Reef Hobbyist Magazine Q2 2022

SECOND QUARTER 2022 I VOLUME 16

The Mind-Bending JF Jack-O-Lantern Leptoseris

FEATURES 6

CAPTIVE - BRED NANO GOBIES IN THE HOME AQUARIUM Felicia McCaulley and Iyoul Aldrin of Biota Aquariums share a handful of captive-bred nano gobies that will make excellent additions to your next nano reef.

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MYCEDIUM CHALICES Vincent Chalias lives in Indonesia where he works for Triton Lab and Ocean Gardener.

Mycedium chalices are some of the most desirable corals in our hobby. Here's a comprehensive rundown of the five Mycedium species and how to care for these cool corals.

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ON THE COVER THE MIND - BENDING JF JACK- O - LANTERN LEPTOSERIS Juan Carlos Piña has been a reefaholic for the past 7 years and lives in sunny Naples, FL. The JF Jack-O-Lantern Leptoseris has one of the most stunning color/pattern combos in the hobby. Learn how to keep this lepto looking its best.

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BLACK- AXIL CHROMIS Dennis R. Lohr is an avid reefer who has been in the hobby for 14 years. The Blackaxil Chromis is one of Dennis's favorite fish for several reasons. Read this spotlight to decide whether it might become one of yours.

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PANDORA REEF Leo Nguyen is a reef addict from Albuquerque, NM, who’s been keeping corals since 2014. This extravagant display is the result of months of planning and custom fabrication focused on one goal: minimal maintenance. Did Leo succeed?

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IS OLD TANK SYNDROME A MYTH? Keith Moyle is a 47-year veteran reefer and owner of Kahuna Reef Motivation. Corals looking drab?

Fish seem unhappy? You might have old tank syndrome!

Keith shows you how to head off this unpleasant fate.

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FLORIDA REEF TRACT RESCUE PROJECT Lauren Grauer is a senior aquarist at the SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium, where her team is saving corals from a mysterious disease that's destroying the Florida Reef Tract. Get a look at the corals and an update!

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REST AND RECOVERY REEF Joanne Evelynna Peter is a writer from Malaysia with a passion for creating colorful nano reef tanks. What began as a hospital tank for unwell and unloved frags has become a lovely little reef display.

SECOND QUARTER 2022 | Volume 16 © 2022 Reef Hobbyist Magazine. All rights reserved.

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Black Belly Dwarf Goby | Image by Vincent Chalias

CAPTIVE-BRED NANO GOBIES IN THE HOME AQUARIUM FELICIA MCCAULLEY & IYOUL ALDRIN Images by Biota except as noted

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any years ago, when saltwater aquariums were first popularized, the smallest recommended tank size was 50 gallons. Nano reef aquariums were thought to be difficult, and pico tanks just weren’t recommended at all. Since then, the reefing hobby has seen immense advancements in both equipment and our substantial collective husbandry knowledge base. We now know that nano and pico aquariums are not only possible, but conscientious aquarists have kept these small aquariums thriving for many years.

The oceans are unfathomably large, and saltwater fish have as much room to spread their fins and swim as they could ever want. That means there aren’t many reef fish that can be comfortable when housed in a small aquarium. Even the small, popular clownfish do best in tanks that are at least 30 gallons. What fish could possibly fit comfortably inside an aquarium smaller than this?

Captive-bred nano gobies in the genera Trimma and Eviota and their close relatives are perfect for nano and pico aquariums because they remain small all their lives. They’re also demersal (living on

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the substrate), so they don’t need much room to swim around.

Captive-bred gobies spend their entire lives with humans and are raised on foods commonly available to hobbyists, such as pellet foods and frozen meaty foods. Once acclimated at home, they will entertainingly appear during feeding times, darting around to catch food from the surface or water column.

Very tiny gobies like Trimma and Eviota species prefer gentle flow and are social fish that will be most active in small groups but may also be kept singly. They have a similar disposition to Neon Gobies. Eviota tend to be more active in the water column than other gobies, hovering out in the open if provided with an area of slow water movement.

These nano gobies are entirely reef safe. They won't bother corals or sessile invertebrates, and even the tiniest ornamental shrimp are safe with them.

Since captive-bred gobies are pampered from birth with a safe environment and abundant food, they frequently breed in home

aquariums.

This gives hobbyists an opportunity to delve into captive breeding. Even if raising baby gobies isn’t a goal, the courtship, breeding behaviors, and male egg-guarding behaviors are exciting and interesting to observe.

Nano gobies, for the most part, will peacefully coexist, and it’s possible to mix different species if they’re given enough rock work to establish their own territories.

Small quarrels can break out between gobies of the same sex or at feeding time. Nano gobies are social fish, so they’ll be more visible and hide less often in small groups of their own species.

Court Jester Goby

Most gobies in the Trimma and Eviota genera are hermaphrodites. Some are simultaneous hermaphrodites, while others are sequential hermaphrodites, with protogyny (changing from female to male) being the most common form of sequential hermaphroditism in marine fishes. Asterropteryx species, however, are born male or female and do not change sex.

Males are slightly larger than females on average.

CAPTIVE-BRED NANO GOBY SPECIES Koumansetta rainfordi: The Court Jester Goby is one of the larger nano goby species, growing up to 3" long. These gobies do well singly in a smaller tank of 10 to 20 gallons or in small groups in larger aquariums if the whole group is added at once. Court Jester Gobies also help to remove pesky hair algae in aquariums, as this is their natural diet in the wild.

Because they are raised on prepared foods, captive-bred Court Jester Gobies are extremely hardy and easy to keep in home aquariums. They are pretty fish that aren't very shy, and the best part is they are one of the only small fish that will munch on nuisance hair algae.

Court Jester Gobies have great personalities once acclimated, and they spend more time swimming out in the open than many other small gobies.

Trimma cf. caesiura: The bright red White Spotted Pygmy Goby is an awesome reef inhabitant for those who like unusual, colorful nano fish. They max out at just over 1", which makes them ideal for nano or pico tanks, but they're great in large tanks as well.

These fish typically hang out under shelf rock or in caves but appear frequently to check their surroundings for food.

Asterropteryx semipunctatus: The Starry Goby is an adorable stocky reef goby with large, curious eyes and is perfect for nano White Spotted Pygmy Goby tanks. These fish are more boisterous and visible than most other nano gobies once they settle into a rocky area of the reef tank. Their dark-toned bodies are adorned with iridescent light-blue spots that are reflective when they catch the light just right.

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Starry Goby

Hairfin Dwarf Goby

Black Belly Dwarf Goby

Cosmic Nano Goby

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Brahm's Dwarf Goby

The Starry Goby is a very passive reef fish that maxes out at 1.5".

It does well in both nano and larger reef tanks that have plenty of rocky hiding places.

Eviota brahmi: Brahm's Dwarf Goby has a bright red-orange stripe bordered by white stripes above and below. The fins are transparent, and the dorsal fin is elongated in both sexes. This is a very tiny species, maxing out at 1". These gobies may be more timorous than some other nano gobies when first introduced, but they will reward the viewer with their extremely bright colors and coy behaviors once they are settled in. This species will hover in the water column if provided with a low-flow area.

Eviota storthynx: The Hairfin Dwarf Goby is a cute nano goby perfect for small aquariums or even micro biotopes. Its coloration is interesting, with white blotches and reflective metallic gold flecks on a translucent body and bright red patches on the gills. The dominant male in a group will develop a lighter gray color on the head, and the first four dorsal fin rays become elongated. Females have a deeper red patch on the gills, and only the first two dorsal fin rays are elongated. They can be found guarding nooks and crannies in the rock scape and darting around searching for food.

