Red edfish fish Issue #21 Issue
In this issue: Tropical
Predator catfish - Ethics of fishkeeping & Husbandry!
Marine
Kenneth Wingerter: Cnidaria for the Nonphotosynthetic Reef. Part 1/3
Aqua-art Aqua-ar t
ITFR: With Mo Devlin
Marine
Coral Reef
Redfish Red fish contents
4
About
5
Off the Shelf
6
Reader’s Reader ’s Tank Tankss
9
Today in the Fishroom with Mo Devlin
18
Ambush Predators
25
Non-photosynthetic cnidarians
redfishmagazine.com.au
Email:l: enquiries@redf ishmagazine.c ishmagazine.com.au om.au Web: redf ishmagazine.c ishmagazine.com.au om.au Facebook: Fac ebook: fac facebook.c ebook.com/redf om/redf ishmagazine Twit witter: ter: @redf ishmagazine Redf ish Publishing. Redfish Publishing. Pty Pt y Ltd. PO Box 109 Berowra Heights, NSW, Australia, 2082. ACN: 151 463 759 Eye Candy Contents Page Page Photos courtesy:
31
Redtail Catf ish
37
A Reef Reefkeepers keepers Journal
38
Community listing
(Top row. Left to Right) ‘orange f ish’ by Joel Kramer ‘Tomini Tang’ by Nomore3xfive @ flickr ‘Flamee Hawkf ish’ by Nomore ‘Flam Nomore3xf 3xf ive @ f lic lickr kr ‘Iguana, Galapagos’ by Kathy (kthypryn @ flickr) ‘Arowana’ by Cod _Gabriel @ flickr (Bottom row. Left to Right) ‘Ray’ by Cod_Gabriel @ flickr ‘mushrooms’ by Nomore3xfive @ flickr ‘Barcelona aquarium’ by Alain Feulvarch ‘starfish’ by Ryan Vaarsi ‘Online0333 Aquarium’ by Neil McCrae ‘Online0 McCrae
Photo by Craig Sunter
The Fine Print Redfish Magazine General Advice Warning The advice contained in this publication is general in nature and has h as been prepared without understanding your personal situation, experience, setup, livestock and/or environmentall conditions. environmenta
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About Red Redfish fish Redfish is a free-to-read magazine for fishkeeping enthusiasts. At Redfish Redf ish we believe in the free exchange of of information informat ion to facilitate success by aquarium and pond hobbyists. Each month Redfish Magazine will bring you dedicated sections on tropical, coldwater, marine and ponds.
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Redfish was founded in early 2011 by Jessica Drake, Nicole Nic ole Saw Sa w yer, Julian Corlet and David Midgley. Midgley. We hope you enjo enjoyy this, the 21st issue of Redf ish.
Photo courtesy courtesy:: (matt)
About « Redsh Redsh Magazine 2013:21 2013:21 » 4
Off the Shelf Aqua One NanoSkim NanoSkim Protein Protein Skimmer Aqua One MiniSkim Protein Skimmers are designed to easily and effectively remove organic waste from aquarium water. The design allows the skimmer to be housed on small aquariums where no sump is used without occupying occupying a large space within the aquarium. The NanoSkim NanoSkim Protein Protein Skimmer is eff icient while while requiring very little power to operate! Limewood Limewood airstone crea tes a high densit y of small bubbles bubbles which creates a high surfac sur facee area of interaction between air and water. Aqua One products are widely available available at most quality pet re tailers. tailers. To To find f ind your nearest retailer, retailer, visit www.aquaone.com.au w ww.aquaone.com.au
Aqua One Snail Snail & Algae Eli Elimi minator nator Treatment Aqua One Snail Eliminator is formulated to destroy and control snails in freshwater aquariums. aquar iums. Many species of freshwater snails snails can be introduced introduced into aquariums with plants and can rapidly build up in numbers. Rinsing all new plants in running r unning water before addition to the aquarium is recommended to prevent re-infestation. Aqua One Algae Eliminator effectively controls many algae common to freshwater aquariums and ornamental or namental fish f ish ponds. Kills growing growing algae and prevents algae from recurring. Aqua One products are widely available available at most mos t quality pet retailers. To To f ind your nearest retailer, visit www.aquaone.com.au
Off the shelf « Redsh Magazine 2013:21 » 5
redfish readers fish! Yellow clown goby
by David Dunnett
Salamander Fish by ANGFA WA
Snowflake the Eel! by Keith Khoo
Beautiful Xanthistic Bristle Nose by Vicki Turner
Rhinogobius by Loius Anderson
by Chris Pierce
Boxing Shrimp by David Dunnett Male Congo Tetras
Albino Longfin Bristlenose
Mandarin by Johnny Burdon
by Michelle Osborne Nixon
by Macaria Teatime
Reader’s Tanks « Redsh Magazine 2013:21 » 6
by David Miller
Peppermint Bristlenose by Michelle Osborne Nixon
Parrot tank by Joe Campbell by Carl T. Olszewski
Satanoperca daemon
Boxing Shrimp
by David Dunnett Mark Shwartz
Gymnogeophagus Gymnogeophagu s balzanii
by Carl T. Olszewski
Male L397 Panaque sp.
