I 1 ~ q - m Manufacturer of Instant Ocean*

we are, therefore, in the gender of

Volume 8 Winter 1991 r

j m c n a cmea, a small, coionui tiiant U m species.

'Mdacnid Clam Culture

When stocking a miniature reef aquar- ium, one animal that should be con- sidered is the Giant Tridacnid Clam. Possessing photosynthetic zooxanthel- be, these clams are perfectly suited for

lit reef tanks, because they do not bnlbE! tobefed.Infact,asthey row, they will be removing nutrieritsfrom the water!

As many of you are aware, this group of clams has been harvested almost to the point of extinction, and has been eliminated in many areas. The meat is considered a delicacy in Asia. The shells we sold for jewelry, ornaments, and crafts, and now they are being sold in the aquarium industry. Sounds like a classic case of "raping the reefs", but there is a bright side to this story. Over the past 1 5 years, several roups have & been actively researching mass cul- hire of this valuable clam. A leader in

*I991 Aquarium Systems. Mentor, Ohb-Printed In USA

this field is theMicronesian Mariculture Demonstration Center ( M W ) h ftilau, headed by Gerald Heslinga. The MMDC has succeeded in raising all 7 of the Tridacnid species and are now concen- (rating on one of them, T i n a derasa. The MMDC has deveto a unique

methodforraisingthesec E"1 rnsiwithoul fully explaining the complex rearing system or larval biol one amazing feature of the process ¡gy s that tile larvae are raised without any feedinas! This is done by stimulating spawning in large groups of adult clams. The new larvae contain enough nutrition in their sacs to live without f a for 3-5 yolk ays with normal development The k to T not feeding the larvae is to innocu ate them with the symbiotic zooxanthellae which infect the veli er. or cillated ¤ larvae. The zooxan e l k immediately begin to produce food! Now all that Is needed is clean water and sunlight. While it is not quite that simple, the

(continued on page 31

circuit has six 400 watt -5 metal halide res, augmented by twelve secondary 150 watt incandes- cent spotlights. The two lighting cir- cults are controlled separately by adjustable timers. To simulate dawn and dusk the incandescent lights are set to switch on thirty minutes before the metal halldes, and to turn off thirty minutes & f l the metal halides have been extinguished.

Since spawning occurs in the eve- ning after working hours, a system of sampling the water column for pelagic eggs Is needed. After several trials, a simple egg collector was devised that consists o a submersible water pump of 200 gallons r hour capacity with a

nge filter Amd to the intake port collector is set in the late afternoon

and allowed to run overnight This has proven to be very effective and has resulted in capturing eggs from four species of fish. By comparing the fea- tures of these eg s with published reports (Thresher, ? 984) it was deter- mined that three of the four species are the Striped parrotfjsh Scanis croicen- SB, the Cherub Pygmy angetfish Cen-

and the Spadeflsh. A

spawn daily wtth some fluctuation in the quanti of eggs dtected from each species, t h e number of Spadefish eggs collected In an overni ht catch vanes from two to over 200, % ut this variation may be an artifact of the collection method and not an indication of actual Spadefish fecundity.

Once the eggs have been collected they are&- ssed for hatching. The sponge ris removed from the mp and submerged in a container o B, water

It is washed to relieve fromtfied% it a f thew8 'ch are hen scmnd thro h a micron fitter, placed In a petridlsh, and viewed through a dte- secting microscope.

single SpaddiihTuçFwith 4 drop et, an measure be- tween 1 millimeter (mm) and 1.2mrn in

diameter. As the embryo matures, numerous scattered light-brown pi

s rapidly and hatching occurs about4 b u r s after spawnin ^ hatchin the larvae retain a very rge yolk sack and the eyes are not yet -

pH merited; the young drift belly up. wo days alter hatching, the larvae have prominent pigmented eyes, are swim- ming with control, and begin feeding.

