Reef Hobbyist Magazine Q2 2023

SECOND QUARTER 2023 I VOLUME 17

LITTLE GOBIES WITH BIG JOBS

CLEANER SHRIMP FOR REEF AQUARIUMS

FEATURES 6 ON THE COVER LITTLE GOBIES WITH BIG JOBS

Jim Adelberg is the executive editor of RHM. Here's a look at some of the captive-bred gobies that will make your hobby easier.

After all, bigger isn't always better.

Cover image by Peter Leahy

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TIM’S INFINITY REEF Timothy Cremer, owner of Tim’s Infinity Reef, is an Indo-German reefer who dove into the hobby at age 9 and has been hooked ever since.

This immaculate setup features an 80-gallon display, a minimalist aesthetic, and a very attentive reefer.

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STEFAN'S SIMPLE REEF Stefan Rohnalter lives in Bavaria, Germany, and has been keeping reefs for 8 years.

While some reefers pursue the newest, priciest morphs, others prefer the simplicity of a thriving display of mature colonies. This reef is a testament to the ideology of simplicity.

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CORALS ON THE MOVE: WALKING DENDROS Levi Peterson is a 19-year-old hobbyist from Florida with a passion for oddball marine life. This coral spends its life riding around on a worm. How weird is that?!

Read here about Levi’s adventures with these unique pets.

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CHOOSING THE BEST SNAILS FOR YOUR REEF Filip Lazar is a 12th grade student from Romania who is deeply enthusiastic about coral reefs and marine biology. Snails are happy to do a lot of your maintenance for you, but you have to choose them wisely.

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THE DOCTOR WILL SEE YOU NOW: CLEANER SHRIMP FOR REEF AQUARIUMS Sabine Penisson is a French photographer and author with 20 years of reefkeeping experience. Cleaner shrimp provide a critical service to fish on wild reefs. Learn how to reproduce this mutualistic relationship in your home tank.

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REEF GRIEF AND REINVENTING YOUR TANK Jason Wilson has been reefing for 12 years and is an Australian visual effects artist based out of LA. This reef has had its ups and downs since it was last featured in RHM. But with a positive attitude and unique approach, this beautiful display has been reinvented.

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SECOND QUARTER 2023 | Volume 17 © 2023 Reef Hobbyist Magazine. All rights reserved.

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Captive-Bred Spotlight:

Little Gobies with Big Jobs

JIM ADELBERG

Neon Blue Cleaner Goby inside a grouper's mouth | Image by Peter Leahy

T

he marine aquarium hobby can be challenging. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Various people struggle with different aspects of the hobby, but for almost everyone, introducing fish to a tank, new or established, is nerve racking. Selecting healthy livestock and having good quarantine and conditioning protocols are critical to successful fish introductions, but equally important is having a detailed knowledge of the fish choices available to you.

This becomes especially important when trying to construct fish communities that address specific issues like pest and parasite control, algae elimination, and sandbed maintenance. There are also specific constraints associated with certain marine tanks that exclude the most typical stocking solutions.

Luckily, there’s a group of fish that’s so diverse it offers many alternatives to traditional stocking mainstays, and a bunch of the most useful species are available as captive-bred fish. That group is the gobies.

CLEANER GOBIES Like many hobbyist breeders, the Neon Blue Cleaner Goby (Elacatinus oceanops) was among the first marine fishes I successfully bred and raised. But even before that, I had developed a strong preference for gobies as cleaners.

In my experience, the Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) is best for heavily stocked tanks with large fish. While baby Bluestreaks may be fine for cleaning medium-sized fish, once they grow to 4- to 6-inch adults, they become too annoying for any but the largest fish. Cleaner gobies by contrast max out at about 3 inches in length, so they’re far more appropriate for the size of fish most of us keep. Cleaner gobies are also an excellent choice for FOWLR (fish only with live rock) displays, where cleaner shrimp might be eaten.

There are a handful of Elacatinus species gobies that are excellent cleaners, and they sport a variety of attractive colors and markings. For hobbyists who favor captive-bred fish, it’s worth noting that several Elacatinus species, including the Yellowline Goby (E. figaro) and Sharknose Goby (E. evelynae), are bred and distributed by the larger breeding operations.

Yellowline Goby | Image by Tony Gibson

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Neon Blue Cleaner Goby | Image by John Anderson

ALGAE-EATING GOBIES Ask most marine aquarists to name a group of algae-grazing fish for inclusion in a display tank and the answer is usually tangs.

I think an unfortunate number of tangs that are kept in home aquariums end up in tanks that are too small for their comfort.

Whether they were initially introduced to a tank when small and outgrew their tank or were acquired as adults by aquarists who didn’t understand their territorial needs is irrelevant. In my opinion, the only tangs suitable for systems under 125 gallons are the bristletooth tangs, and even those should be kept in tanks 60 gallons or larger. I’m sure someone reading this will have a fat, healthy Yellow or Purple Tang in a 55-gallon tank and may not appreciate my perspective, but consider that these tangs in the wild live in large schools and graze territories measured in acres, not feet. One of the main benefits of keeping tangs is their ability to graze on nuisance algae that many other fish and even snails eschew. In my opinion, the most annoying of these algae are the various hair and frond algae like Derbesia and Bryopsis species.

Fortunately, there are gobies for this job too.

The Rainfordi Goby (Koumansetta rainfordi) is very pretty and grows to 3 inches. It can live peacefully in small groups of its own species, is not aggressive toward other fish, and feeds on these nuisance algae as a large part of its diet in the wild. Rainfordis are commonly available as captive-bred fish and are relatively cheap, so stocking a small group in your tank won’t break the bank.

Another captive-bred option for an algae-eating goby is the Starry Goby (Asterropteryx semipunctatus). Although you will generally

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Sharknose Gobies | Image by Brian Lasenby

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see them listed as omnivores or even carnivores, there is a lot of anecdotal reporting that they also graze avidly on microalgae. This species stays even smaller than the Rainfordi (adults only reaching a bit more than 2 inches in length), is non-aggressive, and can be kept in groups, even in a moderately small display.