These fish max out at 1" but are a bit bulkier and more visible in the home aquarium than other tiny Eviota species like the Brahm’s.

Eviota atriventris: The Black Belly Dwarf Goby has very bright red and fluorescent yellow coloration. Its body is nearly translucent, and interestingly, it appears that the coloration comes from inside the fish. They’re named for the large black spot bisected by a thin white line on the belly area. These fish can typically be found singly or in groups near shelters of Acropora colonies in the wild. These are some of the daintier Eviota and max out at just over 1". They’re a bit on the shy side, but once acclimated, they can often be seen perching on rocks or corals or hovering in the water column. Their bright coloration makes them easy to spot.

Eviota lachdeberei: The Cosmic Nano Goby is a fun and beautiful nano goby with a dark body, white dots on the belly, and a row of white spots on the dorsal ridge. Two vibrant blood-red blotches at the base of the tail stand out with complementary subtle red markings in the eyes and on the edges of the scales on the lower body. This unique coloration makes the fish look like a cosmic scene of black space, white stars, and red nebulae.

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These pygmy gobies are perfect for nano and pico aquariums.

They grow to 1" in size but are among the bulkier and less secretive Eviota species. Mature males can be identified by their elongated first four dorsal spines.

The Cosmic Nano Goby is interesting in its own right, but if you're a seasoned reefer who is fascinated by symbiotic relationships, the Cosmic Nano Goby is the perfect nano goby for you. In the

wild, the Cosmic Nano Goby, aka Lachdebere's Pygmy Goby, is typically found associating with Heliofungia species plate corals.

It would be a fantastic display in a nano aquarium—the Cosmic Nano Goby in its natural habitat among the long tentacles of a plate coral.

Captive-bred nano gobies offer so much cuteness, they’re practically irresistible! I bet you have room for one in your tank!

How Does Biota Breed Gobies?

In 2021, Biota Palau produced approximately 2,000 captive-bred gobies of eight different species. Biota was the first to breed many of the species we work with in large quantities, such as Eviota lachdeberei, Eviota brahmi, Asterropteryx semipunctatus, and Eviota storthynx. Some of the fish produced are being held and conditioned as new F1 broodstock for following years. The goby system has a total of 30 tanks and about 3,000 liters of water, located inside a temperature-controlled room.

Iyoul Aldrin, the operations manager at Biota Palau, houses goby broodstock in 30-gallon open-circuit tanks with no sand or live rock.

PVC tubes are provided for shelter and/or spawning sites. The tanks are maintained with protein skimmers, UV sterilizers, and daily water changes of flow-through ocean water. This keeps the parameters constantly stable and optimal; the temperature is 26° C (79° F) and the pH is 8.4. The tanks are siphoned and scrubbed free of algae and detritus at least daily.

Goby broodstock diets consist of a wide variety of foods, including Easy Reefs Masstick, Easy Reefs DKI pellets, Reef Nutrition TDO pellets, enriched Artemia adults and nauplii, and blended squid and prawn.

Iyoul tending to the babies in Palau

Breeding pairs are chosen for health, size, and coloration. Some species are sexually dimorphic. Those that have phenotypically indistinguishable sexes are observed, and pairs are chosen based on their social interactions.

They are conditioned by feeding three to four times a day with nutrientrich, high-protein diets. Once they begin courting/mating, they’re provided with an appropriate spawning site. Some species prefer PVC tubing for spawning while some prefer flat surfaces; the glass sides, bottom, and corners of the aquarium are popular spawning sites for those that prefer flat surfaces. After spawning, it’s important to increase the frequency of feeding to help breeding adults regain energy and nutrients.

The male guards the nest, only briefly leaving the eggs to eat. During this stage, the safety of the nest takes priority, and the male may lose some interest in feeding. Fertilized eggs are usually yellowish-orange and turn silver just before hatching. Unfertilized eggs remain opaque. Depending on the species, the egg size will vary. Spawns typically result in egg masses of 100 to 200 eggs.

When the eggs are almost ready to hatch, they take on a silvery sheen, and the eyes of the fry inside are clearly visible. Just before hatching, the eggs are moved to a dedicated larval rearing tank. Different species have different incubation periods. Smaller gobies may take 3 to 5 days, while larger fish may take 5 to 6 days.

Newly hatched goby larvae are fed algae-enriched rotifers, copepods, and, when they reach a large enough size, newly hatched Artemia.

Depending on species, the free-swimming planktonic larvae will go through metamorphosis at about 2 or 3 weeks post hatch. During this stage, the larvae settle out of the open water and begin a benthic lifestyle, also taking on an appearance more like the adult fish. Once larvae settle, they are moved to grow-out tanks and fed copepods and Ocean Nutrition Sep-Art Artemia Cysts and Micro Artemia Cysts enriched with Easy Reefs EasyRich phytoplankton gel. When they’re large enough, juvenile gobies are trained to eat only pellets, ranging in size from 0.5 mm to 0.8 mm. Like the adults, the goby fry are relatively peaceful and don’t intentionally kill each other, but the smallest may be chased by the dominant fish in the group if enough shelter and territory are not provided.

The Biota Group plans to continue offering these beautiful and interesting nano goby species, and with continued support from the hobby, Biota will be able to expand to offer many more species of gobies and other fish in the future! R

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Mycedium robokaki maricultured by Bali Aquarium

MYCEDIUM CHALICES

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obbyists have been fascinated by chalice corals for over 2 decades. The color range that they exhibit is absolutely mind-blowing. Virtually every fluorescent color can be found on chalice corals and sometimes all on the same colony. In recent years, the popularity of chalice corals has exploded. Prior to that, they had a somewhat daunting reputation: hard to ship, hard to keep, and very sensitive…but this is only because we were doing it wrong.

Historically, many reef systems were small-polyp stony (SPS) dominated. Chalices just don’t fit into these systems—too much light, too much flow, too many ways to fail. Now with the large-polyp stony (LPS) trend and the dominance of blue/actinic LED lighting, reef aquariums have become a much better home for these delicate, deepwater corals.

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VINCENT CHALIAS Corals from the genus Mycedium belong to the chalice group of corals, along with many other genera such as Echinophyllia, Oxypora, and Echinopora. This can be really confusing because these genera don’t even belong to the same family. Echinophyllia and Oxypora belong to the Lobophylliidae, and Echinopora is a Merulinidae. Their needs tend to be similar, but there are a few differences that are extremely important, especially regarding their lighting and feeding requirements. Echinopora is a shallow-water, fast-growing species, but the others are slow-growing, deepwater corals.

FACTS ABOUT THE GENUS Formerly placed in the Pectiniidae family, Mycedium (together with Pectinia) have been recently moved to the Merulinidae.

A classic large colony of Mycedium robokaki with a green base and red corallites

This is how Mycedium elephantotus looks in the wild. The glowing red and yellow corallites are just amazing. Note the very turbid environment.

This definitively separates them from other chalices like Echinophyllia and Oxypora, which belong to the Lobophylliidae. They are now relatives of Echinopora, Merulina, and Pectinia (from which they probably descend, which makes sense) but also other more massive genera such as Favites, Goniastrea, Platygyra, and Cyphastrea.

The Mycedium genus is quite small, containing only five different species. But the color variation for some species such as Mycedium robokaki is quite impressive and makes up for the small species count.

CHARACTERISTICS OF MYCEDIUM CORALS • Corallites always face toward the exterior of the colony.

• Colonies are attached to the substrate from the center of the colony, and the plate’s edges grow outward and above the substrate’s surface.

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This small colony produced by Bali Aquarium has it all: bright gold corallite mouths, a dark red base, and a glittering iridescence.

• The skeleton is very thin and fragile.

