reared the mean-spirited Mccullochi Dottyback (Cypho purpurascens). Of course, in browsing online, Id be remiss if I didnt point out other acheivements by hobbyist breeders. Instantly coming to mind is the breeding of two ultra-mean Dottyback species normally ignored by commercial propagators, the Royal Dottyback (Pictichromis paccagnellae) and the Diadema Dottyback (P. diadema), by Graham (gpsmart on MOFIB). I should also mention the work of Amy Drehmel (Midnight Angel) who has succeeded in spawning the Ghost Ribbon Eel first in September 2009, but has since opted to retreat from the open-source breeding model of other breeders. Of course, how could we not mention the buzz around Marcel Triessls origination of Albino Ocellaris?

Perhaps the most interesting development on the non-commercial front is the remarkably high quality captive-bred Latezonatus Clownfish (Amphiprion latezonatus) produced by renowned breeder Karen Brittain in Hawaii. We may remember the first captive-bred Latezonatus hitting the commercial scene in late December of 2009. These fish from an undisclosed source in Australia were certainly exciting, but as things progressed, we learned while they were robust fish, they were virtually all misbars. While they entered the market at prices of over $300 each, the prices rapidly plummeted over the next several months and were seen as low as $120 each at times. This price drop represents two possibilities simple economics of supply and demand, but also a likely reflection of the disappointment in a fish, also commonly known as the Wide Band Clownfish, lacking its namesake patterning! Well, admittedly I dont know how she did it and I havent yet asked, but fully-barred captive bred Latezonatus clownfish from Karen Brittain became available in the last month and are back at the nice high price of $300 each!

In perhaps the strangest (or most surreal) move of the year, the commercial side of the industry reiterated through its choices just how important it believes sustainability is, and how much faith it places in captive breeding at the hobbyist level. In a move that surprised just about everyone, the sustainably-collected SEASMART PNG Lightning Maroon Clownfish went not to the highest bidder, but to a breeder. And not a commercial breeder, but yours truly, who happens to be one of the staunchest anti-guppification advocates out there (but this is a wild form, so definitely falls under the preservation umbrella). While still humbled by the decision and thankful for all the support, the greater message is that our hobby and industry is not in it for the short term buck…if it was, SEASMART, Pacific Aqua Farms and Blue Zoo Aquatics would have seen this fish go to the highest bidder, and likely never be seen or heard from again.

As you can see, 2010 was a year simply chock-full of marine breeding news. I cant even begin to imagine what 2011 has in store for us all. With marine breeding being the final frontier of our hobby (in my opinion), I look forward to the year that I simply cannot keep up? Will 2011 be that year?

This post has been promoted to an article

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Azoox.org, the dark side of the hobby gets their own forum

Posted on RB, January 2nd, 2011 by Joost de Vries

Azoox.org is a newly created forum that was created to provide and share information about the care of Azooxanthellate corals in aquariums at all experience levels. The goal of Azoox.org is not just to provide and share information on a hobbyist level but also to share information with global azoox reefers. With azooxanthellae corals exhibit stunning looks and featuring fascinating, the popularity of azoox aquariums has truly blossomed over the last couple of years.

Azooxanthellae corals do not have any symbiotic algae and thus need another source of energy than lights, which means a need of a nearly constant food source in the water. In the past hobbyist have failed miserably in keeping them alive, but with better understanding about the needs of these animals, hobbyists and public aquariums alike are slowly developing ways to keep these stunning animals. With ingenious feeding systems providing the numerous feedings throughout the day needed for most azoox corals, improved filtration systems to cope with the huge amounts of nutrients, better collection and handling practices and commercial foods from companies such as Fauna Marin and Reef Nutrition, we are slowly beginning to see the incremental success that may one day lead to tanks full of Dendronephthya soft corals.