Tank raised juoenlle Spadeflsh one year old. with three month old indiuidual ln

Feedh of the larvae is the critical point ~n th e rearing of most marine shes. The larvae will only feed on llv-

Ing food Items, but even new! hatched Amnia naupiii are too Lrge for Spadeflsh larvae. It Is necessaly, there- fore,tomaintainacultureoffiveplankton to offer the young fish. Spadefish larvae are la e enough to accept the marine rotifer % achionus plicattlfs as a first food. We culture rotifers and their food, the unicellular algae Chlorelia sp., on a continuous basis in order to have them available when needed.

Spadefish larvae days after hatching newly hatched marine species we have reared. Spade- fish do not show a well defined [nt of metamorphosis. Moat marine r ish lar- vae are nearly colorless but pfgmenta- tion is present even In very young Spadefish larvae, though It is confined to the front half of the body. About day

mentatton extends o w the whole and the young discontinue a

planktonic llfestyleand begin to associ- ate with the substrate. We consider this point to be metamorphosis. At 20 days, we move die juveniles out of the larvae tank and Into a conventional aquarium with under ravel filtration. The are then o f? ered a widervariety o y¡" foods

total length.

the larvae to s& food more

.vations on the .Ã Rock Fishery

Pet Rocks, the term live broad range of "rocky" many kinds of life forms rocks can be base rock

. r.~l collector, Or. Henry Feddem, arefully selecting piecesoftlue rock deral waters In the Florida Keys.

luring these Gyears, Florida has been

it appears that the State of Florida has the conservative a

tota *pted y banning live rock co yh* e n ,

lot but, when the vastness of the Florida coastal lands is considered, this Is really not much material. Of course, over- collection of a particular type of rock from limited areas is possible. This Is why new collection regulations were implemented this year. Mow all corn- merclal collectors must keep a log, or tri -ticket, of what they harvest and w Le It came from. These logs provide the information needed to evaluate whether collection practices are det- rimental to the environment The collection of protected hard cor-

als, however, ban entirely different issue from the collection of live rock. Fisher- men caught with restricted species are already governed by laws which impose stiff fines.

Recently a number of articles have appeared reporting a decline in the health of the coral reefs in the Florida Keys. Major causes cited for this decline have been pollution due to the heavy development in the Keys, inadequate waste treatment, and run-off of a 14- cultural chemicals from the ~ v e r ~ l a d à into Florida Bay. The recent move to

dude all of the Florida Keys in a marine anctuary may be an overreaction that wld seriously injure our marine aquar-

ium hobby and still not help the fragile reefs. If pollution and development are the real problems, creating a marine sanctuary won't solve them, It Is quite possible that under the uise of savin the reefs all collection 8 live rock an 1 even marine tropical fishes would be banned!

As marine aquarists, we must con- tinue to be environmentally respons- ible, supporting sound collection practices and usin cultured specimens when available. 41 is does not mean that we must join and support every

r"s that claims to be saving the reefs. e s odd avoid getting caught up in

the fra of either joining a group or being 1 randed as "raping the reef I. Lookattheobjectivesofthegrou and its methods. Ale Its oals an pro- grams rational and realistic?

f The Florida Marine Life Association.

Inc. (FMLA) is an alliance of tropical marine fishermen who collect the organisms we enjoy. These fishermen have been working with the Florida Marine Fishery Commission to establish reasonable regulation of the ornamental marine fish industry. During the past

r, the FMLA has worked to ensure the long-term productivity of the marine tropical M e including size and daily limits for bo % sport and commercial

fishing. However, proposed environ- menta restrictions would sevedy cur-

tail or even eliminate collection of marine tropicals in the Florida Keys. For this reason, the FMLA needs moral and financial support from hob a d retaiiem. h s e m i n tiw re%% more than a hobby for #em. it is their livelihood.

*For more Information or to support the Florida Marine Life Association, write to; FMLA, P. 0. Box 1754. Big Pine Key, FL 33043. "

MMDC is producin tens of thousands of seed clams an 1 has over 10,000 adults in inventory,allowing them to do genetic research on different.strains of clams. r~~rertfitft~r

One of the biggest proble tered in the grow-out of juvenile dams is predation by an Indo-Paciflc snail, C matium muricinum. Post-larvae of th <L pest invade the young clam, taking up residence between the shell and the fleshy mantle they feed on. Eventually the infested clam will begin to gapeand draw Its mantle Inward, away from its shefl, ending in its death. Manual removal of the snails is necessary.

