System! nufacturer of Instant Ocean@

A Çw

by the hard corals. The aoft

Corals compete aggressivefy for the limited space on the tenter reef around Bora Bora.

ByJohnOswes Aquatic Consultant washire, England

Mention ozonizers, protein s *

d m d a s d w b a m = hobbyist and you are likely to end up either with a case of extreme panic on your hands or a look of utter confusion.

If the aquarist is an experienced one, then he wilt almost certainly have strong views of these subjects. â ‚ they are the best things that have ever happened to the marine hobby or, at the other extreme, they are complicated, expensive piecesdequI& men1 which doabsolutely nothing at all and cm even be dangerous.

As with everything else, neither of these extremes represent the whole truth. Sure, an overdoseof ozone won't doeither you or your fish and Invertebrates any good aft all. But then again, neither will an overdose of thatotherwisevitalvitamin foundinoranges and lemons, Vitamin C.

"The key, of course, Res in a common-

K8W-w n. (font inued from page 11

luthetr proximity out of the way. Ho~ewr, if these tentacles have reached their target, they should immediately be removed from

t (ohching the other eraonism; and If a p Gqon of the tentacle remains attached, it

ould be physically removed, otheiwtse % toxic substances these tentacles sec- ' wilt contihue to workandwill kill their - - ppelitor. Fortunately, tf file red tank is -:well maintained and no mteoalga are

&owed togrow on the Weton,the coml L @lonymayrecover~nd growbodemerthfr ; ernaged a*.

Siniilady, cafe must betaken when ban- ling& as the toxk tentaclesrnayattach

the aquarist's hands. I f a* coral is $e n picked up, it mayhe IiijiiKsdbyttiereSir tents of corals left on the hands.Scnibbi~a ' $f hands with freshwater between sped- mens is beneficial.

While a miniature reef does not contain te great diversity of life lhit HKcmI nit. does, provisions should still bemade to by to minimize the aggression among corals.

, As noted previously, the relatlveag~resgtw itess among eorai spçcie varies.

Consequently, whftn setting up a minia- ture reef adequate space, which is inwrteb- rate free, should begiven around each coral head. This zone should be at least 15cm in all directions, as sweeper tentacles have been reported to be atleastthis long (Shep- pard. 1902). Another factor that should be allowed for Is growth. In a property main* tained miniature reef, some corals may grow at a rate of ifp to or even exceeding 4cm per year. This factor should be con- sideied when the coral 19 originally placed within the aquarium as the less frequently c d is mowd the less the chance of injury.

Ithas also been my stperiaice that several coral species become more aggressive when hungry. These corals generally have a !h@ brge mouth rather than bring a group - 3

% '? Y 0 ff

f.

$ x

& ^- Torch h l Euphvlflft - -. J alabresctnsl. L.-

Bubble Coral {Pkagym sp.) shewing stinging tentacles.

of small polyps. Corals that fall under this category are Bubble coral (P. sinuosa), EuphyUia (all species), Mushroom coral (Fungia species), and Elegance coral Otalaphgllla plkata).

These corals are also generally among the most aggressive and will bum not only other corals but also other invertebrates. Therefore, particular care should be taken to Isolate these corals from other organisms. These corals, however, will not attack mem- bers of their own or related species. I have seen very strong evidence of this genus specific non-ressive behavior in the case of corals of the genus Eup/iyWa. I currently have four species of Euphyilfa (flmbriata, dim, glabrescens, and ancord that have grown together for 20 months without bum, ing eachother. In fact, at several points the tentacles of twodifferent species have inter wmtothepointthatthetwolooklikeone. However, these corals have not lost their capacity for aggression in that they burned and killed a neighboring Elephant Ear Anemone as well as partially burned a Tndacna Clam. This non-aggressive be- havior has also been observed In two dif- ferent color variants of Elegance Coral.

As a result of my experience with corals and other Invertebrates, I have comprised a list of the relative aggressiveness of corn- monly kept sessile invertebrates (Table 1 }. Those organisms that are the most aggres- sive need the widest berth white those that are less aggressive can be placed closer together. However, in no Instance should different invertebrates be allowed to touch. In addition. allowances should be made for the direction of the current in the tank. That is, a greater distance should be allowed be- tween two coral heads with regard to the direction of the current Also, soft corals should not be placed so that current across them and onto a hard coral as the terpenoid substances these soft corals produce could effectively inhibit the growth of these neigh- boring hard corals. The successful maintenance of corals in

a miniature reef is now becoming more commonplace. However, this success is producing other problems, such as the irkr^i"!e+tinitiae fifti" 4ha a~i~^iraecfii~h hahdnr

just described. But with continued succe and experimentation even these p u b should eventually be overcome and greater success will be reai i .A

Tablel a

- ., stable, fast mlxlng system avallab!e.

h a u s e salt water Is such a cornd& 3 bI@wiene powder pillows, for a num-

In fresh water are ofLen subjm ta r i m e s in sallwater, causing em$ !dings From Mtal tests. Special them: >r modificdons to standard tests a&

in order to get accurate, rem -'bk mults in the ranges needed by ! hbby4sts. 8 ase in pint would be testing

p standard ionic copperbahentwher* 15 to 0.2Oppm cow Is the w m q + therapeutic I d , but 0.20 to 0.25 q me stress for Senaitlw flshf3 Of w t q k is a test where the fird discemable

