features
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READY TO BUY A TANK? HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW! Your first purchase in the hobby is likely to be your tank. Reef Addicts’ Marc Levenson points out important questions that need to be considered when choosing your tank in order to avoid potential pitfalls. Read this article to be sure you’ll get the tank you want…the first time!
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BECOMING A PUBLIC AQUARIUM VOLUNTEER Timothy Wong is a reef hobbyist with four years of experience volunteering behind the scenes of the Birch and Steinhart aquariums. In this piece, Tim discusses the many benefits of being a volunteer and offers advice to hobbyists who are considering this educational experience.
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MAINTAINING COPEPODS IN YOUR AQUARIUM Jim Welsh has been in the hobby for five years and is on the Marine Breeding Initiative Report Review Board. In this article, Jim discusses how to maintain copepod cultures to restock your aquarium, maintain biodiversity and help feed larval fish in your captive breeding endeavors.
18 on the cover
FAKE FISH! THE GENUS PSEUDANTHIAS Henry Shultz has been a marine aquarist for over 30 years and co-founded Reef Central and Central Illinois Marine Aquarists. In this first of a series, Henry turns his attention to the genus Pseudanthias which contains many of the hobby’s most beautiful and graceful reef fishes. Cover image by Sabine Penisson.
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NO GLUE. NO STRINGS ATTACHED. Matt Fearnehough is a coral farmer from the SF Bay with 27 years of experience in the reef hobby. Getting your soft coral frags to attach to plugs or rubble doesn’t have to be a slippery, slimy ordeal. Here Matt shares a single propagation method that works well for zoanthids, mushrooms and most soft coral.
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THE MAGICAL MYSTERY WRASSE Peggy Nelson has spent many years as a local fish store owner and a teacher of reef-keeping classes in Minnesota. In this species spotlight, Peggy introduces the psychedelically colored Mystery Wrasse and discusses its care requirements.
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THE REEFS OF MARSA ALAM – PARADISE LOST? Marsa Alam is a beautiful dive spot on the Red Sea. In this article, Tim Wijgerde from CoralScience.org discusses the incredible biological diversity of the reefs found in this area and some of the threats to its future.
fourth QUARTER 2011 | Volume 5 Copyright© 2011 Reef Hobbyist Magazine. All rights reserved.
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5
equipment
READY to buy a tank?
Here’s what you
need to know. Article by Marc Levenson
Ecoxotic’s display tank at MACNA 2011. Image by Harry Tung.
Y
ou’re standing in a fish store and you know you want to keep a saltwater aquarium. What’s the best aquarium? Brand names can be researched for dependability and quality as well as the warranty coverage period but prior to purchasing anything, take some time to really think about what you want the tank to look like. I’m talking about the style, the image you want to project when someone walks into the room. Twenty years ago, a small glass box was put in the corner with some livestock and it was a curiosity. Today, people want the aquarium integrated with their home’s decor. Considering the setting in the room, which would look best: modern, industrial, imposing, or classical? Is the aquarium going to be the centerpiece of the room? How many sides do you want to view it from? Does your home have small children? Try to anticipate how your household would operate around and near the aquarium. With that style in mind, the next question is key: how do you plan to access the tank to work in it? With a modern tank encased in woodwork, it can be challenging to clean certain areas let alone reach deeply into the tank to retrieve something out of place. The harder it is to do something, the more likely you will put it off until later. I’m all about keeping aquariums easy to maintain so I can enjoy this hobby fully. Is this helping you formulate a plan? Good. Let’s consider what type of aquarium would work best for you. 6
This full circle, rimless aquarium was displayed in ORA’s booth at MACNA 2011. Image by Harry Tung.
Aquariums are built out of glass or acrylic. Actually, there are hybrid tanks that combine PVC, glass and acrylic, but for the average hobbyist let’s keep the choices simple. Aquarium fabricators have made great strides to match individual consumer tastes. Tanks come in many shapes: wavy, quarter round, half round, and even full circle. The wavy shaped tank employs a front panel that bulges toward the viewer and then pulls away. A quarter round tank fills a corner, while a half round fits against a wall and provides a 180 degree viewing angle. A full circle can also be made using two half round tanks butted up against one another to allow the owner to operate both a peaceful and a predator tank at once. While curves may be nice, some fabricators use straight panels of glass to create different shapes, like a hex-tank or a half-hex tank. Cubes are cool too! If you have the opportunity to see different style tanks set up, note closely how everything looks to your eyes. Does the silicone bead interrupt your view? Do you notice that the curving glass or acrylic magnifies the fish as they swim by, only to ‘vanish’ as they swim past a convex bend? Does this bother you and possibly lead to a headache? Some have complained about just that and spend
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The rimless tank on the top is built with black silicone while the rimless tank on the bottom is built with clear silicone. There are obvious visual differences between the two. Images by Harry Tung.
acrylic with a lot of elbow grease; the same is not possible with scratched glass.
less time viewing the tank. Another factor to consider is that when photographing your pride and joy, the curvature of the front pane can cause poor results. I’m not trying to be negative; I’m simply informing you of what you should be told prior to making that purchase. Looking at a shiny, clean, empty tank is not the same, visually, as when that tank is filled up with water and livestock. Once the style and shape has been determined, the next question is, “Which tank-type is the best?” A glass tank is heavier and requires more helpers to install when compared to an acrylic tank. Acrylic tanks have better clarity but are prone to scratching. Glass tanks are assembled with silicone, where acrylic is melted together with a solvent to create a welded bond. Glass tanks can be made with low-iron glass, such as the Starphire™ brand. This glass looks crystal clear and avoids that slight green tinge visible with standard glass, but low-iron glass is easier to scratch. No one wants to see scratches, but knowing which materials are more likely to be damaged is half the battle. The trick to avoiding scratches is to forego using metal scrapers (I use plastic ones), and always inspect cleaning magnets for small grains of sand trapped in their scrubbing pads. Stay vigilant! A scratch can be buffed out of
Some glass aquariums are built with black silicone instead of the normal clear variety. Many tanks come with plastic trim around the base and the top rim, but a few builders are offering sexy rimless tanks that are four walls held together with mere silicone. The simplicity and beauty of a rimless tank is not easily overlooked, but it will require a special kind of dedication to keep up with. The water line can build up calcium deposits, and the area immediately above the surface will display water spatter or salt creep. Wiping this away frequently will keep that top area sparkling clean. Other challenges for a rimless tank owner are the ease of splashing water up over the side when working a cleaning magnet back and forth near the surface, as well as water running off their arms when working in the tank. Wave action, either intentionally created with pumps or simply while working in the tank can splash over the side. The repetition of constantly cleaning up the drips can get old, but if you view your tank the way a high-end car aficionado views their car, then you may feel this is an acceptable part of being a member of the rimless club. By the way, fish do sometimes jump, and with a wide open aquarium, there’s nothing to stop their flight. Excited during the feeding period, fish can jump out as they lunge for that special morsel of food. Have you heard of eurobracing? Strips of glass are siliconed to the inner area around the top of the display. Not only does this help prevent some fish from jumping, but it provides a way to avoid
equipment
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sloshing water out of the aquarium when cleaning. A further perk is the ability to put things down, like tongs, a sponge, fish food, or maintenance tools. My dream tank was built with eurobracing and without cross braces because I hate to have to stop midway to remove my arm only to put it back in on the other side. Some aquariums use thick pieces of glass or acrylic as a massive cross brace which blocks light and creates a visible shadow in the center of the display. A cross brace can also interfere with surface water movement, especially if you are going to use a wave maker. This tank has eurobracing around the top edge. Image by author.