by Michelle Osborne Nixon
Reader’s Tanks « Redsh Magazine 2013:21 » 7
by Bobby Wang by Will Evans
by Alison Langdon
Apistogramma agassizii agassizii
by Michael Bretch
by Susan A. Percy
Checkerboard Cichlid
by Steve Fullers
by Kelly Gregory Orange/blank Oranda by Ying Hao
by Vicki Turmer
Reader’s Tanks « Redsh Magazine 2013:21 » 8
Today In The Fishroom with Mo Devlin
AQUAMOJO-ART
Text by Mo Devlin. All photos, unless otherwise stated, are by Mo Devlin.
I can’t remember my first fish tank. To be more accurate, my father’s fish tank, that I simply enjoyed. I do remember traveling through several local stores with him, peering into tanks wondering at the vast assortment of size, shapes and color. It was my dad’s ultimate love of the oddball fish, that ended with him buying me my first wet pet, an Albino Tiger Oscar. An eating machine with gills. This kicked off my first passion, cichlid fish. My other passion, photography, grew from an interest as a s a boy, to a profession profession while in in the militar militar y. Much of of what wha t I do today I credit to the background I had with early f ilm cameras. cameras. Back then photos of of my fish had predictable results; with an occasional winner and the majority just uninteresting. The advent of digital cameras cameras breathed breat hed new life life into both of of my hobbies. I was amazed at the difference in the quality of aquatic aquat ic images. More impor tantly, the format forma t allowed me to make a lot of of inexpensive mis takes, learn and move on.
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I star s tarted ted posting my photos photos on line line over f ifteen years ago. Since Since the beginning beginning I have used the same sa me title, “Today in the Fishroom”, as an ongoing visual blog (back before it was called a blog) of the fish that I kept in my collection. collection. The title seemed apt, since most often of ten I would concentrate the day’s photo shoot focusing (no pun) on one tank of fish. I have had as many as 23 fish tanks in the fish room, so the “models” are always always plentiful. plentiful. The posts pos ts were popular and my niche as an aquatic photographer, the blending of my two hobbies hob bies was set. Digital SLR’s have come a long way, and continue continue to evolve. During the film days I had Nikon, so my digital brand remained remained the same. I don’t know when exactly it happened, but at some point I decided that I was growing bored with the same side or head on shot of the fish. f ish. I wanted to make a better photo of the fish. Getting a good qualquality photo is one part technical, one part par t creative and and the other other part par t just being there at a t the right moment to to hit hit the trigger. The bigges biggestt jump in quality quality came when I s tar ted adding flash units to the mix. mix. The abilit abilityy to not only illuminate, illuminate, but bu t also control the amount and direction of the light helped tremendously in creating the type of photo I was seeking. Legendary photographer Ansel Adams once said, “Dodging and burning are steps s teps to take care of mistakes God made in establishing establishing tonal relationships.” Photo editing programs have replaced the darkroom as the new digital canvas. canvas. My “brush” happens to be Photoshop. Becoming proficient with the program helps put finishing touches on your images. Just recently I star ted to explore Blog « Redsh Magazine 2013:21 » 11
the various options opt ions in the program to take my photo to the next nex t level. The goal was to do digitally what wha t I can’t do technically... technically... which is draw or paint. Utilizing the various tools, plug ins, brushes layers and masks offered offered in Photoshop, Photoshop, I star ted creating fish ar t with my photo as the the star ting point. point. It’s been very exhilarating to see that there is one more step in how I can express myself through the photos. Many of of the photos I use are from past photo shoots... and I have years to go back through. Over the years I have conversed with people from all over the world about tropical fish. One of the highest compliments paid happens when I am told that someone has purchased a par ticular species after seeing one of my Today Today in the Fishroom posts. pos ts. My hope is that I can continue to grow ar tistical tis tically ly and share my images with fellow fellow hobbyists. hobbyist s. For more photos, photos, check out my AquaMoJo Facebook Facebook page or on my gallery at w w w.aquamojo.com.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mo Devlin Devlin is the owner of Aquamojo.Com. Aquamojo.Com. He maintains maintains three thousand gallons gallons of fresh water tanks. Over his thirtyy years in the hobby he has successfully thirt successfully bred many of of the Central Central and South American cichlid cichlid fishes. His passion for New World World cichlids cichlids is only rivaled by his love of photography. photography. Over the years, he has posted pos ted images of his collection lection frequently in his “Today in the Fishroom” ser ies on line across many national and international f ish forums. Mo has spent two terms on the board of tr ustees for the American Amer ican Cichli Cichlid Assn, was chairman of the organization in 2010, and has been the Publicity chairman for the past decade.