Some corals (and inverts too) formally known as impossible to keep can now be kept with enough dedication although we’re still far from complete success. Unfortunately azooxanthellae coral are still very much misunderstood and much of their captive care requirements are still waiting to be discovered. A website dedicated to the care of these animals is a major step towards understanding the care of these animals and is another major sign of their increasing popularity. Hopefully with study groups of specific coral species we will one day be able to keep these amazing organism. We are excited to finally see the this niche Azoox coral website launch because it is a big step in the “dark side” of reefkeeping. If you own an azoox tank, consider setting one up, or own any non-photosynthetic corals be sure to sign up to www.azoox.org.

See you there!

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Azoox.org, the dark side of the hobby gets their own forum

Posted on RB, January 2nd, 2011 by Joost de Vries

Azoox.org is a newly created forum that was created to provide and share information about the care of Azooxanthellate corals in aquariums at all experience levels. The goal of Azoox.org is not just to provide and share information on a hobbyist level but also to share information with global azoox reefers. With azooxanthellae corals exhibit stunning looks and featuring fascinating, the popularity of azoox aquariums has truly blossomed over the last couple of years.

Azooxanthellae corals do not have any symbiotic algae and thus need another source of energy than lights, which means a need of a nearly constant food source in the water. In the past hobbyist have failed miserably in keeping them alive, but with better understanding about the needs of these animals, hobbyists and public aquariums alike are slowly developing ways to keep these stunning animals. With ingenious feeding systems providing the numerous feedings throughout the day needed for most azoox corals, improved filtration systems to cope with the huge amounts of nutrients, better collection and handling practices and commercial foods from companies such as Fauna Marin and Reef Nutrition, we are slowly beginning to see the incremental success that may one day lead to tanks full of Dendronephthya soft corals.

Some corals (and inverts too) formally known as impossible to keep can now be kept with enough dedication although were still far from complete success. Unfortunately azooxanthellae coral are still very much misunderstood and much of their captive care requirements are still waiting to be discovered. A website dedicated to the care of these animals is a major step towards understanding the care of these animals and is another major sign of their increasing popularity. Hopefully with study groups of specific coral species we will one day be able to keep these amazing organism. We are excited to finally see the this niche Azoox coral website launch because it is a big step in the dark side of reefkeeping. If you own an azoox tank, consider setting one up, or own any non-photosynthetic corals be sure to sign up to www.azoox.org.

See you there!

[Eniram]

Wow stunning coral, looks like a rhizo

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Shark attacks soar to highest level since 2000

AFP - Wednesday, February 9

MIAMI (AFP) - – There were 79 unprovoked shark attacks around the world in 2010, the highest number recorded in a decade, according to researchers in Florida.

As usual, it was the United States that led the world with 36 incidents, followed by Australia with 14, South Africa with eight, and then Vietnam and Egypt both with six.

The International Shark Attack File, put together by experts at the University of Florida, highlighted the unusual occurrence in Egypt of five attacks within five days in early December, one of them fatal. Four of the attacks were attributed to two individual sharks.

"The growth in shark attack numbers does not necessarily mean that there is an increase in the rate of shark attack, rather it most likely is reflective of the ever-increasing amount of time spent in the sea by humans, which increases the odds of interaction between the two affected parties," the report said.

The number of shark attacks was up more than 25 percent on the 63 recorded in 2009. To find more over a 12-month period you have to go back to 2000, when 80 were confirmed.

At six, the number of fatalities was slightly above average for the past decade.

The figures also showed a marked decline in Florida, the US state where shark attacks are most common.

In 2007, the sun-soaked coasts of the heavily touristic state saw 31 attacks. In 2008 this dropped to 28, then 18 in 2009 and just 13 last year.

"Florida had its lowest total since 2004, which was 12," lead researcher George Burgess said.

"Maybe it's a reflection of the downturn in the economy and the number of tourists coming to Florida, or the amount of money native Floridians can spend taking holidays and going to the beach."

Despite the general rarity of shark attacks, Burgess had some words of caution for beach-lovers.

"The reality is, going into the sea is a wilderness experience," he said. "Youre visiting a foreign environment, it's not a situation where you're guaranteed success."

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World's Coral Reefs could be gone by 2050: study

AFP - 46 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The world's coral reefs could be wiped out by 2050 unless urgent action is taken to stop threats posed to the "rainforests of the sea" by everything from overfishing to climate change, a report warned.