• Around the colony’s edges, the corallites are much smaller because they are just starting to develop.

• They are almost devoid of feeding tentacles, but at night, they produce short sweeper tentacles to keep neighboring corals at bay. Pectinia corals, by comparison, have surprisingly long sweeper tentacles.

• Some species have very distinct nariform corallites.

SPECIES

Mycedium robokaki is a good coral for beginners.

Mycedium mancaoi • • • • •

colonies are small and convoluted coloration is mainly dull brown corallites are 6–10 mm in diameter corallites strongly inclined on the laminae probably a variant of M. elephantotus with irregularly shaped plates • found on shallow, turbid, and protected reefs • not a popular aquarium species due to lack of color

Mycedium elephantotus

Mycedium robokaki

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the most commonly kept Mycedium laminar or semi-encrusting unifacial laminae large, prominent corallites (~15 mm) nariform corallites found at 15–70 meters depth mainly deepwater species lives at the bottom of reef walls or slopes, often partially shaded survives with minimal light inhabits turbid, protected reefs gonochoric broadcast spawner

A juvenile colony of Mycedium elephantotus on a vertical wall at 90 feet deep

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thin, unifacial colonies convoluted in shallow water, laminar in deeper habitats smaller corallites than M. elephantotus (~8–10 mm) flatter, less nariform, and prominent corallites than M. elephantotus corallites are often arranged concentrically corallites are often bright orange or red coenosteum often pale gray or green inhabits turbid, protected reefs described from specimens with pink oral discs; the unusual name derives from the Buginese language of South Sulawesi in eastern Indonesia, robokaki, meaning “pink”

Mycedium mancaoi is not very colorful, but it is a very important component of a shallow reef habitat.

Mycedium are fantastic subjects for closeup photography.

• common in the coral triangle, rare outside • gonochoric broadcast spawner Mycedium steeni • • • • • •

colonies are extremely delicate small, highly convoluted colonies 4–6 mm corallites, smaller toward the margin prominent costa radiating toward the margin found in sheltered reef slopes with turbid water not a popular aquarium species due to a lack of color but has a very interesting colony shape

Mycedium umbra • often misidentified as M. elephantotus, this species is endemic to the Red Sea • colonies are laminar or encrusting • nariform corallites grow to 15 mm in diameter • limited range of Red Sea and western Indian Ocean, where no legal coral fisheries exist • found on sheltered reef slopes with turbid water • not a very colorful species, with little appeal to the reef aquarium community, although the iridescent purple-gray parts could produce interesting coloration under aquarium lighting MAINTENANCE The biggest mistake made with Mycedium is overexposure. These corals are mainly deepwater corals (especially the very colorful strains of M. elephantotus popular in the hobby) that don’t need too much light. They don’t fare well in brightly lit, high-flow tanks and should be kept partially shaded. Adaptation to brighter light is not impossible but should be done very slowly. When acquiring a new specimen, the best course of action is to keep them in almost total darkness for a few weeks, either in the sump or below the aquascape. When the colony becomes thick and inflated, and the coral tissue starts to heal and recover from any damage it had sustained, it can be slowly moved out of the dark.

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A classic color combination of Mycedium elephantotus in North Bali.

The green color usually intensifies under blue LED lighting.

These corals fare pretty well under dim blue LEDs without any UV in the spectrum and with as little white as possible. As soon as they become stressed, their tissue begins to thin out. This is how you can judge whether they’re reacting well to a new environment.

Mycedium have slow metabolisms. They are very sensitive to bacterial infection if damaged or injured by a neighboring coral or during shipping. Tissue loss can be fast and should be treated rapidly with an antibiotic bath or ointment for a few days up to several weeks.

In a study from 1998 about feeding and mineral versus nutrient absorption, it was observed that M. elephantotus, a zooxanthellate scleractinian species without feeding tentacles, is very well adapted for absorbing suspended organic matter for nutrition. The external body surface is coated with a mucus layer (cuticle) that enables the acquisition and accumulation of suspended organic material.

Particles are rapidly entangled in fine mucus nets or filaments.

The mucus-entangled particles pass to the mouth openings by gravitational transport assisted by water movement. The foodenriched mucus filaments are either transported by ciliary activity into the coelenteron or are sucked into the body cavities by decreasing pressure in the coelenteron caused by contraction of longitudinal, mesenterial muscles. Nematocysts are infrequent in the oral epidermis, indicating that the capture of living prey plays a subordinate role in nutrition. Mesenterial filaments, by contrast, are densely packed with large nematocysts.

The specific adaptations of M. elephantotus for consuming suspended food particles may explain the particularly high abundance of this species at depths between 20 and 40 meters on deep, steeply inclined fore-reef slopes, drop-offs, and dark habitats.

The evidence indicates the importance of heterotrophic feeding to M. elephantotus. It is also supported by carbonate production rates that are, in contrast to that of many other zooxanthellate scleractinian species, almost constant at depths between 5 and 40 meters. These are unaffected by varying light regimes over the year, suggesting Reef Hobbyist Magazine

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that the reduced phototrophic contribution by the zooxanthellae is compensated for by mucal suspension feeding. This explains why they do well in very turbid habitats where particulate material (marine snow) is abundant and constantly falls on the coral colony, providing an unlimited food supply.

This study reveals a lot about how this coral, and probably many other similar species, should be fed in aquariums. Very small phytoplankton paste, yeast, and amino acid solutions are likely the best approach to feeding these corals, but small live zooplankton work fine too. Stop the flow for a while, drop the food onto the surface of the coral, and give it time to transport the food to the mouth and ingest it. Make sure fish or other inverts don’t steal the food.

The closeup of this Mycedium elephantotus is mesmerizing, with rainbow, glittering, and contrasting effects all together.

Good nutrient absorption makes these corals very interesting when it comes to coral reef restoration in increasingly turbid locations, such as urban areas. Urbanized coral reefs are often chronically affected by sedimentation and reduced light levels, yet many species of coral appear to be able to thrive under these highly disturbed conditions.

Recently, these marginal ecosystems have gained attention as potential climate-change refugia, as well as potential reservoirs for stress-tolerant species, due to the shading effect of suspended sediment. Whenever there is urban development next to a healthy reef, the water becomes a lot more turbid. This creates a shift in coral population where a clear-water coral genus such as Acropora becomes less dominant and a genus like Mycedium, which can adapt to a high-nutrient environment, could become more common.

This is an interesting fact and could lead to the propagation of Mycedium on turbid, urban reefs. M. robokaki can form very large colonies and is a very compelling candidate for that purpose.

FRAGGING MYCEDIUM Mycedium are not easy corals to frag because they are very susceptible to bacterial infection. Before cutting, make sure to clean and disinfect the blade. The frags shouldn’t be cut too small, and the water should be perfectly clean and regularly changed. Any residual toxin or bacteria from other species of corals will have a disastrous effect on Mycedium frags. An antibiotic bath for a couple of days after fragging or an iodine bath right after fragging should definitely be part of the normal protocol.

As an underwater photographer, I am always on the lookout for colorful and unusually shaped corals to photograph. The array of colors and shapes found in this genus make it one of my favorites, and if you have the chance to acquire a Mycedium, it’ll be one of your favorites too! R References Plasticity of the scleractinian body plan: Functional morphology and trophic specialization of Mycedium elephantotus (Pallas, 1766), Dietrich Schlichter & Heinz Brendelberger Light limitation selects for depth generalists in urbanised reef coral communities, Gwendolyn S.E. Chow, Y.K . Samuel Chan, Sudhanshi Sanjeev Jain, Danwei Huang Untangling the molecular basis of coral response to sedimentation, Elena Bollati, Yaeli Rosenberg, Noa Simon-Blecher, Raz Tamir, Oren Levy, Danwei Huang

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The Mind-Bending JF Jack-O-Lantern Leptoseris JUAN CARLOS PIÑA

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Jack-O-Lantern Leptoseris surrounded by similarly colored zoanthids

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he JF Jack-O-Lantern Leptoseris was identified as Leptoseris mycetoseroides by Sean Ono, aka cristata.reef on Instagram.