Book R d k w :

wure red aquarlsts. The new SeaTesP multi-kit m d individ-

ual ammonk nibite, nitrate, and pH reagent MI IS are mmpktaly compatible with the previous cornpmtors. Hobbyists will sfill be able to use the old test cube wlth the new foil pillow reagents

and qwfists. Available through your 1-1 p t dealer,

the suggested retail price is $27.00. This new edition was published for Aqumim Systems, IN. manufacturers of Instant

smdLA

"fluarturn is not recommended. The use of sort of contacting chamber kthd

ry. Also, to avoid risks of

hm*and,i&stessvagconsequwc~~. Q4x+-,d often we, combfnect

with the next piece of equipment - the pro-

aurfawofwnoIbubbte&wlUattachtothe t m t t b t e a . A s t h e b u h b t w w * tlwztheattachedfiompouwto.As'these wbetwww accumulate,# tfiC'ilop oftbà Aininw-wrtact<?hamfcwi WIIncrease thwafMeitensiOR ofth^babfateslearfnfla fwnfyfodh<frthCiWfffawthat.-~ byltcl,wafmttwto-the ftotfoçeenalon a teach orra stormy day. &yw.fhea provide somewhere for- the fiMBhtocofteflt~~~hawdewedç

-- Manufacturer of Instant Ocean@

~ u b a t b n of the

Volume 7 ; Spdng 1990

(ConUnued from page I )

Dter.Evsiywek. ISIteralsreplacedwith~yn- (hettc sewwater. Tap water, purified by an Ion exchanger, Is used for thto purpow. Water tern- porature 1s held at 26 Cdslua.

Theaquariurnsystemisplacedlna roomwffli aglass roof, so that the aquaria rçcelv daylight. Tills light b usually quite sufficient during the summer, however, the system 4 also equipped with a Mp-llght which automatically activates If Bght strength fall M o w 15.000 Ltix.Also located In this area, is a cultivation system for food* Wfltniwis; sfngkdlalgae, rotfers QmchSonus) and Arteffila (Brine shrimp) nauplii are constan- *cultivated.

Three months after the C^l!oplesfops altlvells pair was placed in the aquarium system, spawn- ingtookplace. Only then were we certain that i were. Indeed, working with a male and female. Despite accounts of sex-related size difference, we had not observed any reliable signs of sexual dimorphism. The aquarium Is furnished wlth piles of live

rocks, thickly covered with soft coral and wa- weed, which offers many hiding places. After a short period of acdI-. the Comet patr lost much of their shyness, and even began tak- Ingfood from the hand. Feeding took placedolly at approximately the same time every day.

Their adaption to a regular feeding time was of great awbtonce in determining the presence of eggs. Spawning occurs in the hidden hollows and coves of the aquarium. and that tt has taken p k e only becomesobvious through the absence of one of the pair, in our opinion the male. during E hK) tene. The other Ash (probably ttie female) appears with deeply ripped fins indicating a very

2 roughmating ritual. The egg are guarded during the Initial (level-

opincntpeftod(Sto6days) bythtonefiskwhkh UJGÃ no food during this period. This animal te sometimes visible at the opening of the hollow, wheietheeggsareprotectedwtthaspreadtaltfln. The other mate is not tolerated near the eggs, arid is aggressively chased away. Larvae always emergeatnl@tandthenertmorningthe hungry guard appears again at feeding time,

The CBtthnrtioB Method TheyoungCometlarvaeprovedtobeamsualy

aenatttve to strew and must. therefore, be hm- died os carefully as possible. A special trap, designed for die collection of the hundreds of freeswimming larvae and their relocation to the cultivation tank. Is attached to the overflow of the aquartum. The larvae float with the water Into the nexttankthroughthetrap-aconstructionof glass and fine plankton screw. The extra water flowsoutthwgh the screen; the larvaearedepos- tted in the detachable glass <;orrtalnw with a capacity of 0.5 liter. When a large number of tor- Â havebeencoitecteAthecontainerbremoved and placed urKterwater In the prepared culttva- tton tank

The cultivation tanks have a capacity of 33 liters, and possess a V-shaped bottom In which refuse collectsandfromwhere it can be removed without overly distmbfng the lawe. A small amount of cord sand from a fkHubhlna sea aquarium is distributed on the bottom &well. Theattendant mkro'oroanisniscontributetothe cleanliness of the cut& tank.

Circulation In the tank Is, In the beginning, minimal, and aeration extremely wreak (large bubbles, 5crn under the water surface). Incre- mental addition of fresh sea water begins after one week via a slender hose (from the biological (liter), starting at 50ml per minute and gradually immmhg to 500rnl per minute.

We howe Indications that the larvae react nega-

was covered wkh black pJ^sttc for the first 4 v+#Ja ThÇ&p.ef:lb chamber was also kepi shadow. çodte *larvae develop In contin dusk. A half-liter of algae culture is added water in the cultivation chamber directly the larvae are transferred to It Although the larvae do not feed on these one-cell algae, do contribute toward a positive mileau for development Further, the algae do nou

thelarvaethed~aftertheyemuge. amounts of a h and Bracbtonus

fbsdarvd Comet (C. atliveKs) at 1 7 days, 6mm.

dally to the cub chamber as nec FathernourishmoitforthedevelophHl

include dry food (grains of 300 micron) three days on, freshly hatched Memts ( shrimp) from the 7th day on, and from the day, very small pieces of Mysfc (shrimp) beef heart

takes approximately 5-6 d

and stops.There are m remains of a yolk-sack beseen.andthelarvaebeoin tofeedimmod

well.After the first two weeks, &lly on the dav. aninwkabk bit of maturationtakes dace

We conclude thai the change h a marks die evolution from ft atyte, to the adult bflhavtor which la bound to hid

Comet (C. atOnIIs} at W daw. 15mm.