SAND-SIFTING GOBIES This category includes some of the old standbys in the hobby, and no one will be surprised that we’ll start with the ubiquitous Golden Head Sleeper Goby (Valenciennea strigata). This is one of the most easily recognized sand-sifting goby species and has a well-deserved reputation for keeping the top layer of sandbeds fresh and clean. They are sporadically available as captive-bred fish. Another sleeper goby that is currently available captive bred is the Sleeper Banded Goby (Amblygobius phalaena), which in my experience is less aggressive than the Golden Head Sleeper.

Unfortunately, both these species get big. Adults can reach 6 inches, so they are not suitable for nano or even small tanks (under 30 gallons). They can also become rather territorial, and that tendency is exacerbated in small displays with smallish tank mates.

But in a large tank, they’re very efficient sand sifters. Another sand sifter that has recently become available as a captive-bred offering is Buan’s Sleeper Goby (Amblygobius buanensis), and it has the advantage of maxing out at around 3 inches. Also available are some species of shrimp gobies that are considered to be sand sifters. The well-known Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus) and the Bluefin Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus fasciatus) are usually available captive bred and keep to a modest adult size of around 4 inches.

Rainfordi Goby | Image by Iliuta Goean

Sleeper Banded Goby | Image by Rickard Zerpe

Golden Head Sleeper Goby | Image by Rickard Zerpe

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Bluefin Watchman Goby with a mutualistic shrimp | Image by Rickard Zerpe

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WHY CAPTIVE BRED? There are a number of good reasons to opt for captivebred gobies. The first one is purely practical. Small, shy fish with specialized diets don’t fare as well in the chain of custody as larger fish with more boisterous personalities. Another good reason is that captivebred gobies are already acclimated to aquarium life and will readily eat commonly available aquarium foods.

L astly, suppor ting the innovative breeders bringing us new species of captivebred gobies helps ensure that those breeders can continue their pioneering work.

Yellow Watchman Gobies | Image by Haplochromis

I hope this article provided some useful information that might reduce the complexity of your stocking decisions and help you create the long-term successful fish community your efforts deserve. R

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TIM’S INFINITY REEF TIM CREMER

G

rowing up near the west coast of India meant being tantalizingly close to the underwater world I loved. But legislation banning the trade of marine animals prevented me from keeping a home reef and filling it with the fascinating life just off my local beaches. My obsession with all things underwater began, as it did for many of us, with an array of freshwater tanks.

The jump to saltwater came after my first dive on the mesmerizing reefs of the Red Sea, near the Gulf of Aqaba. I’m not sure whether it was my passion for scuba diving that fueled my interest in tending to a reef tank or my interest in aquaria that drove me to dive reefs all around the world, but one thing led to another, and on April 22, 2022, I got my hands on this 80-gallon reef tank that now decorates the living room of our apartment in Bonn, Germany. At the time of writing, this reef is only 11 months old, but my philosophy of reefing has been shaped over a much longer period by a number of inspiring aquariums featured in past issues of this magazine and in online forums.

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SPECIFICATIONS Display: 39" L × 25" W × 21" H, ~80 gallons Lighting: Giesemann Stellar Hybrid LED/T5, (3) AI Hydra 26 HD, (4) 39-watt T5 (2 ATI Coral Plus bulbs and 2 ATI Blue Plus bulbs) Water Movement: (2) EcoTech Marine VorTech MP40 QD Return Pump: Sicce Syncra SDC 7.0 Skimmer: Deltec SC 1351 (DC) UV Sterilizer: Eheim ReeflexUV 800 Doser: Pacific Sun Kore 5th Mechanical Filtration: Theiling Rollermat Chemical Filtration: activated carbon Biological Filtration: macroalgae refugium (Chaetomorpha linum), 3 liters of Sera Siporax media Sump Volume: ~10 gallons Sump Lighting: SANSI 24-watt LED Grow Light Top-off: Tunze Osmolator 3155 Monthly Energy Consumption: ~170 kWh

AQUASCAPE When diving, I’ve always found myself drawn to the peculiar-looking rockwork that forms the base of any reef, and this is where I drew inspiration for my aquascape. It was built using approximately 50 pounds of dry rock held together by cable ties and reef cement. I spent a great deal of time considering my options. I wanted enough real estate for coral placement but also a minimalist design with ample swim room, all while keeping with the clean, sleek look of

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the rest of the setup. I settled on the single island overhang and added the base for the hammer and torch garden later.

MAINTENANCE Being a bit of a neat freak means that the entire setup has to always look clean and flawless, including the inside of the stand and sump.

My daily maintenance routine includes 30 minutes of glass cleaning, sand scrubbing, and rock basting in the morning plus time spent visually checking on the tank inhabitants throughout the day.

I also perform regular equipment checks and cleaning with citric acid to keep everything working smoothly. Additionally, 30 percent water changes with RODI water and Tropic Marin Pro-Reef salt are conducted monthly. Below is a summary of my maintenance routine.

DAILY MAINTENANCE • Clean glass (inside and outside) • Rake sand • Feed fish and corals • Inspect system • Manually dose 0.8 mL Tropic Marin NP-Bacto-Balance • Manually dose 1.5 mL Fauna Marin Bacto-Blend WEEKLY MAINTENANCE • Manually dose ¼ tsp Tropic Marin Reef Actif • Manually dose 10 mL DIY coral snow and 5 mL Bacto-Blend • Refill auto top-off tank with RODI water • Harvest macroalgae • Clean skimmer collection cup FEEDING As a college student with too much spare time on my hands, I regularly feed my fish 6 to 8 meals a day. This heavy nutrient import is balanced by heavy export through a refugium, a fleece filter, carbon dosing, and an oversized skimmer. Mechanical filtration is complemented by 3 liters of Siporax media in the inflow area of my sump for biological filtration. This media is never cleaned or disturbed because it houses a large population of beneficial microfauna, including feather dusters, sponges, and a stunning variety of small crustaceans.

I feed a diverse assortment of frozen foods, including Mysis, enriched Artemia, and lobster eggs. I also offer a variety of pellets

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Lyretail Anthias

and flakes soaked in multivitamins (JBL Atvitol) to round out the diet. Half a sheet of nori per day keeps the algae eaters content.