Giant Clams (Tiacna derasa) rown at the Wcronesian Maricu/twe ~e&rnent Center.

A small ectoparasitic pyramid- snail (Tathrella iredalei) can also infest clams, sucking blood from the mantle at night Juvenile snails hatch directly fromeggsand mature in 4 monthgand. can reproduce in aquaria. Washing dams riortoplacementlnanaquarium . shod t f remove this pest, although It may be introduced along with live rock.

(continued from page 3)

ilau is low in nitrogen, and this was to limit growth. To overcome this,

the Juvenile raceways are fertilized daily with ammonium nitrate (NHaNQ*). One raceway study involved s iking a 5,000 liter (L) tank holding I s,& juven- ile dams (35 millimeters (mm) or 1 % inch size) with 50 micro Molar ammo- nium simultaneously with 50 micro M(

' nitrate. This amounts to 0.7 ml,,,fims er liter (mg/L) NHa-N and 0 . 7 4 ~ N&-N! Overnight the ammo- nia was totally removed, and the nitrate dropped about 20%. Ammonia is re- moved preferentially, but in its absence, nitrate is taken up. A small scale (21) daytime study resulted In approx- imately 90% removal of an ammonium -?rate spike within 2 hours.

Extra lating from this work, 30 small cams 00 in a 10L trough could

nitratenitrogen level by 5pans per mil- lion (ppm) each month, course, at these rates, the clams would not stay small for Ion . Clam filters may be a vi- able alterna 8 e to algae filters in the near future. In addition, clams will not have the uncontrolled growth that can occur with filamentous or unicellular

under eutrophic conditions. e goals of this and other facilities

include restocking clams in depleted areas, as well as supplying commercial markets for food and ornaments. Lim- ited numbers of these cultured clams are also beginning to enter the marine a uarium market o r the reef aquanst this means that

tank raised specimens of these endan- gered and protected clam species are now available in the 1 to 2 year range (2 to 4 inches). 7'. &asa and T. gi as may be the best for filters whereas hrocea and 1. maxima are favored for disp because of their bright colors, especia ly the blue forms.

T

-fed. They should dealwith IfHSnteditoria, reviews that in our opinion

I &necessary, ent will be made at P <s<isting rates a will cover all author'; rights to the material submitted.

Seascope is ublished quarterlyfor free distribution & rough local aquarium

dealers. Dealers not receiviftg copiesof SeaSco e for distribution to their cus- tomers s fL uld call Aquarium Systems, Inc. to be added to the mailing list Telephone: 1 -800-822- 1 100. Aquarists interested in receiving copies directly should send their name and address, along with $2.00 ($4.00 foreign coun- tries) for posh and handling (four issues to Sea pe. Aquarium S / ¤ terns, nc., 8 1 41 Tyler Blvd.. Mentor. g 44060. Address questions and sugg lions to: Thomas A. FiAkSeS, Editor.

1- ~aaittocturerd~nstant Ocean*

increased to me gfaquulio.

The hobbvist to faced with a number of

(cant-huedon -2)

Volume 8 Spring 199 1

The old cliche "you get what u pay for" certainly applies to the fish z h e genus Cat esiops. The comets, as they are com- mon called, are attractive to aquarists, not only 1 to thelrunlque and comely appear- awe, but also because of their interesting behavior and unrivaled hardiness. For these reasons the comet Is a worthy acquisition for the beginning and advanced hobbyist alike.

The enus CdtOpSesiops belongs to the family Sdopsldae,and is charaddzed by a disjunct lateral line, a spiny dorsal mem- brane that is not Incised, a tail that is longer

the comet, (CaSloptesfops dtluetis), and the argus comet (Catlopteslops a us). Theargus comet can be distinguished y rom

1991 Aaiimun Systems. Mentor. Ohio-Printed in US^

Its congener by the presence of more numerous, smaller spots on the body. While the marine betta is relativelycornmon at retail fish stores, the argus is rarely avail- able- Both of these flsh row to about 1 6 centimeters (cm), or 6 3 inches in total length.