'Robert h s 1989. All Rights Reserved.

received technical and

,ÇndÇxkodedvento

If a highway sign indicate* that the distance to thenextcityis 10mitesor 16kilometers,isone number right and the other wrong? Of COUB

iKrt. The distance b exactly the fame. The num- bers shown In miles and kilometers are not the same because each utilizes a different scale of measurement. Both are correct indications of the actual distance.

ThissamesituationexistswithsometestIdts. For example, nitrate tests can utilize one at two series,NItrrte-rfttrooCT(NOma-N)mrçrateto (NO'*) Both scales refer to the same chemical substance, but Identical concentrationad nitrate will hawdifferent numbwvahwsonthe two&- ferent scales.

fttseasytoconvertmitestohilomettts.Simply mutely the miteyby 1.6, klsjuat as wayto con- vert reodtags to Mttrotfrton read- Ings=by-l.l. We ¥ho Ih. c i don factor In our Instructions, only for con- vitnJWMtrfcomparing SeaTesT'resute wilh lasts that utilize the NitralC-kxl scale.

For example, 10 milligrams per liter (or pprn) NitraHi-fitooflen (NOm#) to the same as 44 mllll- grams per liter <or ppm) Nitrate-Ion. The nitrate concentration is exactly the same In both cam; only the numberswedifferent, becausedifferent scales are used.

Aquarium Systems' kite utilize the Nrtrate- Nitrogen scale, because It is the recognized standard for scientific and reawch purposes. Respected authors, such as Martin Hoe and Stephen Spotte. refer to rfitiae^ltrogCT readings In their writings, as well.

In any case, one seal* Is not better than the Other. It la most important, however, to know the appropriate "safe" range for each scale. A Nitrate- nitrogen level of 20 to 40 milligrams per liter Is generally recognized as acceptable for most common aquarium applications (reef tanks excepted). This correspods to about 90 to 180 miHlgrams per liter with the Nhrate-Ion scale.

Aquartof with kits that U K the N i t n t e - 1 ~ are often puzzled because they always obtain readings near or over the top of the scale. Much confusion results because. as amazing as it may seem, some manufacturers of test kits apparen- tly do not appreciate the difference betwen the two scales. They produce kMs that give reatfings on the Nitrate-Ion scale, but stU recommend 20 to40mllligramsperliterastheacceptablerange. That corresponds to a rangeofaiprtedmatdy4.5

-Scope was created to present shaft informative articles of Interest to marim

1 aouarists. Topics mw Include water chemii try. N&, rnarichtwe, system desigr ecology, behavior, and fish health. Article con tributtons lire welcomed. They should (teal wtti pertinent marine aquarium topics and ar subject to editorial reviews that in our oplnb are necessary, Payment will be made at exisi ing rates and willcover alt author's rlghtstoth material submitted.

~ e a ~ c o p à IS published quarte* for fm , distribution through local aauarim dealer!

Doters not receiving copies of SeaScopofo distribution to their customers should cal Aquarium Systems, Inc. to be added to thi mailing list. Telephone: 1 -800-822-1 100 o (216) 255-1967. Aqunrists interested in re cehng copiesdirectly should send their nann and address, along with $2.00 USA (#.Ã foreign countries) for postage and handlh (four issues) to SeaScopa, Aquarium Sys terns, Inc.. 6141 Tyler Blvd., Mentor. Ot- 44060. Address questions, and suggestion4 to: Thomas A. Frakes, Editor.

."Sea Mte studla that were conducted. Over time, each brand begins to develop a pati

( C o n t i n u e d / m m ~ ~ I ) tern of consistency or Inconriatency, but one In

that dkl not exactly match natura4 sea water? Theft are two vçBdre~oni.-Firot if adequate research has been compiled to show that M elevatedlevdofanwwittotetwwiistww

- ftclal, higher levels maybe Included. Examples mightincludeironÈ iodide, which are both actively removed by biological and chemical PfOCftSSftA. Second, dements that are not biologically

w a n d nw. In aauarium situations, be

particular robes questionsabout the accuracy of the "guarantee" - Calcium! Thts ley m#x ete- menthçaconsistentlybeenfoundtobe17-25 kbwnatural~ematerlevelsInThiplcMarfns sflh&ShitfwrewRsorenat^wknrofftf^lnofftfu marinemix.

These levels certainly dbthigufeh the products from natural seawater and Ironically'n'opkMarin has been especially promoted for use In mlnte- turereeftmkManyhobbyistmeaddingcaldum 1

Bea Salt Mixes

results using coin

over 70 elements ki

In reviewing this data b factthatwithonlyafewtocepttonsh

bclementlevelsareauksimilar.~esuks b o t h e r testsshow 6th results, confirm-

FREE -

volume 7 Summer

By. Ate/wel Paklta Whenbying to successfullyestablish and main-

tain a miniature reef svstern. 11 is a hobbyist's nature to wand improve c&ditions In thetank

this Is not always the best way to maximize sue- cess wtth miniature reefs. The reef s In habitants are used to a stable environment with a low level of nutrients, partlcularty nitrogen, phosphate, and dbsohwd or antes. According to Julian Sprung's Nutrient ~eficit Hypothesis, the concern In an enclosed environment should be more for remov- ing excess nutrients than adding to already high levels.