This is an example of a cross brace. Image by Harry Tung.
There are standard tanks and then there’s the reef-ready tank. This means it has been drilled so that water can flow down to the filtration installed beneath the tank and then be pumped back up via plumbing hidden behind an overflow box. When shopping for a tank, you’ll notice that the overflows are located differently from aquarium to aquarium. Some are at one end of the tank, allowing the person to set up their reef tank as a room divider, an integral piece of furniture. Other tanks have the overflows in the corners, or they are spaced evenly across the back wall. Some larger aquariums have overflows in the center, allowing the tank to be viewed from all four sides in an island setting. Reef-ready tanks are very safe and I prefer them to an undrilled tank. Instead of looking at a lot of gear in your display tank, everything is housed in a sump underneath so that your view is of the livestock and not a bunch of tubes. After all, it was those special jewels that made you consider getting an aquarium in the first place, so make the right decision now and love your tank forever! The overflow box on this reef-ready tank in the Reef Savvy booth at MAC‑ NA 2011 is located in the left corner of the tank. Depending on where your tank will be viewed from, you will want to choose the location of the over‑ flow box(es) accordingly. Image by Harry Tung.
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Don’t miss RHM sponsored Reef-A-Palooza in Costa Mesa, CA on October 22-23. (reefapaloozashow.org)
public aquariums Behind the Scenes of a Public Aquarium:
Becoming an Aquarium Volunteer
A volunteer dispenses small prepared foods for planktivores and filter feeders in the shallow portion of the Philippine Coral Reef exhibit. (Steinhart Aquarium)
Article & Images by Timothy Wong
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t some point or other you’ve probably been to a public aquarium and wondered what it would be like to volunteer there. Lucky for you, public aquariums rely heavily on the contributions of volunteers for many of their daily functions. You might ask yourself, “Why would I want to volunteer at a public aquarium?” Volunteering can be a rewarding and invaluable experience that will give you greater insight into animal husbandry and perhaps lead to a career in the aquarium industry. You can work closely with aquarium staff, ask relevant questions, learn new or complex aquarium keeping techniques, learn to use large and expensive aquarium equipment, and gain experience in the care of delicate and unique animals. Volunteer positions range from docents and divers to naturalists and aquarist assistants so there’s some way for everyone to get their feet wet. I began volunteering in 2007 at the Birch Aquarium in San Diego. With my experience working at a local fish store and having been in the hobby for many years, I was quickly placed as an aquarist volunteer. I worked on exhibits by preparing frozen foods, feeding, recording daily temperatures, cleaning, and performing any special tasks I was assigned to assist my awesome aquarist, Marisa Avila. As a volunteer, you can expect lots and lots of cleaning just as you would as an aquarist. While I was a student, I volunteered for four hours a week, working with sharks, octopuses, jellyfish, cuttlefish, chambered nautiluses, and a number of reef exhibits. The three years of experience I gained volunteering at the Birch Aquarium was a starting point that gave me a valuable opportunity to make new friends and contacts in the industry. In addition to unique hands-on experiences, I was able to work with various animals and exhibits that I would not have otherwise.
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Staff and volunteers participate in routine cleaning and maintenance of the California Coast exhibit. (Steinhart Aquarium)
Volunteers can also work with holding tanks and coral grow-out tanks such as these at the Birch Aquarium.
Originally from San Francisco, I moved back in 2010 and decided to get involved in volunteering again. I contacted the Steinhart Aquarium and after touching base with a couple of aquarists, was partnered with two biologists, Matt Wandell and Richard Ross. Volunteering with these tropical saltwater gurus gave me the opportunity to work with some of the coolest displays that I’ve ever seen! These include the deep reef Anthias tank, three species of cuttlefish, coral displays, and the massive 220,000 gallon Philippine coral reef tank! By the way, if you’re a certified rescue diver with 50 or more
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A commensal shrimp lives among the tentacles of a coral. (Steinhart Aquarium)
Volunteers may need to be specially trained to service exhibits containing venomous animals such as this lionfish.
A view of the tropical west gallery of the Birch Aquarium.
This Orange-spotted Filefish thrives on a diet of Mysis shrimp, pellets, and other finely chopped frozen foods. (Steinhart Aquarium)
logged dives, you may be eligible to dive in the Philippine coral reef tank. My two eight-hour days became a regular routine rather quickly. Work included animal health checks, equipment maintenance, food prep, feedings, water changes, as well as miscellaneous jobs such as unpacking and acclimating live shipments. This place kept me busy but it paid off, literally! After a few months of working closely with Matt and Rich, the Steinhart Aquarium offered me a job (that’s right, money!). I joined their staff as a part-time biologist, providing coverage during staff absences, vacations, or expeditions.
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I’ve learned that the experience attained from volunteering is invaluable and what you choose to do with it is entirely up to you. If it’s something that you’re considering, here are some pointers, because public aquariums often have more applicants than they have positions: 1. Experience is not required but always helpful. Make sure to include all of your prior experience and deep interests when inquiring and applying for aquarist volunteer positions. 2. Keep trying. If they are not taking volunteers when you apply, inquire about a waiting list and try emailing individual aquarists and biologists…maybe even beg (it may help!). 3. Make it enjoyable. Volunteering should be fun! If you find yourself bored or not enjoying yourself, don’t be afraid to ask if there are other tasks that you can help out with. Volunteering provides you with a unique position that can allow you to work with as specialized or as broad a group of aquariums and animals as you like. Take advantage of it and explore all of your curiosities! 4. Lastly, be professional. It’s important to note that although you are a volunteer, staff and biologists depend on your help and they will thank you greatly for it. Let the staffing department know about changes in your availability as soon as you can. As an aquarium volunteer you will have the opportunity to work with some incredible animals and on important tasks. Animal lives will be placed in your hands! Your hard work will certainly not go unnoticed by staff and visitors. I’ve met all kinds of people behind the scenes of aquariums (directors from other aquariums, photographers, researchers, donors, etc.) so you never know what opportunities may come up!
As a volunteer, you have the opportunity to work with many curious and intrigu‑ ing animals such as this inquisitive giant pacific octopus at the Birch Aquarium.
Staff and volunteers working closely together to strategize feeding large, aggressive fish in the Amazon Flooded Forest exhibit. (Steinhart Aquarium)
For more information about getting involved, contact: Birch Aquarium Volunteer Department PHONE (858) 822-4934 EMAIL aqmvols2@ucsd.edu
A view of the Fiji coral exhibit in the west gallery of the Birch Aquarium.
California Academy of Sciences (Steinhart Aquarium) Rosalind Henning Manager of Volunteer Services PHONE (415) 379-5111 EMAIL rhenning@calacademy.org Waxy Monkey tree frogs spend their days motionless amongst branches in their dry enclosure. (Steinhart Aquarium)
As a volunteer, you will gain plenty of experience preparing diets and feeding finicky eaters such as these weedy sea dragons at the Birch Aquarium.
