The ABC’s of Filtration at the Aquarium

Our friends over at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, CA recently posted an article about the "ABC's of Filtration at the Aquarium."

Amazing how it's really not much different than what we do at home, albeit on a much larger scale.

As Staci, a mammalogy volunteer and Aquarium staff member, so succinctly put it: "Whether you’re maintaining an exhibit that holds 200 gallons or 200,000 gallons, filtration is an integral part of any successful man-made marine habitat."

Read The ABC’s of Filtration at the Aquarium ...

Biologist: Post-'Nemo' Demand Threatens Clownfish

Five years after the hit film that endeared the clownfish to audiences the world over, Nemo is becoming increasingly difficult to find.

The lovable tropical species, immortalized in the smash Pixar movie "Finding Nemo," is facing extinction in many parts of the world because of soaring demand from the pet trade, according to one marine biologist.

Parents whose children who fell in love with Nemo at the cinema are seeking out the clownfish in ever greater numbers, leading to over-harvesting of wild specimens because captive breeding programs cannot cope with demand.

Dr. Billy Sinclair of the University of Cumbria in northern England, who has been studying clownfish populations for 5 years, says the species should now be listed as endangered.

Studies of clownfish on Australia's Great Barrier Reef have revealed a dramatic population decline since the release of the movie in 2003. Shoals that used to number dozens of clownfish have dwindled to just a few specimens, leaving them with difficulty breeding, Sinclair says.

"In one coral reef we looked at in Keppel Bay, clownfish populations have dropped from 25 to just six in two years," he says.

SOURCE: Fox News

• Additional Reference: TimesOnline

Deadly lionfish invade Florida waters?

Top scientists are warning about an impending invasion of a poisonous fish into Florida's waters.

The lionfish, a native of the Pacific Ocean, is both gorgeous and dangerous. Many people may have never seen a lionfish in the waters surrounding Florida, but that will soon change.

Scientists don't use the word "invasion" lightly, but that's exactly what they are predicting of the exotic-looking lionfish.

The poisonous tips on the lionfish's fins could present a danger to people who swim, dive or work in Florida waters.

Aquarium manager Anthony Bartolome said he has been stung five times by lionfish.

"It pretty much burns like fire," Bartolome said.

The pain from a lionfish sting lasts for about 15 to 20 minutes. The lionfish's sting is so serious it can send victims to the hospital and even kill them.

"There is no anti-venom for this," said Lad Akins, executive director of Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF).

Experts are so concerned about the impending invasion of lionfish they are desperately trying to warn the public.

"They're also very bold fish, especially in this new Atlantic range where it appears that they have few, if any, predators," Akins stated.

Lionfish have no predators because they do not belong in the Atlantic Ocean. There is nothing here to eat them or stop them from eating Florida's reef fish.

When lionfish grow too big, aquarium owners begin dumping the fish right into the Atlantic Ocean.

Now they are breeding at a rapid pace, experts said.

Scientists and volunteers are feverishly trying to fight the invasion of lionfish.

To do this, they are studying - and killing - the lionfish, now found in deep and shallow water.

Experts believe lionfish in the Bahamas and in Cancun, Mexico, will, as larvae, make their way to Florida on the ocean currents.

Once established, they will start destroying reefs and throwing the ecosystem out of balance.

This change will threaten the lobster, grouper, snapper and many more animals that call these waters their home.

New studies headed by Mark Hixon of Oregon State University are about to be published in a peer-reviewed science journal found one lionfish can deplete 79 percent of a reef in just five weeks.

That means coral ecology dies and algae takes over.

"You know the potential is there for it to be devastating," said Tom Jackson with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Jackson's job is to track invasive species and creatures that can sometimes change and destroy a vital ecosystem.

His personal opinion is it would be best to ban the sale of lionfish completely.

"In 2003, nearly 8,000 were imported to Tampa alone, 8,000. You only need 15 or 20 in one area to create a population," Jackson said.

Volunteers are being recruited to help stop the invasion of this species into the South Florida waters.