From my own experience and from viewing other miniature reef aquariums, I have found ttMt high nutrient levels art the most frequent cause d failures, which are indicated by massive micro' algae blooms.Mostofthisexcessnutrient f o m Gn Is due to overfeeding the Invertebrates and to adding unnecessary aupplemtflta. Many mhl-

reef enthus-lasts fed they arc neglecting their charges tf they don't feed them. However, 1 have not lostany invertebratesduetostaofi, lnclud- Ing those not containing Zooxanthrilar algae: (gorgontans, feather dusters, and feather stars). Almostall of myinvertebratefatalltieshaveeither beenfromdgaeoveigrowthufrombengbunied from a neighboring coral. This algal overgrowth occurred when I was adding suppfcnxsrts and Invertebrate food, and has not been a problem since 1 stopped adding these supplements. In addition, since I stopped adding supplements and "special" invertebrate food. my corals are reproducing to such an extant that I am nwvhig my Inhabitants from theircunent 135gaUon tarit to a 240 gallon tank.

It b my opinion that most invertebrate foods and special supplements should not be Intro- duced Into a property (unctioning miniature reef. A properly functioning miniature reef has strong - movement, proper lighting, proper fiftn- Don. and adequate Bvestock. Cinder these con- ditkxis,kisnotneceswytoaddanyprepared food for the Invertebrates. 1 am not. however, advocating not feeding the aquarium. I have still found k advantageous to feed the Ash In tank, l , - " % t h ?

(Continuedoflpage4

into a ma

-ittest' 78elernentsin s

trace elements. In looking at the contents and Analysis listsfor the little baffle. at ftratglanoeit seems impressive until it is noted that only 12 trace elements (tons found at less than 1 ppm In sea water) are included and one of these is nitrate, which most hobbyists are trying to avoid.

More confusing are the inconsistencies i ionic levels reported by (his manufacturer L. his own 'Independent LaboretOfy Analysis" sheetsthathavebeencirculatedovertheyears, For example, levels (or some major ions, re- ported in parts per million (ppm), have been

as follows; calcium- 312, d a t e - 22525,2250,13235; mag- ST%."

neslum 3030.1 300,896; and the list goes on. In addition, 42 elements are listed as trace impurities of which only 8 are found In part 2, including nitrite and nitrate!

The size of this publication necesuilh'- a complete review of the half truth8 an erron- eous statements listed In this paid advertise- ment "Selecting the Best Saltwater Mix", but taking credit for spawning, raising, abotlto and selling the world's firsttmpkal marine Is absurd. Martin M&e. Jr. la unlvereallv ac-

as the first t6commerdaUzeh m=b&hhh&l~@s- primarily natural seawater and on occasion some Instant Ocean' sea salts (personal communication). Instant Ocean Hatcheries followed ctoaely using Instant Ocean* sea sate and in factduring thenext 1Oyears.moretank

Common clown anemonehh (Aomblpihw occllufo) wfth deformedmid-bodybamsttti' buted to poor environmmtal conditions dw- fug larval rearing.

raisedmarine M - d h W Oceanseasdtstmnanyotherinecfiun,b>dud- ing natural sea water.

As a side note, during the late 197Ws, Btera-

ment This of course was not a species , but rather a developmental deformity generally attributed to environmental deficiencies dur- ing larval rearing, according to the top breeders in the country (personal communication: Mar tin Moe, Frank Hoff, Godfrey Wau h, Forrest Young, Chris Tuik. Tom ~rakes). This fish st11

on their packagtn today. Thenegat ive attitude of this article is regret- table, yet necessaiy. in 5ht ofthe type of e x a p ated and erroneousadvertising that has recently begun to dominate this market We hope that we will move to a period of more accurate label- In and advertising where a rebuttal of this type 4 n d lx mssav,

Ni Sodium I

( and Photos By Aiex Kerstltch

speciesofconesnailsof exciuslvely on small fish bedesirable In a fishtank.

rnurextoInsertIts the shed to feed on thecon-

e mollusca occasionally In a. Thev are ~oouhir m a

aqwaws because dthe brHtertglossand colors d the shells. They are considered

marinem- &the feeding of many cowries have been documented

L

Sea button cowrie {Â¥tauMsrt pmhdsta)popular because of Its MJant colors.

graze algae on the aquarium glass, or scavenge dead material on the substrate. One requirement needed to keep cowries healthyIsweH-cHwoenated - - water. Oven (he proper Uvtng condition*, some s~ectes, such as Annette's cowrie, Cupreea annct. he, wUl Bw fof thee or four years.-

A number of gutropods often seen for sale haven^buakienIntheaquadumtrade,yet(hey are collected In large numbers only to starve to death in captivity. These are the colorful sheD- less nudlbnnchs. or sea- SoectacuJar in color, they are t o d u a c s what orchids are to flowerinaDfanto-Althoughl)Mdletofnx~tmecfeà is unknown, baaed onthe food preferences of those species studied, nudlbrancha are quite specific In thefr food prey selection. A targe num her of species prey on soft corals, or colonial anemones, and we species specific, feeding on onh one particular ipecfn. Even knowing a n d l * branchfeedsonsoftcoralbnot~no hsfncea socofic stxscies of soft is reaulrcd. ~indlna the right &es ~s almost impossible unless the original collector has witnessed thà nudfbranch foedl on a particular prey Item.

s u 3 * - w n a e - spedei makes nudibiwchs poor candidates for the aquarium. Without the proper food they rim- ply diminish in size u W they starve to death withintwototourwoetu.