Aaron Sewell presents:
While most aquarists seek colourful, active sh that enhance the visual aesthetics of the aquarium, there are a group of sh that provide a somewhat unique and interesting aspect for aquarists. Ambush predators are generally not particularly colourful and by denition, they are not particularly active, but they come in a wide variety of unusual shapes and have a wide array of intriguing physical and physiological adapta tions. While ambush predators come in a wide variety of forms and belong to a huge range of families, this article will focus on some of the more commonly encountered benthic ambush predators from the families Antennaridae (anglershes), Batrichoididae (frogshes), Scorpaenidae (scorpionshes) and Synanceiidae (stingshes).
Rhinopias frondosa Photo by Steve Childs Marine « Redsh Magazine 2013:21 » 13
Lionsh Photo by Elias Levy
Benthic ambush predators are opportunistic predators who will often sit motionless for days at a time, waiting for prey to come within striking distance. While most ambush predators use camouage or mim icry to get close to their prey, the members of these 4 families have some of the most unusual adaptations in the reef environment. These sh also need to remain inconspicuous in order to remain unseen by b y potential predators. While some have defence mechanisms in i n the form of venomous spines, many ambush predators have no defence if they are spotted by larger or more aggressive predators.
Scorpaenidae, the Scorpionfishes A number of members of the scorpaenid family are very familiar to aquarists, most notably the lionshes of the subfamily Pteroinae. The common and generic name of this collection of sh derives from the fact they possess venomous spines on their dorsal, pectoral and pelvic ns. The bones in these ns are hollow and act as a tube that passes venom from venom glands located at the base of the n to anything, or anyone, that makes contact. Even a seemingly innocuous brush against the pectoral ns of a lionsh is enough to cause a painful sting.
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While lionsh are unquestionably the most common and most popular scorpaenids kept in aquariums, there is a range of other species that are sought after by aquarists. Many of these species, however, are not easily acquired. Species such as Rhinopias aphanes (Laced aphanes (Laced Scorpionsh), R. frondosa (Weedy Scorpionsh) and Taenianotus triacanthus triacanthus (Leaf (Leaf Scorpionsh) have brilliant colouration combined with unique and highly convincing camouage. Rhinopias eschmeyeri Photo by Steve Childs
Taenianotus triacanthus Photo by Amada44
Marine « Redsh Magazine 2013:21 » 15
Synanceiids are often listed as a subfamily of the Scor paenidae family or even as genera within the scor paenid family without being a separate subfamily. So, like scorpaenids, these sh are equipped with venom in the doral, pelvic and pectoral ns. In many cases, such as in the Reef Stonesh (Synanceia ( Synanceia verrucosa), verrucosa), the venom is even more potent than that found in scorpi onshes. Due to their potent venom as well as the fact they are so dicult to nd, they don’t often appear in the aquarium trade. Ghoulsh of the genus Inimicus and true stonesh of the genus Synanceia are the only synanceiids that appear with any remote degree of regularity and even these would be considered very rare in the trade. The former are particularly interesting given they have modied pectoral ns which resemble claws which they use to crawl around on the substrate. Although, like most sedentary ambush predators, ghoulsh are capable of consuming relatively large prey, prey, they tend to target smaller prey than other similar sized scorpi onshes. In an aquarium, where there is competition for food, these sh can become very active hunters, crawling across the substrate when live prey such as feeder shrimp, are o ered. When preparing to sit and wait for their next meal, these sh will bury themselves up their eyeballs in soft substrate which means that unless you know they are present, they can remain completely out Inimicus lamentosus Photo by Silke Baron
Marine « Redsh Magazine 2013:21 » 16
Marine « Redsh Magazine 2013:21 » 17
Smallscale Scorpionsh, Scorpaenopsis oxycephala Photo by Derek Keats
of view. view. Like many sedentary ambush predators, they have a attened head with an upturned mouth so that when buried, only the eyes and mouth are visible, just enough for the sh to see and eat its prey prey..
False Stonesh - Scorpaenopsis diabolus . Photo by Steve Childs
Stonesh tend to be avoided by most aquarists with good reason. These sh deliver the most potent venom found in any sh which causes extreme pain and has the potential to cause muscular and neural symptoms. On top of this, these sh are capable of consuming relatively large prey including juvenile sharks and other predatory sh. On top of this, these sh can reach around 40cm in length and almost 25cm in girth meaning they are capable of consuming most sh in the average aquarium, even one lled with aggressive predators.
Marine « Redsh Magazine 2013:21 » 18
Anglershes are not uncommon in the aquarium trade but they tend to be avoided by many aquarists because they can consume sh up to their own body size and they have no way of protecting themselves from larger predators such as triggershes or moray eels. This means they are somewhat restricted in what they can be kept with. However However,, they do well in aquariums with larger, larger, non predatory sh such as angelshes, surgeonshes and similar types of sh. Because an glershes are capable of eating sh up to their own size, it is not recommended that more than 1 be kept in any aquarium as they have been known to eat other anglersh if the opportunity arises. An interesting and unique adaptation that gives these sh their name is the modication of the rst dorsal spine that is used as a lure to attract small sh which become prey for the anglersh. In di erent species, the structure varies and resembles small invertebrates such as a worm or a crustacean. The sh wiggles this lure while keeping the rest of its body motionless. An unsuspecting sh comes close to investigate a possible meal and is consumed by the anglersh. Many species of anglersh use mimicry as their method of becoming inconspicuous, often mimicking brightly coloured sponges. For this reason, they tend tend to be more attractive than other similar sh which camouage themselves against rocks or sand giving them more neutral colouration.