Aquariums will often display other animals such as this blue poison dart frog which shares its enclosure with several electric-blue day geckos. (Steinhart Aquarium) A volunteer feeding one of many daily fish feeds to the Philippine Coral Reef exhibit. (Steinhart Aquarium)
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Don’t miss RHM sponsored Reef-A-Palooza in Costa Mesa, CA on October 22-23. (reefapaloozashow.org)
foods
Maintaining
Copepods in Your Aquarium Article by Jim Welsh
Images by Jim Welsh except as noted
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any species of the tiny planktonic crustaceans collectively known as copepods serve a number of vital purposes in marine aquaria. These purposes include feeding corals, filter feeders, and finicky fish by inducing a natural predatory response. A healthy population of copepods also increases the biodiversity in our tanks, and their participation as a part of the cleanup crew is important for nutrient cycling. Lastly, copepods serve as essential food sources for aquarists working to breed and raise marine ornamental fish in captivity. Several different copepod species are readily available on the market today, each with its own characteristics, making them suitable for a wide variety of applications. Many reef hobbyists now recognize the value of copepods and maintain copepod cultures to be able to ensure their presence in their tanks.
An older nauplius of Apocyclops panamensis. A nauplius of Parvocalanus crassirostris, a calanoid copepod. Image cour‑ tesy of Reed Mariculture, Inc.
An adult Parvocalanus crassirostris. Image courtesy of Reed Mariculture, Inc. An adult Tigriopus californicus, a harpacticoid copepod. Image by Tal Sweet.
In the previous issue of Reef Hobbyist Magazine, Vince Rado’s article, “Establishing Copepods in Your Aquarium” (RHM, Volume 5, Third Quarter 2011, Page 14), explained what copepods are, their life cycle, and which “orders,” or major taxonomic groups, are of interest to reef hobbyists. Copepods sit very low on the food chain. In fact, many of them only eat the single-celled algae collectively known as phytoplankton, which sits at the very bottom of the oceanic food chain. Copepods are able to readily convert the simpler molecules in their food items into more complex lipids and fatty acids, a process called “trophic upgrading.” They can store this nutrition in their bodies for extended periods, unlike some other small live feed organisms commonly used for larvaculture, such as rotifers or Artemia.
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Young copepods hatch at sizes ranging from 40 to 200 microns. They grow through various stages, from nauplii to copepodite to adult. The adult copepods commonly available today range in size from less than one millimeter to around three millimeters in length. In any given healthy population, there will be sizes available to serve as food items for a wide range of tank inhabitants.
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There are many good reasons to maintain healthy copepod populations in an aquarium. The free-swimming (pelagic) species from genera such as Acartia, Apocyclops, Arctodiaptomus, Euterpina, Parvocalanus, and Pseudodiaptomus make good food for many corals and fish and will tend to eat phytoplankton out of the water column. These are usually calanoid or cyclopoid copepods, although Euterpina is a harpacticoid. Those that prefer to crawl on things (benthic) such as Nitokra, Pseudocyclops, Tigriopus, and Tisbe make good food for fish and other organisms that tend to feed off of live rock or substrate. These copepods tend to eat microalgae and detritus, helping serve as an important part of the cleanup crew. These are almost always harpacticoid. Whether benthic or pelagic, copepods are all generally nutritious and contribute to the overall biodiversity of a tank. They can serve as food for finicky fish that might otherwise starve and also provide excellent supplemental nutrition for fish that readily eat prepared foods. It is my personal belief that, in general, fish are happier eating live foods whenever possible, and this alone can contribute to their overall health. It simply is more in keeping with their natural habitat. Another excellent purpose copepods serve is the feeding of larvae from fish that have spawned. Great strides are being made in the area of captive breeding of marine fish, and copepods are playing an important part in those efforts. Very young copepod nauplii of some species are as small as 40 microns, much smaller than Artemia nauplii or even rotifers, which makes them a good food source for small-mouthed larvae that cannot eat larger food items yet. Additionally, their jerky swimming motion triggers a feeding response in some larval fish that would be inclined to ignore rotifers and Artemia. There are many sources for copepods available to the reef hobbyist today. Of course, almost all of us have noticed the white dots on the glass, often shortly after setting up a new tank and adding live rock. Copepods are frequent hitchhikers on live rock, and especially rock from new shipments. Unfortunately, these populations often diminish over time, as they are consumed by tank inhabitants. Aquarists wishing to sustain copepod cultures in their tanks may need to “reseed” these cultures from time to time. Even those aquarists who maintain separate copepod cultures to feed their tanks sometimes have their cultures “crash” and need to start over. The good news is that many different species of copepods are readily available from retailers. This is a recent development for the hobbyist, since as recently as a year ago, the offerings available were very limited and often somewhat sporadic, with many species being frequently out of stock. There are also some types of copepods available from hobbyists that are not available commercially. Some hobbyists are willing to share the results of their own plankton tows. Others, and particularly those involved in the captive breeding movement, are working to find useful species that are easy to culture and develop simple techniques for culturing them. Most notably, a pelagic cyclopoid copepod, Apocyclops panamensis, appears to be very promising in this regard. To find out more about these efforts, you can visit the Marine Breeding Initiative website at http://www.mbisite.org.
An adult female Apocyclops panamensis, a cyclopoid copepod, carrying eggs. (lateral view)
The same copepod. (dorsal view)
In general, populations of copepods in the display tank will decline over time and must be replenished. Maintaining an active copepod population in a sump or refugium can be a good way to supplement and replenish the display tank’s populations. Depending on the amount of food available to the copepods living in the refugium and other factors, even these populations may eventually decline. It is then necessary to restock your tank. While it is very easy today to simply purchase a new starter, hobbyists who keep their own separate copepod cultures can restock their tanks from these cultures. In the past, it was considered all but impossible to culture most copepods without having to also culture live phytoplankton. While many hobbyists are successful at culturing live phyto, it requires additional time, space, and expense. Recently, however, many hobbyists are having success culturing more and more species using preserved phyto pastes, such as those offered by Reed Mariculture and Algagen, among others. Good results have been achieved by dosing ammonia neutralizing products, such as ClorAm-X™, together with the preserved phyto pastes to keep ammonia in check in the culture containers. Others are also culturing Oxyrrhis marina, a marine heterotrophic dinoflagellate which many find to be much easier to culture than live phytoplankton. O. marina eats the phyto paste and is in turn eaten by the copepods. The basic equipment necessary to culture copepods consists of an appropriate container, a source for aeration, and a proper food. Another very helpful item is a sieve with an appropriate size mesh for the species you are working with, typically around 50 to 100 microns. Since starter cultures usually consist of a relatively small volume (typically less than one liter), the initial container should not be too large. If the population is too sparse, the adults may have difficulty finding each other in a large volume of water, and the reproduction rate may suffer. It is a good idea to not keep “all your eggs in one basket,” so you should split your starter culture into two containers. Glass jars or fishbowls are good containers to start with because glass makes it easy to examine your new cultures. Add enough fresh, seasoned saltwater of the same salinity as your starter culture water to double the volume. You should treat the copepods like any other marine animal and drip the fresh saltwater in slowly to allow them to acclimate. Provide very gentle aeration – a simple rigid airline producing one to three bubbles per second is sufficient. Ambient light is generally sufficient. If you do light the cultures, place the light overhead when working with pelagic (freeswimming) species such as most calanoids and cyclopoids. These species tend to be drawn toward light and are used to the open
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ocean. If they are lit from the side, they will tend to swim into the side of the container, which can stress them. Now that a home has been established, the next order of business is feeding the cultures. Arguably, the best food for most copepod cultures is live phytoplankton, but few hobbyists care to go to the trouble of maintaining phyto cultures. Unless you are culturing live phyto or other live feeds, such as Oxyrrhis marina, the next best option available is preserved phytoplankton paste. It is important to use products that are made up of phytoplankton species other than Nannochloropsis (Nanno) because Nanno has a tough cell wall that makes it generally indigestible for copepods. A product based on Isochrysis, or better yet, one that is a blend of Isochrysis and other microalgae such as Pavlova, Chaetoceros, or Thalassiosira are good choices. The copepod cultures should be fed very lightly; overfeeding is one of the most common mistakes made when learning how to culture copepods. The water should be just very lightly tinted. As the copepods eat the algae, the water will clear, and then more food should be added. To control ammonia in the cultures, products like ClorAm-X™ should be used. A good rule of thumb is to make a solution of 12 tsp. of ClorAm-X™ in one liter of water. At each feeding add the same amount of the ClorAm-X™ solution as you do of the food. Each day, you should drip more fresh saltwater, increasing the volume slightly. Aim for increasing the volume by 25% each day. Examine the cultures with a flashlight and a magnifying glass. You should be able to see the copepods in various life stages. The females of some species of copepods carry their eggs in egg sacs, making
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it obvious that they are producing eggs, while other species disperse their eggs as they are produced, making it more difficult to gauge reproductive health. As the culture grows, the container size can be scaled up. Most hobbyists end up using plastic buckets of various sizes for maintaining their cultures.