In their natural habitat the comets are secretive fish that spend most of the daylight hours in caves and crevices. At nigh they move from cover and stalk shrimps, crabs, and small fish. The marine betta has been reported on the feef face, In water ranging from 3-45 meters (m), or 10-146 feet in

depth (Myers, 19W. einieresbng aspect of comet behavior

is the apparent mimetic relationship that exists between this fish and the spatted moray ed (Gymnoihorax meleafs). When threatened a comet will raise all Its median fins and swim Into a hole or crevice. Rather than disappear completely, it will often stop in the entrance of its sanctuary and leave

of its body exposed. With cl%cd the white-swed h i y , the cornel's back end is similar in appear- ance to the head of a. moray eetf By mlmick-

(Consnuedon page2)

) icqulred it will usually only eat live food, so try adding feeder fish (preferab a species 7 that can livein s$twater,like mol iesorgup- pies) or live brine shrimp. If this does not elicit a feeding response try dimming the

et's eye s ts might also serve another function. s Ince many predators go for the head in order to Incapacitate their prey, the eye spots on the posterior part of the body may deflect such attacks to the less vulner- able tail a-

Another unique part d the comet behav- ioral repddreis theaction patterns Involved inpreyoipture.WhenC.arg~stalksbenthtc prey, it tips its body forward, erects its huge pelvic fins, and cuds its tall to one side. The argus ropels itself toward its victim by undulating the pectoral rntial ns The marine betta performs a similar display. This hunting behavior appears awkward and conspicuous to the aquarist, but It may be that this exaggerated approach distracts the argus's victim and the extended pelvics and laterally directed tail form a barrier to impede the prey's escape. Other reef fish (e.g., soapfishes, trumpetfishes) are also known to employ unusual swimming pat- terns when approaching their quarry, pos- sibly for the purpose of distraction. Whatever the function, the comets often succeed in closing the distance between themselves and their prey. and when within striking range, they lunge forward, ingest- ing the food Item with great speed.

. . . . . . . . .

fully acclimated. one barn to dupe your comet into taking "dead" food is to place it in the current produced by a water pump. With time andconditioning, your comet will spend more time in view and some spec-- imens will even beg for food when you ap" preach the aquarium. But do not expel

ur comet to constantly swim about atthe ,

E n t ofthe aquarium; this is not the nature of this beast

For you reef aquarists, the Cailopiesiops s p. are good candidates for your tank. lowever, beware; these fish may thin out your shrimp populations. Although comets usually ignore resident crustaceans, newly introduced shrirn may become the targets of their hunting efforts- For instance, I once watched as a large C. altiueks snapped u three newly acquired peppermint shrimp f I also had a marine betta bite the antennae off a banded coral shrimp. Since a new released shrimp is most vulnerable to attac 'l when it is drifting in open water, the bestway toprevent such a problem istotransportthe shrimp to the security of the coral-covered tank bottom with your hand or a net. Small fish are also at some risk when introduced in a tank with a resident comet I hada large C. argus that persistently stalked a new bluellned dottyback and small prawn goby; fortunately, it never succeeded in capturing

-f either of Its diminutive tankmates. Usually, however, comets are of little danger o established residents. Since comets depend i n an "Introduced" food source. as opposed

). ~ c ~ u a i n t yourself with your corn- s preferred hideoutsand present the food

ear these areas. Although these fish may only accept live food at first, they can often be switched to frozen ~remrations when

The comets are incredibly hardy. I have hod several specimens survive otherwise total tank wipe outs caused by parasitic In- feqions and have yet to see a specimen wtth a severe case of saltwater Ich (Qp tocayon idtans), even In uaria where every other fishwascoveredwith 1 Dur- iMattemptstoextractseveralofthesefish

- from aquaria I have had them tear their fins and rip scales off when they wedged them- selves between nieces of coral. These