This species of Leptoseris is found throughout the IndoPacific, typically along reef slopes shielded from excess wave movement. Specific to this morph are neon green corallite centers with striations radiating outward, interconnecting along the steep ridges as if a golden millipede were crawling along its surface. This morph leaves hobbyists of all levels in complete amazement, as its beauty is unmatched among all Leptoseris spp. morphs.

PARAMETERS The Jack-O-Lantern Lepto is a forgiving and highly adaptable morph that will grow tightly onto any substrate if some key parameters are met. I recommend a salinity of 35 ppt, alkalinity of 7–10 dKH, calcium of 400–500 ppm, and a PAR level of 70–150.

FEEDING Adding shots of Reef Nutrition’s Oyster Feast and Red Sea AB+ into the reef tank will send this coral into a feeding frenzy. It will extend small feeding tentacles once it detects food in the water, making this the perfect opportunity to sprinkle a blend of Benepets and Reef Nutrition Oyster Feast along its corallites. Slowly but surely, the tentacles will draw the food toward the oral discs.

IN MY TANK As you may have guessed, the JF Jack-O-Lantern Leptoseris is one of my all-time favorite Leptoseris morphs and corals in general, not only for its mesmerizing beauty but its resilience. I acquired my Reef Hobbyist Magazine

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first fragment from Tidal Gardens in the spring of 2016. It was off to a great start, but in 2017, Hurricane Irma nearly wiped out my entire tank. Since then, with some TLC, it has grown to a ceramictile-sized colony several times over and has been propagated and shared widely with local hobbyists.

I’m using an AquaIllumination Hydra 52HD LED fixture suspended 14 inches above the tank. My lepto sits about 10 inches below the surface of the water. The Hydra runs at 60 percent power in 20,000 K spectrum. In my experience, the colors of this coral become more vibrant under lower lighting.

My colony is kept in an area of relatively low flow. The coral seems happy with it, as it’s able to catch food particles easily with its short feeding tentacles.

PROPAGATION This coral can easily be fragged using bone cutters. First, use the bone cutters to separate small pieces from the main colony, keeping in mind that larger pieces have a greater chance of survival. Then glue each piece onto a frag tile, rock, or plug. For more precise cuts, using a frag saw is an excellent option. Within a few weeks, the fragments will heal and be ripe for sharing with other hobbyists.

If you’re looking to add an eye-catching coral that’s easy to keep and grow, the JF Jack-O-Lantern Leptoseris should be at the top of your list! R

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DENNIS R. LOHR Image by Paul Asman and Jill Lenoble

BlackAxil Chromis

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Image by Vincent Chalias

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he introduction of fish into your marine aquarium is an exciting process. To ensure that your fish community is a success, there are three main factors you should consider.

The first is the size of the fish and its expected adult size. Most of the time when you buy a fish, it hasn’t reached its maximum size yet, so keep this in mind. Next is whether the fish is reef-safe or not. If you’re planning to keep a fish-only tank, then this isn’t important to you, but if you want to keep corals and other invertebrates, they will need to be safe with your fish. Another important factor is the overall temperament of the fish and its ability to coexist with others. It’s best to house fish with others of the same temperament because it’s less stressful for the fish to live in a community that is relatively harmonious. Obviously, thoroughly researching any potential fish purchase is critical.

Chromis species are some of the best fish to stock in a marine aquarium. They stay small, are reliably reef-safe, and are rarely aggressive to other species. The majority of Chromis species will only reach 3 or 4 inches in aquariums and are quite robust when fed well and kept in an appropriate environment. This genus offers fish with such an array of colors and shapes that it can attract even the most experienced of reefers.

One Chromis species that will add a lot of bright color to your aquarium (and a personal favorite of mine) is the Black-axil Chromis (Chromis atripectoralis). It’s often confused with its close relative, the Green Chromis (Chromis viridis), since they look very similar. The Black-axil Chromis has a striking blue-green coloration that shimmers whenever the light hits it. An interesting trait that makes the Black-axil Chromis truly unique is the signature black blotch at the bottom of the pectoral fins. When stressed, it can mute its bright color to a greenish-silver tone and then return to its beautiful iridescent aquamarine hue once it’s comfortable again.

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Image by Rickard Zerpe

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An aquarium of at least 30 gallons with lots of open swimming room is ideal for this active fish. The Blackaxil Chromis fits in nicely with other similarly sized species of the same temperament. However, in groups of its own kind, there is a tendency for the group to pick off the smaller or weaker members. They do this to determine dominance, and this is essential for their survival in the wild.

My personal experience with this fish has been all positive, and I would absolutely recommend this species to anyone looking for a great fish to add to their aquarium. I currently keep this fish with an Ocellaris Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris), and they share an unbreakable bond. When I first introduced the clownfish, it wasn’t eating properly and would only stay in the corner of the tank. The Black-axil refused to let this fish perish, and now they’re the best of friends, often swimming side by side.

A good tip for anyone looking to keep these fish is to feed them vitamin- and protein-enriched foods such as live or frozen Mysis shrimp. This is important because their coloration depends greatly on their nutritional health. A word of caution though: this is an overly excitable fish that loves to eat and may intimidate other slower-moving fish. Overall, the Black-axil Chromis is a fantastic addition to any reef tank and will provide lots of interesting memories. R

Image by Vincent Chalias

Blenniella chrysospilos (Red-spotted Blenny)

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PANDORA REEF LEO NGUYEN

W

e live in the middle of the desert, and to have a small piece of the ocean in our living space is so wonderful that I cannot fully express it with words.

My current setup is a 160-gallon peninsula with custom dimensions, built to my specifications by Planet Aquarium. I built my own stand because I wanted to save money. It was my first time ever doing

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carpentry, and I was able to build the stand with just a power drill, a hand saw, and a dozen trips to Home Depot to get stuff cut.

Learning from my two previous setups, I took over 6 months to plan out what I wanted for this system to maximize efficiency and sustainability. The planning included equipment and coral choices and also the aquascaping of the aquarium. I’m constantly busy with my two jobs (and a side job), so I wanted a minimalist system that

Assorted zoanthids

didn’t require too much upkeep. My goal was to be able to spend what little free time I had enjoying the system instead of doing chores.

SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS Display: 60" × 30" × 21" Sump: DIY 40-gallon breeder tank with 3 chambers Skimmer: Reef Octopus Regal 250EXT with VarioS 6 pump Return Pump: Reef Octopus VarioS 6 Water Movement: (3) Jebao OW-50, Jebao OW-40 Lighting (Display): (8) 48" ATI T5s (3 Blue Plus, 3 Coral Plus, 2 Purple Plus), (2) Reef Brite XHO actinic bars, EcoTech Radion G4 Pro Lighting (Sump): household fluorescent bulb Calcium Reactor: Geo 618 Dosing: Neptune Apex DOS (potassium, magnesium) Auto Top-off: 20-gallon container, Aqualifter pump Heater: titanium controlled by Neptune Apex Cooling: $15 fan from Walmart Controller: Neptune Apex

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KC Rose Peach

My sump area is also very minimal, with just a skimmer, calcium reactor, and the Apex DOS for dosing additional trace elements.