An unidentified calanoid copepod from a hobbyist’s plankton tow in Sebastian Inlet, Florida. Possibly an adult male Acartia tonsa. Image by Tal Sweet.
A good set of sieves can serve many different purposes. When harvesting copepods to seed your tank or to feed your fish, it is probably best not to dump the culture water into your tank. Use a sieve to catch the copepods, and then backwash them into the tank. Sometimes the culture water might turn a cloudy or milky white which might indicate a bacterial bloom, and in this case, the copepods can be sieved out of the bacteria-laden water and placed in clean, fresh saltwater. The adults of some species, most notably, Acartia tonsa, are cannibalistic on their own nauplii (young copepods), and in order to maintain healthy cultures it is important to separate the adults from the nauplii. This is accomplished by pouring the culture water through the sieve into a second container. The water and the nauplii end up in the second container, and the adults
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An adult female Apocyclops panamensis. Note the brown algae in her gut and the paired egg sacs.
A newborn nauplius of Apocyclops panamensis under high magnification.
retained in the sieve can be backwashed into the original container. Since it is not uncommon for hobbyists to make mistakes that cause the loss of their cultures the first couple of times they attempt to culture copepods, the recent development of commercially available replacement starter cultures makes it more practical for today’s hobbyist to attempt to learn copepod culture techniques. In the past, starter cultures were more difficult to obtain, and the loss of a culture was often a much more difficult problem to solve. Today’s beginning copepod culturist has the luxury of working in a much more forgiving market. The lowly copepod is drawing the attention of more and more reef hobbyists because of the many benefits it brings to the reef aquarium environment. These hobbyists are becoming increasingly aware of and educated about the benefits of copepods. The diversity of species available both commercially and via other hobbyists has recently seen a substantial increase, and it is very likely that this trend will continue in the future. The same can be said for the preserved phytoplankton food products, some of which are being specifically designed as feeds for these copepods. Relatively simple techniques for reliably culturing them are being developed and refined. And all of these developments are helping to lead to happier, healthier, more well-fed corals, filter feeders, and fish. This surely is an exciting time to be a zooplanktophile!
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fish
Fake Fish! The Genus Pseudanthias Article by Henry Schultz Images by Greg Rothschild
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ventually, all marine aquarists will stumble across their first Pseudanthias and most likely they will be amazed by the colorful patterns the fish displays. For the impulse buyers amongst us, it’s likely they are taking home their first Pseudanthias moments later. No doubt, these fish are hard to resist. However, for most of us this is a fish we are not capable of caring for properly – at least not initially. Arming yourself with some basic husbandry skills for the genus and possibly making some adjustments in your aquarium can go a long way towards ensuring success with this genus.
The degree of variation which exists in the coloration of P. bartlettorum is such that many ichthyologists have contemplated whether this species has sub-species, hybrids, or just simple color variations.
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Meet the Family The marine fish family Serranidae is home to well over 400 species of fish. Many large fish not suitable for home aquaria comprise this family, most notably the groupers and basses. However, one subfamily exists which has vividly colored and ideally sized aquarium fish. That subfamily is Anthiinae, commonly called the Anthias. I hope you understand this point, as it only gets increasingly more confusing and complex from here on in. The very first Anthias discovered was back in 1758 by Linnaeus. He erected the new genus Anthias, but apparently was overly thrilled with this name as he chose anthias as the species name also. So we have Anthias anthias of the subfamily Anthiinae. This was only the first fish of the genus. Can you see where this is going? Anthias anthias became the type species of the family, and thus doomed aquarists to confusion ever since. That is because it is an Atlantic species and virtually all Anthiinae kept in marine aquariums are from Pacific waters. Over the years more than 100 fish were errantly classified under the Anthias genus. In more modern times ichthyologists are doing their best to clean up the confusion, but much work remains to be done. Currently, Anthias has 10 species described, all but one in Atlantic waters. The lone Pacific species is found in the Galapagos Islands. Although I am not discussing Anthias species in this column, it is important to note this distinction. Pseudanthias, the focal point for this column, can be perfectly translated from Greek into English as “fake fish.” The genus was originally described by Bleeker (1871), but was disregarded throughout most of history including revisions as recent as Randall (1981). More recently it was named a synonym of Anthias in Heemstra and Randall (1986). Repeated attempts to vindicate the genus (Katayama in Masuda et al., 1984; Katayama and Amaoka, 1986; Randall and Hutomo, 1988; Randall and Allen, 1989; Baldwin, 1990; Heemstra & Randall, 1999) may have finally been successful within the scientific community. Amongst aquarists and sport divers, however, I personally doubt anything will ever change – they will continue to be incorrectly called Anthias forever. Amidst the confusion of whether Pseudanthias really even existed or not, additional new genera were added as more formal
descriptions of Anthiinae were released. Among them was Mirolabrichthys (Herre, 1927). It was Randall and Lubbock (1981) who finally merged Mirolabrichthys as a subgenus of Pseudanthias. Randall did so because Herre originally used two opercular spines to differentiate Mirolabrichthys from the normal three opercular spines of Pseudanthias, but this no longer held true once additional species were added to the genus. Allow me to return to Herre for a moment. In Herre’s release of Mirolabrichthys, he formally described two new species. Portraying the pre-existing theme of quirkiness for this column and genus, we now know those two fish as Pseudanthias tuka and Pseudanthias tuka (yes, the same fish). Not to discredit Herre in the least, P. tuka had confused many
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P. ventralis is a highly sought after Pseudanthias, but unfortunately it is delicate and difficult to care for in home aquariums.
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an ichthyologist. In subsequent research performed by additional ichthyologists, P. tuka was awarded a subspecies (Whitley, 1964), and then was subsequently stripped of that subspecies (Randall and Lubbock, 1981).
fish is a female this is of little use to you. Unfortunately, that is as good as it gets. The dorsal spines of the Pseudanthias subgenus, unlike Franzia, can be highly variable while the caudal fin, unlike Mirolabrichthys, is again highly variable.
Franzia, another subgenus of Pseudanthias, has an original description dating back to 1914. Back then, Jordan and Thompson (1914) were under the impression that Franzia warranted its very own genus. Various authors agreed with this summation over the years including Kendall (1984) and Katayama and Amaoka (1986). Not long thereafter, the tide began to shift, however, and less than two years later Franzia was reclassified as a subgenus of Pseudanthias (Randall & Hutomo 1988). It should be noted that most authors in recent years fail to recognize the subgenus and simply classify Franzia under the genus Pseudanthias.