- wounds healed quickly without any signs of --I infection. 1 am almost convinced

these fish are immortal! Cornet keeping is not always without Its

drawbacks, however. For example, when Introduced Into the aquarium these fish are

shy(thisbeingespeciallytrueinb ' htly ftJaRks). Your new comet may hidefor a w o r m o r e before you even catch a fteet- @glimpse of it Its timid nature can pre- sent 9 problem when feeding time rolls oiound. especially when it is in a tank with &re aggressi& tankmates. When first

L

. . &a week.

bers~fof lw species. This¥isaatoundt when you consider they are closely related

great candidate for a c 've breedl gram (seà ~ e à § ~ ~ ~ f l e , , 7.tt del%f?

This concludes' our brief review d the enus Cailoplesiopa. tf you are looking for a

fsh that Is aesthetically appearing, interest- ing to observe, relatively easy to keep, and long lived, then tiya Comet! &

4 tJNewf^ends In Pumping

w - This Is Important to mole even flow through the entire grave I%;

A modification to the UG filter system is the Reverse Flow design. Here water is pumped down the lift tube and flows up through the gravel. This ' ?e c* -&-up

For rrtniature rwf aquariums, number of applications that must be sidered- One pump may notbe best for them.

illusiraiion of a p o w head in a reef tat smp. Significant head presswe Is required

the pumps are inside the aquar- a key Issue, so compact, power

mps like the Maria aeries are mended. They can be placed any In the reef to provide circulation and p sediment suspended In the water.

Accessory pumps: -Accenories such as sterilizers or foam fmctionators b d e l n

were evaluated for flow rate from zero feetto over six feet in one foot Intervals. Low resls- tance laborata flow meters were used on the Inlet ride of the test umps. Two units were tested d each mode) and the results

four feet and su feet. ~t four feet massed ~ a x i - ~ e t it at was just pumping Over live three times (300% the flow of the AquaClear 402, whi / e the Penguin 1140

wmw flowing at three feet ¥Je line also has another advan-

tage in versatility. The impeller chamber

important. A number of popular 1 15 Volt pumps

has an O-ring seal. so it can be connected to hose; and o rated out of water, as long as It is sltuatedbelow the water level of the sump and Is primed. This means that Mod* Jet pumps can be connected outside the sump to fitters equipped with hose fittin s. Removing die pump from the sump ah removes the heat enerated by the pump. n In conclusion, t ere are many types of pumpsavailebie. It is up to you, the

pump Is best suited to them. A Mila!** todetermine what your needs are an which

Pen uin* Is a Istered trademark of ~ ~ u a i & , ~nc.. ~lml'%lley, CA 93065. Aqua- deal* is a registered trademark of Rolf C. Hagen (USA) Corp., Mansfield, MA 02048.

Marine Aquarium

Decorating an aquarium serves two main ~urooses. to oroduce an aesthetically oleas- ing display and to provide a habitat for your pets. For some hobbyists, live rock is a good choice for decorative material because it is natural looking, provides food, and can be stacked to provide habitat. However, many hobbyists are more interested in fish than invertebrates, and realize the difficulty of disease control in these community tanks. In addition, many popular groups such as Butterflyfishes, Ange fishes an Surgeon- fishes are not compatible with Invertebrates, Still one m like to create a natural and at* tractive dis& to house our finned guests.

Historically, natural coral skeletons have been a common choice for aquarisis, but deadcoral hasa numberof drawbacksthat marine aqua- should be aware of. Curing the coral is very important When it was collected the rock-like mass was actually a colony of living organisms imbedded In the hard skeletal material. Prolonged soaking in a strong bleach solution is usual neces- f sary to removeall the dead material oilowed

T T " cd soaking in fresh water to remove a I the residual tissue and chlorine. For big eces, such as brain corals, this can be f ifficuk

Another problem with coral is its affinity for copper medications. The highly porous calcium carbonate composition of coral rapidly extracts copper from aquarium water. It is critical to maintain a constant therapeutic dose of copper throughout the treatment rid, but natural coral makes this difficurcontributing to recurrent out- breaks of disease. Once contaminated, it is difficult to extract the copper from the coral. In cases where tanks have received several treatments, the coral may have to be re- moved before sensitive invertebrates can be laced back in the display.