Histrio histrio and histrio and Antennarius commerson as seen by Andrew Garrett (1823 - 1887).
Antennarius striatus Photo by Silke Baron
Marine « Redsh Magazine 2013:21 » 19
Photo by Jennu Huang Tropical Marine « Redsh Magazine 2013:21 2012:17 2013:20 » 20 16
While not particularly common in the aquarium trade, batrachoidids do occasionally appear and can make make inter esting additions to a suitable aquarium. Like many similar ambush predators, they are capable of consuming prey up to about half their own size. However, being opportunistic, they feed on a range of prey ranging from worms to crus taceans and sh. Batrachoidids have hard n rays on the rst dorsal n and spines on the operculum, both of which are used as a de fense mechanism guarding against being engulfed by larg er predators. The dorsal spines in some species are hollow and deliver a venom which causes a painful stong, though less serious than that encountered in scorpionsh or ston esh. Given their usually drab colours, they are not often encountered by aquarists but there is certainly a niche market for those looking for something a bit more unusual. Some species can reach upwards of 30cm in length so it is important to identify exactly which species you encounter in deciding whether it will be a suitable addition to your aquarium. Note that there is some naming ambiguity with the families Batrachoididae and Antennariidae that can make it dicult when searching for information on these 2 families. In Australia, batrachoidids are known as frogsh and antennariids are known as anglersh. In other parts of the world, batrachoidids are known as toadsh (a name used in Australia Australia to describe describe pu ersh from from the genus Tetractenos) while antennariids are known as frogsh.
Scarlet frogsh (Antennarius (Antennarius coccineus ) is a member of family Antennariidae. Photo by Robert Wielgórski
Splendid Toadsh (Sanopus (Sanopus splendidus ) Photo by : Laban712 Marine « Redsh Magazine 2013:21 » 21
Photo by Noel Weathers Tropical Marine « Redsh Magazine 2013:21 2012:17 2013:20 » 22 16
While the common thought regarding benthic ambush predators is that they should be kept in dedicated predator tanks or even single species aquariums, they are generally well suited to large aquariums with other sh that are too large to be consumed whole. Surgeon sh, rabbitsh, angelsh among others make ideal tankmates for these kinds of sh. For aquarists looking for some thing a little bit unusual, these kinds of sh make excellent aquarium inhabit ants not least of which is due to the fact their almost motionless lifestyle makes them quite conducive to the space re strictions found in an aquarium. Behav iours not seen in any other kind of sh, such as a stonesh stonesh shakin shaking g o 3 weeks worth of algal growth from its skin or a ghoulsh creeping across the aquarium, stalking an unsuspecting shrimp, add to the allure of keeping these interesting though unusual sh.
Antennarius pictus pictus - Painted Frogsh. Photo by Steve Childs.
Pteroidichthys amboinensis Photo by Steve Childs
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photo by Khantipol
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life without light light
non-photosynthetic non-phot osynthetic cnidarians by Kenneth Wingerter
Photo by Laszlo Ilyes. Reef « Redsh Magazine 2013:21 » 25
Infaunal Cnidaria for the Nonphotosynthetic Reef Aquarium: Part One It was not so long ago that biotope aquaria were widely held to be little more than an exercise exerci se in obsessive compulsion for “purists.” “puris ts.” However, as the reef aquarium hobby con tinues to advance and grow, it is becoming becoming increasingly increasing ly evident that the advantages advantage s of maintaining these specialized systems are not merely didactic. While biotope themes certainly can limit livestock selection (that is indeed the point), they greatly increase livestock congruency. That is, animals in these systems can be cared for at a holistic, holis tic, as well as an individual, level. As such, biotope aquaria can effectively simulate distinct natural habitats not only in appearance, but also in function. Never theless, so-called so-called mixed reefs, which contain a mishmash assortment of corals and other reef animals, animals, remain commonplace. Most often, the conflicting needs of ecologically incompatible animals in these systems present unnecessary diffic diff iculty ulty and expense for their keepers.