Spanish shad sea slug (FIsbeSM JodeoteJ

trade. W. Mexico

With the ever growing popularity of miniature reef systems some marine animals, such as tile giant clams, can now be successfully maintained in living reef aqurlums. Several çpede d giant dams, such as Tridacna of , T. derasa, or the smaller~.crocea.cannowthriveInswhenviron- melts provided the correct lighting system is used. Like many corals and anemones, giant

bittmctam's tissues.Know*)oszooxanthelae, the algae In aunBght and provide the dam with energy for growth and other bto-

logical acttvttiw. Using high output lights, it is now possible to provide the photosynthedc materialneededbythedamtosuivhe.

CInfortuiMtely,lustasthebitençt kçepln a i t damsdwetepcd, theft avaflabUltydectenxt- ten. of poaching and of a m

dams for food, at least two coedandtkImportation allstxfpçciestoth U. S. has been

Ym-- (esbicted. Most of the

I s offered= mar& today are the product of maricuHure proiecta aimed M restor

efforts,- odtured duns are occ&sionçU impofted to the as.

Perhapa the bttt known and most popular mcrf- luac for aquariums is theoctopus. Bellevedto be

podsamamongtheeasiestofaUmottuscsto keep h the home aquarium became most we ol)poÇtunteUcpfçdaton.Theywinreadilyacce piecesoffish,ihrtmp,andotherd items. TTwonlydrawbackin keepingoctopodsta diç^shortflfe^pon.motivingonlyafewrnontfi and rarely ovefa year.Therefore, whenbuyingan octopus itisdmostlmpoairibtetotetihowojdthe Mhrldual Isand howIcitiQRwUlOve.S(tt.theek ment d chance when purchasing m octoinJs ta 0utweighedbytkknowledgeIhbuntqueimimal <riB be a fatOyttW addtiion to the community aquarium.Onewordofcaution,howew;m Jpedeswflbitetfhandledcarelessly,andalew

hs=-hwwmO?M.m-* lufuilata.

and should be treated wkh reapec~ Atthough ttds beautiful specks Is small and to not prone to blte unlessabused, to venom can Man adult human in minutes, tohaps it would be more piudent not to purchase my of the three known blue-ring

Related to the- the nautlliu tea unique animal not often seen In the home aquarium since they are seldom available to marine hob- bytrta.This is unfortunate since itiseasy to rrafn- tdn, with relatively little care. Although thç do best in cool water, th will still thrive In tern- s of 70-78" ? In (he wild - am both carnivorous and scavengers, feeding on slow crustaceans like hermit crabs, and molted <~(oskelrtonsdarinylobsters,d lobsters,~ a" crabs. However. h captivity they rea l ly accept piecesoffish,shrimps,andotherseafood.

With today's sophisticated marine life-support systems,keepingmarineInvertebrate*healthy for extended lengttu of time is now postOrie, pro- vided their food requirements we known. Unlike myinvertebrate^suchasnumerousaneiiiories and corals which demand special care, ~ U K S arerelativelyeamtomatntofal (exceptgiant-) even In the almptest aquarium system. Since rehMively 1Mtlà is known about the nature! htsbxy of molluscs, marine aquath can contribute considerablytoourknowledgeofthisuniqueand remariuible group, A

1)Boycotttheuseofibdcdheads. 2)Fwmutatealistingofftebesçn

bcatac that should not be sold In the aq

multitude of fauna In the live rock and the con- trottedarowthofalaaçinthetankDrovidlnamos

to the fnvertefifates. -

From a quantitathw standpoint, I haw found thatredoxpotentialohwagoodIndicationof howdifferstrealmentedfectareeftank.(ftote: aloweringdtteredoxpotentialbgenenDyIn&a- ttve of a lowerina of the water mahi. 1 have ~ t t w ~ w i t h r n o s t ~ ~ ~ lowers the redox potential by30-50 - h a

subaeq- die off &ce the nutrients are udiaiutodandfoulthetankorthe bloomcanbe sogreatthatthealgaeoveigroswtherocksand iwertrtrates. Thtaeffectcan be veryfrustrating h(hat (he algaecovers eveiythfng and eventually outtotnoelea the tank's inhabitantsforkhtand nutrients, and can also produce* fluctuations blDHfromnlflhttoday.Moneoftheseconditions b - to a successful miniature reef. There is, however, çorn evidence that certain compounds am become depleted (Hid should ba replaced. These Indude Iodide, calcium, and tliontium.hreptodnaAMCaubstances,ttwould bebettertoreplacetheacweclftecompoundsor make water exchanges, rather than to use the

approach to supplement eveiything, or not

brale foods and trace element m d W h u d h * h - mirdreef.Inaddition,1haveviewedwvenivwy iuccçiçfulrwftanksandthecommulthçrn mof thesetwdawuIntensefluorescent light-

andnoexcesshnutrients meitherfoodor IYmoutsUncfingofthesetanks Burieson, Jullan Sprung, and

. Recently, two articles reported on lucceariiil mbiahfe reef aquariums whew no Invertebratefoods or trace element supplements ~ u w , m l t h d l d ~ ~ ~ ~ ¥M dKms w'tlreri &a (JJMà 1990;

may, 19B9).!reabe~)mehobbybtoare

elements, and !m ghd they are; however, for thoffe peopb who ~e having difficulties while using Invertebrate foods and wipptements, this

d ~ & t h p l d s o ~ h ~ d a @ f i x h ~ r h u k b m e ~ ~

Drama- colored fishesand alloverthedhmçbecom

reodllv maltable along wtth eaulomtftt sDectaDv

of what rffect continued collection ofmarine specimens win h o n the dricte reef environ- menta whore most of the organisms are found