The sump is where most of the detritus accumulates, which makes it easy for me to vacuum during water changes. Cluttered sumps just make for difficult maintenance. A refugium is a no-go for me; it’s messy and is another thing to maintain.

FISH • • • • • • •

Yellow Tang Yellow Belly Hippo Tang Yellow Eye Kole Tang Coris Wrasse Melanurus Wrasse Flame Angelfish Six-line Wrasse

• • • • • •

Royal Gramma Lawnmower Blenny (20) damsels (4) clownfish (4) anthias (2) chromis

• • • • • • •

zoanthids Acanthophyllia Blastomussa Trachyphyllia Ricordea Scolymia chalices

CORALS

My busy schedule led me to focus on simplifying the system. My approach was to have as large a skimmer as I could afford as the only filtration. For lighting, I’ve always been a T5 fan. Modern LEDs are impressive, but I can never convince myself to run exclusively LED lighting. T5s offer a huge array of different spectrum bulbs and excellent PAR coverage, which result in very colorful corals. Lastly, an oversized calcium reactor was a must-have on my checklist.

This is a huge contributor to the health of my system. One other thing worth mentioning is that I tried to provide more than adequate water flow for the corals.

• • • • • • •

Acropora Millepora Pocillopora Stylophora Euphyllia Staghorn Montipora

INVERTEBRATES • (6) Astrea Snails

• anemones

Ecsenius namiyei (Black Combtooth Blenny)

Ecsenius pictus (White-lined Combtooth Blenny)

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PHOTOPERIOD Display Tank • ATI T5s: 11:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

• ReefBrite XHOs: 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.

• EcoTech Radion: 9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m., 9:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m.

Refugium • Fluorescent: 10:00 p.m.–8:00 a.m.

WATER PARAMETERS Temperature: 76–79° F pH: 7.9–8.4 Salinity: 30–35 ppt Calcium: 380–450 ppm Alkalinity: 5.5–8.0 dKH I give the tank a bit of attention every morning and evening by inspecting each coral and fish for signs of stress and overall health.

MAINTENANCE Daily • • • • • •

feed fish two cubes of brine shrimp inspect corals and fish top off sump if needed check pH level of calcium reactor output check skimmer check CO2 feed level of reactor

KC Hairy Bob

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Weekly • water change (schedule is not consistent, sometimes biweekly or monthly) • vacuum sump (when doing water change) • clean glass • fill auto top-off container • empty skimmer cup (clean cup quarterly) Semi-Annually • clean wavemaker • replace T5 bulbs • refill calcium reactor media There is a history of ups and downs with this system. My tank has faced many challenges to get to where it is now, including three complete crashes. But in the end, I love everything about this hobby.

Reefing is not just another hobby for me, it’s also about the pleasure that it gives me, my wife, and my son every day. It’s our relaxation and our therapy.

Many who’ve seen my system think it must be difficult to maintain.

I always explain that it can be quite simple once you understand the foundations and principles of reefing. Taking the time to plan the process and doing a bit of research goes a long way toward ensuring success. Have patience in the process and self-discipline when it comes to your aquarium. Give your aquarium a bit of attention and love, and it’ll give you many wonderful things in return. R

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Is Old Tank Syndrome a Myth?

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Image by Fab5669

KEITH MOYLE Images by author except as noted n this piece, I will explore the phenomenon I define as a range of related symptoms that contribute to the long-term instability and imbalance of a closed reef ecosystem.

This topic is of growing importance as more hobbyists have systems reaching the age when old tank syndrome (OTS) can become an issue. When we discuss the evolution of a reef tank, some would say a system continues to mature well beyond its three-year anniversary (a point in time when it’s claimed that the early signs of OTS can appear). While many people will shut a tank down or upgrade before reaching this milestone, for others, it remains a concern and is a topic worthy of discussion.

A successful reef is a balanced and stable ecosystem. Achieving that goal isn’t always easy, as many factors work against us when trying to replicate a natural environment within the confines of a closed system. From the moment we add water, light, and life to a system, numerous chemical reactions begin, initiating a series of continuous changes that can challenge hobbyists. We then compound this by using various additives to maintain equilibrium, which causes further reactions, and thus, the ongoing changes continue. Irrespective of what we do, whatever our filtration methods, tank volume, or maintenance regimens, we cannot replicate nature. And while we may get close, it’s inevitably a compromise.

Many chemical and biochemical reactions that occur in nature cannot be replicated in a closed system, and this deficiency can have an increasingly negative impact over time. Understanding these long-term risks to our system’s stability allows us to minimize their potential impact.

EARLY WARNING SIGNS • The aquarium is less vibrant than normal and appears to be in a state of decline.

• Corals exhibit poor polyp extension and reduced growth rates.

• Fish display unusual behaviors, with reduced appetites and/ or poor color and deportment.

• Maintaining phosphates and nitrates at target levels becomes more challenging.

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• Alkalinity and pH levels become progressively more difficult to keep stable.

• Newly added animals inexplicably fail to survive.

The first three points, while observational and subjective, are included as they may prompt further investigation. The remainder are objective and can be easily identified through system testing and monitoring.

UNDERSTANDING OTS Now that we’ve established what to look for, let’s consider the contributing factors that can cause OTS. These can be natural occurrences or contrived conditions, with multiple causes being the most common.

NATURAL OCCURRENCES Fish Growth Inevitably, as a fish grows, so does its food intake and subsequent waste production. While a mature reef should adapt to this change with no impact on ammonia or nitrite levels, this additional load will increase phosphate and nitrate levels.

Coral Growth It’s something we strive for and often use as an important measure of a successful reef. However, it’s not without drawbacks, especially with faster-growing corals. As they grow and compete for space in the aquarium, they release higher volumes of toxins. This is particularly true of some soft corals that produce terpenoids or sarcophine, compounds that inhibit the growth of other corals.

Corals are extremely competitive when it comes to the resources needed to survive, grow, and reproduce. They utilize a variety of tactics to outcompete other corals and become the dominant coral in the area. While some corals pack tremendous stinging power, others rely on fast growth rates in their bid for domination. The growth of corals, especially higher up in the system, will reduce light penetration and potentially shade lower corals. A greater coral density will also impact the water flow levels and patterns throughout the aquarium, increasing the buildup of detritus.

Buildup of Detritus Detritus occurs naturally and is mostly organic. It contains silt-like remains of uneaten food, fish waste, and animal byproducts and is organically rich. It accumulates on the rockwork and sandbed and decomposes if left undisturbed, increasing dissolved nutrients, phosphates, and nitrates, leading to unwanted algal growth.

Reduced Biodiversity Live rock hosts a vast diversity of life that eventually colonizes the substrate. This biodiversity actively contributes to the removal of waste, provides a food source for fish and corals, and helps oxygenate the substrate. Limited reproduction of these life forms can have a negative effect on the system’s overall health if they can’t fulfil their role in the aquarium food chain. Without these detrivores, the sandbed can become clogged by the accumulation of detritus, effectively reducing the area available for bacterial colonization and microfauna. This could also result in declining populations up the food chain.

Fast growing, densely branched corals will impact flow and light distribution.

and a reduction in biodiversity, already identified as being detrimental to our system’s well-being.

Systems with high nutrient levels and high densities of zooxanthellae increase the likelihood of nighttime stress. In the struggle to raise oxygen intake, carbon dioxide increases within the coral’s tissues, leading to a buildup of carbonic acid as the carbon dioxide dissolves.

Excess acid in corals can ultimately lead to their death due to hypoxia and acidification.