SOURCE: TCPalm

Tonga Rock, Corals and Fiji Corals Available Once Again

The Secretariat of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) recently lifted restrictions that had banned exporting species from Tonga, Fiji and Australia. That means you can now purchase Tonga rock, corals and Fiji corals once again!

Check out MarineDepotLive.com for live rock, livestock and—sorry, ran out of rhymes—um, other good stuff.

ROWAphos enters the Olympics

The new 1,200 hectare Olympic Park, north of Peking and part of The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, can accommodate approximately 18,000 athletes and functionaries.

The Olympic Stadium and additional sports facilities are located within this impressive park, which has large landscaped areas of grass and water. Approximately 75 hectares of water surface area exists within the park and is laid out in the form of a kite.

Due to a water shortage in the 15 million population metropolis, the Olympic lake is fed predominantly by local waste water.

In order to avoid possible hygiene, algae and smell problems, the Chinese-German BMBF research project developed from 2004-2007 an energy-efficient solution for waste water recycling. Different phosphate removers were tested and ROWAphos was found to be the most effective material.

ROWAphos, used worldwide by aquarium hobbyists, is utilized as the last stage of the water treatment unit.

ROWAphos is operated in 2 parallel filter containers treating 2000 m3 of water per day.

After this treatment the water is used for toilet flushing, wells and as well as washing water within the Olympic park.

To learn more about ROWAphos, visit D-D The Aquarium Solution or MarineDepot.com. To learn more about The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, visit the official website by clicking here.

Export Of Live Reef Fish Now Banned In Palau

The exportation of live reef fish has now been banned in Palau, following spirited debate over whether it was a matter for state or national government control.

Rather than a stand alone bill, the ban on the exporting of live reef fish was this week passed after being attached to a bill to increase the maximum loan amount by the Palau National Development Bank.

Individual State governments had granted permission for life fish exports bycollecting direct fees and until this law, no national legislation protected these vital resources.

The issue of the catching, holding and feeding snapper and grouper with smallerfish and periodic shipping of the fish to markets in Hong Kong and Taiwan was brought to public attention earlier in the year when a local tour operator posted photographs ofa “mother ship” and numerous fishing boats on its website.

The Northern Reefs are considered critical breeding grounds for fish consumed by the people of Palau. As such, indiscriminate fishing of not only mature fish but also the smaller fish used as food, concerned marine environmentalists and local leaders.

In his legislative request to the Congress, President Remengesau Jr. had stressed that the “insatiable markets of Asia” for fresh reef fish would result in the decimation of Palau’s reef fish unless banned.

Source: Pacific Magazine

I Google'd Palau to find a picture for the blog. Every image is incredible. I encourage you to take a look. I can see why the government wants to protect this haven.

Winter the dolphin gets bionic tail

As she glides through the water, Winter the dolphin appears to be completely normal. But she is the world's first bionic sea creature after being fitted with an artificial tail.

Only closer inspection reveals the dolphin's rear end is entirely prosthetic.

Winter, an Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin, lost her own tail after being caught in a harsh crab trap.

She was found at just two-months old in 2006, floating in distress off the coast of Florida.

Read the whole story...

Source: Telegraph.co.uk

Invasion Beyond the Coast: Conservation Through Responsible Reef Keeping

For the last two weeks, we have discussed the potential impact of invasive species that threaten to undermine the delicate ecological balance off the Eastern coast of the United States. Luckily, scientists have discovered this problem and are taking action to correct it.

But what can you, as an aquarist, do to help?

The easiest thing to do is to not release any organisms back into the wild. Even if the species you are releasing is indigenous to the area, the fish may carry diseases that can wipe out a native population. At the very least, your fish has become accustom to not working for food and will most likely starve if it needs to hunt again.

A more proactive approach is to join a local conservation group, such as reef.org or SCCAT.com. These groups not only help to monitor the current state of invasion, but also assist in the cleanup process.

Thank you for joining us on this 3 week journey of discovery and conservation. Through responsible reef keeping, we can maintain wild populations and save the natural balance.

