That Fish Blog – Aquarium Advice and Information

Pom-Pom Pulsing Xenia is one of my favorite corals. Quite simplistic, in color and shape, but there is something about the pulsing action and the beauty of the polyps that ranks it in my top ten corals. There are a few different types of pulsing Xenia found in the trade, such as the Pom Pom and the Silver varieties.

Considered a pest or a “weed” to some, others find it almost impossible to keep alive. There are plenty of possibilities as to why this is the case, but it always comes down to water quality. It is thought that Xenia cannot take in food like many corals do feeding on zooplankton and phytoplankton, leaving photosynthesis as the main food source. Xenia also has the ability to absorb certain nutrients and organics from the water column when needed. Due to the rate of growth and the ability to absorb organics, some people use Xenia in refugiums with or without macro algae to export excess nutrients. Not a proven miracle worker, but something to brighten up a refugium and do some work at the same time. Not to mention a small income possibility; since Xenia has a difficult time being shipped from supplier to store due to the amount of time being in a bag, the best supplier of Xenia is from local “coral farmers”.

Xeniids, despite their tolerance to not so clean water conditions are very sensitive to lower pH levels, especially when there is a constant fluctuation in levels. This can lead to a lack of pulsing, or even to the disappearance of the colony. Temperature, lack of or too much water flow, low lighting, and even over skimmed and over filtered aquarium can lead to problems.

The other potential problem with Xenia is it’s ability to take over the aquarium. With an obnoxious growth rate, neighboring corals can quickly become the next object that the Xenia grows on, possibly choking out the individual. In this situation, removing the Xenia becomes the major problem. Simply cutting the Xenia off the coral or rock may do the trick, but it has an uncanny ability to sprout a new colony or colonies from the original piece. A Kalk paste ( a paste of kalkwasser that can be applied to invasive Xenia polyps to kill those encroaching portions) can do the trick, but must be used with extreme caution with nearby corals or with pH levels. Again, to most people this is a good problem, thriving corals can equal profit.

So the next time you are looking for a hardy, unique coral, consider giving Pulsing Xenia a try, in the right application it can really shine.

Hi, Dave back again, just wanted to share with you some of the amazing Tridacna Clams that we have been seeing over the past few weeks. The diversity of colors and patterns that we have received in recent shipments may be the best that we have ever seen. That is saying something, given that I have seen thousands of clams over the years, but every time I walk past the clams lately, I cannot help myself from stopping to admire them for a while.

The photos shown here are just a sample of some of what we have had in stock, many were snatched up before we could even get pictures taken of them.  These clams have been coming from a number of sources, both captive raised and wild stock. We have gotten some really nice farm raised T. derasa and T. squamosa from ORA (oceans reefs and aquariums). The Derasa Clams in particular have had really nice color patterns.

We received some really amazing T. maxima clams that were wild harvested from Tuamota, a chain of island atolls in French Polynesia. We are expecting a new shipment of these Maxima Clams in the coming weeks, which we are eagerly awaiting. We only got a few of these specimens from the last batch that were imported, and were sorry we did not get more. These may have been the nicest Maxima Clams that I have ever seen.

We have started to see T. crocea clams become available again, they had become scarce earlier this year. Most of the Crocea Clams in the hobby are coming from Vietnam these days. These wild harvested clams have been coming in a nice variety of sizes and color morphs.

Check out our YOUR CHOICE section of our livestock page in the coming weeks for all of our WYSIWYG clams and animals, as we get some more of the beauties in stock and up for sale.

Hope that you enjoyed the photos of some of our clammy eye candy!

Dave

Hey folks, as promised, here’s the first installment of my favorite fish! Just remember everyone’s opinion differs and I would like to see other peoples faves,  too, so please leave a comment if you have an opinion.  Here goes, (in no particular order)!

Copadichromis azureus – This haplochromine is a zooplankton feeder. Males attain a length up to 8 inches with females around half that. A colorful fish, males sport a metallic blue with a white dorsal edge and black fins. Also sold as C. chrysonotus.  They are as attractive as they are interesting to watch.