Marine hobbyists are sottietfmm made to fed guiltybyelementshsomeoftheenvironmental groups for the reported "raping of the d. Although there have been some hitance* of abusedue bcyanktt collection, OTwiwvMtIng, çn habitat destruction,Inmotareas(hemarine aquarium tnd has played- a small part in theenviron3deoredadonofdieiceb.~

hshing melhoda, d coral coltection for con- sttuctkmandcurio*havehadfwmweserious co(uequcnce&

Actually,(heredcomwvationooalfofmanyof (heenvironmentalgmpsareernbracedbyre- iponriUe members of the marine aquarium In-

as well. We must not tot d lhe fact didtthe oowth in Interest bi Saquar iums and (he marine aquarium hobby ¥IgnHlcanll bicrewepublicawarenessdreefçoology.Further Wtechnologi-developedby-aquarisU constitute a major contribution to the scientific understanding of systems. Species that wen virtually IrnpouMe to keep alive just 10

zk%-GadYd=% s c i e n t i f i c ~ o f m a r i n e t r o p i c a l r e e f organisma has dnimotlcallytncreased as a result of the efforts of marine aquarists.

SUM, our industry from collector to wholesaler to dealer to hobbyist must behave reoporaiblv tf we want to continue. Certain envtaolmental and anfenul rwti groups would pnfor to see the -Endheepbtgofm--stop* pod or wverty limited. We do not want to let this

penasInOeiKMmywho*ImportationdBut- .% md Aqdkst- was band, The only way todefendourhobbytetoçftnlnatetheabuse idin~mgethecolfectlonBiidcamofipedmom profeÑtonaUyasarenewablefisherysothatth s u p p l k will continue Indefinitely.

AnumberoftheseIssueswerecovoedhia ~ I y J o l m T d m k ~ t b e ~ ~ turn Conference of North America, MACNA2, In Cleveland this past April. Similar (eeflngs wore expfe*çe<lbyfevemloftheotherweakenatth conference that steps should be taken soon In- duding:

a

created to I Kit snon

iscope Is pubfohed quarterly for he( aistri~utlon through local aquarium d e a l e ~ ~ Dealers not receiving copfes of Se*Scope for, distribution to their customers should caff Aquarium Systems. Inc. to be added to the

tisL Telephone: 1-800-822- 1 1 00 or nAg% (216) 1897. Aquarias interested In re- ceMnfl coptesdlrectfyshoufd sendlheir name and address, alon with $2.00 USA (94.00 foreign countries) for postage and handling. (four ku-1 to SÑScop* Aq- Sys- ternst Inc., 8141 T y h Blvd.. Mentor, OK 44060. Address questions, and ; to:ThomasA.Frakes,Editor. 7: - - *

- 4 -4 #-'

Reef quadurn,..

(continued fmmpage I )

8 . most -of ttitft'Srti&tiite- fishes and inverts- brates are remarkably hardy and easy to keep. Thhdcourse.shouldnotteanexcuseto become teK hi the maintenance of a healthy aquarium environment M a n y delicate tropical animals, on the other hand, have specialized requirements tfiat render them difficult to maintain in an aquarium.

3. Hghting systems are unnecessuy since Hgbt-demanding corals are absent from temperate communltks. For most fishes and invertebrates, a simple fluorescent unit for Ilium- Inatton is ail that is needed. This also reduces the growth of fouling algae.

9, Temperate fishes are generally free of the idlftuue and parasite problems that plague tropf- cd species. Quarantine of all new arrivals is still Advisable, however, since monogenetic trema- lodes (flukes) and parasitic copepods may oca-

4. U k oithe vast temperate habftat resources wM h e i ~ to relieve some of the coltection pressure on tropical c o d reef environments

'

3~ft-lsposdbletoconstructflit~hobftot (hot more ctosehf matches the natural assem blage d s p e c k . ~ t h tropical reef systems, It Is more difficult to trace the origins of the different Rshes and Invertebrates.

tafora

fWtw. A well established blobgi- cal filter Is essential for good water aualband the maintenance of fish and ~nverteb- health and vltah. The t r a d i underarwd fiber czm func- tlon quite admirably as the backbone of the tern

system.~recent proliferation of trickin ttter* enables even more effective waste control A M filter iystem doesnot dimlnate t he need for care fn adding animals, overcrowding and dwvhw material can slid stress the system be- yondits-capacity. Water changes on ;schedule ^f about 5% per week are aka an Important part of tho maintenance scheme regardless of the troeofflitration.

~Eectdetritus bç(dl It is converted to ammonia. Thtpreflha~ of n trickle Btef system or a canitter filter can serve this function, Canister filters ate

also useful for combining high orgarik corn- pound toads when used with activated carbon. Foam fractjonators are enjoying a resurgence h popularity as an additional means to limit the build-upof honnhilorgenks, andthouMbecon- sided an essential item for top water quality.

Ike b m m ¥fWMwMoUo A visitor to thekelp Forest andothersubtklal communities is immeiiately atluck by the constant movement of water. This back-and-forth motion Is par tteulariy important for awHe mvertebraiea (those that are lincapable of moving about) and algae. Waiter serves to sweep away harmful waste* and carries a rich supply of food for many filter feed- ing invwtebrates. Within the aquarium, die health of sessileforms will be considerablyenhanced by agende rocking ofthe water. Power heads are the most convenient means for Introducing motion, although they generate a less than Ideal uni- directional current. Ingmiius aquarists may be able to design other ways of producing a more natural back-and-forth surge motion.