Invasion Beyond the Coast: Threats to Biodiversity

Last week, we introduced a growing problem off the shores of the eastern United States and organizations looking to solve this problem. In this installment of Invasion Beyond the Coast, we will look at what makes a species invasive and at the species assaulting our coastline.

"Alien species means," according to The National Invasive Species Information Center (NISIC), "with respect to a particular ecosystem, any species, including its seeds, eggs, spores, or other biological material capable of propagating that species, that is not native to that ecosystem.”

Because these non-native species often have no competition or predators, their population grows unchecked. They consume food and territory from native species and may also carry diseases of which the native population has no immunity.

This is when the NISIC classifies them as an "invasive species," which means “an alien species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.”

You might ask yourself how a species can cause economic harm.

Imagine if a species of crab was introduced into the waters off the Atlantic coast. It competes with lobsters for food and territory so much so, that the lobster industry goes under.

Some people might say there is no way for an invasive species to affect an ecosystem like this. But take the Caulerpa taxifolia, for example. This marine algae has decimated many parts of the Mediterranean Sea. Recently, groups like the Southern California Caulerpa Action Team (SCCAT) have taken up the cause to make sure this weed doesn't get a foothold in California waters.

This project has cost $8.3 million to date.

Today, Atlantic natives face threats from fish around the world. These fish include: Emperor Angel (Pomacanthus imperator), 5 other species of Angelfish (Pomacanthus spp.), Orbicular Batfish (Platax orbicularis), Lionfish (Pterois volitans), 3 varieties of Sailfin Tangs (Zebrasoma spp.), Raccoon Butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunula), yellow tang (Zebrasoma flavescens), Orangespine Unicornfish (Naso lituratus), and Morrish Idol (Zanclus cornutus).

These animals are native to Indo-West Pacific or Red Sea, but are in the Atlantic most often due to inexperienced aquarists who can no longer care for their animals. Although these animals are beautiful and a treat to see in the wild, this is not where they belong.

For information on how you can help, visit REEF.org.

Be sure to catch the final installment of Invasive Beyond the Coast, where we will discuss the how the average aquarist can make an impact on biodiversity.

Invasion Beyond the Coast: An Ecosystem in Danger

In recent news, scientists have become increasingly concerned over the presence of 16 non-native marine fish species of the eastern coast of the United States. In this, the first of the three part series Invasion Beyond the Coast, we will look at the groups that are leading the charge to classify this threat to our oceans.

Researchers believe that the presence of the fish, which include species of Angelfish, Tangs, Lionfish, is most likely due to hobbyists releasing them into the wild. These fish have been tracked by REEF.org for many years now. One of the goals of reef.org is to catalog the population size and location of each of the non-native species. This data, along with research from many other institutions including the National Invasive Species Information Center (NISIC), will be used to gauge the impact of these aquatic aliens on the natural habitats.

The NISIC aquatic division usually tracks freshwater species, but recently has become responsible for marine life as well. This government entity was created in 1999 under Executive Order 13112 by President Clinton. Their mission is to track and catalog all non-native and invasive species in the United States. With this data they gauge the economic and environmental impacts and devise solutions.

For more information on how you can help, visit REEF.org.

Be sure to catch the next installment of Invasive Beyond the Coast, where we will discuss the past and current threats to biodiversity.

MarineDepot.com on the Radio

Tonight @ 7 PM (10 PM EST) my boss—and MarineDepot.com's Director of Operations—Ben Ros will be appearing on Frank Reese's Blue Zoo, a new talk radio program dedicated to the marine aquarium hobby.

Here is a rundown of the guests appearing on tonight's program:

• Columnist/Moderator – David Lass
• Marine Aquarist/Author – Michael Paletta
• MarineDepot.com Director of Operations – Ben Ros
• Hikari USA President – Chris Clevers

Ben will be discussing the growth of the the saltwater aquarium hobby from both a hobbyist and business perspective. Did that sound too formal? It shouldn't be; look forward to a fun conversation and an intimate look inside the Marine Depot mindset that you'll find isn't all suits & ties.