Protomelas insignis – Also known as P. spilonotus (Tanzania) this particular hap attains a length of about 10 inches, with females at 7.  Males develop a bluish green head with 3/4 of the upper body dark blue while the bottom 1/4 is yellow. Beautiful!

Pseudotropheus polit – This feisty little cave brooder, which tops out at 4 inches, has a nasty napoleon complex. Males become a very light blue with a black face. This fish will keep you on your toes!

Aulonocara ethelwynae – This peacock attains a length of 5 inches, and has an understated beauty.  It is not a very colorful fish, as compared to other peacocks. The body is mostly brown with some yellow accents, and it has a blue lower jaw. The fins are their most attractive feature as both the anal and dorsal are blue to a light purple in color.  A fish that lives around the sandy areas of the lake,  it also needs rock for protection and breeding.

Dimidiochromis compressiceps – This piscivore (fish eater), which is also known as the Malawi Eye Biter, attains a length of 11 inches and is rarely encountered in the rocky habitat. It mostly frequents reed stands and vallisneria beds where its laterally compressed  body can allow it to hide as it stalks prey. Males develop a metallic blue face and body, a white dorsal edge with red tips, and a red anal fin with blue white egg spots.  What is not to love about this fish!

Nimbochromis livingstoni – This 11 inch piscivore has an intresting hunting behavior, and is a blast to watch in action. It partially buries itself in sand and feigns death. It has a mottled pattern of brown blotches on a pale body.  The pale color attracts smaller fish, which are then caught with a sideways thrust, like lightning! Dominant males develop gorgeous dark  blue coloration.

Tyrannochromis macrostoma –  Another predator, this species attains a length of 14 inches and has a peculiar hunting technique, also spectacular to observe. It hovers in a head-down vertical position and tilts its body to one side.  The position allows this hunter to observe its prey in the rock and snatch it out of its hideout.  Males are a blue with yellow-orange in the anal and pelvic fins.

Protomelas steveni (Taiwan Reef) – This awesome species hails from three different areas with differences in colors. Higga Reef variants are all blue with a red anal fin and a white blaze, Ngkuyo Reef variants have a blue head some blue in body, while the back and belly are both yellow, and the anal fin is yellow. Taiwan Reef is my favorite, featuring a blue face and back, yellow body, red anal fin and a white blaze. Simply gorgeous fish. There is also an albino version which is stunning.

Rhampochromis sp. – Open water predators, these “Malawi Barracudas” range in size from 10 inches to 18 inches. They are mostly silver, though a couple species also have yellow anal and pelvic fins. They’re made to chase down prey, natural hunters you can’t help but to admire.
Any Lethrinops sp. or Tramitichromis sp.- These sandy living species come in all “flavors” and I will always have a soft spot for them for the variety of color they exhibit and their unique and interesting behaviors. My favorite variants are the Tramitichromis ‘Red Flush’ and the Lethrinops ‘Auritus Lion’.

In closing, lets not forget that these are my faves I would love to hear from anyone who reads this blog about their favorite Malawi species and variants, please take a moment to give your take in our comments section and as always if you have any questions, let me know! Next up are my favorite Victorians!

Hi everyone, Jason here!  Reefs can be described in so many ways.  They have every color imaginable, and creatures different in such drastic ways all living in closely intertwined communities.  Some are the hunters and some are the prey.  You could explore the same section of the reef everyday and there is a decent chance of discovering something new, whether a new creature or a specific behavior that allows so many creatures to coexist in a specific area.  Reproducing these niches cause a rather difficult situation when trying to put these rare and exotic creatures into the confined area of a home aquarium. 

One of our more frequently sought after fish are the Dragonets.  We usually carry three or four different species of them.  The most common two are the Green Mandarin Dragonet (Synchiropus picturatus) and the Blue Mandarin Dragonet (Synchiropus splendidus).  These fish are extremely colorful and very entertaining to watch when placed in an adequate aquarium.