Finally, there is the environmental issue. Natural coral that is sold for decorations is

(continued on page 41

because of (ternand, coral sttll finds tts way 6ito aquarium and ft shops, Mosi of the coralenteringtheU& f! Alegally nowcomes fpom trutonesla. The Philippines have out- Uwedtiorakollectton since 1 =,yet within

r I was told by a c o d dealer In a piece1 waslooking at nes. A recent Aiianite

corrfiscatien of "a htqe Wport &tpmant of protected sea cor- eSs cortslgned to a Ta'pA nsse importer. The marine aquanurn hobby is already under scrutiny by environmental groups whofeel collecting tropical fish should be banned. Support of illegal collection must be avoided at all costs.

Rockspresentanotheroption for decora- ting. Lava rock and sandstone are two corn-

, bat these materials may present a % E s to crating an atu-aciive &sdw. Large rocks require careful placement because theycan causesignificantdarnage if they fall or roll against glass plates.

Reefoms natural aquarium decor has Just been Introduced by Aquarium Systems, and a number of other brands of artificial coral decoraBorts have also begun to appear on the market. They have several advantages over natural products. Most ark made with fiberglass reinforced resins 1 hat are essentially Inert when properly cast These materials are not porous as natural cdtal is, a real advantage when it comes to

Algaethatgrowonwral &&tom z d % intothe pieceand can only be tdrnInat&d by bleaehl The surface of Rdonns decoratrons%however, is easily & a n d of unsightly algae by gentle wash-

%EhP.~r inert cmw&on, Worms decorations can be used in both tnartne and freshwater uartums. Soft acid a " will not dissolvethsm, and they will red alter the pH. Also, they <to not remove copper rapidly as natural coral does, mak- Klfl it much easier to maintain therapeutic levels during treatments.

Reeforms aquarium decorations offer a range of colors, sizes, arid shapes to select from, inctudi whtte cord Itcas and several colorf 3 sponge piecesx l ike syn- theUc corals that have molded-in colors, Reformsstored pieces have been k o - fated In colors that have been selected by an aquaflc artist to match the natural colors of five corals and spondes. The hollow design (rf Worms decor m a n s that less water is cBspta<:çd an<) the lighter weight pieces are easier t& handle, Corn the in rice with dead natural coral. theRedormslineofier: a nmnber of advantages over dead coral skeletons without the environmental damage.

sea salt &able. sea salt available. How c < - - cantwosynthetic v ,< cy c , sea salts be "flw'btww

"S

k - fieriCrwtalaf*,afidhxtfuit~cean*swttie&seaiialtsaresuoeriiir~aidsoisalts that answer6

aacope was created to present short, iformalive articles of interest to marine quarists. Topics may include water chernis- . y. nutrition, rnariculture, system design, ecology, behavior, and fish health. Article con- leibuttonsare welcomed. They should deal with pertinent marine aquarium topics and are ubject to editorial reviews that in our opinion re necessary. Payment wilt be made at exist-

ing rates and wilt coverall author'srightstothe material submitted. SeaScope is published quarterly for face

'istribution through local aquartem dealers.

Dealers not receiving copies of Seascope for distribution to their customers should call Aquarium Systems, Inc. to be added to the mailing list. Telephone: 1-800-822-1 100 or (216) 255-1997. Aquarists interested in re- ceiving copies directly should send their name and address, along with $2.00 USA ($4.00 foreign countries) for postage and handling (four issues) to SeaScope, Aquarium Sys- tems, Inc.. 8141 Tyler Blvd., Mentor, OH 44060. Address questions, and suggestions to: Thomas A. Frakes, Editor.

Aquarium*

r tume 8, Spring Mi

ng tissue and habitat support! the animals and algae that take refuge

leaks, to name the more subtle More direct attacks are seen in the

blast Fishing, coral collection for

s companiesand individuals have (continued on page 2)

A beautiful InDeftebrale n e e f e x f t f M t , tfte result of patience and cans.