FISH • (3) Lyretail Anthias (Pseudanthias squamipinnis) • (2) Green Chromis (Chromis viridis) • (2) Ocellaris Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) • Juvenile Foxface Rabbitfish (Siganus vulpinus) • Juvenile Tomini Tang (Ctenochaetus tominiensis) • Midas Blenny (Ecsenius midas) • Lawnmower Blenny (Salarias fasciatus) • Yellow Coris Wrasse (Halichoeres chrysus) • Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) INVERTEBRATES • (10) Astrea snails (Astraea sp.)

• (4) Mexican Turbo Snails (Turbo fluctuosus) • (4) Kuekenthal’s Cleaner Shrimp (Lysmata kuekenthali) • (2) Nassarius snails (Nassarius sp.)

• Skunk Cleaner Shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis) • Peppermint Shrimp (Lysmata wurdemanni) • Asterina starfish (Asterina sp.)

• Dove snails (Euplica sp.)

CORALS I have a myriad of Euphyllia species corals, mainly hammers and torches (Euphyllia ancora, Euphyllia parancora, Euphyllia baliensis, Euphyllia glabrescens), along with some Alveopora species.

CARBON DOSING Sonny Harajly (Reefsite.com) inspired me to try my hand at carbon and bacteria dosing and brought to my attention his DIY coral snow recipe. The combination of carbon dosing, UV filtration, and the occasional use of coral snow keeps my water crystal clear. The heavy import/export principle of nutrient management is also inspired by Sonny’s methodology. I have found that when it comes to gauging healthy levels of phosphate and nitrate, it is better to visually monitor coral health rather than constantly test and chase numbers. Heavy feeding and carbon dosing satisfies the needs of both fish and corals, so I do not feed any additional coral foods.

Duncan Coral

These provide movement and make up the LPS (large-polyp stony) coral portion of the mixed reef. Three varieties of Briareum species growing on the overflow and four different photosynthetic gorgonians make up the softie representation. An assortment of zoanthids form a carpet in the middle of the reef, requiring constant careful trimming to keep them in check. The SPS (small-polyp stony) coral portion is dominated by Acropora and Montipora colonies, along with some Pocillopora, Stylophora, and Seriatopora species.

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For carbon, I dose Tropic Marin’s NP-BactoBalance and Reef Actif. Using these preformulated carbon sources, rather than vodka, vinegar, or sugar, prevents the total stripping of nutrients and specific elements (incorporated in bacterial biomass) from the system. This allows me to fulfill the needs of nutrient-loving LPS (mainly Euphyllia spp.), softies, and zoas, as well as the SPS corals, which thrive at lower nutrient levels.

WATER PARAMETERS Temperature: 74–78° F pH: 8.1–8.3 Salinity: 34–36 ppt Nitrate: 1–5 ppm Alkalinity: 8.0 dKH Calcium: 440 ppm Phosphate: 0.01–0.10 ppm Magnesium: 1,440 ppm FINAL THOUGHTS If there is one principle in reefkeeping that I prioritize above all others, it is this: stability is key. Frequent changes, even those made with good intentions, introduce instability and often have negative outcomes. In order to achieve stability, a delicate balance must be found between diligent maintenance and simply letting the reef evolve on its own. This is an ongoing struggle for me, since every time I look at the tank, I see an improvement I could make or a problem I could solve. At times, I have to make a conscious effort to keep myself from interfering.

As a college student, the financial investment in this system was a big deal for me, but I was not prepared to skimp on the quality of the equipment or do without the livestock I

really wanted. To deal with this dilemma, all major equipment, including the tank itself, was purchased used. Most of the livestock was acquired from fellow hobbyists who were kind enough to share or were taking a break from the hobby. Keeping a close eye on costs and tracking prices has saved me a substantial amount of money. All in all, the system up to this point, including all livestock, equipment, and supplies, has cost me ~$8,000, a price I would gladly pay again for the joy and beauty this reef has brought to our home. R

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Stefan's Simple Reef

STEFAN ROHNALTER

Clown Tang

I

n 2012, my wife and I spent our honeymoon in the Maldives, and while snorkeling over the beautiful reefs there, I thought it would be wonderful to have our own little reef at home. Three years later, we decided to start our first tank, which was an 80-gallon display.

Like many new reef hobbyists, we had our share of challenges. In the first year, we struggled to maintain stable water parameters and as a result had many typical problems like algae and cyano outbreaks. Since I had started with only a small number of coral frags in the tank, there were a lot of uncolonized surfaces and available nutrients to fuel algae growth. It took an entire year to stabilize the system, but as I gradually filled the tank with more coral and developed a little finesse with maintaining the water chemistry, my corals began to flourish. After 4 years, the tank became overgrown with corals, so we decided to upgrade to a bigger display.

It’s been 3 years now since we started this 130-gallon tank. We chose a Giesemann Linea display for its clean design. Once we acquired this tank, I immediately transferred all the corals and fish from the old one, so the tank was filled with corals and fish from the beginning. It has run with no problems ever since.

My approach to this hobby is to keep it as simple as possible. I use only the equipment I really need. This tank runs with lighting, two circulation pumps, a skimmer, a return pump, a heater, and an adsorber. That’s it!

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Scroll Coral (Turbinaria reniformis)

Mandarin Dragonets

SPECIFICATIONS

This tank runs completely on Triton Core7 products. I’ve found their system to be very easy to use. Every evening, I dose all the necessary trace elements, and once a week, I add iodine. There's no dosing pump, so all dosing is done manually.

Display: Giesemann Linea 500 Lighting: DIMTEC Giesemann Matrixx II Water Movement: (2) Tunze Turbelle 6045 Return Pump: Blue Marine DC Power 6000 Skimmer: Reef Octopus 120 Classic Other Filtration: RowaPhos in bypass sump chamber Heater: Eheim thermocontrol e150 I've kept only easy corals since the beginning, no Acropora or other demanding corals. It is my belief that a nice reef tank can be achieved without keeping fussy and delicate corals. I prefer to have fewer species of larger homegrown colonies like Montipora over a greater number of Acropora frags. I think it looks more natural this way.

Snowflake Moray Eel in Caulastraea coral

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Every 3 months, I send a water sample to Triton for an ICP-OES (inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy) analysis. Based on the results of the analysis, I dose calcium, magnesium, strontium, boron, potassium, and lithium. I’ve reached the point where my tank stays almost completely stable for the tested parameters.

