A few months ago I wrote about SeaSmart, a new program/company planning to revolutionize the way livestock is collected and handled, before it ends up in a local retail store. The program was working out extremely well, with an influx of sustainable Papua New Guinea fish to the market every week. The aquaculture portion of the company was on the verge of sending out the first coral frags in the coming months.
Suddenly, at the end of last year, exports from PNG stopped. Read More »
There are a few things every aquarist should have on hand, especially for saltwater and reef aquariums. Algae scrubbers, food for their fish, extra filter media…and first aid supplies. Even the most cautious of us gets scraped, stung, poked, cut, irritated and altogether abused sometimes when we work on our tanks. The supplies you may want to have depends on what you have in your aquarium (freshwater aquarists may not need many of these items) and your own medical history (if you know you are allergic to something like bee stings or salt creep or fake SCUBA diver ornaments, you may need some extra items like an Epi-pen or special medications). Keep these items in a clean, waterproof container in your aquarium stand or nearby for easy access. Read More »
Over the last couple years, I’ve heard much debate over the use of LED lighting for reef aquariums. Has the technology really advanced to the point where LED is a viable option for lighting a reef aquarium, or is it just a fad that has no real substance? Most of the opinions on the subject are heavily influenced dependent on which side you are looking at the technology from. I have been told many times that LED cannot sustain photosynthetic corals. Some believe the light production is not of adequate quality to keep a reef tank long term. Not surprisingly, this has mainly come from manufacturers of traditional lighting sources (T5, PC, Metal Halide), and some have been highly critical of the LED technology. On the other hand, the manufacturers 
that have invested in LED technology are adamant about the quality and validity of LED lighting. Those on each side of the fence are understandably trying to defend their own interests in the debate between traditional vs. LED lights for use on reef aquaria. Read More »
Some time ago, we discussed the scientific naming system and how common names can vary between hobbyists, sources and regions. Sometimes, they can also overlap. Take, for example, the “Purple Reef Lobster”. There are two lobsters that are commonly sold and imported under this generic name. Daum’s Purple Reef Lobster and Debelius’s Purple Reef Lobster are similar in size, color and appearance, but are actually separate and unique species. An untrained eye may easily me fooled…
Daum’s Purple Reef Lobster (Enoplometopus daumi) is probably the more common out of the two in most marine aquariums. Its body is mostly orange with some fine red lines and markings. The purple is on the top of the head, just behind and to the rear of the eyes, and on the front claws. The front of the claw – mostly the hinged “thumb” part – may be faintly banded. The shell on the abdomen of the lobster has tiny white spots and the legs are usually bright reddish-orange.
Debelius Purple Reef Lobster (Enoplometopus debelius) is in 
some ways the opposite of the Daum’s and, in my opinion, more deserving of the “Purple” in Purple Reef Lobster. Instead of a colored shell with light spots, the base color on the Debelius is light lavender with darker purple spots over its entire body and darker purple claws. The legs and antennae are bright orange and the tip of the claws and the “thumbs” of the claws are banded with pale and bright orange.
Cliff Notes version? Daum’s = colored body, white spots. Debelius = pale body, darker spots. Both lobsters are generally considered reef safe and community safe with caution, have the same meaty scavenger diet and grow to about 5 inches in length. Two different lobsters, one common name, but each a beautiful and fun to watch aquarium addition to your saltwater aquarium.
Ok, it’s time to put on our Nostradamus hats and tell you all the things we’re thinking, and in some cases hoping, will happen in the aquarium hobby in 2011…hint: it’s all about technology. Hold on to your Vortech…here we go.
That Fish Blog – Aquarium Advice and Information