Serious attenti at tention on has been given to nonphotosynthetic (or NPS) reef aquaria for some time now. Superb examples of NPS coral-dominated systems have been presented within the hobby; most mos t of them have been received with consi considerable derable admiration. NPS biotopes are especially interesting in that they offer ample opportunity to observe obser ve cnidarians engaging in one of their most fascinating behaviors--feeding. The waters associated with shallow stony coral reefs are characteristically nutrient-poor and receive relatively high levels of solar radiation. Reef « Redsh Magazine 2013:21 » 26
Hence, in these ecosystems, NPS cnidarians cnidarians are largely displaced by their photosynthetic (that (tha t is, zooxanthell zoo xanthellate) ate) counterpar ts. Still, Still, though they are unable to compete aggressively in these par ticular habitats, habita ts, epifaunal (or hard-bottom hard-bot tom dwelling) dwelling) NPS cnidarians cnidarians can be found--often in rather close proximity to their fast-growing neighbors--exploiting the shadowy walls of caves and overhangs. Likewise, a handful of infaunal infaunal (or soft-bot tom dwelling) dwelling) NPS cnidarians cnidarians inhabit muddy mudd y or sandy sand y substrates that may be situated quite near solid reef structures. Many of these animals occur on beaches, outer reef slopes and even small, sandy patches between coral bommies. They are adapted to subsist in an often unstable un stable environment that tha t differs differ s markedly from the hard, comparatively compara tively sta tic substrates of the reef proper. Provided with an appropriate substrate, a number of soft-bottom dwelling NPS cnidarians can be successfully succ essfully maintained maintained in the home aquarium. aquar ium. As these creatures crea tures face lit little tle competitive pressure from their zooxanthellae-bearing, zooxanthellae-bearing, hard-bottom hard-bot tom dwelling dwelling brethren, they can in certain cer tain cases cases be kept with LPS and even SPS corals; corals; however, on o n account of their their exacting feeding requirements, they are a re mostt easily kept in an NPS mos NPS coral-dominated coral-dominated aquarium aquar ium system.
A low-light refug refugium ium with moderate to strong water flow f low and a fine substrate substra te (such as Miracle Miracle Mud®) Mud®) may may provide an alternative alterna tive placement for soft-bottom dwelling dwelling NPS cnidarians (such as this Cavernularia sp. sea pen). Photo by Kenneth Wingerter. Reef « Redsh Magazine 2013:21 » 27
Though some NPS cnidarians (such as this Cerianthus sp. tube anemone) can f lourish in a zooxanthellate zooxanthellate coral-dominated system, they generally fare best in a heavily fed NPS biotope. Photo by Jimmy Hoehlein (image (ima ge reproduced with permission of copyright holder House of Fins).
This article ar ticle discusses a number of infaunal cnidarians cnidarians that can be maintained maintained in NPS biotopes with deep sand beds (DS (DSBs) Bs) or deep mud mu d beds (DMBs). An over view of the captive care of of animals from three orders wil willl be presented here. Thi Thiss piece begins with a discussion of a representative representa tive of Order Alcyonacea (or the soft corals), namely the Christmas tree coral Studeroites spp. A second piece will will continue with a discussion of the Penna Pennatutulacea (or the sea pens). A thi third rd piece will will conclude conclude with wi th a discussion of the Cerianthar eriantharia ia (or the tube anemones). Studeroites spp. typically occurs in shallow shallow to mid-depth mid-depth waters wa ters on loose sand or silt bottoms. bot toms. It Studeroites spp. typically seems to prefer moderate currents. The most commonly offered member of the genus, Studeroites longiramosa (Christmas tree coral, Medusa coral, or French tickler), is distributed throughout the
tropical West West Pacific Ocean, including including Palau, Palau, Taiwan, Singapore, Singapore, Indonesia, the Phili Philippines, ppines, the Andaman Islands, the South China Sea and North, West and East Australia. It is seldom reported in its natural habitat; this may be due not only because it often occurs in very turbid waters, water s, but bu t also because it spends much of its time retrac ted into an inconspic inconspicuous uous little lit tle ball, ball, Reef « Redsh Magazine 2013:21 » 28
and perhaps also because of its superficial resemblancee to Lemnalia, blanc Lemnalia, Litophy ton, Nephthea and Spharella. A closer look reveals a truly tr uly unusual coral. coral. The basic form of Studeroites is consistent across the genus. Each colony is comprised of two distinct parts: an upper portion comprised of a soft, branching polypary, and a rigid lower portion comprised of a hollow, vase-like base. Small, monomorphic Small, monomor phic polyps are positioned in lines lines or clusters on finger-like lobes. Assemblages of large spindles form supporting bundles for each polyp body. Small spindles, usually usually arranged arra nged in eight double rows, support each polyp head. Spindles may also be dispersed along the surface of the lobes. The basal portion of the colony is a stiff-walled column that can reach over 20 cm in height and 10 cm in diameter. It is capable of deflating def lating (typica (t ypically lly during the nighttime hours), completely withdrawing into itself and closing shut with strong, sphincter-like muscles. When closed, the colony resembles a small, oblong potato. pota to. The column ends in a taproot-like foot. It anchors itself firmly in the sand or mud by way of tendril-like processes that extend from the foot.
Studeroites sp.
in its natural habitat. Photo by Terry Gosliner.