In the Wild Pseudanthias dominate reefs throughout the Indo-Pacific region and it isn’t uncommon for a diver to be fully surrounded by a large shoal of Pseudanthias shortly after descending. Very few species are geographically limited and most can be found at several locales and even in both the Indian and Pacific Oceans. For example, P. Pseudanthias can be dimorphic, as seen in P. bicolor. The male has considerably pronounced second and third dorsal rays, whereas in the female this feature is limited to just the third dorsal ray.
In total, 65 species have been classified under the Pseudanthias name, although only 50 or so have been officially accepted. The three species of the subgenus Franzia all maintain a heavily scaled dorsal and anal fin. Additionally, the third dorsal spine becomes longer in males. Mirolabrichthys is most recognizable by the deeply forked caudal fin, although this should not be considered a truly definitive sign. Males do develop a telltale sign, however: an enlarged upper lip clearly separates the species from subgenera Franzia or Pseudanthias. The Pseudanthias subgenus seems to be a collection of the Pseudanthias species which couldn’t get classified amongst either of the other two subgenera. The only true hard and fast indicator of the Pseudanthias subgenus is the lack of the enlarged upper lip on adult males. Of course, if the
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Often in the case of marine fish exhibiting sexual dichromatism, it is the male which is more attractive. For P. ventralis, this may not be the case. Pictured on the left is a female and on the right a male.
cooperi has been charted from East Africa, north to Japan, and south to the Great Barrier Reef. However, there are a few examples of species which are fairly limited in their geographical distribution. P. hawaiiensis is one such example. Certainly the name may imply it is endemic and limited to the waters encompassing Hawaii. However, the Johnston Atoll is another prime location to find this species. Even more limited in distribution is P. heemstrai. One would need to travel to not just the Red Sea, but more specifically the Gulf of Aqaba – the northeast finger extension of the Red Sea – to have the opportunity to witness this species in its natural environment. By contrast, 17 separate species have been collected or photographed around Japan, and 15 around the Great Barrier Reef. Clearly, if you crave a wild Pseudanthias excursion, Micronesia is where you are headed – an amazing 22 distinct species can be located around the islands of Micronesia.
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The depth range of Pseudanthias is highly variable. Because there are over 60 species in the genus of Pseudanthias, it should not be surprising that I am unable to classify the genus as a shallow water species, a deep water species, or otherwise. And despite some species being found in shallow depths, while others are found in considerably deeper depths, all species have a great depth range within their own respective species. Whether we are discussing a depth range of 5 to 200 feet for Dispar Anthias, or 85 to 650 feet as with the Hawaiian Longfin Anthias, one thing all Pseudanthias species share in common is the desire to shoal. In large, often times overwhelming schools of fish (at times numbering well over 1,000 individuals), Pseudanthias prefer to swim in open water just off the edge of a coral reef wall or steep drop-off. Within these large shoals, the dominant males hang loosely around their guarded females. Territories guarded by the males can range from 5 to
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literally swim in place. When the water current changes direction, the shoal does its best synchronized swimming impersonation as, almost in complete unison, the entire aggregation of Pseudanthias will turn with the current.
P. bicolor is a Pseudanthias where the diet is of paramount importance. Torn or eroding fins and a loss of color may result if the diet is not diverse and plentiful. Without the dorsal fin erect, it is difficult to ascertain the sex of this Pseudanthias.
32ft2 (Michael, 1998). Females spread themselves out accordingly amongst the dominant males, while the subordinate males assume their position at the bottom of the shoal awaiting the opportunity to prove themselves worthy of advancing up the hierarchy. Species found in shallower water generally congregate around extensive coral growth that provides ample places to hide from predators or sleep in seclusion overnight. Once the sun rises, and throughout the daylight hours, swarms of Pseudanthias remain several meters above the reef to feed. The reef wall is regularly blasted with vigorous water movement which not only brings food to the corals but also to the Pseudanthias. The Pseudanthias are always facing into the water current and swimming in equal proportion to the speed of the current in such a manner that they
The deeper water species do not relate to the expansive growths of hard corals which are obviously not present at such depths as 600 feet. Instead, they prefer overhangs, caves, caverns, and crevices which serve as their security blanket. Unlike the shallow water species, the deep water individuals prefer to stay close to the substrata, usually not extending more than one meter from the ocean floor. Additionally, the deeper dwelling species do not congregate in enormous shoals like their shallow water counterparts. In all cases, however, when threatened by predators or given the onset of nightfall, the Pseudanthias hide deep within the reef’s crevices. As I mentioned, Pseudanthias will face into the water currents and pluck food from the water column as it drifts past. In the generic sense, one would not be wrong to classify all Pseudanthias as planktivores, but this really doesn’t narrow down their diet enough for my preference. Randall and Lubbock (1981) performed a gutanalysis of Pseudanthias pascalus which helps define the diet for not only this species, but the entire Pseudanthias genus. Through a collection of seven specimens, the ichthyologists were able to determine that nearly one-quarter (24%) of their diet was composed of decapod copepods, another 19% cyclopoid copepods, 9% fish eggs, and 36% unidentified crustacean fragments. Crustacean larvae, amphipods and ostracods made up the rest of the diet.
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As ichthyologists collected and studied Pseudanthias, the difference between the total number of individuals collected versus the number of males was in stark contrast. On average, it seems only one male may exist for up to eight females. Subsequent research showed Pseudanthias squamipinnis to be protogynous hermaphrodites (Fishelson, 1970; Popper and Fishleson, 1973). Further research showed Pseudanthias pascalus to exhibit the same traits (Katayama, 1974). Today, ichthyologists believe all Pseudanthias species to be protogynous hermaphrodites. To define this term in simpler words, a protogynous hermaphrodite is any animal which begins its life as a female, and through various trigger mechanisms, a sexual transformation occurs, and the female becomes a male. In the case of our Pseudanthias, such triggers would include age or the head male Pseudanthias of a shoal perishing, thereby leaving a void to be filled. Additionally, many of the Pseudanthias are both dichromatic and dimorphic, as will be rather apparent as I progress through the photos of specific species.
zigzag-swim around females or make repeated U-dives toward the seafloor. When a female is receptive, the two swim in unison ahead of the remaining individuals and release their eggs and sperm. Males will repeat the process with many females throughout the evening, but it is believed that once a female has released her eggs she is done spawning for the evening. Anthiinae are broadcast spawners, and thus the fertilized eggs will free-float around the ocean as part of the zooplankton food chain until they metamorphose and settle to the substrate. It seems I’ve run out of room for this issue, so in the next release of Reef Hobbyist Magazine I will take this information and translate it to provide the best possible captive conditions for Pseudanthias species.
Spawning for Pseudanthias is seasonal, but boy do they get busy when it is their season. Depending upon species and locality, Pseudanthias will generally spawn during the cooler winter months or the warmer summer months. Thus, Pseudanthias will only spawn for roughly three months out of the year. However, during these three months, Pseudanthias will spawn nightly at sundown. The non-territorial males will always hang near the bottom of the aggregation, awaiting an opportunity to sneak in and release sperm unnoticed. However, it is the dominant male which gets the ladies in the mood. With all fins flared and flashing, the dominant males will
P. squamipinnis provides a great example of the sexual dichromatism traits which exist within the Pseudanthias species. From top to bottom, these images show a female, a female in transition to becoming male, and a male.
