That Fish Blog – Aquarium Advice and Information

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.  California’s Steinhart Aquarium (a “must see, by the way”) has become the first American aquarium to breed the dwarf cuttlefish (Sepia bandensis), and the first anywhere to do so on a large scale.  Marine hobbyists have reason to celebrate, as this smallest of the world’s cuttlefishes, the only one that can reasonably be expected to do well in home aquariums, has until now been in short supply (large cuttlefish species require a great deal of room, and are not practical inhabitants for most home or even public aquariums).  Lessons learned at Steinhart may someday help to establish breeding populations of this most fascinating Cephalopod among private aquarists. Read More »

Hi, Cory here. One challenge often faced by aquarists is keeping your fish free of parasites and disease. If your fish become sick you have to learn how to treat them effectively. There are so many pathogens in the aquatic world, from parasites to bacteria and fungi. Probably the most common infestations that plague aquarium keepers are Marine Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans) and Freshwater Ich (Ichthyophthirius multifiliis). These afflictions are easy to spot, and relatively easy to treat depending on the type of fish and aquarium setup. There is another parasite which I’m addressing today that is common though frequently overlooked or misidentified. Marine Velvet maybe just as common as Ich, but is rarely diagnosed in time to save the fish. Read More »

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.  In Part I of this article we discussed general lobster care and took a look at the Dwarf Red or Hawaiian Reef Lobster, Enoplometopus occidentalis.  Today I’ll introduce the Purple or Blue Spiny Lobster, Panulirus versicolor, and the Hawaiian Brown Slipper Lobster, Parribacus antarcticus. Read More »

When most people think about where some of their favorite aquarium fish come from, they usually think of brightly colored corals and fish darting about in the sunlight. If you ask them how fish are collected, they might picture collectors snorkelling or skin-diving to the reefs to hand-collect the fish that will soon appear in their local fish stores. But, for a large number of fish in the aquarium trade, this is just not a reality. Sure, plenty of fish come from shallow reefs close to the surface, but many also come from deep, dark reefs over 100 feet below the surface where light doesn’t penetrate and even some of the colors of the fish themselves don’t, for all practical purposes, exist. Read More »

Sam here with another nano fish profile. There are lots of little fish that are ideal for nano aquariums. The small sizes of these set-ups are the perfect way to really appreciate these tine fish that can get lost in larger tanks.

A very curious and interesting fish is the Atlantic Sailfin Blenny, Emblemaria pandionis. This small blenny reaches a size of just 2 inches and is great for nano tanks. This blenny is usually brown or black with white mottling along the dorsal ridge.  Though not as brightly colored as some of it’s cousins, this species has a distinguishing feature; a very large dorsal “sail-fin”. It’s not uncommon for this dorsal fin to extend over an inch in height, impressive on a blenny this small. Emblemaria pandionis will engage in an interesting behavior when threatened or scared. It will raise it’s large dorsal fin to try and appear larger than it is! The blenny may also do this when approaching other blennies or seeking food. Read More »