These corals usually usually exhi ex hibit bit subdued pigmentation. In some cases, the base may be somewhat darker or paler than the rest of the body. The base and lobes may be brown, tan, gray or white. Polyps are usually usual ly darker dar ker than the lobes. Polyps may be brown, orange or purple. Sclerites are without color. Though Studeroites is the only group in Family Paragorgiidae dae that tha t is found in the trade in appreciable numbers, its availability is somewhat sporadic (some authors have taken this to suggest that it is not heavily heavily harvested har vested from its it s native waters). wa ters). Stil Still,l, it is avoided by many aquarists on account of its poor record of survivability as well as its rather intensive husbandry requirements. Consequently, much information regarding the captive care of these animals remains remai ns unknown. unk nown. The high highly ly variable levels of success reported for the genus may be attributable to the wide range of captive captive conditions under which
Studeroites sp.
showing uncovered uncovered foot and part partialially retracted lobes. Photo by tropicalmarinecentre. co.uk (image reproduced with permission of copyright holder Tropical Marine Centre).
Reef « Redsh Magazine 2013:21 » 29
aquarists have a ttempted to keep keep it. In the most most general terms, Studeroites is best bes t maintained maintained in a system that employs moderate illumination, deep, loose substrates, moderate to strong s trong water movement, and frequent feedings of small-particle foods. Though it i t is entirely azooxanthell azooxanthellate, ate, it does require some light on a normal photoperiod, which seems to act as a cue for the colony colony to open and ex tend itself for feeding. Some reports do, however, suggest that there is a certain degree of unpredictability abi lity regarding regarding its diurna diurnall pat terns. It is reportedly repor tedly possible (though probably not ideal) to keep this coral in brightly lit aquaria, if situated within a shadowy area.
At pr present, esent, many many interesting infaunal infaunal anima animals ls (such as this Ptilosarcus sp. sea pen) are virtually unknown in the aquarium hobby. Photo by Ed Bierman.
Its foot should always be firmly embedded in the substrate, with enough open space around it to freely expand/contract withou withoutt risk of coming coming into into contact with the sweeper tentacles of a neighbor. Grai Grainn size of the substrate should be relatively small, from a gritty mud to a fine sand. The mud/sand bed should be loose and deep enough that the coral can be buried to the top of its foot. If the substrate is of an inappropriate grade, or if it is of insufficient depth, the coral will be unable to stay anchored in the bottom; in such cases, it may not expand/contract properly and can even fall out of the mud/sand bed, thusly deprived of its ability to feed. Water movement should be just strong enough to deliver maximal amounts of food and oxygen to the polys without disrupting full extension of the lobes. While these corals do appear to survive in chaotic water flow, they might benefit most from alternating laminar flows that simulate ingoing/outgoing tidal currents; such can be accomplished with the adroit use of pump timers. In many cases, fine tuning of both flow velocity and flow dynamics is necessary to elicit the full expansion and proper feeding behavior of this coral. coral. As it i t is with any azooxanthell azooxanthellate ate cora coral,l, appropriate appropria te foods and feeding regimens are critica cri ticall for success success with Studeroites . Past work with the genus suggests that these animals can capture and ingest a rather wide variety variet y of foods, including including both phy toplank toplankton ton (such as Nannochloropsis, Na nnochloropsis, Isochrysis, and a nd Tetraselmis) Tetraselmis) and zooplankton (such as copepods and rotifers). However, the best food mixtures, food proportions and food densities have yet to be conclusively identified. These corals are hence best kept in a system that receives numerous types of microfoods. microfoods. Feedings should be frequent, or even continuous (i.e., administered by a doser), whi while le the coral is in its feeding cycle. Feedings should should be heav hea v y, albeit with special care care taken to avoid fouling fouling the aquarium water. Meticulously spot feeding feeding the colony might might (while (while being rather tedious) help to ensure that a large amount of the food is captured by the minute polyps. Sources 1. Shimek, Ronald L. Marine Invertebrates. Neptune City, NY: T.F.H. Publications, Inc., 2004. 2. Fabricius, Katharina and Phi Philip lip Alderslade. Alderslade. Soft Corals and Sea Fans. Queensland, Australia: Australian Austr alian Inst Institu itute te of Marine Scienc Science, e, 2001. 3. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/paralcyoniidae.htm 4. http://ww w.tf hmagaz hmagazine ine.c .com/deta om/details ils/marine /marine-inv -inver ert/studeriotes-lo t/studeriotes-longi ngiramosa.h ramosa.htm tm 5. http://www.aquariumslife.com/soft-coral/christmas-tree-coral-studeriotes-coral/ 6. Michael P. Janes. 2008. Husbandr y of azooxanthellate azooxanthellate soft corals (Anthozoa: (Anthozoa: Octocorallia) Octocorallia) in captivity: prelimi preliminar naryy results. result s. Advances in Coral Coral Husbandry in Public Public Aquariums. Public Public Aquarium Husbandry Husbandr y Series, vol. 2. R.J. Leewis and M. Janse (eds.), pp. 61-73. Reef « Redsh Magazine 2013:21 » 30
Redtail Red tail Catfish Its pretty odd, but massive catsh have an iconic place in the aquarium keeping hobby. None more so than the Brazilian giant the Redtail Catsh (Phractocephalus hemio- liopterus ) - requently known by aquarists on the web as simply the RTC. Small individuals are airly requently available in aquarium markets worldwide. It seems i you keep large sh, it’s a species you almost have to have - and while some shkeepers o large species do have the training, equipment and experience to keep this species without problem, many sadly do not.