Rapid Alkalinity Uptake and Instability A lesser-known consequence of the long-term buildup of detritus is its potential effect on alkalinity. This becomes apparent when normal dosing cannot maintain acceptable carbonate hardness (KH) levels and increased dosing only provides brief respite and creates unstable conditions. As corals grow or new corals are added, there is an increased demand on the system’s alkalinity reserves, and the ability to maintain acceptable alkalinity levels becomes more difficult. This generally happens slowly and often goes unnoticed until the alkalinity reserve is exhausted, causing a pH crash and the rapid demise of the entire ecosystem.

All life forms require a carbon source, including bacteria. High organic levels in a system fuel rapid bacterial growth. The bacteria in turn utilize the alkalinity reserve as a sustainable carbon source.

High organic loads create higher carbon demands, which increases alkalinity loss and reduces its availability to corals, leading to their decline. This effect is a type of eutrophication.

Eutrophication Eutrophic is the term used to describe a body of water that is nutrient rich, with high organic production rates and low levels of dissolved oxygen. An example is a lake that suffers from low levels of dissolved oxygen, caused by excessive nutrients from soil erosion and runoff from the land. Our systems often mirror this scenario with high levels of nutrients, in particular nitrogen and phosphorus. Sources include waste products and food, creating the same eutrophic conditions.

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Fish like this Queen Angel will grow quite large in the aquarium. | Image by Erwin Poliakoff

CONTRIVED CONDITIONS Overstocking Most people don’t set out to overstock their aquariums, but we all know too well about temptation. Overstocking can lead to aggressive territorial behaviors and unhappy, stressed fish that are susceptible to disease. More fish means increased feeding, waste products, and organics that place greater demands on filtration systems. We must also factor in growth (often overlooked or ignored) when adding new fish, as it increases system loading over time.

Overfeeding We all want to keep our fish and corals healthy and see them grow.

As we become more experienced and understand our system’s capabilities, we may become blasé about feeding regimens. Adding extra food when guests visit or trying out new foods impacts the system’s balance. Overfeeding corals is a particular issue, especially if broadcast feeding. Excess food will add to the nutrients, increasing nitrate and phosphates and causing a long-term negative effect.

Reduction in Pump Performance Aging pumps or lack of regular pump maintenance results in a gradual reduction in output, which often goes unnoticed. This applies to all pumps in the system: returns, protein skimmers, and reactors, as their reduced output will have a detrimental effect on their performance and the efficiency of essential equipment.

Cumulatively, this will also have a major impact on water flow, the effectiveness of the system’s filtration, and ultimately the well-being of livestock.

Reduction in Lighting Output Similarly, lighting output can drop to inadequate levels, leading to insufficient light reaching the corals. The increasing popularity and longevity of LEDs compounds this. Life spans of 5 years or more are not uncommon for LEDs, and the need to replace old units is easily overlooked, whereas fluorescent tubes that require replacement every 9 to 12 months are less likely to be forgotten.

Regular pump cleaning is required to maintain flow rates.

unnecessary chore, with many people reverting to infrequent testing or none at all until they notice something is wrong. Similarly, we reduce the frequency of important tasks, often taking shortcuts in system maintenance, resulting in a slow decline of our aquariums.

MINIMIZING THE RISKS Observation Take the time to carefully examine all your livestock daily. Coral and fish health and behaviors can be really good indicators that all is well. If things don’t look right, then they’re probably not, so do something about it.

Regular Testing and Logging Visual scrutiny is beneficial, but by the time a coral deteriorates or a fish displays negative behaviors, the problem is already advanced.

Regular testing is important, as it gives immediate peace of mind that your water parameters are okay. Recording the results provides valuable insight into trends that give an early warning of problems.

There are a number of apps available to record your test results, and some controllers and smart device platforms even log measurements automatically.

Stocking Levels Avoid the temptation to overstock, no matter how stunning that fish looks at the store. When purchasing new fish or corals, don’t just consider the space they need now but how much is needed for future growth.

Tackle Detritus Ensure that you have adequate flow and that there are no dead spots. Regularly clean the rockwork, using a turkey baster to get into difficult places. Stir up the sandbed and vacuum the sump to remove as much detritus as possible. Use filter socks and change them regularly before they clog up, or use an automated fleece filter.

Complacency

Maintain Sandbeds

As we become more proficient in reefkeeping, there is a tendency to become complacent and forget the time and effort we used to invest. Once a system has cycled, testing is often seen as an

Utilize a wide range of cleanup crew (CUC). Consider sand-sifting fish and maintain biodiversity by supplementing the copepod and CUC populations with occasional additions.

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Corals are generally more sensitive to water quality issues than fish.

Thin Out Corals Avoid competition for space by regularly thinning out corals. This will help reduce toxin release and also maintain light penetration.

Pruning should be done to keep any one coral from dominating the tank. Fragging corals is easy and provides a sustainable source of frags to trade with other local reefers.

Maintain Oligotrophic Conditions Oligotrophic conditions are low in nutrients, meaning corals have a much-reduced oxygen requirement and therefore less chance of experiencing hypoxic stress and acidification stress.

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Testing should be a regular occurrence.

These conditions can be achieved by providing strong currents that flush away the CO2 and fully oxygenate the corals’ tissues.

This is of particular importance overnight when corals aren’t photosynthesizing, presenting a compelling argument for not reducing the flow after lights out.

Regular Maintenance In my opinion, regular maintenance is the key to long-term success.

Set up a maintenance schedule and adhere to it. Maintenance will help extend the lifespan of your equipment and is less timeconsuming when performed regularly. It helps prevent unexpected

breakdowns and ensures that your system always runs to its maximum potential.

Use an app or your controller to set up a schedule and set reminders when tasks are due.

CONCLUSION Prevention is Better than a Cure All the factors outlined above can contribute to varying levels of OTS. However, there is no easy diagnosis for the condition. While all our systems generally function following basic proven principles, each is individual with unique interactions. Any combination of the above factors could cause your system to suffer from OTS. I draw this conclusion with a note of caution, as there are no hard and fast rules.

You may reach the point where you hit the proverbial brick wall and things start to go wrong. You struggle to identify the cause(s), and if you do, remedial action only results in short-term improvement, and the tank enters a progressive decline. It may not result in a total crash, and it may recover, but don’t rule out that your tank is experiencing the onset of OTS. Some people insist that OTS doesn’t exist or that, if it does, it’s avoidable and the result of poor maintenance.

I’m not saying people are burying their heads in the sand, but their acknowledgement of the conditions that

Cutters, plugs, and glue/putty are all you need to frag corals.

can contribute to it, I feel, is acceptance of its existence. At least by recognizing that such conditions can and do develop, we can be proactive and take the necessary steps to reduce the risks. I am not suggesting that once your tank enters its fourth year, it will be beset by OTS…far from it, but I would urge everyone to avoid complacency. If we manage our systems carefully, we can ensure our reefs are sustainable and continue to grow and thrive indefinitely. R

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Florida Reef Tract Rescue Project

LAUREN GRAUER

T

he Florida Reef Tract is the largest bank reef in the continental United States. This amazing structure stretches for 360 miles, starting near the Dry Tortugas National Park, and runs northeast along the Atlantic coast of Florida to Martin County. It is home to over 40 different species of reef-building corals, as well as over 500 species of fish. Within the last couple years, stony corals—the building blocks of this reef—have been ravaged by a deadly disease.

In response to the disease outbreak, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) invited the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to help with removing healthy corals from the reef and keeping them safe in human care until a time when they or their offspring can be used to reseed the wild reef.

Image by FWC

Called stony coral tissue loss disease, or SCTLD, it is devastating coral populations. SCTLD causes corals to quickly slough off

their tissue, exposing bare, lifeless skeletons within a few months.

The disease affects 22 species of our reef-building corals and has officially made its way through the entire Florida Reef Tract.