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fragging
No Glue. No Strings Attached. An Easy Guide to Soft Coral Propagation Article by Matt Fearnehough Images by Matt Fearnehough and Jim Adelberg
W
hen I first started keeping corals, soft corals were all the rage. Propagation was done by cutting a chunk off of the mother colony and tying it to a piece of rubble or trying to glue it to a frag mount. Unfortunately, it was like trying to tie a banana slug to a rock. After being frustrated with many techniques, I came up with this method which I will share with you in this article. I find it to be both easy and effective.
Getting Started Here is a list of items you will need to gather before getting started: 1. Safety Glasses or Face Shield 2. Gloves 3. Sharp Pointed Scissors 4. Small Flathead Screwdriver or Flat-Edged Dental Scraper 5. Frag Plugs 6. Small/Medium Size Coral Rubble 7. Activated Carbon 8. Window Screen Material 9. Fragging Basket or Rack (see my notes below on how to make a fragging rack) 10. Shallow Plastic Tray (for use as cutting tray) 11. Fish Net 12. Transport Cup
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First things first, safety is our number one concern! All corals have the potential to carry toxins, bacteria, and stuff we don’t even know about yet, and they tend to squirt when you cut them. You don’t want this fluid anywhere near your face, eyes, or skin. Better safe than sorry, so always wear safety glasses or a face shield (preferably the latter) and gloves. It’s also a good idea to have a clean towel handy for clean-up.
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For the fragging basket, you can use a small, mesh basketstyle container which has 1/8� or slightly smaller holes (note: if the holes are too small they will clog with detritus). The black basket you see in the picture has two chambers; each chamber is approximately 4"L X 4"W X 3"H. If you plan on settling zoanthids, mushrooms or other small cuttings, you will need to place a small piece of reef-safe window screen across the bottom of the basket. This is necessary because small frags can sometimes fit through a 1/8" hole. Another option is to make a propagation rack or tray by using egg crate and either pieces of rigid plastic mesh or clear plastic fish tank divider material.
Preparation of the Basket or Rack Once your basket is ready, place a 1� layer of small to mediumsized coral rubble in the basket. Course or non-uniform rubble works best. If you are using a rack, you will need to place a plug into every hole in the egg crate, creating a flat, uniform surface. I punch holes in the clear divider material with a paper hole-punch and then secure the clear plastic to the egg crate using cable ties. Make sure the pieces fit together snugly with minimal gaps between the floor and the walls of the rack. You can sew difficult areas together with fishing line if needed. The rigid plastic should form walls that are 2½" high, creating a barrier that shelters the new coral fragments from the current in your tank.
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On top of the plugs, place a 1" layer of rubble, making sure to cover all of the plugs. Next, place the basket or rack in the grow-out tank. I like to leave my basket or rack of plugs and rubble in my aquarium for a few days before I use them. I find that the corals attach more quickly when I do so. Select a place for the rack or basket in an area with low to moderate light and flow. Please take special care to have enough water flow, but not so much that it blows your coral out of the basket. It’s a fine line because it is necessary to have enough water flow to prevent detritus build-up on or around the cut coral pieces but not so much that it moves them around and inhibits attachment.
Cutting the Corals Before cutting any corals, add fresh activated carbon to the tank you will be cutting in. This adsorbs toxins and other dissolved organic compounds that will be released when the coral is cut. Also, turn off any recirculation pumps but not your return pump. Prepare your work area. Start by placing a towel down on your worktable. Next, fill your cutting tray about half way with aquarium water. I like to use a small, shallow plastic container for this. If you are cutting directly from the display tank, have a second small container ready to transport the cuttings from the tank to the cutting tray. If possible, always remove the mother colony from the display tank and cut in a separate container of aquarium water. If you do have to cut the coral in the display tank, try to minimize the number of cuts made.
When fragging leather corals, I like to cut pie-shaped wedges. After each piece is cut, immediately move the piece into your transport cup. Once you have all the wedges you need for that session, transport them to your cutting tray. Take note not to over cut your mother colony. I never cut more than 10 to 20% from my mother colony at one time. Once in the tray, you will see that the coral cuttings have shrunk considerably. Next, cut the wedges into ½" to 1" squares.
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Gather up the squares inside your aquarium net, making sure to gently shake off as much water as possible. While holding the bowl of the net shut with one hand, proceed to your basket or rack and hold the net underwater, right above the rubble. Gently release the cut coral pieces over the rubble and distribute evenly.
To use this method for mushroom corallimorphs in the genus Rhodactis and Discosoma, you would follow the same steps as listed above, except for the cutting. When cutting mushrooms, I simply cut the flat disc off the top, leaving the stalk behind.
try to separate entire polyps for this method. However, I have had half polyps settle out as well. Distribute the newly cut or scraped pieces over the rubble in your basket or rack, just like the mushrooms. Do not move the basket or rack for at least two weeks. You will find that after two weeks, some of the corals will already be attached, while others may need some more time. Once the corals are attached to either rubble or a frag plug, they are ready to be glued into a reef tank. If using the frag plug technique, you can take a newly attached coral on a plug and place it next to empty plugs and in a couple of weeks, the coral will have grown onto the adjacent plugs all by itself. This means much less work for you!
AquaStikQtrPage.QXD:PhosBan Qtreasy, Page.QXD 3/1/10 3:30 PM This method has proven to be quick, and results in a high
survival rate. Give it a try, and I hope it works as well for you as it has for me.
Stick with Sprung
I do not cut the discs any further. Once I have enough tops, I net and distribute them over the rubble as noted above. Many zoanthids and Palythoa can be cut like mushrooms as described above or scraped off of live rock with a flathead screwdriver or flatedge dental scraper. Not all morphs react well to having the polyp body cut so I do
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fish
Pseudocheilinus ocellatus, Family: Labridae
The Magical Mystery Wrasse Article by Peggy Nelson
I
f you are an aficionado of marine piscines like many of us, on one of your many tours of your favorite reef shops you likely encountered a mature version of the simply stunning Pseudocheilinus ocellatus, commonly known as the Mystery Wrasse. You also likely promised yourself then and there that you’d someday own one of these magical but considerably expensive marine fish! Pseudocheilinus ocellatus, or the Mystery Wrasse, is also known as the Whitebarred Wrasse, the Five-Bar Wrasse, and the Tailspot Wrasse. It surely, however, has no rivals in its genus for its psychedelic facial colors and striations!
The juveniles and subadults of this species are often referred to as the Five-Bar and/or Whitebarred Wrasse because they have five white lines or bars that are evenly spaced across the body at equal intervals. The body is also a deep pinkish-red in color in the younger fish. The mature Mystery Wrasse, however, typically exhibits no white bars or lines and the body is a simply stunning purple. The intense psychedelic facial colors and striations, usually lime green and purple, are present on these fish regardless of age but are usually more pronounced on the adult. The Mystery Wrasse will be four to five inches in length when fully mature. Image by Greg Rothschild.
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Image by Greg Rothschild.
Image by Matt Garbarino.
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Image by Aqua World PSC.
Image by Matt Garbarino.