Redtail Catsh hail rom the warm waters o the Orinoco and Amazon river basins. Photo by. Pedro Gutiérrez
Redtail ‘kittens’ as they are known are relatively requently available in the hobby. They are pretty cute as juveniles so it’s easy to see the attraction. Photo by by Elma. Tropical « Redsh Magazine 2013:21 » 31
Those barbels aren’t or show they are or hunting! This goes or most catsh, it’s a good rule o thumb - the th e longer longer the barbels the more likely they are to be predators.
Tropical « Redsh Magazine 2013:21 » 32
The scenario oten plays out with young, inexperienced sh keepers purchasing the species and placing the specimen into a vastly undersized aquarium oten with inappropriate tankmates. These tankmates requently are the rst meals o the new addition. Oten this happens at night, with the aquarist unsure what is happening within their aquarium. Eventually, Eventually, the catsh, being the sole sh remaining, is either discovered in the act or its rapid growth gives away its modus operandi. Growth is rapid in this species and small sh can easily reach 60cm (2’) in a year. Eventually the species can grow to the over 120cm (4’) in length and can weigh in at more than 50kg. At their adult size they need to either kept in huge tanks, which are extremely costly, or indoor ponds. The latter option is the best outcome or most amateur shkeepers as one can provide large volumes o water without taking out a second mor-
gage! Complicating their care, RTC are very sensitive to dissolved waste products in their water. This is conounded by their messy eeding habits and large meals (and subsequent production o signicant quantities o waste). In reshwater sadly there’s only really one option or dealing with waste - water changes. Sure, VERY strong ltration is required and will convert this waste to nitrate, however, in the absence o denitrication water removal and replacement is the only way to get red o this accumulated nitrate. Inevitably, our amateur, inexperienced shkeeper can’t cope with the demands o the species and individuals are then either returned to sh stores, public aquariums or -- most alarmingly -- dumped into local waterways. In areas warm enough to support populations o the species (Florida, or example, eral populations can establish).
Growing to over over 120cm this is a serious sh - not suitable or most aquarists Photo by Maureen (amerune) rom Bufalo, USA. Tropical « Redsh Magazine 2013:21 » 33
Like Redtail Catsh, the giant Arapaima isn’t suited to the home aquarium. Individuals are sometimes ofered or sale but should only be considered by experts with heated ponds.
Tropical « Redsh Magazine 2013:21 » 34
A side issue with the RTC is the eeding o other live animals to the sh. Redtails are unussy eeders, eeding live sh is not only unnecesary, cruel its also dangerous or your RTC. Avoid it. I you really have to keep tank (or pond mates) with a RTC they need to be the same length as the RTC (i not a little larger) lest they become a meal or a ailed ailed attempt at one which kills both the tankmate and the RTC! RTC also have a tendancy to eat lter parts, small pebbles and other objects small enough to swallow. These tend to be reguritated - though eeding should be avoided until the oreign body is removed. In a pond setting, ne sand is probably a good substrate with rocks too large to eat. I you’ve got experience with species that grow to a metre - and have expeexpe rience with wit h indoor ponds - the t he RTC RTC is a personable personable pet with great personality. For everyone else, the species is best let in the store or in the Amazon!
There’s a ew other species in the same boat as the Redtail Catsh. The top photo shows the huge size that some Alligator Gars (Atractosteus spatula) can reach. The equally massive Wels Cash (Silurus glanis ) is sometimes available in some specialty shops. Avoid both species unless you have the knowledg knowledge, e, experience and space. In most cases you’re you’re going to need massive heated ponds. These aren’t or new players in the aquarium hobby!
They’re attractive sh in a strange way. Most aquarists undestand it, even admire it. But please don’t purchase unless you’re a specialist. Photo by Jenni Douglas. Tropical « Redsh Magazine 2013:21 » 35
First Time at Sea
a re re e f k e e pi n g jo j o u rn a l
We ha h a ve so s o m e exci ex citt i n g ne n e w s fr f ro m th t h e Redf R edfii s h Re R e e f - in i n ou r next n ext iss is s u e (#22 (#22)) we’ we ’ ll be b e ma m a k i n g th t h e swit s witch ch to t o LED LED lighti light i n g! He H e re ar a re so s o m e ph p h oto ot o s fr f ro m th t h e ne n e w in i n st a ll to t o wet you y ou r apet a petite ite!!