This tank was started with LED lighting, but I replaced the LEDs with T5s because I don’t like the LED spotlight effect. With T5s, I have even coverage and great coral color and growth.

Aiptasia-eating Filefish

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Sun Coral (Tubastraea sp.)

FISH • Yellow Tang • Clown Tang • Copperband Butterfly • Snowflake Moray Eel • Aiptasia-eating Filefish

• Quoy’s Parrotfish • (2) Percula Clownfish • (2) Mandarin Dragonet • (2) Green Chromis

The fish are fed with Ocean Nutrition frozen foods (Artemia and Mysis) once in the morning and again in the evening with a larger feeding over a longer period.

Because of my fish stock (moray, parrotfish, tangs, etc.) and their voluminous appetites, it’s not possible to keep the nutrient levels as low as is often recommended, but my corals are fine with that.

I think it’s more important to keep the system stable than to try to keep the nutrient levels extremely low. In my opinion, the corals can handle stable higher organic levels better than large swings in those values.

TARGET WATER PARAMETERS Nitrate: 15–30 ppm Alkalinity: 8 dKH Calcium: 440 ppm Phosphate: 0.06–0.10 ppm Magnesium: 1,400 ppm All the corals in this tank were grown from small frags up to the size they are now. The big green Caulastraea had only three polyps 7 years ago. The big colony and all the Caulastraea frags in this tank were grown from those three polyps!

My favorite fish is the Snowflake Moray Eel. I bought it when it was no bigger than a worm, maybe 4 inches long. This fish is 7 years old now and over a foot and a half long. If you keep a moray, you will have to seal your system, as this eel has jumped out of my tank twice!

He’s not aggressive toward other fish and lives in the Caulastraea, spending the whole day surveying the tank from his lair.

The most intriguing part of this hobby is watching the changes in the tank. Nothing happens quickly and everything seems to be interconnected. The whole process of growing a home reef has been fascinating, and I hope your reef is as rewarding as mine.R

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Image by Aqua SD

Corals on the Move: Walking Dendros LEVI PETERSON 28

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Walking Dendro with two corallites | Image by J&L Aquatics

D

o you ever find yourself looking for a coral that is truly unique?

I am personally doing just that every single day of my life.

About 2 months ago, I was walking through a local fish store called Coral Reef Aquariums in Tampa, Florida. As always, my eyes were constantly scanning the tanks for something unique. To my surprise, I stumbled across two Walking Dendros (Heteropsammia cochlea). I decided to get both specimens and left the store happy as could be.

A worm lives in a cavity at the base of the coral. | Image by Anne Hoggett

keeping these worms alive. I do, however, keep an eye on where the worm is moving my coral. On multiple occasions, the worm has maneuvered the coral right on top of a rock flower anemone. I recently removed all my anemones from that tank so that the worm could wander safely around the tank with the coral. I have noticed that the worms are much more active at night than during the day.

CORALS THAT WALK? The Walking Dendro is a coral that does not attach itself to the aquascape or substrate. Instead, it grows around a symbiotic sipunculid worm (aka peanut worm), which is the animal actually doing the “walking.” There is a small hole on the base of the coral from which the worm extends to eat and move the coral around to various areas of the sandbed.

This free-living coral is oval shaped and typically has one or two corallites, though colonies in the wild have been reported with many more. It grows up to an inch in diameter and is mostly found in various shades of gray, brown, or green. Most people hear the word dendro and automatically think this coral is non-photosynthetic.

However, this particular dendro is photosynthetic.

Unnamed zoas

Heteropsammia cochlea is usually found on flat or nearly flat surfaces with soft substrates. This species has a wide distribution, found naturally throughout the Indo-West Pacific, as far north as Japan and as far south as New Caledonia.

THE WORM The sipunculid worm is an interesting creature in and of itself. From my personal observation, these worms eat detritus and leftover food on my sandbed, which is a big bonus. They do not typically require supplemental feedings. Furthermore, the worm seems quite hardy, and I have not seen reports of hobbyists having issues with Reef Hobbyist Magazine

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Walking Dendro | Image by Aqua SD

CARE REQUIREMENTS Walking Dendros are considered moderate- to advanced-level corals but can be relatively easy for experienced aquarists to keep. My dendros currently reside in my lagoon tank, which is broadcast fed every other day. I also target feed the dendros with a mix of Reef Nutrition Beta Brine and TDO A two times a week.

These corals will accept Mysis shrimp, oyster eggs, enriched brine shrimp, and other foods. Although it may not be necessary, I am a firm believer in the idea that feeding your corals, photosynthetic or not, can contribute to their health and long-term success.

There are some potentially incompatible tank mates that would preclude this coral from a reef tank. Notably, angels and butterflies that are known to enjoy nibbling on LPS (large-polyp stony) corals would be a primary concern.

Additionally, these corals can wander anywhere in your tank and potentially create danger for them or their tank mates. They can sometimes become stuck in rockwork and find themselves unable to escape. If you’re really set on having one or more of these walking corals, perhaps a dedicated or semi-dedicated tank would be the best solution.

While this is truly a unique and interesting coral (and worm), I would not recommend it for everyone. But for the right aquarist who can monitor this symbiotic pair regularly and provide enough of the right food, they can be a cool and rare addition to a dedicated hobbyist’s coral collection. R

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Strombus sp. | Image by Joan Carles Juarez

CHOOSING THE BEST SNAILS FOR YOUR REEF FILIP LAZAR

S

nails are valuable members of virtually any aquarium community. This is equally true for saltwater and freshwater tanks. Not only do snails add diversity to our aquariums, but they are also hugely beneficial in other ways. Let’s take a quick look at how snails make our hobby easier and how to choose the best ones for our aquariums.

Snails offer a few key benefits for marine aquariums. First of all, they act as a general cleanup crew for the tank. Various species of snails are available that will eagerly consume algae, cyanobacteria, diatoms, and detritus. Their foraging activities help keep surfaces free of unwanted fouling, creating clear areas for new coral growth.

