That Fish Blog – Aquarium Advice and Information

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.  Sharks are not for everyone, but many marine aquarists are tempted to give them a try at some point.  Among those available in the trade, the Indo-Pacific’s white-spotted bamboo shark (Chiloscyllium plagiosum) stands out as one of the best.  Two slightly larger, boldly-marked species, the brown-banded bamboo shark (C. punctatum) and the epaulette shark (Hemiscyllium ocellatum), are also worth the attentions of serious fish keepers with ample room. Read More »

Hi, this is Ahmad. I have worked in customer service and periodically on the sales floor at That Fish Place for more than 10 years. I have received countless questions from customers over the years, but questions on lighting lamp bases and Compact Fluorescent pin configuration are very frequent. Some while ago, Dave provided insights on the meaning of Kelvin ratings, which is also a source of confusion for lighting customers. This blog aims to answer some questions with concern to pin arrangement on Compact Fluorescent Lamps. Read More »

Shipments in the past couple have weeks have led to an increase in the diversity of marine organisms you can see and purchase at That Fish Place. Typically when we get something new and from a new collection point, it can come with a steep price. But with the recent additions, this is not so much the case. I thought I’d take this opportunity to introduce a few of the new arrivals.

I think one of my personal favorites is the juvenile Blackbar Hogfish (Bodianus speciosus). The majority of its body has a pink/lavender color that is unlike anything that I have seen in the hobby. Though he’s only about 3 inches now, this fish does get large (around 20 inches), so it will need to have at least a 150 gallon. We also received an Anchor Tuskfish (Choerodon anchorago) which is another large fish, but will bode well in at least a 150 gallon aquarium with larger. This is a moderately aggressive fish, but it has understated beauty, prominent teeth and a curious personality. Read More »

Hi, Dave again. This past week I attended the annual Global Pet Expo in Orlando. Global is the biggest pet trade show in the U.S., where many vendors show of their new products for the year, as well as show off some prototypes for thing to come down the road.
When you think of new products, fish don’t exactly jump to mind, after all we don’t make fish…or do we? Captive bred fish have been the driving force in freshwater aquariums for many years, with many manmade fish on the market, freshwater and saltwater. Fish like the many types Fancy Goldfish, Bloody Parrots, Flowerhorns and more recently the bioengineered “Glo Fish” are common to the freshwater aquarium hobby. Selective breeding and hybridization have resulted in many manmade fish over the years. Read More »

If you have a saltwater tank, there is a good possibility that you’ve had some experience with the pest anemone, Aiptasia. Aiptasia can seem to spring from live rock or new corals from nowhere, quickly becoming an unsightly “weed” all over the tank. But despite their prolific nature and the possibility of damage to coral colonies from their stings, eradication may not be your only solution.

I noticed that around the overflows of some of the holding tanks the Aiptasia anemones seemed to gather. Only a small amount of Aiptasia appeared within the tanks, on walls and rocks. Intrigued, I decided to research this in Anthony Calfo’s book, Book of Coral Propagation. He revealed an interesting use for the pest anemone.   Read More »