Present on all ages is the tail spot, which generated that common Tailspot Wrasse name. Generally speaking, the “tail spot” is common on many species of fish and is also referred to as the “false eye spot.” This is a defense mechanism for many fish that is designed to distract would-be predators from the head of the fish, which often allows them to make their escape if nipped on the tail and not the head by the predator. The geographical distribution of the Mystery Wrasse ranges from the Central to Western Pacific, Coral Sea, and the Great Barrier Reef to Northeast Australia. They’re found in waters ranging from 60 to 200 feet in depth where they reside in rock crevices and near rubble or live coral where they hunt small invertebrates. They are diurnal, which means they’re active during the day and sleep at night. In the wild they’re very shy but in captivity will become much bolder and quickly adjust to a well-established tank with lots of live rock and suitable hiding places.
Image by Aqua World PSC.
Should you decide to invest in one of these amazing fish, remember they are carnivores and will greedily feed on a wide variety of meaty foods. They prefer foods that are a little larger (with caution) and will voraciously feed on Mysis shrimp, krill, or any other type of meaty food presented. It’s important to use caution and only feed them pieces of fish such as Silversides that are not too large because they will attempt to swallow it whole! The Mystery Wrasse is a great reef fish and will not bother your corals or inverts, with the exception of perhaps small shrimp that are introduced after the fish is established. It is, however, a known hunter and feeder of pests and will happily feed on pyramidellid snails, flatworms, juvenile bristle worms, and others. It will also sometimes form a “cocoon” of mucus in which to sleep, so don’t be alarmed or surprised if you see this. As with the majority of Wrasses, the Mystery Wrasse will jump if startled in the early stages of captivity or harassed by a bully tankmate. Introduce this fish into a peaceful community reef and approach and reach into the tank slowly if you must at all while it’s adjusting to its new environment. Covering your tank with egg crate or another material that doesn’t block your reef lighting is a wise option when keeping this fish. Canopies work great for protecting this and other known jumpers as long as you’re sure to net the open space on the back or use a canopy that has no openings. In conclusion, the Mystery Wrasse is a joy to have in a reef system and will provide you with years of enjoyment if properly fed, housed, and kept in a well-established reef with peaceful tankmates. They are somewhat cost prohibitive, but things that we “must have” usually are! We give it a blue thumbs up!
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wild reefs
Sponsored by
The
Reefs of Marsa Alam
Article & Images by Tim Wijgerde
Paradise Lost?
T
he Red Sea truly is an underwater paradise. This seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean harbors a myriad of colorful fish and invertebrate species. An interesting area along the Red Sea coast is the Marsa Alam region, which still hides pristine coral reefs. Unfortunately, this area is also experiencing an increasing number of tourists each year, which has already impacted local wildlife. As coastal development remains a major local activity, the future of the Marsa Alam reefs is uncertain. The Red Sea has been known for its underwater splendor for many years and has been a popular diving attraction for decades. This relatively small water mass harbors many endemic coral and fish species. The origin of the name Red Sea possibly stems from the red mountains which line the coast. An alternative theory refers to a species of cyanobacteria, Trichodesmium erythraeum, which gives the Red Sea a reddish haze during blooms. The Red Sea is mainly visited by tourists via Egypt, which has a flourishing tourism industry. Well-known destinations are Sharm elSheikh, situated in the Sinai Peninsula, and Hurghada, located in the northern area of the Red Sea. The Sinai Peninsula is flanked by two bodies of water which split from the Red Sea close to Hurghada - the Gulf of Suez to the left and the Gulf of Aqaba to the right. Along the Gulf of Aqaba coastline lie small towns famous amongst divers, such as Dahab and Taba. The negative effects of human presence are clearly visible in larger cities such as Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada, where coral reefs have been severely impacted by coastal development. Hotels situated directly along the coast all have their own “house reef,� a popular concept amongst tourists. Although most hotel reefs still harbor healthy fish, corals and other invertebrates, damage is evident. Further out along the coast, remote reefs and islands can be found which still are more or less pristine. In the southern areas of the Red Sea, anthropogenic impacts fortunately are less severe due to limited tourism activity. This is because tourism here is still on the rise. Other factors are of a social-political nature, as several countries along the Red Sea including Sudan, Eritrea, Somalia and SaudiArabia still experience conditions unfavorable to tourism. Egypt and Israel on the other hand have been stable for a long period and now have well-developed areas of eco-tourism. A new region where ecotourism is on the rise is Marsa Alam, named after a small town in the southeast of Egypt.
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A New Hurghada Marsa Alam has developed a very good reputation amongst the worldwide diving community due to its pristine reefs and relative abundance of sharks, dolphins and sea turtles. Mangrove forests can also be found in this area. Marsa Alam itself is a small town which is currently undergoing rapid development. In 2003 the Marsa Alam International Airport was opened, located approximately 41 miles north of the town of Marsa Alam. The airport has catalyzed the development of new hotel areas, which is reflected by the local landscape today. New hotels are under construction everywhere. Some fear that this area may become a new Hurghada within several years, which could be detrimental to local wildlife. The coral reefs along Marsa Alam are mainly fringing reefs located very close to the shore. The lagoons, small water bodies which are protected from the sea by the coral reef, are quite narrow as a result of this. The hotels in this area also have their own reef sections which can be visited directly from the beach. In general, these reefs are not managed well, which has resulted in the destruction of many lagoons. Although hotel guests are instructed otherwise by hotel personnel, they often damage corals and clams, stir up the sand causing sedimentation and feed the local fish in order to take pretty pictures. Positive developments are piers which allow visitors
The Red Sea has been known for its underwater splendor for many years.
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to traverse the reef safely and colored flags which indicate weather conditions. Where the reef crests and slopes down towards the sand bottom, coral damage is significantly less prominent. The Lagoons In the lagoons of Marsa Alam, biodiversity is still quite high despite heavy damage. Several fish species can be found here, including butterfly fish (Chaetodon semilarvatus, C. fasciatus), surgeonfishes such as Zebrasoma desjardini, wrasses (Thalassoma klunzingeri), damsels such as Indo-Pacific sergeants (Abudefduf vaigiensis) and goatfishes (Parupeneus forsskali) which constantly stir up the sand. Groupers (Epinephelus tauvina), Blue and Picasso triggerfish (Pseudobalistes fuscus, Rhinecanthus assasi) and pufferfish (Arothron diadematus) also dwell here. Every now and then, a lost stingray can be encountered (Taeniura lymma). Clownfishes (Amphiprion bicinctus) are found in various anemone species such as Entacmaea quadricolor, Heteractis magnifica and H. crispa. The dominant corals in the lagoon are Stylophora pistillata, various Porites spp. and Hydrozoan fire corals such as yellow Millepora dichotoma and green M. platyphylla. Sea urchins such as Diadema setosum are also abundant. Algae cover is quite minimal, except where Dascyllus marginatus damsels have their territories. This is possibly due to limited algal grazing by surgeonfishes, which are not allowed to venture here. Healthy Reefs On the outer reef slope, the reefs seem to be in much better condition. Due to the depth of the reefs, which is roughly between 7 and 67 feet, most corals look healthy. The usual trampling of “colorful rocks” fortunately is very uncommon here. The biodiversity on the reef slope is remarkably higher, with dozens of coral and fish species. Colorful Pocillopora colonies, such as P. verrucosa, P. meandrina and the well-known P. damicornis, ornament the reef. These species can be found in purple, pink and beige colors. Porites spp. form a striking yellow contrast with these abundant corals.
the worm’s scolex, or head. These structures are used for capturing plankton from the water as well as gas exchange. When a predator or human ventures too close to these worms, they quickly withdraw their feathers into their tubes after which the operculum seals the tube’s entrance. Other corals such as Stylophora pistillata and various Acropora and Pocillopora spp. often house small symbiotic crabs from the genus Trapezia, such as T. cymodoce. These small crabs live off the coral’s tissue and mucus, and also consume detritus captured by the coral’s branches. According to recent scientific findings, a pair of these crabs may devour up to 130 cm2 of tissue per month! This symbiosis between coral and crab is often regarded as commensalism or even parasitism; however, it seems that the coral actually benefits from this interaction. The grazing of coral tissue by the crabs stimulates the production of coral mucus, which facilitates the process of removing detritus and fouling organisms which could otherwise suffocate the colony. Colonies which have lost their symbiotic crabs have been found to display higher rates of mortality. Trapezia crabs also protect their hosts against corallivore echinoderms such as the Crown-of-Thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci), which is able to consume large areas of coral within a short time. Unfortunately, many corals which are traded in the aquarium industry have lost these highly interesting creatures. Marsa Alam is a small town which is currently undergoing rapid develop‑ ment. Map by Y.J. Byun.