Fortunately they archive the program, so in case you're checking this after the show has aired, visit Blue Zoo's website for more info.

Algerian Marine Services Arrest Coral Smugglers

During the last 15 months, marine forces have arrested 46 coral smugglers and have seized 155 pounds of high quality coral, 37 Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) Systems, 338 coral removal machines and "a sizable number" of diving costumes. This was all done in the name of catching thieves that pillage the ocean's natural coral reefs.

Source: El Khabar

Japan uses coral to define international border

In what is the largest coral fragging project in the world, Japan is using living coral to lay claim to parts of the Pacific over 200 miles from their shore.

Started in 2006, the Japanese government has budgeted 7.55 million dollars to collect, reproduce and grow more than 100,000 fast growing acropora fragments about the size of a finger.

Japan is using these fragments to fortify small islets, that they claim are islands, from erosion.

According to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, if these are "real" islands, not just outcroppings as the Chinese government claims, Japan's control over the Pacific would extend another 200 nautical miles.

Even though Japan is using the coral to expand their share of the ocean, the research that they are doing is proving beneficial to help save coral reefs around the world.

Controllable Koralias now In Stock

You may remember that header graphic from our Best New Products from the Global Pet Expo post back in March.

Well, I've got good news: the controllable koralias are now in stock! Woo-hoo!

You can now pick up the Controllable Hydor Koralia 1, 2, 3, 4, Nano and the Wavemaker 2-Way Controller at our online store.

And, if you do, be sure to write a product review to let us—and your peers—know how you liked them and how they performed in your setup!

Dolphin rescues stranded whales

WELLINGTON (AFP) — A dolphin guided two stranded whales to safety after human attempts to keep the animals off a New Zealand beach failed, a conservation official said Wednesday.

"I've never heard of anything like this before, it was amazing," Conservation Department officer Malcolm Smith said.

The actions of the dolphin, well known locally for playing with swimmers at Mahia beach on the east coast of the North Island, probably meant the difference between life and death for the whales, Smith told AFP.

Smith had been working for over an hour and a half to save the two pygmy sperm whales which had repeatedly become stranded despite his attempts to push them back out to sea.

A bottlenose dolphin, named Moko by locals, appeared and guided the whales to safety after apparently communicating with them, Smith said.

The whales, a three-metre (10-foot) female and her 1.5 metre male calf, were apparently confused by a sandbar just off the beach and could not find their way back to open water.

Smith had been alerted at daybreak on Monday by a neighbour about the two stranded whales on Mahia beach near his home.

"Over the next hour and a half I pushed them back out to sea two or three times and they were very reluctant to move offshore," Smith said.

"I was starting to get cold and wet and they were becoming tired. I was reaching the stage where I was thinking it's about time to give up here, I've done as much as I can."

In that situation, whales are often humanely killed to end their suffering.

Smith said Moko arrived on the scene and he could hear the whales and the dolphin making noises, apparently to one another.

"The whales made contact with the dolphin and she basically escorted them about 200 metres (yards) parallel with the beach to the edge of the sandbar.

"Then she did a right-angle turn through quite a narrow channel and escorted them out to sea.

"There's been no sign of the whales since Monday, they haven't restranded."

"What the communication was I do not know, and I was not aware dolphins could communicate with pygmy sperm whales, but something happened that allowed Moko to guide those two whales to safety."

Moko has become famous for her antics at Mahia, which include playing in the surf with swimmers, approaching boats to be patted and pushing kayaks through the water with her snout.

Such close interaction with humans is rare among dolphins but not unknown. "She's become isolated from her pod obviously for one reason or another, but obviously made Mahia home just at the moment."

Mahia gets up to 30 whale strandings a year, most of which end with the whales having to be put down.

"I don't know if next time we have a whale stranding we can get her to come in again. She certainly saved the day for us and the whales this time."