Blog « Redsh Magazine 2013:21 » 37
Community Directory International Advanced Advanced Aquarist http://w ww.advancedaquarist.com Britain Anglia Anglia Reef Club ub http://w ww.angliareefclub.org.u ww.angliareefclub.org.uk/ k/ Bracknell Aquarist Society http://bracknellaquaris t.wordpress.com/ t.wordpress.com/ Bristol Bris tol Aquarists Aquarist s Society http://w ww.bristol-aquaris ww.br istol-aquarists.org.uk/ ts.org.uk/ Bristol Bris tol Tropical Fish Club ub http://w ww.bristoltropicalfishclub.org.uk/ ww.br istoltropicalfishclub.org.uk/ British Cichlid Cichlid Association http://w ww.britishcich ww.br itishcichlid.org.uk/ lid.org.uk/ British Killifish Association http://w ww.bka.org.uk/ British Koi Keeeper’s Keeeper’s Society (BKKS) See website for UK sections http://w ww.bkks.co.uk/ ww.bk ks.co.uk/ Catf ish Study Group http://w ww.catf ishstudygroup.org/ Dunstable & District Aquarist Society http://w ww.ddas.co.uk/ Federation of Nor thern Aquarium Societies (FNAS) See website for list of associated clubs http://w ww.fnas.org.uk/ Greater Manchester Cichlid Cichlid Society http://w ww.nekrosoft.co.uk/gmcs/ ww.nek rosoft.co.uk/gmcs/ Hounslow & District Distric t Aquarists Aquarist s Society http://my web.tiscali.c web.tiscali.co.uk/hounslowf o.uk/hounslowf ish/ Ilford Ilford &Distr &District ict Aquarists & Pondkeepers Pondkeepers Society Society http://w ww.ilfordaquarists.co.uk/ Preston and District Aquatic Society http://w ww.nor thtrop.co.uk/preston.html thtrop.co.uk/preston.html Reigate and Redhillll Aquarist Society http://w ww.networ kclub.co.uk/rras/ kclub.co.uk/rras/ Ryedale Aquarist Society http://w ww.r yedaleaquaristsociety.co.uk/ Southend Leigh and District Distric t Aquarist Society http://w ww.southendaquarist.co.uk/ ww.sou thendaquarist.co.uk/ Strood and District Aquarist Society http://w ww.s troodaquarist.co.uk/ Scotland Federation of Scottish Aquarist Societies. See website for list of associated clubs http://w ww.scottishaquaris t.co.uk/scottish_aquarium_society.htm t.co.uk/scottish_aquarium_society.htm Aberdeen Fish Keeper’s Club ub http://sites.google.com/site/aberdeenfishkeepersclub/ Greenock & District Aquarist Society http://w ww.scottishaquaris t.co.uk/greenock&distric t.co.uk/greenock&distric t_as.htm Fair City Aquarist Society http://w ww.faircityaquaristsociety.co.uk/ Union of Scottish Aquarists http://w ww.f ishwebusa.co.uk/ ishwebusa.co.uk/ Capital Aquarist Society, Edinbourgh nbourgh http://w ww.scottishaquaris t.co.uk/capital_aquarists_s t.co.uk/capital_aquarists_s ociety.htm Dundee & District Distric t Aquarist Society http://w ww.scottishaquaris t.co.uk/dundee&distric t.co.uk/dundee&distric t_aquarist_society.htm Glenrothes Glenrothes Aquarist Society http://w ww.scottishaquaris t.co.uk/glenrothes_aquarist_society.htm t.co.uk/glenrothes_aquarist_society.htm Grangemouth Aquarist Society http://w ww.scottishaquaris t.co.uk/grangemouth_aquaris t.co.uk/grangemouth_aquaris t_society.htm Lanarkshire Aquarist Society http://w ww.scottishaquaris t.co.uk/lanarkshire_aquaris t.co.uk/lanarkshire_aquarist_society.htm t_society.htm Musselburgh Musselburgh & District Aquarist Society http://w ww.scottishaquaris t.co.uk/musselburgh_a_s.htm t.co.uk/musselburgh_a_s.htm Perth Aquarist Society http://w ww.scottishaquaris t.co.uk/perth_aquaris t_society.htm Poecilia ia Aquarist Society http://w ww.scottishaquaris t.co.uk/poecilia_sc t.co.uk/poecilia_scotia.htm otia.htm Workington ork ington & District Distric t Aquarist Society http://w ww.scottishaquaris t.co.uk/workington_as.htm Wales Newpor t & District Distric t Aquarist Society http://kimnp19.tripod.com/ http://kimnp19.tripod.com/ Ireland Irish Midlands Midlands Aquatic Society http://midlandsaquatic.weebly.com/i http://midlandsaquatic.weebl y.com/index.html ndex.html
Be par t of of our commun communii ty! Our current listing is primarily from Britain, if you’re part of a f ishkeeping ishkeeping club or society on the Continent Continent we’d love to add you to our list! Email us at
[email protected] to get listed here.
Photo by Hobvias Sudoneighm Community « Redsh Magazine 2013:21 » 38
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