Second, certain species of snails plow through and stir up the substrate, which helps keep pockets of decomposing food and nutrients from forming. Some of these snails even live most of their lives under the surface of the sand, consuming algae and organic

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waste trapped in the substrate, all while aerating the sandbed.

In doing so, they can effectively eliminate “dead spots” in the substrate that negatively impact the health of your tank. However, their cleaning activities alone aren’t enough to keep a tank in pristine condition, so you’ll still need to clean your tank regularly.

Snails are quite hardy and will usually adapt to the same water conditions as your fish if acclimated slowly. However, some species are sensitive to higher temperatures, some are tank escape artists, and some require specialized food or environments to thrive, so do some research on the snails you’re considering.

RECOMMENDED WATER PARAMETERS Temperature: 72–78° F pH: 8.1–8.4 Specific Gravity: 1.023–1.025

Alkalinity: 7–12 dKH Calcium: 350–450 ppm Magnesium: 1,300–1,350 ppm

Bumblebee Snails are carnivorous cleaners. | Image by Show Ryu

Calcium is vital for snails to grow and reproduce because their shells are mainly composed of calcium. Calcium levels should be stable and in the range of 350 to 450 ppm. Magnesium is equally important because it helps to maintain calcium levels. Magnesium should be kept in the 1,300 to 1,350 ppm range.

So what exactly do you need to look for when buying snails? Which species, or combination of species, should you consider? That all depends on your specific aquarium because every aquarium community is distinct.

There are many snail species out there to choose from, and multiple species can coexist in your tank. Consider how each can benefit your system, and mix and match based on your particular needs. For example, if you have a deep sandbed, you may want to keep snails that spend a lot of their time stirring the substrate and pair them with a species that can clean the walls of the tank and all the nooks and crannies of the rockwork. Or if you feed a lot of meaty foods to your tank inhabitants, you may want to add carnivorous snails to clean up uneaten food. That way, you can take full advantage of each species’ cleaning capabilities.

Nassarius sp. | Image by Nathalie Rodrigues

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The first species that I want to talk about is the Bumblebee Snail (Engina mendicaria). These snails only grow to about half an inch long, so they will not occupy too much space in your tank. Given the fact that the Bumblebee Snail is a carnivorous species, it will not feed on algae. These snails prefer a high-protein diet that consists of meaty leftovers, dead organisms, worms, and even pest snails. Supplemental feeding of chopped brine and Mysis shrimp may be required in newly established tanks.

The Bumblebee Snail likes to burrow through the sandy substrate, mostly in search of tiny sand-dwelling worms.

However, these snails are known to be pretty lazy and will often stay in the same place until they need to look for food. If they have enough food at the substrate’s surface, they might not burrow in the sand. Bumblebee Snails are largely nocturnal, so you will not see much activity from them during the daytime. Ideally, try to keep Bumblebee Snails in a tank of at least 5 gallons.

Bumblebee Snail | Image by Voislav Kolevski

When choosing snails, care must be taken to ensure that the ones you add are not on the menu of your other tank inhabitants. Reef crabs and many types of aggressive or large fish will eat snails. If you have these, some larger snail species, such as Strombus and Turbo, may still be considered.

Let’s take a look at some of my favorite snails in detail.

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Snails from the genus Nassarius are longtime favorites in the hobby. They range in size from 0.5 to 1 inch long and will keep your sandbed tidy. These scavengers are well known to have huge appetites and are very useful when keeping tanks with messy eaters. They spend all their time foraging in the sandbed for organics but will emerge like a swarm of locusts when they smell leftover food on the sandbed’s surface. These fast and

Nassarius sp. | Image by Rob Atherton

efficient foragers will clean up uneaten food in the tank before it starts to foul the water.

The next species of note is the Mexican Turbo Snail (Turbo fluctuosa).

This is a relatively large snail, growing to 2 to 3 inches. This species is an absolute cleaning powerhouse and is considered by many to be the best algae eater in the hobby. Being herbivorous, Mexican Turbos do an efficient job of cleaning up hair algae, diatoms, cyanobacteria, detritus, and red tuft algae. Even though they will eat various algae types in your aquarium, these voracious feeders may require supplemental feeding. This will depend on the amount of algae growth in your tank and leftover herbivorous food from feedings. A good solution here would be to supplementally feed sheets of dried seaweed of various types to your fish. This is nutritionally excellent for the fish, and the algae bits that inevitably sink to the bottom will be eagerly consumed by these snails. Because of their enormous Mexican Turbo | Image by BIGShowFrags.com

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appetites and large adult size, a 10-gallon tank should easily accommodate one of these snails but may be too small for two.

There are two things to keep in mind when considering a Mexican Turbo. First, due to their size and strength, they will dislodge and topple corals that are not firmly secured to the rockwork. Second, Mexican Turbos, while being very good cleaners, cannot reach into all the nooks and crannies of the aquarium because of their size. To keep the areas they can’t reach clean, it’s a good idea to pair them with smaller snail species.

Dwarf Cerith Snail | Image by Voislav Kolevski

Banded Trochus Snail eating algae off the aquarium glass | Image by Voislav Kolevski

Banded Trochus Snail | Image by Voislav Kolevski

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A small snail that I like is the Dwarf Cerith Snail (Cerithium sp.). This is just one species from the large group of cerith snails available in the hobby. These snails are quite small, only growing to about 1 inch. There are a lot of benefits that come with the Dwarf Cerith Snail. It is an excellent all-around cleaner, feeding on fish waste, detritus, algae, and much more. Another big advantage to this snail species is that it likes to burrow and look for food in the sandbed. As mentioned before, this will help clean the sand and aerate your substrate. What is great about the Dwarf Cerith Snail is that, due to its diverse diet and willingness to forage above and below the substrate, it is incredibly beginner friendly. Even a novice marine aquarist will have absolutely no problem with this or any other cerith snail.

The last species on the list is the Banded, or Blackfoot, Trochus (Trochus sp.). These cleaners reach moderate sizes of under an inch and are some of the best snails available to scrape diatoms off aquarium walls and structure. They will also feed on other nuisance algae if a good growth of diatoms isn’t available. These snails are very easy to breed in the home aquarium, though less so in bare-bottom tanks.