While we’ve been aware of the disease since 2014, the means of transmission is still not completely understood.

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Rescue project coral-holding tank at SEA LIFE Michigan

The AZA created the Florida Reef Tract Rescue Project (AZA-FRTRP) in response, a member-driven coral rescue and conservation network that collaborates in efforts to rescue, house, and propagate Florida stony corals that are affected by SCTLD. These members manage the husbandry for rescued corals in their land-based nurseries. Rescued corals are currently being held and cared for at 21 different facilities in 14 states across the country.

Anyone is welcome to join the group on AZA’s website to get regular updates on FRTRP (www.aza.org/coral-reef-rescue).

SEA LIFE Michigan began holding corals for the project in the summer of 2019. Our system is just over 100 gallons and is composed of a fiberglass raceway and acrylic sump. The sump holds a small protein skimmer, filter sock, airstones, and live rock. We have one circulation pump and one flow pump in the raceway, with two AquaIllumination lights hanging above. The water chemistry is maintained by regular water changes with reverse osmosis, deionized (RODI) water mixed with Fritz Reef Pro Mix. Regular testing and dosing help to keep parameters stable. The corals live in 12 to 14 inches of water depth where they are fed a mix of coral foods one to three times weekly. The system is set up in a biosecure location where staff members must step through a foot bath before entering or leaving. All maintenance for the FRTRP system must be done first thing in the morning in clean clothes prior to working on anything else in the facility.

SEA LIFE Michigan has held 13 individual corals, representing 8 species, for 2.5 years. We’ve kept data on our water chemistry and coral growth, taken regular photographs of the corals, and recorded any treatments individual corals received. It’s incredible to care for Caribbean corals that are as big as these, including a Diploria labyrinthiformis that is almost the size of a basketball!

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Meandrina meandrites

Mycetophyllia aliciae

Diploria labyrinthiformis

Montastraea cavernosa

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Colpophyllia natans

Here is a list of the species we are currently caring for, along with the abbreviations used to identify them: • • • • •

Meandrina meandrites – MMEA Diploria labyrinthiformis – DLAB Orbicella faveolata – OFAV Mycetophyllia aliciae – MALI Montastraea cavernosa – MCAV

Orbicella faveolata

• Colpophyllia natans – CNAT • Pseudodiploria strigosa – PSTR Each participating coral-holding facility has a different number and group of corals provided by permit from the state of Florida.

One of the more exciting aspects of husbandry for these creatures is feeding

Pseudodiploria strigosa

time. For feeds, we typically use a turkey baster to administer a mixture of Polyp Lab Polyp Booster, Brightwell Aquatics Coral Restor, Brightwell Aquatics Reef Blizzard pellets, and amino acids. Our cleanup crew—a Peppermint Shrimp, Lytechinus sp. urchins, and Lithopoma sp. snails—help pick up the leftovers. A few sites involved

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Mycetophyllia aliciae

Montastraea cavernosa

in the project have biosecure systems set up to breed helper animals. These are generously shared within the group to address problematic algae and Aiptasia.

There are several ways these corals can reproduce. Some, like Diploria labyrinthiformis, are hermaphroditic broadcast spawners that release egg and sperm bundles in the late spring and early fall.

These bundles break apart, fertilize, swim around as larvae for a day or two, and then settle permanently on the reef.

Our AZA-FRTRP system is set up behind the scenes in an area accessible to the public as part of an educational tour. An education staff member shares the story of SEA LIFE’s involvement in the project with guests, why it’s important, and how they can help.

The Florida Reef Tract brings in 8.5 billion dollars’ worth of sales to southeast Florida annually. Tourists travel to the region to big-game fish, snorkel, scuba dive, and enjoy the local businesses surrounding this area. This reef also serves as a critical buffer for tropical storms that hit the coasts of southeast Florida. Without the barrier to protect us, the effects of these storms would be even more catastrophic.

There is hope. Aquarists, research biologists, geneticists, veterinarians, and government officials have all been working together to rescue, conserve, and restore one of our country’s national treasures. When our rescued corals are released back into the wild, they will hopefully strengthen and reinforce the reef and help it rebuild. Thanks to all these collaborative efforts, the Florida Reef Tract can hopefully be enjoyed for generations to come. R

One of the most valuable aspects of the project has been the collaborative efforts between different facilities and organizations. Once a week, coral-holding-facility representatives join a video call to share updates. We discuss health issues, specific protocols, water chemistry data, and statistics on populations in holding.

In the very near future, the offspring of these rescue corals will be outplanted back to the reef to help restore and rebuild the Florida Reef Tract. It is important that individual corals are differentiated and tracked during their time in human care. There are individual tags on each coral with an identification number specific to the region it was rescued from. Biologists will eventually be able to return each coral to its original location on the reef.

This project is extremely important. Coral reefs support thousands of species of plants and animals that rely on the reef as a home and feeding ground. Not only does this ecosystem host native creatures, but it supports the economy of our Floridian neighbors as well.

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A large brain coral (Pseudodiploria strigosa) at Loggerhead Reef, south of Loggerhead Key. | Image by FWC

REST AND RECOVERY REEF JOANNE EVELYNNA PETER

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I

dipped my feet into the salty side of fishkeeping because I was enamored by the prospect of having my very own piece of the ocean in my home. Due to financial constraints, I dedicated my entire reefing journey to creating and scaping multiple nano reefs within a stipulated budget. My first foray into budget reefing was incredibly rocky since I struggled with the basic concepts of water chemistry, especially the critical calcium-alkalinity balance.

But after conducting more in-depth research into nano reefs, I developed a regimen that enabled me to create my present setup.

My main goal for this system was simple: rest and recovery. I developed a habit of picking out discolored or rejected frags from my local fish store (LFS) at cheap prices and nursing them back to full health in my tank. The joy of watching all these rescued animals grow out and regain their original colors cemented my notion that budget reefing was possible with time, persistence, and patience.

Eventually, my goals shifted, and I began actively collecting miscellaneous morphs of zoanthids and Palythoa with the intent of building a zoa garden. Over time, I widened my scope to include other corals such as small-polyp stony corals (SPS), large-polyp stony corals (LPS), mushrooms, and even softies, thus inadvertently converting this nano tank into a full-fledged mixed reef.

SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS Display: 18" × 12" × 11" Volume: 10 gallons Circulation Pump: Jebao SOW-4 Wavemaker (1,050 gph) Lighting: Spectra Aqua Knight M029 (30 watts) My aquarium is a custom-made rimless tank with 6 mm crystal-white glass and currently sits by the foot of my bed. Since my tank goals changed from nursing to nurturing, I picked up a small wavemaker that wouldn’t churn out anything much beyond 1,000 gallons per hour or be overly pricey. The Jebao SOW-4 fit the bill, and deeming it sufficient, I added one to my system.

As for lighting, I’d originally acquired a 50-watt, PAR38 LED for this tank but quickly discovered it was too intense for my corals and functioned more as a spotlight. After skimming through available options, I came across the Spectra Aqua Knight M029.

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Pickle the clownfish

For such an inexpensive light, I was quite surprised that I managed to grow all sorts of corals under it, including some relatively hardy SPS such as Montipora, Pavona, and Acropora. To meet the demands of different species, I set this light close to its highest setting, with an almost equal ratio between the blue and white channels.

TEMPERATURE Since I live in the tropics, my bedroom can hit a high temperature of 82° F during some particularly scorching afternoons. To date, I have observed temperature spikes of up to 89° F on several occasions, and this triggers a host of issues, including dozens of retracted polyps on the more sensitive corals. To combat this, I switch on both the A/C and fan in my room every night to reduce the tank’s temperature to 75° F. It can be rather tricky to maintain a consistent temperature range on a daily basis, but my livestock have endured these fluctuations between day and night. As long as temperatures do not exceed 82° F for more than 24 hours, the corals do not show any signs of regression or prolonged stress.

