Kids Today

What the Fish? Enjoy!

Fish Fight! Enjoy!

Another Edition of Fact or Fiction

A while back, I posted a blog on the R2 fish school. Last week while surfing the World Wide Web, I came across a new video full of amazing, um, amazingness.

It seems someone has taken the expression "you can’t teach an old fish new tricks" to a whole new level (forget dog, people, we are a fish blog!).

Anyhoo… I leave this to you, reader, to watch and be amazed!

I will let you draw your own conclusions. Once again, this is beyond belief.

Fact or Fiction?


Marine Depot

A fish tank that is truly “Da Bomb”

While most hobbyists are conjuring up thoughts of their “dream” reef tank, I myself imagine an aquarium that is entirely … unique.

Like an aquarium made out of a bomb, for instance.

That’s right, a bomb.

Fabricated from the tail shells of a Vietnam-era MK-84 bomb, MotoArt’s Aquabomb is blowing away the notion that a nano aquarium be limited to a common cube shape.

“The Aquabomb was originally intended to be a big lava lamp,” admits MotoArt company co-founder Dave Hall. “But I was a little uneasy about making something that could tip over and burn a house down, so it evolved into an aquarium.”

From what limited information I could gather from net, these appear to be the specs:

• 10 gallon capacity
• Built-in pump, filter and lighting
• Stands 80” tall
• Aluminum top
• Plexi glass construction
• Available in seven colors

Considering most fish/reef tanks look pretty much the same, it’s nice to see a company taking risks to produce something artsy, retro and bit avant-garde.

Once they bust out a camouflage version, I’m buying one.

Battle for the Coral Reefs

While surfing through the blogs in our blogroll this morning, I stumbled upon a cool little video game I thought you reefers might get a kick out of.

Thanks to Mark over at blogfish for the find.

Oh, and Boss, if you're reading this, I only played it once just to make sure it was functional. ;-)

The game is called Battle for the Coral Reefs. Here's a little marketing blurb about the game:

Battle for the Coral Reefs is a classic shooter game set underwater. Choose from three unique ship designs and battle an ocean of waste. Jump in, master the high score, and restore the coral reefs!

It's a great time waster reminiscent of an 80s arcade classic, Asteroid. If you've read some of my earlier posts, you know I'm a sucker for anything that conjures up 80s nostalgia.

Tune in for my next post on slap bracelets, ghetto blasters and parachute pants.

Ha, just kidding. Enjoy the game!

Stranger Than Fiction

Back in February, I posted a picture of a very unusual fish.

A fish so unusual, in fact, that I posed the question: is this monster of the deep, in fact, real … or some Photoshop’d monstrosity created by a graphic designer with too much time on his hands.

A month passed before an anonymous commenter concluded our “Fact or Fiction?” was indeed fact. Further, our unnamed hero even identified the silver beast as an Oarfish.

SeaSky.org had this to say about the Oarfish:

The oarfish, or Regalecus glesne, is the longest bony fish in the sea. Also known as the ribbon fish, it can grow up to 50 feet in length and weigh as much as 100 pounds. The oarfish is easily distinguished by its shiny, silvery body and its bright red crest that runs the entire length of its body. Oarfish live in the deep ocean at depths down to 3000 feet. They have only been known to come up to the surface when sick or dying and have rarely ever been seen alive. Oarfish have a small mouth and no teeth. They strain crustaceans from the gill rakers in their mouth. It is believed that an oarfish can survive with only half of its body intact. Many researchers also believe that the oarfish may have been responsible for the many sightings of sea serpents reported by ancient mariners. It is indeed one of the strangest looking fish in the sea. Oarfish are found throughout the deep seas of the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea.

Conclusion: Fact
Case: Closed

I would like to leave you with a poem:

Crashing waves bring something in
Among the swell a bright red fin
What is this coming in to the shore?
A strange sea creature never glimpsed before.
With a piercing glare and silvery eyes
I stopped to stare at its unusual size
An enormous beast and true sea monster
Spawned from deep to creep and leap
From ocean waters to scare young daughters
Who beg & plead for no more fish
One more victim of the old Oarfish

Safe Baby Handling Tips

><|||*> - Text Fish are awesome!

Not to be outdone by my counterpart, Jeff2-D2, I was thinking of creating a series of inspirational posters that the everyday aquarist would find humorous. So, without further ado...