Source: Google News

Free Presentation in Boulder, CO

With an even greater biodiversity than rainforests, coral reefs provide spawning, nursery, refuge, and feeding areas for more than one million marine species. But this breathtakingly beautiful ecosystem now faces a potentially lethal combination of threats. Chronic stresses such as over-fishing, pollution, and coastal development have decreased coral reefs’ ability to withstand the impacts of a changing climate and acidifying oceans. Join Dr. Rod Fujita for an engaging discussion of the critical issues surrounding coral reef conservation and learn how you can take action to save this vibrant and endangered ecosystem.

Dr. Fujita is a Board Member of The Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL), and a senior scientist with Environmental Defense. He played a pivotal role in creating the first marine reserves protecting U.S. coral reefs in the Florida Keys, and in the establishment of the world’s first marine reserve network in California’s Channel Islands. Dr. Fujita has also been a leading advocate for actions to slow down and stop global warming, to end overfishing and habitat damage, and to reduce ocean pollution. He is a recipient of the Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation and is the author of dozens of scientific papers, popular articles, and the well-received book Heal the Ocean (New Society Publishers).

Dr. Rod Fujita, Scientist/Author
Free Presentation - CORAL REEFS: IN HOT WATER
5:30 to 7:00 PM
Boulder Public Library Auditorium
1000 Canyon Boulevard, Boulder

Source: The Coral Reef Alliance

Marine Aquarist Courses Online pt. 2

Back in January, we posted an announcement about Marine Aquarist Courses Online (or MACO for short). Well, the time has come for an update (hold your ooo's and ahhh's until I'm finished, please - lol).

Marine Aquarist Courses Online (MACO) has a course on Fish Husbandry starting on April 6. The course includes 6 weeks of full instruction. MACO courses are internet based and feature a 2-hour chat session each week. Live interactive chats for the Fish Husbandry courses will be held at 6 PM PST (9 PM EST) on Sundays. Visit AquaristCourses.org and click on Fish Husbandry for more info.

This class will introduce you into the world of marine fish husbandry, from basic biology and taxonomy, to principles and procedures used to insure that these animals live out long and healthy lives under your care. You'll learn how to select the proper equipment, and be guided on how to set up your system in a way that suits the fish that you've chosen and the environment that you would like to emulate.

Most importantly, you'll learn to avoid all the mistakes that are so easily made when learning to keep these amazing animals. The class will cover the tendencies and idiosyncrasies of various families of marine fish, how they interact with each other, and how to keep them together without experiencing the problems that plague so many aquarists. You'll learn how to manage and avoid diseases that commonly infect and often kill so many captive marine fish. You'll learn what you must do, and as importantly, what you must not do in order to excel as a marine fish keeper.

The following is an outline of the course's topics:

• Responsibilities of the Marine Aquarist
  The life in our hands Give something back
• Basic Taxonomy
  What is a fish? What is a Genus? What is a species? Why does it matter?
• Basic Biology
  Basic Anatomy Do fish sleep? Hermaphroditism
• Habitats
  Where do our fish come from? Does it matter? What is a microhabitat? What is a biotope?
• Tank Selection & Setup
  How big? Glass or Acrylic? Plywood? To skim or not to skim? What kind of filter? Do I need live rock? Lighting
• Quarantine Procedure
  What is quarantine? Why do I have to quarantine? Does quarantine stress the fish more than just placing it in my tank? Is it worth the extra expense?
• Stocking order & Compatibility
  What do I introduce into my tank first, and why? Can I keep fish of the same species together? Can I keep fish x with fish y? Aggression Management/Aggressive tanks
• Disease management
  Prevention and treatment of common fish diseases Nutrition
• Family Specific Discussions
  Angelfish Triggerfish Groupers Wrasses, etc
• Species Specific Discussions
  Open discussion on suitable species and compatibility What are the most desirable species for a reef?
• Fishes to avoid
  Fishes that shouldn't be purchased, and maybe shouldn't even be available!
• Invert Compatibility
  Can I keep this fish in my reef/this invert with my fish? Angels in the reef
• Nanos
  What is a nano? What makes it different? What fish can I keep in my nano? Are nanos harder to keep?