FILTRATION My filtration is rather simple. While the live rock and live sand are more than sufficient to serve as a natural biofilter for the system, I use a small, unmodified hang-on-back (HOB) filter packed with

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a mesh bag full of activated carbon and a strip of filter floss for chemical and mechanical filtration, respectively.

WATER PARAMETERS Temperature: 75° F–82° F Specific Gravity: 1.024 Alkalinity: 8.0 dKH Calcium: 425 ppm Magnesium: 1,300 ppm Nitrate: 2 ppm Phosphate: 0.25 ppm I’m not a stickler for frequent testing. I prefer observing my reef directly for red flags; a few retracted polyps or shrunken polyp heads usually send a clear signal that something’s out of balance.

When the most sensitive species in the tank behave oddly, I quickly perform a water change. If the problem persists beyond 24 hours after the water change, only then do I begin testing my water.

However, if the system runs well, I only resort to testing every 3 to 4 months, mostly to ensure my levels are within acceptable ranges.

I do believe that water changes help play a crucial role in reducing the buildup of nutrients in the tank, while replenishing both major and trace elements that are vital to coral growth.

Orange clove polyps

I admit I don’t have an auto top-off (ATO) or a reverse osmosis deionized water (RO/DI) unit. I don’t feel the need to use RO water because the tap water I use to manually top off this tank, as well as mix up fresh batches of salt water, has 0 ppm phosphate and 10 ppm nitrate. I have a large outdoor distiller plugged into the main incoming water pipe, so the “tap water” I use is actually deionized water.

MAINTENANCE AND DOSING My daily routine consists of performing an overall wellness check on all the denizens of the tank: coral, fish, and inverts alike. I also check all the equipment, especially the wavemaker and filter, to ensure optimal functionality. I manually dose calcium, magnesium, and alkaline buffers daily and usually turn the circulation pumps off for 1 to 2 hours after feeding to allow the fish and corals to eat at their leisure. I also dose vitamin C and iodine once a week to ensure the zoas and palys retain their vivid colors.

I replace both the floss and activated carbon in the filter compartment every week. Twice a week, I scrape the glass, stir the sandbed, and use a baster to blow the live rock clean in an attempt to dislodge detritus from the hidden pockets and crevices in various areas of the tank. An 8-gallon water change is performed once a week, which amounts to roughly 80 percent of the tank’s volume.

My tank has a specific gravity (SG) of 1.024, a little less salty than natural seawater. I do this to accommodate the high evaporation rate in my bedroom. Although most corals are relatively forgiving to slightly lower SG, I noticed they exhibit immense stress once SG goes beyond 1.026. I have lines marked on the edge of my tank—a simple warning system that tells me how much water has evaporated and if the salinity is approaching a critical level.

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Whiplash Blasto Merletti surrounded by John Deere Leptastrea

Since my tank is densely packed, coral warfare is always a niggling issue that can only be addressed with regular pruning and trimming.

One of the key things I’ve learned over the years is that to thrive and stay healthy long term, the system’s microfaunal diversity needs to be maintained. This includes critters that might be viewed as pests by some hobbyists, such as micro brittlestars, bristleworms, acoel flatworms, amphipods, and the like. A mature system might already host a stable and diverse population of microfauna, but a young one is still finding its balance. Replenishing the microfauna via manual seeding is probably one of the best ways to help a growing reef stabilize. I do my best to acquire live copepods and live rotifers to reseed my tank every month. Patience is critical at this point; sometimes, all you have to do is sit back and let your tank achieve equilibrium on its own.

FEEDING The fish and non-coral inverts are easily sated with Ocean Nutrition Formula One and New Life Spectrum (NLS) pellets daily. But the corals require a more specific cocktail of smaller particle liquid foods. My primary LFS, New Oasis Aquarium, has produced a line of liquid and frozen foods called ReefServe, which I utilize every week. This slush consists of copepods, spirulina-enriched baby brine shrimp, Mysis, phytoplankton, and rotifers and is either target fed or broadcast fed to different corals throughout the tank. Larger LPS such as my brain corals usually receive a piece of raw shrimp as opposed to tiny food particles.

I only feed the tank heavily on the day before my water change. With the amount of liquid and frozen food being pumped into the system during a large feeding, both the nitrate and phosphate levels tick up a notch within a few hours, so the best way to export those nutrients

The zoa ledge and paly tower

Fluorescent orange Ricordea yuma

is to change the water within 24 hours. Any delay and the risk of a major nuisance-algae outbreak will be unavoidable.

CORALS Running a mixed reef wasn’t my intent when I first set out to build this small setup. But once I focused my sights on creating a zoa garden, I yearned to emulate the dense overlapping coral effects created by some of the more accomplished reefers in the hobby.

Another aspect of my tank that I took great joy in creating was a mushroom mountain of sorts. I picked up numerous simple yet underrated Rhodactis and Discosoma from my LFS and piled them on top of each other at different levels to pull off the mountain look.

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I noticed most mushrooms get along side by side and at most competed for space but did not truly harm each other. The same applied to my zoanthids and Palythoa, although I had to be mindful that certain morphs simply outgrew others and had to be kept pruned so they wouldn’t overwhelm the slower-growing morphs.

FISH AND INVERTS Inverts pique my interest more than fish. Although I have a small aquacultured Amphiprion ocellaris clownfish, my older inhabitants are all inverts. These include a Yellow Coral Banded Shrimp (Stenopus cyanoscelis), a Saron Shrimp (Saron marmoratus), an unknown redlegged hermit crab with vivid blue eye stalks, a turban snail, and various other hitchhikers such as Collonista snails, beige micro brittlestars, cherry red Spaghetti Worms, Stomatella snails, and even limpets.

Saron Shrimp

Not only are inverts easier to maintain, with a higher chance of survival than a wild-caught fish, but they also represent a considerably smaller bioload than a bunch of fish.

ADVICE FOR ASPIRING HOBBYISTS Budget reefing is definitely possible, and there’s no harm in selecting a less colorful, underrated coral from the discount rack for your tank. You don’t need the most expensive corals or equipment to be successful.

Simply sit back, relax, and enjoy your tank for all the wonders that it can offer.

Avoid chasing numbers. Focus on achieving and maintaining stability and balance with your system. While your general parameters need to remain consistent, stability can only be achieved with time. It is not something that will be achieved overnight or occur by cutting corners.

Keep an eye on your reef for warning signs of anything that might be detrimental to the health of the system and its inhabitants. If a fish or coral is exhibiting any signs of stress, get right to work finding the root cause. This includes testing the water, doing an equipment check, changing the water, or thinking back to any unplanned additions you might have made recently.

Tricolor Discosoma mushroom

Reading and research is fundamental to success in this hobby. Always select animals that are compatible with each other, and make sure your system can meet the requirements for your chosen species.

Try to favor aquacultured or maricultured livestock over wild caught if possible. The former two options might be more expensive and difficult to acquire at times, but they are also better suited for captivity.

Nurture a good relationship with your LFS. There have been multiple occasions when my primary store came through for me during some of my most troublesome reefing mishaps and kept me going when I was on the precipice of giving up.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My heartfelt thanks go out to all the members of Nano-Reef.com, especially Christy and Tana for their unending guidance and encouragement throughout my reefing journey. I’ll never forget my primary store, New Oasis Aquarium, for being a backbone of strength and support during some of the toughest years while I reefed on a budget. Thank you so much, Budi, Rainie, May, and Bryan; I couldn’t have done it without all of you. R

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