We’ve seen the many advantages of having snails in our aquariums. They are fascinating animals in their own right. Many will breed in the confines of our tanks. And the benefits of a robust snail population can’t be overstated.

If you don’t have snails in your aquarium, it might be time to consider adding some. If you have snails and they’re not providing the cleaning activity needed, consider adding more individuals or additional snail species.

After all, why clean more when your snail friends are happy to do it for you? R

Ancylomenes yucatanicus | Image by Jessica Rosenkrantz

The Doctor Will See You Now: Cleaner Shrimp for Reef Aquariums SABINE PENISSON Images by author except as noted

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ature is composed of a mosaic of beautifully interdependent relationships. There are no useless organisms. Whether big or small, prey, predator, or scavenger, every animal has its place in nature’s complexity. In this grand milieu, we find an impressive array of animals on reefs that clean other animals by feeding on their parasites and dead tissue.

The splendid diversity of reef life can be mimicked quite accurately in captivity with the wide variety of species now available in the hobby. Some of the most captivating examples of mutualism on a reef can be found at cleaning stations. These are very important places where fish gather and queue to receive therapeutic treatment from cleaner fish or shrimp. Without such care, fish would be continuously sick with parasites, skin problems, and mouth or gill infections.

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Other cleaning relationships can be more discrete. Some small shrimp spend their whole lives on one host. This is mostly the case with invertebrates such as echinoderms and corals with their symbiotic shrimp. But even when the cleaning relationship is more episodic, it is a cooperative relationship between the cleaner and the client. Each animal might survive without this relationship but perhaps with more difficulties.

So how do fish locate such cleaning stations, and how do shrimp distinguish between a client and a potential predator? The first clue is that some cleaner shrimp are found at or near the foot of certain species of anemones, where they take shelter in exchange for cleaning their host. Another sign is a set of brilliant white antennae moving up and down in the mouth of a cave. When approaching, the fish are welcomed by a dance indicating the shrimp’s availability

Coral Banded Shrimp (Stenopus hispidus)

to clean. The shrimp, on the other hand, are attracted by the smell of fish mucus and invited to clean by the fish’s obvious coded pose.

Most of the time, the fish freezes near the cleaner, rolls on its side at an approximate 45° angle, opens its gills and mouth, stretches its fins, and waits for the cleaner to jump onto its body. Depending on the species, the fish’s coloration can also change dramatically during the cleaning process to help the cleaner spot parasites.

To help fish identify cleaner organisms, most sport an electric blue or purple color on the body, the universal sign for cleaners. This color is understood by every inhabitant of the reef as “don’t eat me, you’ll need my services.” This color can be seen on cleaner wrasses, cleaner gobies, juvenile angelfish, and various shrimp. In addition, bright yellow can designate secondary cleaners, which can be seen on cleaner gobies, wrasses, and some juvenile angelfish. Once a fish has located a cleaning station, it will return to the same spot for future cleaning.

In captive husbandry, the cleaning service is not as necessary as in the wild because the aquarium is normally devoid of parasites and skin diseases. But the conscientious keeper can invest in cleaning specialists to reproduce the biotope as accurately as possible. Even beginners are able to cultivate such relationships and witness the amazing show these cleaners provide.

Cleaning stations can be easily recreated in most home aquariums.

In a large tank, all you need is a spacious cave in which some Skunk

Skunk Cleaner Shrimp at work on a hawkfish

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avoids the bright lights and restless crowds of the reef shallows.

They will remain visible in front of caves or under overhangs in small, dimly lit tanks with peaceful fish. In larger tanks with more aggressive tank mates, they will stay hidden. In the wild, like Skunk Cleaner Shrimp, they gather in large congregations in caves. In the aquarium, keeping them in pairs is the best way for them to feel secure, sticking with one another and reproducing often.

Fire Shrimp under an overhang | Image by Vassil

Other Lysmata species common in the trade, like the various peppermint shrimp (L. wurdemanni and L. boggessi), are not well known for their cleaning skills but are especially appreciated for their diet, which includes Aiptasia glass anemones. These shrimp are very social, so they can be kept in small groups that are more effective at eradicating anemones. They even work together to prey on Aiptasia and avoid their stinging cells.

Cleaner Shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis) can set up shop and advertise to their tank mates.

L. kuekenthali offers the best of both groups, being a good fish cleaner with a serious appetite for Aiptasia as well!

There are several different families of shrimp involved in cleaning, but the first to come to mind would be members of the Hippolytidae, such as the Skunk Cleaner Shrimp, some Stenopodidae like the Coral Banded Shrimp (Stenopus hispidus), and many Palaemonidae from the Ancylomenes and Periclimenes genera.

PERICLIMENES AND FRIENDS: SMALL BUT TENACIOUS

THE LYSMATA, QUEENS OF THE CLEANERS To begin with the most famous, let’s talk about the Skunk Cleaner Shrimp. Its bright red-and-white-striped back is recognizable to nearly every aquarist. It is not especially shy and remains visible all day long, unlike more secretive shrimp. This species is a very good cleaner, eager to jump on any fish that solicits its services. In the wild, they can be found in the circumtropical Indian and Pacific Oceans, as well as in the Red Sea. Their adult size is about 2 to 2.5 inches, and they can be kept in tanks of 20 gallons or more. They are best kept as pairs and change sex periodically, being sequential hermaphrodites, so don’t be surprised to see both shrimp in a pair incubating eggs at the same time. They are a welcome addition to any tank housing fish prone to ich, such as tangs, butterflyfish, and angelfish. If a new fish arrives with some ich or crypto parasites, the shrimp will help remove them and minimize the risk of transmission to others.

Besides the Lysmata genus, Periclimenes (and sister genera) contain many fish and invertebrate cleaners. These small shrimp (0.5–1 inch) are typically associated with echinoderms, such as sea cucumbers, starfish, urchins, and crinoids. They have a prominent rostrum, and their scaphocerites (flattened plates) are long and broad. Some species live on large nudibranchs or large gastropods. They clean parasites and dead tissue from their host and will feed on their host’s mucus or tube feet when food becomes scarce. Most of these shrimp live solitary lives but meet occasionally for reproduction.

Depending on the size of the host and the shrimp species, mated pairs have been known to share a single host.