Warmer seas caused by global warming; ocean acidification blamed on carbon dioxide pollution; shipping, overfishing, coastal development and agricultural runoff all pose a threat to coral reefs, which hundreds of millions of people depend on for a living, says the report.

"Threats on land, along the coast and in the water are converging in a perfect storm of threats to reefs," Jane Lubchenco, administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), said at a news conference in Washington to launch the "Reefs at Risk Revisited" report.

According to the report, which follows on from an earlier study on the health of the world's coral reefs, more than 90 percent of reefs will be threatened by 2030 and nearly all reefs will be at risk by 2050 unless action is taken now to reduce the threats.

"Local pressures" on reefs, including overfishing, coastal development and pollution, pose the most immediate and direct threats to the world's reefs, threatening more than 60 percent of the colorful sea ecosystems.

The impacts of climate change -- a "global threat" to reefs -- is compounding the local pressures.

"Warming seas have already caused widespread damage to reefs, with high temperatures driving a stress response called coral bleaching, where corals lose their colorful symbiotic algae, exposing their white skeletons," the report says.

"In addition, increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are slowly causing the world's oceans to become more acidic. Ocean acidification reduces coral growth rates and, if unchecked, could reduce their ability to maintain their physical structure."

Quick, broad action could go a long way to saving the reefs, which have shown themselves in the past to be highly resilient, said Lauretta Burke, a lead author of the report, which was compiled by more than two dozen conservation and research groups led by World Resources International (WRI).

A future with dying or dead reefs is "not a future we are committed to," Burke said.

She urged global policymakers to take rapid action to improve marine management, reduce local threats, especially overfishing, and -- crucially -- cut greenhouse gas emissions.

If no effort is made to stop the threats to the reefs, and they are lost, the daily livelihoods of 500 million people worldwide would be threatened, many of them in developing nations in southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean, said Lubchenco.

There would be fewer nurseries for commercial fish species, and shorelines would lose some protection from storms.

Coastal communities would lose an important source of protein and food security, not to mention revenues from tourists who travel to countries to visit their reefs and the "beautiful white sand beaches found throughout the tropics," which wouldn't be there without coral reefs, said Burke.

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On the nose: Sharks are stunning Navigators

AFP - 35 minutes ago

PARIS (AFP) - – Sharks are famed for extraordinary hearing, motion sensing and smell, but new research shows some shark species can also navigate with pinpoint accuracy over long distances.

"Simply put, they know where they are going," said Yannis Papastamatiou of the Florida Museum of Natural History, who co-authored the study published Wednesday.

"Many people could walk to a known destination six to eight kilometres (five miles) away -- but imagine doing it in deep water and at night."

US ecologists analysed data from eight tiger sharks, nine blacktip reef sharks and 15 threshers which had been tagged with trackers and released off Hawaii, Palmyra atoll in the Pacific or southern California before being followed for between seven and 72 hours.

The blacktip reef sharks all swam apparently randomly within a narrow home range, while the tiger and thresher sharks travelled longer distances, often with a clear sense of direction.

The biggest voyagers were the tiger sharks, which during the study period swam over eight kilometres. Some research has tracked this species heading to a goal 50 kilometres away.

"Directed movement" reflects terrain that is familiar for the sharks, given that they have an interest in saving energy by heading straight towards a target, such as food, says the study.

The mystery remains, though, of how sharks are able to accomplish navigational feats.

"As anyone who dives knows, finding your way around underwater without a compass is very difficult, but this is what we found tiger sharks could do," Papastamatiou said.

Theories to explain the sharks' tricks include "cognitive maps" built on knowledge of ocean currents and temperatures, which act in the same way as visual landmarks on the ground, or perhaps navigation by Earth's magnetic field.

The study appears in a British publication, the Journal of Animal Ecology.

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SHIOK!!!...Let's TWIST & SHOUT.