Most colonies on the reef slopes are fairly small. Apparently, local conditions limit growth of most species. These limits can be biotic, such as coral predation by fish, or abiotic such as high temperatures which promote bleaching or mechanical damage caused by storms and wave action. Exceptions to this are certain Porites species, which grow to impressive sizes of over five feet in diameter. Upon close inspection of the reef, many cryptic species can be found. Porites colonies often contain colorful Spirobranchus giganteus polychaetes, commonly referred to as Christmas tree worms. This name stems from the tree-like feathers on top of Large groupers such as Epinephelus tauvina dwell in the lagoons of Marsa Alam.
A pair of Amphiprion bicinctus anemone fish in their host, Heteractis crispa. The male (top right) is significantly smaller. The larger, dominant female repels any intruders.
A pair of butterfly fish, Chaetodon semilarvatus. This species lives a secluded existence and can often be found in caves and underneath coral overhangs.
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Fish also form symbiotic relationships with other species, and this is no different on the reefs of Marsa Alam. The Giant Moray (Gymnothorax javanicus) can be found here living together with Stenopus hispidus shrimp. The shrimp keep the moray free of ectoparasites, whilst they find refuge inside the eel’s burrow. This symbiosis is a nice example of mutualism. Fishes which inhabit the reef in large numbers are Anthias spp., Chromis dimidiata, surgeonfishes, angelfishes and butterflyfishes. Butterflyfishes such as Chaetodon fasciatus and C. paucifasciatus traverse the reef whilst nipping on coral polyps, often in pairs. Hawkfishes, including Paracirrhites forsteri and Oxycirrhites typus can also be found, and rapidly retreat whenever a diver ventures too close. Underneath the reef surface, in the numerous small caverns, many more cryptic species lurk. Colorful sponges, shrimp, crabs, brittle stars and sea urchins dwell here. Young fish also hide from predators in crevices and caves, both on the outer reef and in the lagoons. Artificial burrows also seem satisfactory to marine life; small plastic bags are sometimes inhabited by numerous young fish. A coral reef is a dynamic ecosystem and looks different during various times of the day. During the day, Snowflake Morays (Echidna nebulosa) and pipefish (Corythoichthys schultzi) seem to be more active. During sunset, the fluorescent properties of coral pigments become visible and certain fish become more active. Lionfish such as Pterois sp. and Giant Morays (G. javanicus) slowly appear. Brittle Butterflyfishes such as Chaetodon fasciatus traverse the reef whilst nipping on coral polyps, often in pairs.
Snowflake Morays (Echidna nebulosa) are commonplace in the lagoons around Marsa Alam.
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Don’t miss RHM sponsored Reef-A-Palooza in Costa Mesa, CA on October 22-23. (reefapaloozashow.org)
stars creep out of the reef’s crevices in huge numbers and give the lagoon a gloomy blackness. The Ras Qulaan Islands The coast of Marsa Alam is littered with small islands and remote coral reefs, similar to the Sharm el-Sheikh region. Popular reefs in the area are Elphinstone and Dolphin reef. A key hotspot of A pair of inquisitive Chaetodon paucifasciatus, feeding on coral polyps.
biodiversity is the Ras Qulaan Islands. Sometimes referred to as the Virgin Islands, they form a major part of the Wadi el Gimal National Park. The islands are subject to strict environmental protection similar to the well-known Ras Mohammed National Park near Sharm el-Sheikh. This is very fortunate, as there is much to be protected. For example, these islands are the nesting grounds of the famous Osprey or Sea hawk (Pandion haliaetus). The Ras Qulaan Islands can be visited by boat, which is a 45 minute trip from the Hamata harbor. Although no people are allowed to step onto land, tourists may dive and snorkel around the reefs which line the islands. The average depth of the surrounding water is very shallow, between 0 and 67 feet. The reefs surrounding the island are still quite pristine, with Acropora colonies of several meters in diameter. High biodiversity ensures that much is to be seen, including large stands of Heteractis magnifica anemones inhabited by groups of A. bicinctus. On occasion, groups of young Dascyllus trimaculatus damselfish co-inhabit the same anemone. Black corals such as Antipathes and Cirrhipathes spp. can also be found here. Large, barrel-shaped macro sponges grow in shaded areas and are teeming with small schools of fish such as Chromis dimidiata. Sharks, dolphins, sea turtles and even dugongs (Dugong dugon) are regularly found near the islands. Mangrove trees also grow in the area, and their roots hide juvenile reef fish. These patches
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of mangrove trees form a unique ecosystem which is closely connected to the coral reefs, as they supply the reef with new generations of fish. A visit to the Marsa Alam region certainly is worthwhile, especially because of the healthy reefs and peaceful environment. Your visit will however sustain tourism activities which threaten this delicate wildlife area. Within a decade, this region will certainly have transformed into a large-scale tourist destination. One can only hope that the Egyptian government will establish more stringent eco-management practices so that these reefs will continue to flourish. Even without pollution, poor ecosystem management and coastal development, global warming and ocean acidification will continue to threaten these unique ecosystems.
Acknowledgements All photographs and other media by the author. The author wishes to thank Jorick Hameter for supplying camera equipment. References Rinkevich, B., Z. Wolodarsky and Y. Loya, 1991. Coral-crab association: a compact domain of a multilevel trophic system. Hydrobiologia 216/217:279-284
Hosting a Speaker at Your Club Event
Article by Steven Pro exclusively online at www. reefhobbyistmagazine.com
I
t seems most clubs nowadays start out as a collection of enthusiastic hobbyists interested in trading corals, learning from each other, and viewing each other’s displays. At some point, they grow to attempt to host a frag swap. Maybe they get really good at that for a while. But clubs with staying power, clubs that are around for years and years, eventually evolve to incorporate more educational opportunities. That is when they decide to bring in a speaker.
This can be a daunting task. Who do you get? How does a club track them down and contact them once they identify whom they want? How do they go about arranging airfare or hotel accommodations? What is it going to cost? What are the usual reimbursement procedures? It can be intimidating.
A black coral (Cirrhipathes sp., tentatively identified as C. anguina or C. contorta) grows near the edge of a cave. Black coral polyps cannot retract themselves when faced with danger. Although they resemble gorgonians, these corals are actually more closely related to stony corals.
In the expanded article available exclusively at www.reef hobbyistmagazine.com, I will walk you through the perils and pitfalls of hosting an outof-town speaker and how to get them to and from the club’s meeting as smoothly as possible, ensuring that they have a great time while there!
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Don’t miss RHM sponsored Reef-A-Palooza in Costa Mesa, CA on October 22-23. (reefapaloozashow.org)