The Ancylomenes genus was separated in 2010 from the Periclimenes genus to distinguish them based on their morphologic uniqueness. They have a transparent body and head, body shaped like an upside-down V, colored chelae (claws), and distinctive patterns and blotches for each species, most of them bearing the special electric blue color of a cleaner.

A close relative, the Fire Shrimp (L. debelius) is a shy beauty. Hailing from deeper habitats than the Skunk Cleaner Shrimp, this species

Ancylomenes are around 1 inch long as adults. They fit well into aquarium life, eating any small meaty food offered by the aquarist.

Nano aquariums make good homes if there are no potential predators, as these little shrimp can be eaten by hawkfish, wrasses, and many other carnivorous fish. In the wild, most fish respect

The peppermint shrimp Lysmata boggessi | Image by Chprieur

Ancylomenes sarasvati

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Ancylomenes pedersoni | Image by Laszlo Ilyes

Periclimenes yucatanicus | Image by Laszlo Ilyes

their cleaning abilities and spare their lives, but you can never be too careful with compatibility, as aquarium and natural behaviors can differ.

Most Ancylomenes live in anemones and LPS (large-polyp stony) corals, cleaning them of parasites and leftover food. They also clean any fish that shares their host, like clownfish, and will readily jump on nearby fish (and even divers and aquarists!) for a conscientious cleaning.

A. pedersoni is found from Florida and the Bahamas to Venezuela and lives mainly on Bartholomea annulata and Condylactis gigantea anemones. They bear a distinctive pattern on the back: a broad lavender-blue line with two blue lines of dots, highlighted on each side by a thin white line. They are very eager to clean fish, even large ones like groupers and moray eels.

P. yucatanicus shares the same natural distribution as A. pedersoni and bears a triple white saddle on the back of its carapace and abdomen. This species remains under the previous genus of Periclimenes and wasn’t updated to Ancylomenes, although it too has the upside-down V-shaped body.

Some other species previously classified as Periclimenes are now classified into genera such as Zenopontonia and Ancylocaris. Z. rex (formerly P. imperator) is commonly known as the Imperial Shrimp and sports a bright orange body with white markings on its back.

The number and size of the white markings vary significantly on individuals. The legs and the tips of its claws are bright purple.

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Imperial Shrimp on a sea cucumber | Image by Nick Hobgood

Stenopus are gonochoric, which means the sexes are genetically determined and do not change. The mature female is larger and stockier than the male, and the greenish ovarian mass is visible at the back of the cephalothorax. Monogamous, they mate in the juvenile stage (when sexual dimorphism is not visually clear) and then live together until death. In captivity, be cautious when selecting your couple since only a mated pair tolerates each other in the aquarium, even in a large-volume tank. Two individuals of the same sex will fight to the death because the weaker one can’t retreat as it would in the wild.

Most cleaning members of the genus show neon blue somewhere on their body: at the gathering of legs and cephalothorax (S. hispidus), on the cephalothorax (S. tenuirostris), or on the legs (S. scutellatus).

Some (S. scutellatus, S. cyanoscelis) show a bright yellow coloration on the cephalothorax, which is the secondary cleaner color.

The Coral Banded Shrimp (aka Banded Cleaner Shrimp) is by far the most common boxing shrimp available in the hobby. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region, from the Red Sea and East Africa to the Line and Marquesas Islands, north to the Ryukyu and Ogasawara Islands, and south to Lord Howe Island. They can grow up to 2 inches in length.

The genus Stenopus contains 11 species, and you may encounter some of the lesser-known species from time to time. While they may vary in color, rest assured that all boxing shrimp will be efficient cleaners.

THOR AND ALPHEUS FOR A NANO DISPLAY A female Coral Banded Shrimp with eggs | Image by Esquilo

These shrimp mainly live on large sea cucumbers (especially from the Bohadschia genus), Gomophia and Linckia starfish, and some nudibranchs like Spanish Dancers (Hexabranchus sanguineus). They grow to 1 inch and are found broadly in the Indo-Pacific tropical zone, from the Red Sea to Polynesia.

STENOPUS, THE CORAL BANDED CLEANING CHALLENGER Shrimp from the genus Stenopus are among the most famous in the aquarium trade, grouped under the name boxing shrimp. They are zealous cleaners of large fish, such as moray eels. Cryptic and secretive, they live in caves that usually host these large predators, allowing the shrimp to find a meal without having to roam the open reef. When these shrimp need to recruit clients, the Stenopus pair will remain under cover in the dark, only signaling their presence by waving their very long white antennae at the entrance to the cave.

In addition to the parasitic organisms removed from the bodies of fish, boxing shrimp feed on various benthic prey, including polychaete worms and small snails such as Stomatella or Euplica. If you don’t feed them enough, their diet can even include larger snails, such as Astraea and Turbo species, and other ornamental shrimp.

They will eat all kinds of meaty foods in various forms: fresh, frozen, flakes, and pellets. Do not house them with very small invertebrates and fish. The Stenopus are better suited to large aquariums where a mated pair will be a very interesting addition. In captivity, they will lose their shyness and roam the aquarium during mealtimes to get their share.

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These small shrimp, mostly living symbiotically with LPS corals, sponges, or other sessile invertebrates, are very interesting additions to nano aquariums. Their behaviors are fascinating and are most easily observed in a small tank.

T. amboinensis, the famous Sexy Shrimp, is a popular choice for nano aquariums. Acclaimed for their peaceful behavior, they live in small groups close to the foot of anemones (Cryptodendrum adhaesivum, Heteractis, Stichodactyla, Anemonia) in the wild but can also live with various other hosts like soft corals, sea

Blue Coral Banded Shrimp (Stenopus tenuirostris) | Image by Rickard Zerpe

Sexy Shrimp

Gorgeous Prawn Goby and Alpheus randalli

fans, LPS corals, and mushrooms. They are widely represented in the whole Indo-Pacific tropical area and possibly even the western African coasts. This species is replaced in the Eastern Atlantic and Caribbean by T. dicaprio. They can be associated with Ancylomenes species, with whom they often live in the same anemone in the wild. If attempting to combine the two species in captivity, be sure to provide plenty of food to avoid competition between the shrimp.