JNS BioPellet Reactors add new twist to Fluidized Reactors

The new JNS BioPellet Reactors are using an innovative vortex to keep biopellets in suspension inside the reaction chamber to ensure an even flow of water around the pellets to maximize their potential. The spinning vortex helps prevent clumping and channeling of the pellets that can happen with uneven flow percolating through the media. In the JNS BioPellet Reactor, the pump is mounted on the bottom to keep the footprint small, to feed water through the reactor and to create the vortex.

UPDATE: The JNS BioPellet Reactors use Sicce Syncra Pumps, updated details follow.

This is one of the more innovative methods weve seen to fluidize biopellets and its nice to see the bottom mounted pump to decrease the overall sump presence but also to eliminate the need for hoses to connect the feed pump to the chamber. The JNS BioPellet Reactors are built from sturdy acrylic with a unique upper plate and lid assembly with a built in plenum to keep the pellets in the chamber without the need for sponges along with a side-mounted discharge tube to carry the effluent into your sump.

These reactors come in two sizes dubbed the JNS BioPellet Reactor Alpha 1 and Alpha 2. The smaller reactor is the Alpha 1 with an 11 cm x 14 cm footprint, 7 cm diameter reaction chamber, 37 cm overall height and half liter capacity.

The JNS Alpha 2 has a footprint of 15 cm x 18 cm using a 10 cm diameter reaction chamber for an overall height of 37 cm. The capacity of the Alpha 2 is 1.3 liters overall.

The JNS reactors incorporate Sicce Syncra pumps with the Alpha 1 using the Sicce Syncra .5 pump that pushes 185 GPH at 8W. The larger Alpha 2 uses the Sicce Syncra 1.5 pump rated at 357 GPH at 23 W.

A nice feature of the Sicce Syncra pumps is the flow rate can be adjusted so you can regulate the vortex to give you a low flow to a higher, more aggressive flow depending on your needs and brand of biopellets.

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Posted on December 24th, 2010 by Brian Blank

Video footage from the Eastern Fields of Papua New Guinea.

The Eastern fields are a large submerged atoll approx 170 km southwest of Port Moresby. Limited fishing pressure, along with nutrient rich water from the Gulf of Papua this time of year, combine to create overwhelming amounts of fish which feed on the suspended food particles. Video was shot during a live aboard dive trip with the MV Golden Dawn, December 2010.

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This post has been promoted to an article

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SEASMART Flopped !!!

PNG National Fisheries Authority responds to suit filed by EcoEZ regarding the SEASMART Program

Posted on January 11th, 2011 by Jake Adams

We learned that the National Fisheries authority of Papua New Guinea is withholding funds from EcoEZ for the SEASMART program. the PNG NFA has issued a public statement regarding the suit and they are citing a lack of confidence in EcoEZ as the primary reason for withholding money allocated for the SEASMART program. In their statement the PNG NFA makes it clear that they believe in the viability of the marine aquarium trade: “The PNG NFA is planning to move forward with their own, internally run marine aquarium program, which will be largely based on the core principles of the SEASMART program: sustainability, equitability, profitability.” The statement goes on to say that the new program expects to start shipping PNG fish again in the middle of this year, and we can only hope that exporting corals from PNG is still on the agenda.

The Papua New Guinea National Fisheries Authority has lost confidence in Eco EZ Inc to develop the PNG Marine Aquarium Trade.

The Papua New Guinea National Fisheries Authority (NFA) has ceased the allocation of funds to the U.S. based consultancy firm Eco EZ Inc, which formerly held the contract to carry out the “SEASMART” Program. This decision comes as the contract term between Eco EZ Inc and the PNG NFA neared expiration, and the NFA was not satisfied with Eco EZ Inc’s level of performance.

Funding to Eco EZ Inc was cut short for the last quarter of 2010, which was the last quarter of the contract term.

Eco EZ Inc entered into a contract with the Papua New Guinea NFA in 2008. Initially a one year contract to conduct reef survey work in the reefs of PNG and test the feasibility of an aquarium trade, the scope of work and contract term quickly expanded to three years and the development of a sustainable marine aquarium fishery.