The moat obvious factor dll- tlnauishing temperate habftats ftom the tropical

difference. Tills creates the kjor problem foe- ing the temperate reef aquarist. It Is fareaskrand cheaper to heat an aquarium than H Is to cool one. Whereas a good heater may cost leu than thirty dollars and easllyraisethe temperature five to ten degrees, a comparable reduction In tem- p e w 4 0 entail a far more expensive chUBng svstem. - -

At first glancethe expense da chilling unk nuy seem exorbitant. The popularity of tropical living reef aquariums, however, attests to the feet that manv hobbvlsts are willing to overtook the initial high*-& The cost ofa refrigeration system for the temperate reef system Is also somewhat countered by the lack of the need for expensive Ilghtingunttsthat aresocriticalforthetropicalreef aquarium.

Refrigeration systems= not ahwaysnecessary. If you can keep your aquarium In a location that remains consistently less than 70°F then most temperate animals can live quite comfortably at 65' to 68° (compared to a more normal range of 55' to65T). In any case. theaquarium should khsalty be placed In the cooteft location of the house (basements are best) and always out of direct contact from sunlight.

The best means of cooling the aquarium te to Invest in a chilling unit built specifically for oquar- Iurn use. Although expensive, it enables you to easily maintain an ideal temperature between 55' to 65'F. With the typical systenitthecoollng coils (either titanium, which does not corrode in sea- water, or resin-coated copper) are immersed h a canister through which aquarium water to passed. An alternative Is to Incorporate the cooling coils dlrecdy intheaquarium. Rqardiessofthe typeof set-up. It Is extremely Important that the coils do not corrode and release toxic metal tom The stee of Ihc chiller unit Is dependent on the total aallons ofthesystemandthedifferencebetween theroom temperature and desired aquarium temperature.

Temperate fishes poae few problems In feed- ing. Extreme specialists, like those of the coral reefs, are generally uncommon, and you will find that most greedily accept whatever comes their way. Ctropped squid, prawn, clam, non-oily fish and other seafood, along with cotwnercial fish foods, are all fine. Feeding habits and behaviors

The Catalha goby (luthfMMUw ddl prefers the cooler temperate aquarium,

do vary, howtver. and you must standing of these differences. Some be more nggre~lvà in grabbin their shy cohorts without a bite. and must have the food placed mouths. Food size Is also an sfdemtion as certain srrWH-

Invertebrates dominate the scene in reef aquariums. and the same can be temp- aquariums. Although generally activeasfish, their often bold Mttemsand

Although not as brightly cobred as their brethren.theynonetheless

en cycle, wherein protein is metabolized tethenbacteriallvdwraded - - B> nitrite and finally into nitrate.

largest contributor to high onhophcophate nitrate levels is overfeediw. Therefore. the

in reducing phosphateand nitrate levels we feeding. Since most d the inhabitants

mini-reef are photosynthetic. It Is not tly feed these creatures as

supplying most of their own

source of phosphate and The two most common water are detoniiation

osmosis. Both are considered effec- owever. reverse osmosis may not reduce acid which has been implicated in gotden

blooms (Thell, 1988). Thwefore, dcton- ay be the moat effective process for exceulve nutrients from mate-up water aim Is elimination of mkroalgae.

steps, however, are only the prelirnlnaty for reducing mkroalgae, The next big nutrients for mkroalgae overgrowth is ildupwithin thelank Dçtrltusactsas

for phosphate and nitrate In that detect- unts of these nuirienb have been shown

released from detritusover time (Meadows, \. This condition can easilv be controlled bv

Uy siphoning off detritus before it can be down and release nutrients into the

m. For this same reason, the pre-flher also be changed frequently In order to

nutrient release from trapped wastes.

tocomiot it biologically. Recent- us mollusks have been touted

bring excellent at removing mkroalgae. 1 have two different types (Turbo snails and Astrea

Is) for the past-+.and I have found them to beexcellentatremovingmkroaloae, with

e small shortcomings. The Turbo grazers antly reduced levels ofencmsthg m-K~O-

s and the remnants d hand pulled hair I , but lhç did not eat golden

orthe brilMike hair algae /Obdop/ien).

u d i those not eaten by the Turbo grazer&

ethods mentioned above should be used the start-up phase of a mini-reef in order to

mke the likelihood of algae-. They

to be employed. Ftrtt, remove as much of the microalgae as

possible, either by physically pulling It out, scrap- ing il. or brushing it off. After this Is done, a water change should be undertaken utilizing nutrient- free water. Thai is. both the make-up water and the soh used should have no detectable amount of nitrate or phosphate In them. If the algae con- tinue to overgrow everything, then other steps are needed, More frequent siphoning of detritus and prc-filter changes need to be undertaken, and the bioload mav need to be reduced. Also. It has been my that algae overgrowth i s worseduring thesummer.Thismaybeduetothe higher temperature Increasing the metabolism of the tank's inhabitants: eonsequentlv more nut- rients are released Into the water. 0; with sum- mer comes an increase In the use of agricultural

fertilizers thai get into the water supply and con- tribute to high nutrient levels, hi either case the steps and procedures outlined abcnw should help to reduce (he likelihood of an algal bloom.