A Successful Reef Methodology ByWctnelPWelU '*-1>, - ,

During the past few years, many success- ful mini-reef aquariums have been pictured In various aquarium publications, lndlcat- Ing the widespread ulartty of this type of aquariumset (Wonunaiely,littlehas been written ohown these mini-reef uar- iums were started and how long it ta for these systems to become fully established and resemble a small portion of an actual reef. This article will try to outline key steps for creating a successful miniature reef, These techniques are not etched In stone, but they have proven veiy successful In m tank and in several others I helped establish that have been presented in recent articles

In ro pular aquarium magazines. This met od requires more patience than skill; consequently, I do not advocate any short- cuts to solve Initial set-up problems, By solving a roblem at its source, I have found hat the isplap I s t up thrtve In the long term, which Is what most reef keepers are

lookingfor* m he rst stepln setting u a minature reef 7 is to reed as much as poss ble about them.

Works by unbiased authors, those who are not trying to promote their own products, are suggested. Jutian Sprung, Martin Moe, Charles Del beek, Helmut Debellus, Alf Nd- son, and Peter Wilkens are good examples of such authors. These authors usually dis- cuss both sides of an argument and allow the reader to make the decision on a con- Iroversial issue, such as type of lighting or choice of fitter media. I cannotstressenough the importance of reading the Bterature prior to selecting a mini-reef astern and ctectd- ing on future inhabitants,

Once the aquarium system and equip- ment have been purchased, it is time to get started. The first step Is to set up the filter so the bacterial bed can beestablished. Filtthe filter with salt water and connect the pump so that it circulates water

twitself and the filter but not the aquarium. e reason for this will be explained below. After 72 hours, add a bacterial cufture or some i m dated filtration media to the fiker along with 5 grams of sodium nitrite (caution: toxid) per 20 gallons, follow) the reverse Inor-

nic method for estabHshi a filter bed described by Morin (1 983). 'n?is will st& Ize the water. Once the nitrite level drops, indicating development of adequate num-

(contifwed on page 3) 1 W I Aquarium Systems, Mentor, Ohio-Printed In USA

An aquarium decorates Reerormsm aquarium deca. - 11 +formsw can glue hoblytsts the opportwity to enjoy the beatl1g of natural coral without their lhitations.

worked to reduce the pressure on these fragile communities in man ways. Public aquariums have long usedhandpainted castings of coral to create attractive replicas of natural reefs. Stephen Smtte described the basic techniques of &king artificial exhlblts back in 1973 in- - but costs were prohibitive to hobbyists.

Now, however, uarium Systems, a plo- met in commercial 7 reeding of marine fish at Instant Ocean Hatcheries, has recently started production of Reeforms" synthetic reef decorations at a new facility in the Philippines. The country. which once was the major

supplier of natural coral decorations. has

W o r m s " coral castings, curing in the tropl- a1 sun.

now become the leading supplier of syn- thetic corals for marine aquarium hob- byists thr bu t the world.

Why the~hilimines? There are several reasons for selecting this region. A primary concern was to locate an area with workers possessing theartisit skills to learn to hand- craft the pieces and paint them individually. The labor intensive techniquesare not prac-

tical in many places. As former divers, ma workers also have intimate familiarity with the natural appearance of live corals that they are duplicating. Also. the climate, with its steady tropical temperature, is ideal for fiberglass work.

Just as importantly, we were trying to replace the economic loss to the created by the 1985 ban on collection?& corals. Although large uantitks of natural corals are still finding their way out of the

practice gives marine aquarlsts a bad tation which, unchecked, could cont to severe restrictions on the hobby whole.