15 million kina, approx 5 million USD, were allocated to Eco EZ Inc to carry out the SEASMART program over the three years. The government of Papua New Guinea, through the NFA, was the sole provider of funds to Eco EZ Inc.

Initially the program seemed to be going great, with Eco EZ Inc training local fishers from over 8 villages to sustainably collect marine aquarium life. Exports of these organisms occurred throughout 2009 and 2010, primarily to US importers in Los Angeles.

However, shortcomings in the SEASMART program slowly started to become apparent over time, especially in 2010. A number of contractual objectives were in place that Eco EZ Inc was expected to deliver on, but simply failed to achieve. One example of this is the production of

TRADE software. The PNG government allocated a substantial amount of money specifically for Eco EZ Inc to develop this web based organism traceability software. Six months was the established timetable for this TRADE software to be created, and shortly thereafter, NFA management was to be trained on its use. However after nearly three years, Eco EZ Inc was unable to deliver the software, despite spending all of the allocated sum.

In the end, Eco EZ Inc was unable to develop a viable business model that the Papua New Guinea NFA would be able to utilize to attract private sector investment. The combined effect of Eco EZ Inc not meeting their contractual obligations left the PNG NFA no choice but to discontinue funding.

The National Fisheries Authority’s decision to cut funding to Eco EZ Inc is not a reflection of NFA’s position toward the marine aquarium trade in Papua New Guinea however. The NFA still recognizes that the enormous untapped marine resources of PNG’s reefs can bring great benefit to the coastal people of PNG by channeling these resources through a sustainable, equitable aquarium trade.

The PNG NFA is planning to move forward with their own, internally run marine aquarium program, which will be largely based on the core principles of the SEASMART program: sustainability, equitability, profitability. This main aim of this NFA project will be to take the aquarium fishery in PNG from a “project stage” to a fully developed, private sector run industry. Profitability is the one previously unattained area that the NFA hopes it will be able to achieve in 2011. Many employees from the SEASMART program will be incorporated into the new, NFA run program.

“A work plan and budget have already been established for the 2011 PNG marine aquarium program. This next year of operation is expected to deliver a great range and volume of marine aquarium organisms to our international customers. Fish from around the coast of PNG, as well as inverts and cultured corals, should be available at your local fish store by mid 2011,” says Kema Mailu, program “caretaker” of the new NFA run PNG marine aquarium program.

The National Fisheries Authority of Papua New Guinea is a Statutory Authority set up by the PNG Government to monitor, regulate, and develop policy related to fisheries in Papua New Guinea. The National Fisheries Authority of Papua New Guinea is committed to managing fisheries for sustainable benefit.

[kueytoc]

Korallen Zucht release ZEOstart 3, Bio Mate Zeovit products

Posted on September 14th, 2010 by Ryan Gripp

Korallen Zucht, the original company that produces the ZEOvit system has announced that they will come out with two new products shortly. You’ll see an addition to the Basic 4 line up with ZEOstart3 which will replace the ZEOstart2 organic carbon source. If you aren’t a ZEO nerd, ZEOStart can be added to help fuel bacteria growth within the aquarium.

Bio Mate is the other new product that is said to be great for “cleaning substrate and rock, reduction of mulm deposits and phosphates. The effect on SPS is a better coloration when you dose normal 2-3 times a week. When you overdose the corals get a little darker but lighter colors come back after a while.” Says Thomas Pohl.

ZEOstart 3 was developed for reefers who want optimum water parameters in a biological way. It promotes the reproduction of all nitrifying bacteria in the aquarium and is therefore very effective in reducing phosphate and nitrate, nitrite and several inhibitors. The skimmer removes up to 100 % more concentrated adsorbent. Bacteria dependent slime algae dissappears rapidly and a biological balance is re-established.

To start a new tank it shortens the inital phase enormously to about only 14 days.

This product is not only for the initial phase, it should be dosed every day in all tanks. It enhances the metallic colors on Acropora, Montipora, Poccilopora and Stylophora. Soft corals grow faster and open the polyps wider.