These rnelhodswtil not only helpto reduce the available nutrients, but thcydlafao help to raise the redox potential. llmitina the two d m b - algae that can grow. By mit tin gal gal growth through reducing available nutrients the con- &tons of the reef are more closely replicated. Consequently, corals and other reef Inhabitants will have a greater opportunity to thrive. A

in this case some additional measures need

-9 Behavior of

tn midwater, seldom from the lop or tjtcttoni -of the aquarium. In (he aquarium, M, imnwitScaandn.decorsbasicallystaystationary .andonthelookoutfarsmallfoodprtiefcs.When -frightened, they can befa<ftsw?rnmer~andretreat b@IMeiwobsandcranniesorgostraightup.For

, . ' i f l l sreasdf iana~l l idIsomust l f thereis hgm,soonaf<~rlatercwmayfindhisprttepos- ~onthefloor.Thepairofti,decomthatl

a popfar fish for rw~aquarists.

obtained A a local retailer (the male andthefemateslenderboctfed)in

Ether male or female fire' hid. After oneweek the G.

mqthhg returned to

mIam&mn m: tempram - 78.3 to 7&6oF, saiin'rty - 3Qppt (L022SG), am- monhand nitrite - Oppm. nitrate - Sppm, pH - 83, and alkalinity - 3.0 meq/I ( 8.4 DKH), Filtration was by conventional undergravel filter and a 4 section trickle flher Including skimmer box with prefilter, floss and small dead coral pieces, pro- tein skimmer, and approrimatdy 1 cubic foot of bio-pock Water motion was provided by two power heads connected to a solid-state timer to providethei-ikematewatermotiorithatisextreme- ty benettcial for Ihre coral Water changes of 20% weremadeevery3weekswtthahighmdttysalt, mixedh -led water- Mo magic lotionsor potloris were added to the water. Lighting devices varied over time Including Grow-Lux, Actinic, uncoated black light, Ã tc The lights were on from fcOO AM to 8:00 FM &I , conlrolled by a timer.

With the basks covered, let's take a look at some observttons on the behavior of N. decora. Spawtlnfftookpiac* 3 ttmes,from the&trwi o(Ottteber,1 ,-lateNovember.1988,

Sçxà dIMmaoKTIi; mate^aiS-terger and morefulltxxtkftceiflffis^dteW^tStt^frfyxSy rotor,pattern,and sfae<rfdo~lstSwappeared to be thesame In maleand female.

I .Sewraldayspriwtoapawninfl,the mate exhibited aggressive tendencia towards othertfflntttWBtesandstartedtoccmrttf>&fomttte by positioning himself crossatae in front of bar andquiswinshi&pçcWtal,dCT3al*.anai,andcauda fins. Wfth a mall intensification of color In the male, this type of behavior increased In frc- quency wri duration.

Acnmfag ¥& The spawning site was pre- mrç bv the m a t e d female late in the eveninos, severalhoursafterthe~ightswareturn&&,by prflparing adeprewtao In thft substrate-This par- ticular pair chose the corner of the aquarium. Ptecesofgravel were carriedfromthftdepWdon InJawfishfashio~Thedepressionwtriedw brsb<andfitbythefemate.This~w%used for ail three apownà with ~ e r ~ cleaning and removalofalto^lliflwtoapawnlnfl.

8paÈÈtea;Priorlospawning,usualyoneh before thelightswereturnedoff, theventtubeon the fernate became visible. Themtube was sur- prislngty long cornpared to otherfish which I had spawned. In (he case 6f N, dewfa, ltwas%m. The soroach before thevent tubetookon a large and deepdistension which readied to &-body, causing the female to look almost deformed. After the ttgbts were off, Instead of scurrying to

hiding ptaws for the fight, both male and fernate Stayed In the fttWi w e close to the spawningsiteSpawningtookplacebttwwnmid- night and 2:OQ a.m. with the female lying In the depression. The male positioned his mid-body next to the female, The female &posited a0 the eggs at one time, whfch were about the sfce of Amphiprion *$,and the male fertilized them. The eggs were transparent and adhesive. Mo parental care could bà observed after spawning, even in the morning when the rest of the tank- mates devoured the was

No effort was made to save or raise the eggs since the aqiiarim was basically an txpwimen- tal aquarium, and food cultures were not avaB- ate. No courtship or spawning activities have been observed since (he last spawning in late Movember.AtBitstime,IdonotknowIfspawning

takes placeontiyhtrmg a certatn time of tills Is only a hilt in activity.

, . .. . 1 . \..:

~ - S - ~ P - * + informative articles of interest to martiw aquarists. Topics may include wter chemtt- try, nutrition, mariculture, system d&siflft ecology, behavior, and fish health. Article& tributions arewelcorned. They should deal with pertinent marine aquarium topics and are subject to editorial reviews that In our opinion are necessary. Papmnt will be made at exi* ing ratesandwHtcoverall author'srights to the material submitted.

I SeaScope is published quarterly for

distribution through local aquarium dealer -\ Dealers not receiving copies of SeaScop* for distribution to their customers should cal Aquarium Systems. Inc. to be added to the mailing list. Telephone: 1 -800-822- 1 100 or (2 16) 255-1 997. Aquarists interested in re-- ce'Hang coptesdirectly should send their name and address, along with $2.00 USA ($4.00 foreign cBuntries) for pottage and handling Sow issuer) to SesStsswt, Aaaariurn Sys- tetr&i tnc., 8141 'Tyter Bid., Mentor, OH

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