The Dragonets are a challenging fish to keep in the home aquarium.  It is not as much an issue of how hardy they are but rather their diet which can make them difficult to keep.  Unlike most fish available to the aquarium trade, they are not easily enticed to eat prepared foods, mostly because they do not recognize these processed items as food.  In the wild, they hunt small crustaceans called the copepods.  They usually require a tank that has been established for about a year, with at least 90 pounds of live rock to provide a population of copepods.  The naturally occurring copepods provide prey for the active hunting lifestyle of the dragonet.  Some aquarists try feeding live black worms in an attempt to wean them off of copepods with occasional success, but this will require regular purchase and maintenance of live black worms. This practice works for a short time, but ultimately, black worms do not contain enough nutrition to act as a substantial food source.  If it were not for their constant hunt for food and limited food source these fish might be easier to keep. 

If you are able to provide a sufficient copepod/amphipod population, Dragonets can do well in the aquarium with most other fish.  However, when it comes to being kept with other Dragonets there can be an issue (besides exausted food sources).  A pair consisting of a male and female will usually get along without aggression, but if you put two males in an aquarium (unless it is very large) they may fight, as they are very territorial.  You can differentiate between a male and a female by their size and the elongated dorsal fin.  The male will be more robust than the female, and he’ll have a long extension from the dorsal fin that the female lacks.  Dragonets have been known to breed in captivity, but there is usually an extremely low success rate.  The male and female will rise up into the water column side by side to release the eggs and sperm.  Typically, they are more likely to show this behavior under actinic lights which simulate dusk or dawn lighting. 

If you have the well established reef to sustain them, and you want a show-stopping little fish, a Dragonet may be the way to go! 

Until next time,

Jason

Hello, Cory here with a short blog on an interesting new wave in the world of reefing, the new obsession with Chalice corals.  A couple years ago, Chalice Corals were not very popular or in demand type of coral, despite the ease of care and collection. They were offered around the country, at very reasonable prices. This is no longer the case. With the influx of ridiculously colorful specimens in the market, the Chalice Coral craze has begun!

The Chalice Coral’s appearance can be difficult to describe. Chalice corals are part of the Pectiniidae Family, more specifically the Genus Echinophyllia, but Mycedium and Oxypora species can also be considered in the group. Chalice Corals can be very easy to keep. They require low to moderate light, with a few species needing a bit more to help bring out some of the intense coloration. Due to the ability of Chalices to adapt to most lighting conditions, you must try to replicate the lighting conditions of the store or person before you, or the coral may change it’s colors completely. After a few weeks to a couple of months, you may have a coral that looks nothing like the one you purchased. Too much and too little water movement can have negative effects, but don’t worry too much. They can be tolerant of most currents as long as they are more turbulent rather than laminar. These corals can be very aggressive, but most lack very long sweeper tentacles, so the space around them can be manipulated. Since thier growth is relatively slow, you don’t have to worry about them encroaching upon your other prize corals. However, always remember over time they may eventually converge with a neighboring coral and the battle will begin. They primarily feed at night, preying upon small, meaty foods such as cyclops and oyster eggs.

For the past year or so, Chalice Corals have become the popular corals to keep, like Acans and Zoanthid polyps before them. Prices per frag range from 15 to 20 dollars for the standard variety. The more uncommon varieties are ranging from 50 to as much as 300 dollars or more per frag, depending on the size!  One example, the Tyree LE Bumble Gum Monster Chalice can be as much as 250 dollars per ¾ inch frag! Recently, an extremely rare species, coined the My Miami Chalice frag was auctioned for 2000 dollars on eBay. The frag was close to an inch in size. My collection includes two variants at the moment, the Sour Apple and the Christmas Chalice. That Fish Place carries a few varieties such as the Miami Hurricane and the Rainbow Delight (Jason Fox frags)with many others hopefully to come in the future.  Check them out!

Until next time,

Cory