Dose directly into the water. Swich off the skimmer briefly if possible. Do not increase dosage of 2 ml per 250 gallons/1000 L daily – please note that it is highly concentrated. Overdosing is dangerous for all fish!

[kueytoc]

Korallen-Zucht release new ZEOvit Additive Pohl’s Xtra Special

Posted on December 4th, 2009 by Ryan Gripp

Korallen-Zucht, the people behind Zeovit has released a new product called Pohl’s Xtra Special.

Pohl’s Xtra Special is similar to the regular-old Pohl’s Xtra but ”it is mainly for low nutrient tanks, for corals with very light and pale colors without deep coloration” said Thomas Pohl. If you wondered where the Pohl name came from, wonder no more. This new product should be available in mid December of this year with several different sizes: 250,500 and 1000ml.

This post has been promoted to an article

[kueytoc]

New Book sets the standard for Marine Names

Ever been confused by a seemingly endless parade of scientific names for the fish you want? Help may be at hand in the form of a new book published by OFI.

The book the 6th in the OFI Educational Series "Standard names for marine fishes, crustaceans and mollusks in the Ornamental Aquatic Industry" will be unveiled at Aquarama 2011.

This book, together with the OFI Educational series number 5, provides proper scientific names for
 all animal species traded by the aquatic industry.

As such it sets the standard for names in aquatic health legislation and is highly recommended for use in stock lists and price lists by the aquarium industry.

The 128-page book, with over 75 species pictured, lists the scientific names for over 4000 fish, crustacean and mollusk species as well as hard corals, soft corals, sea anemones, sea stars, brittle stars, sea urchins and sea cucumbers.

Sustainable collection of marine organisms for the aquarium trade is also discussed as well as the new OFI web application for creating EU health certificates is introduced and explained.

For more information see: Standard names for marine fishes, crustaceans and mollusks in the Ornamental Aquatic Industry. Roberto Hensen, Alex Ploeg and Gayatri Lilley

ISBN: 978-90-75352-91-7


Price: 12,95 Euros plus postage through the OFI website, and 7,95 Euros
at trade fairs

[cheerty]

:thumbsup:

[supeter111]

style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/w00t.gif Once again another wonderful issue...ReefLife | July/August 2009 Issue style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/wink.gif

June 15th, 2009

Check out whatâs in the July/August 2009 issue of ReefLife. Many of the articles and columns deal with deepwater habitats and the animals that live there, so take a look and enjoy!

The Secretive and Sweet - Two Caribbean Beauties Ideally Suited for Smaller Reef Aquariums - Fish expert Kevin Kohen looks at two spectacular Liopropoma species that are at the top of many fish-lover want lists!

Coral Shrimps (Genus Stenopus) - Zoologist Tristan Lougher takes us on an exhaustive âtourâ of the ever-popular shrimp genus Stenopus. This article includes images documenting incredible behaviors and undescribed species.

Chalice Corals: An overview of Echinophyllia, Mycedium and Oxypora - So many corals, so little time! After reading and looking at the images in Jake Adams article on Chalice corals, you will be looking for more room and money to set-up another reef tank!

Nano Gobies - Trimma and Eviota - If you have a smaller aquarium and you love gobies, you will want to read Tristan Lougherâs informative article on these diminutive fishes. It discusses the taxonomy, behavior and husbandry of this Lilliputians of the reef.

Jewels of the Shadows: The Genus Liopropoma - In the last few years, the reef basslets have reached a peak in their popularity in the aquarium trade. Scott Michael examines the biology, taxonomic history, the reason that these fishes are now so readily available and how best to keep them. The article includes photos of undescribed species.

Crinoids - This spectacular feature article, by world-class photojournalist Fred Bavendam, not only includes informative text but stunning photos showing feather stars and the many animals that associate with them.

Abeâs Angelfish (Centropyge abei) - New Findings on a Fantastic Fish! - Dr. Hiroyuki Tanaka reviews what is known about the deep water pomacanthid, Centropyge abei. This includes new data on the distribution and biology of this unusual fish.