Amblyeleotris, and Stonogobiops. Even if they are best known to drive the burrow construction and maintenance, recent scientific studies observed them also cleaning their fellow fish.

The pistol shrimp of the Alpheus genus are famous in our hobby as mutualistic with popular gobies from the genera Cryptocentrus,

The pleasure and endless fascination of watching animals engaged in cooperation across species can’t be overstated. Keeping a cleaning station in your home tank will also improve the health of your fish community. Now you can assemble your own cleaning station regardless of tank size, providing a wondrous display of the complexity of the natural world and the importance of cooperation on the reef. R

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Reef Grief and Reinventing Your Tank

JASON WILSON

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eacekeeper Reef was first featured in Reef Hobbyist Magazine Q2 2021. At that time, the tank was maintaining a healthy equilibrium. I had the nutrient and chemical levels balanced, and my test results were very stable. But time brings change to all living systems, and that includes our home reefs.

Since 2021, this reef has had its share of ups and downs. And though setbacks can be discouraging, I’ve come to accept that dealing with them is a part of the hobby. Of course, it’s always disappointing to lose a coral or fish. But I look at these setbacks as opportunities to learn more and even reimagine the tank. After all, trying to maintain the stability of an ocean in a glass box is certainly a challenge. And there is still quite a bit about reefkeeping we don’t understand.

This tank was started in 2018 with a lot of new frags and a few larger colonies brought over from my previous 50-gallon tank. I encountered my first Acropora struggles in 2020. Over the course of 3 months, RTN (rapid tissue necrosis) stripped the flesh off three large colonies. Each time, the infection took only a couple of days to ravage the coral. I deduced it was a bacterial infection by comparing the symptoms with those described by other experienced reefers and by using ICP tests to eliminate other possible culprits. This got me thinking more about bacteria and made me wonder if my tank

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had a well-balanced population. Since effective organic filtration is driven by beneficial bacteria, I began regularly dosing bacteria to boost these populations. This dramatically improved the stability of the tank, resulting in an immediate halt to the RTN in my Acropora corals and a significant reduction of nitrate. Since then, bacterial management has become a focus in my approach to reefkeeping.

Pinkface Wrasse

Blue Throat Triggerfish

With 2022 came Montipora-eating nudibranchs. These proved devastating to the large Montipora section of the tank. I pulled out and dipped as many colonies as I could using Two Little Fishies ReVive, but I must have missed some eggs or juveniles. The nudis ended up destroying all but a few colonies. Though this setback was disastrous, I forged ahead. I took advantage of the seemingly dire situation to finally break up two massive Frogspawn colonies. These nicely filled the vacant space previously inhabited by the Montipora.

The tank took on a new look, and the Frogspawn appreciated the extra room. This infestation occurred because I broke my own rule to never put frag plugs in the tank.

Cut to 2023, when I discovered that the tank had been running at an elevated alkalinity of 15 dKH for over a month. At the time, my Neptune Systems Trident automated testing system was reading low. And though still within its use-by date, my Hanna Checker’s titration reagent had gone bad. This two-stage failure had me fooled. It wasn’t until I started losing a Frogspawn colony that I knew something was seriously amiss. I decided to replace the titration reagent for the Hanna Checker. When I tested it, the result was 15 dKH, and I confirmed that reading with a Salifert test kit. I immediately stopped dosing and let alkalinity drift back down to 9.5 dKH. I also quickly serviced and recalibrated the Trident. The tank is settling back down as I write this. I assume I would have discovered the issue once it was time to replace the Hanna reagents, but that could have added a few more weeks of destructively high alkalinity. I now alternate the backup test kit brands I use to avoid this nightmare in the future.

What Really Bugs you ?

Whatever it is, a good bath will take care of it.

ReVive Coral Cleaner ™ is a new type of coral dip solution developed by Julian Sprung. Its formula is based on powerful plant extracts, but it isn’t harsh on coral tissues the way iodine-based dips are. For coral dipping prior to acclimation to aquariums, for rinsing prior to shipping, and for dipping newly fragmented corals, such as at coral farming facilities.

www.twolittlefishies.com

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Side view

TARGET PARAMETERS pH: 8–8.25 Nitrate: 20–30 ppm Alkalinity: 9.6 dKH Calcium: 450 ppm Phosphate: 0.05 ppm Magnesium: 1,450 ppm DOSING Triton testing is performed monthly, and Triton trace elements are dosed based on the results. Red Sea AB+ is added every other day, and Prodibio bacteria is added once a week.

Alveopora and Goniopora

SPECIFICATIONS

Lavender Tang

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Display: custom Crystal Dynamics, 300 gallons Sump: Synergy, 45 gallons Lighting: (4) Ocean Revive T247 LED Water Movement: (2) Maxspect Gyre, (2) EcoTech MP 10, (2) AI Nero 5, (2) Gulfstream Tropical Water Flow Accelerator Skimmer: Coral Box Cloud C9 Controller: Neptune Apex Testing: Neptune Trident Dosing: Neptune Dos (alkalinity and calcium) Reactors: Korallin BioDenitrator, BRS GFO/carbon dual reactor with TLF PhosBan and Rox 0.8 carbon

Harlequin Tuskfish

Sailfin Tang

For filtration, the overflow runs through two filter socks and then a refugium filled with grape Caulerpa before reaching the skimmer.

There is a small sulfur reactor, a GFO reactor with TLF PhosBan, and a carbon reactor as well.

coming. Over the past 11 years of reefkeeping, I’ve learned to remain calm in these situations, carefully research what to do, and accept the new, organic direction determined by the tank’s evolution. This could mean moving corals around to fill empty spots or introducing new corals to the system.

It’s no secret that reefing is not easy. It requires strict routines of diligent maintenance, feeding, and testing. Even the most advanced reefkeepers with decades of experience still run into unexpected issues. After all, these are complex and delicate environments that are subject to various microscopic dangers. One seemingly small issue can combine with another to cause a problem you never saw

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Though I am determined to keep casualties low, I have come to see the tank as inevitably changing over time and have decided to embrace it rather than dwell on the feeling of loss. Reefing is an incredible and beautiful journey, and each unfortunate mishap is also a great opportunity to learn and grow as a reefkeeper. R