Best New Products from the Global Pet Expo

CONTROLLABLE KORALIA
The Hydor Koralias have changed the way people think about water flow and powerheads. Now, Hydor has improved upon the previous design and is introducing a wavemaker with wavemaker-compatible powerheads. These new pumps run on only 12 volts and, with the controller, can produce waves with varying speeds and durations. Yup, you heard right. You’ll be able to control the speed setting and duration of each pump independently to alternate and synchronous flows to suit your tank’s needs. The controllers are feature-rich, with a feeding mode and an automatic or manual low-flow night mode.

TAAM POLARIO
Another long-awiated product that will hit the market within the next 90-days is the Polario from TAAM. The controllable Polario pump is perfect for large tanks that require a ton of flow (alternating flow rates up to 10,000 gallons/40,000 liters!). With a single pump unit you can create multi-directional flow. Varied flow rates from alternating output creates ocean-like currents. Low-voltage, safe-self shut off (when removed from water) and a magnet mount round out why the Polario is high on our wish lists.

CURRENT USA CARDIFF AQUARIUM
The Cardiff: designer good-looks at a price the average aquarist can afford. Building upon the success of the Solana, Current USA’s latest creation is arguably the most stunning nano aquarium to hit the market in a long time. Similar in size and capacity to its forefather but with a personality all its own, the Cardiff features an elegant bull nose-shaped front that makes viewing life in the tank a pleasure. Bow fronts are becoming the norm for nano aquariums, but the sleek, seamless bull nose design is a new twist in the growing world of nano reefs. Includes built-in filtration and circulation, too!

MAG-FLOAT MAG FLIP
Tired of scraping algae from the front of your aquarium? The Mag-Float may be your answer. On one side, a basic algae cleaner; the other, a scraper. But wait! I don’t want to stick my hands in the tank to change the cleaner over. No problemo: just flip the outer (dry side) of the magnet and the inner (wet side) follows along. Voila! Both the cleaner pad and scraper are replaceable as well, so this algae cleaner should last a very long time.

TWO LITTLE FISHIES NANOMAG
Fans of nano reefing rejoice! A small solution for a big problem, the NanoMag is a magnet cleaner for budget reefkeepers. It seems most cleaning magnets on the market these days are made for big to ridiculously gigantic tanks. Unfortunately, these larger magnets can take up precious real estate in a small aquarium and obscure your view. The Two Little Fishies NanoMag floats and will easily slip between coral polyps because of its small size. The circular outer half is soft with a comfortable grip and the inner half is square—1” x 1”—and only ¼” thick.

JBJ VIPER LIGHTS
While metal halide lamps are great for your corals, the bulbs can also adversely affect the temperature of your aquarium due to heat produced by the bulbs. JBJ has solved this problem by placing a small fan on the arm of their extremely powerful Viper light. The K-2 Viper Deluxe’s new design incorporates a larger reflector for more light output, two LEDs integrated inside one of the arms (with their own power supply), and a two-speed high velocity fan. The fan can be set to a low setting with 105 CFM rating or high setting with 163 CFM setting. The K-2 Viper Deluxe will be available in 150-watt and 250-watt versions.

World's Deepest Coral Reef Display

California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park announced it is constructing what will be the deepest coral reef display in the world.

At 25 feet deep at its max, this aquarium dwarfs the competition.

In preparation for the opening of the new exhibit, the Academy is currently growing corals in its temporary facility at 875 Howard Street. In one tank, which measures 18 feet deep, Academy biologists are growing corals on adjustable racks to determine which species grow best at different depths.

As most of you know, coral need light to live and grow. But light intensity diminishes quickly in water as depth increases. To counteract this challenge, the Academy is installing 120 metal halide lights over the tank. This will help replicate the energy of the tropical sun corals need for survival.

The display is set to open September 27, 2008. For more information about the aquarium and the Academy, click here.

Six Legged "Hexapus" discovered in Britain

I came across this article last night and I thought I would share it with everyone. Enjoy!

Source: Yahoo! News