Tales from the Twilight Zone - This is a must read piece by a modern day pioneer! John Earle, along with fellow underwater adventurers, has employed the latest diving technologies to explore deep water reef habitats. In this article, Mr. Earle eloquently describes what they have found in this relatively unknown part of the reef known as the âThe Twilight Zone.â

Predators and Parasites of Giant Clams - Clam expert, James Fatherree, examines threats to wild as well as âpetâ tridacnids in this informative article. A must read for any giant clam enthusiast!

Been Around Since Forever - Dr. Ron Shimek examines a fascinating group of organisms known as Acoel worms. While some reef aquarists have encountered Acoels in their aquarium, most know little about them. After reading Dr. Shimekâs article, you will have a much greater appreciation for these simple, ancient animals.

Balanophyllia - Cup Corals for the Aquarium - in this column, Jake Adams looks at the biology and best way to keep these beautiful corals in the home aquarium.

Stony Corals: Feed âEm - They Need All The Food They Can Get - âTo feed or not to feed?â This has been debated by aquarists since reef-keeping became mainstream. Dr. Shimek looks at what the scientific literature tells us about coral nutrition. If you keep cnidarians, or are fascinated by their biology, you need to read this article!

style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/w00t.gif Once again another wonderful issue...ReefLife | July/August 2009 Issue style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/wink.gif

June 15th, 2009

Check out whatâs in the July/August 2009 issue of ReefLife. Many of the articles and columns deal with deepwater habitats and the animals that live there, so take a look and enjoy!

The Secretive and Sweet - Two Caribbean Beauties Ideally Suited for Smaller Reef Aquariums - Fish expert Kevin Kohen looks at two spectacular Liopropoma species that are at the top of many fish-lover want lists!

Coral Shrimps (Genus Stenopus) - Zoologist Tristan Lougher takes us on an exhaustive âtourâ of the ever-popular shrimp genus Stenopus. This article includes images documenting incredible behaviors and undescribed species.

Chalice Corals: An overview of Echinophyllia, Mycedium and Oxypora - So many corals, so little time! After reading and looking at the images in Jake Adams article on Chalice corals, you will be looking for more room and money to set-up another reef tank!

Nano Gobies - Trimma and Eviota - If you have a smaller aquarium and you love gobies, you will want to read Tristan Lougherâs informative article on these diminutive fishes. It discusses the taxonomy, behavior and husbandry of this Lilliputians of the reef.

Jewels of the Shadows: The Genus Liopropoma - In the last few years, the reef basslets have reached a peak in their popularity in the aquarium trade. Scott Michael examines the biology, taxonomic history, the reason that these fishes are now so readily available and how best to keep them. The article includes photos of undescribed species.

Crinoids - This spectacular feature article, by world-class photojournalist Fred Bavendam, not only includes informative text but stunning photos showing feather stars and the many animals that associate with them.

Abeâs Angelfish (Centropyge abei) - New Findings on a Fantastic Fish! - Dr. Hiroyuki Tanaka reviews what is known about the deep water pomacanthid, Centropyge abei. This includes new data on the distribution and biology of this unusual fish.

Tales from the Twilight Zone - This is a must read piece by a modern day pioneer! John Earle, along with fellow underwater adventurers, has employed the latest diving technologies to explore deep water reef habitats. In this article, Mr. Earle eloquently describes what they have found in this relatively unknown part of the reef known as the âThe Twilight Zone.â

Predators and Parasites of Giant Clams - Clam expert, James Fatherree, examines threats to wild as well as âpetâ tridacnids in this informative article. A must read for any giant clam enthusiast!

Been Around Since Forever - Dr. Ron Shimek examines a fascinating group of organisms known as Acoel worms. While some reef aquarists have encountered Acoels in their aquarium, most know little about them. After reading Dr. Shimekâs article, you will have a much greater appreciation for these simple, ancient animals.

Balanophyllia - Cup Corals for the Aquarium - in this column, Jake Adams looks at the biology and best way to keep these beautiful corals in the home aquarium.

