That Fish Blog – Aquarium Advice and Information

When in doubt, dip it. Whether you are a beginner, or veteran, reef aquarium keeper, your prized corals are susceptible to a wide range of pests, parasites and infections. Acropora Eating Flatworms (AEFW), Montipora Eating Nudibranchs (MENS), Zooanthid Eating Nudibranchs, snails and spiders, and pathogenic bacteria causing Rapid Tissue Necrosis (RTN) are far too common problems we face in the hobby. Wild harvested, farm raised, or even the coral you traded with a friend for, can potentially introduce some nasty little critters into your aquarium. Read More »

It is amazing how little we know about our ocean’s ecosystems! We know that corals can defend themselves against other corals, invertebrates, and to a certain extent fish, but a recent study has found that corals may have another attacker to defend against. Algae has always been a problem with coral and coral reefs as a whole. The rapid growth and expansion of some macro algae will eventually choke out specific corals, killing them in a matter of days. Taxifolia a species of Caulerpa, began invading parts of the West Coast years ago, choking out everything in it’s path as it spread. Normally, we think of the tangling tendrils of green smothering the corals in darkness as they take over, slowly starving them of vital light and nutrients. However, a recent study performed by a professor and his graduate student at Georgia Tech have found algae that can kill coral on contact. Read More »

Every now and then, we find a new fish or invert that jumps its way to the top of our wish lists. My new favorites? The Roundheads aka Longfins, Marine Bettas, Prettyfins, Comets, Devilfish,  Spiny Basslets – fish from the family Plesiopsidae.

There are a few genera in this family that you may see in fish stores and aquariums. The most well-known (although still far from common) are the Assessors – the Yellow Devilfish (Assessor flavissimus) and the Blue Devilfish (Assessor macneilli). Wild-caught Assessors are still few and far between, but tankraised fish are slowly starting to become more common. Longfins, genus Plesiops are also becoming more common. The three you’re most likely to see are the Crimsontip Longfin (Plesiops coeruleolineatus), Northern Devilfish (Plesiops corallicola) and the Sharp-nosed Longfin (Plesiops oxycephalus). A few other fish from the Plesiopsidae family show up every now and then as well, like the Power’s Roundhead Grouper (Paraplesiops poweri) and the more well-known Marine Betta or Comet (Calloplesiops altivelis). Read More »

Hello, Sam here. Most saltwater aquarists know what a bristle worm is, but they may not know that it has function in the reef.  There are many different species of bristle worm, some are scavengers and some are carnivores.  Most of the small bristle worms found in a reef tank under the live rock or crawling across the sand are Eurythoe sp. These worms are scavengers and help you by eating leftover food that settles to the substrate from daily feedings or waste from the other fish in the tank.  The problem occurs when their population in the aquarium grows and you’re suddenly faced with bristleworms everywhere!  They may not be the most attractive things to look at, and clusters of them on rock and in substrate can be a little unsettling when you peer into your tank. Read More »

This coming weekend, That Fish Place/That Pet Place will celebrate its 37^th year.  Our Anniversary sale is more than just great specials and deals.  One of the great features of our spring event are the free seminars and workshops that we have offered over the years.  This year Julian Sprung, renowned author and aquarium expert, will be here on Saturday April 17^th to do two presentations for us, and on Sunday April 18^th our very own Cory Shank, will host a workshop for our customers. Read More »