Stony Corals: Feed âEm - They Need All The Food They Can Get - âTo feed or not to feed?â This has been debated by aquarists since reef-keeping became mainstream. Dr. Shimek looks at what the scientific literature tells us about coral nutrition. If you keep cnidarians, or are fascinated by their biology, you need to read this article!

来自我的 SM-G900F 上的 Tapatalk

[supeter111]

style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/w00t.gif Once again another wonderful issue...ReefLife | July/August 2009 Issue style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/wink.gif

June 15th, 2009

Check out whatâs in the July/August 2009 issue of ReefLife. Many of the articles and columns deal with deepwater habitats and the animals that live there, so take a look and enjoy!

The Secretive and Sweet - Two Caribbean Beauties Ideally Suited for Smaller Reef Aquariums - Fish expert Kevin Kohen looks at two spectacular Liopropoma species that are at the top of many fish-lover want lists!

Coral Shrimps (Genus Stenopus) - Zoologist Tristan Lougher takes us on an exhaustive âtourâ of the ever-popular shrimp genus Stenopus. This article includes images documenting incredible behaviors and undescribed species.

Chalice Corals: An overview of Echinophyllia, Mycedium and Oxypora - So many corals, so little time! After reading and looking at the images in Jake Adams article on Chalice corals, you will be looking for more room and money to set-up another reef tank!

Nano Gobies - Trimma and Eviota - If you have a smaller aquarium and you love gobies, you will want to read Tristan Lougherâs informative article on these diminutive fishes. It discusses the taxonomy, behavior and husbandry of this Lilliputians of the reef.

Jewels of the Shadows: The Genus Liopropoma - In the last few years, the reef basslets have reached a peak in their popularity in the aquarium trade. Scott Michael examines the biology, taxonomic history, the reason that these fishes are now so readily available and how best to keep them. The article includes photos of undescribed species.

Crinoids - This spectacular feature article, by world-class photojournalist Fred Bavendam, not only includes informative text but stunning photos showing feather stars and the many animals that associate with them.

Abeâs Angelfish (Centropyge abei) - New Findings on a Fantastic Fish! - Dr. Hiroyuki Tanaka reviews what is known about the deep water pomacanthid, Centropyge abei. This includes new data on the distribution and biology of this unusual fish.

Tales from the Twilight Zone - This is a must read piece by a modern day pioneer! John Earle, along with fellow underwater adventurers, has employed the latest diving technologies to explore deep water reef habitats. In this article, Mr. Earle eloquently describes what they have found in this relatively unknown part of the reef known as the âThe Twilight Zone.â

Predators and Parasites of Giant Clams - Clam expert, James Fatherree, examines threats to wild as well as âpetâ tridacnids in this informative article. A must read for any giant clam enthusiast!

Been Around Since Forever - Dr. Ron Shimek examines a fascinating group of organisms known as Acoel worms. While some reef aquarists have encountered Acoels in their aquarium, most know little about them. After reading Dr. Shimekâs article, you will have a much greater appreciation for these simple, ancient animals.

Balanophyllia - Cup Corals for the Aquarium - in this column, Jake Adams looks at the biology and best way to keep these beautiful corals in the home aquarium.

Stony Corals: Feed âEm - They Need All The Food They Can Get - âTo feed or not to feed?â This has been debated by aquarists since reef-keeping became mainstream. Dr. Shimek looks at what the scientific literature tells us about coral nutrition. If you keep cnidarians, or are fascinated by their biology, you need to read this article!

来自我的 SM-G900F 上的 Tapatalk

[rihaci]

The government is campaigning hard to get the park onto a new list of the Seven Wonders of Nature — a long shot, but an attempt to at least raise awareness. The park's rugged hills and savannahs are home to orange-footed scrub fowl, wild boar and small wild horses, and the surrounding coral reefs and bays harbor more than a dozen whale species, dolphins and sea turtles. Claudio Ciofi, FEIYU SAILFISH 170F - FLOATING PENCIL POPPER - FEISF170F-XXX, who works at the Department of Animal Biology and Genetics at the University of Florence in Italy, said if komodos are hungry, they may be attracted to villages by the smell of drying fish and cooking, and "encounters can become more frequent."