The choice of crafted decoration several advantages over dead coral, the ecological concerns- Reeforms non-toxic and does not requirea curl cess to remove all the dead anima remains and chlorine residue. It is does not affect the various pH levels tered in fresh and saft water. The lig hollow design of this artform is far ea handle and es less of a risk to die aq iurn if it s h i r

One of the oats in creati Reefo pieces was to ? o m natural 13 di with lifelike colorsand theaccenx of live coral. To create these

r eces receive three ications of rom undercoat to hi 7f Ightlng. This

contrast to epoxy dipped dead ptamented replicas with only a sing onous color. In addition to coral

country by way of neighbor) countries, the trade In coral skeletons Is%wly being curtailed, particularly since they were added to the Convention on International Trade tn Endangered Animals (CITES) list of protec- ted animals, Appendix 2, last year. Animals on this list can only be sold te ally If the exwrting countq cow~ona it %y issuing perrnits,as is the case with Indonesia where most of the legal, live and dead coral comes from.

The hobbyist considering the use of bleached coral should be aware that the stark white skeleton was a vibrant colorful live coral before it was pried from the reef and dried out on the beach. This destructive

~eeforrns" sponges are available. Now colorful habitats can be sha to corn* ment the form and color of@ even the most dramatic fish roups, buttetflyfish, angelfish and surgeon 1 sh.

During a recent visit, we were able to study' a d WJ raph a number of richly pop-, ulated s wlth diverse assortments of fishes. Most of the facific coral species In the Reeforms" line were modeled after 1 pieces from the Philippines. It was great to 1 visit once again some of these sites to re- confirm the authenticity of the colors and ; forms of the Reefoms collection. A

be -vatlons

are established. catching fish with nets does not solve

bims in thePhilippines fishery In- Hotcting systems must be property

and maintained and shippin ed- perfected to reduce loss ad

survival. Because of past abuses overfishing of easily accessible areas in heavily populated island nation, collec- re faced with transporting live tropicah &able distances to the export facility nih, Increasing the stress on the fish.

us, ultimate short and loofl term survival

leave to escort an apprehended blast fisher- man to the capita) forprosecution and wodd be awav for a couote of days. The support erf local authorities fs essential to the k c c s of proper reef management where a sus- tafna e yftid can be achieved.

We, as an InduaUy, should encou the efforts of companies She Reg and Rixwith th<frfliw rootsapproachto-^shf&ig the

bl^^fcolle^r^vrfthAMS.More^ programs MI1 be us* without, ow

s posttbw support, A

After years in preparation, Gerald Alien's latest b & ~ a i h ~ i s finally available to hobbyists. This hard- bound edition builds upon the Information previously available In his earlier, outd- Pdntw w*- but has been expanded to Include all other known species of damsetflshes, as well. The 3 0 species of the faml Pomacen-

ttldae are described, and are I) f ustrated by nem(ty500 full-color photographs. The text provides current Information on clflssffica- tlm, behavior, natural distribution, avalla- bifity, teniperatwe requirements, maximum length, and type of care ulred In cap- tlvtty. There are also special sections on anemone hosts and the breeding of dam- sdflshes, as wdL

For easy reference, a twenty page table summarizes the habitats, uarium care, ^ distribution, and methods of eeding for all species for which data are available.

This comprehensive book is a must for aquarists, divers, and professtonal ichthyoto- gists, ft Is an up-to-date and concise treat- men!ofthisfascinating,colorful,anddiverse family of fbhes.

Available through your local pet dealer, the suggested retail price is $45.00. This reference is published for Aquarium Sys- terns. Inc. manufacturer of Instant Ocean* sea salt. A

bera di iiiirabacter bacteria, add approx- 2gmrnsdammoniumchtorfdeper

Measure (he ammonia and nit- after one weekand then "% three days until they reach zero. Add 1

millgroms of ammonium chloride now. A

3S%¡ ent of zero 0~1rnOria and nitrite houm means the fflter can handle

excessive amount of ammonia effec- lively. If the reading Is not aet~,the ami-nonta

' addition and tests should be

deionized, revekosmosis, or distilled water and to mix it with hit a uHnfty ual to that of the water in the fk, Additional wiMcr should also be made u etdy re- place the water in the fi water is now exceptionally high In nitrate. Ogce'oll of the water has been replaced, con the filter to the display tank and run it for a r cou le of days to check for problems.

dere are two reasons this method was \- chosen for the mint-reef system, The first is 1 that the bacterial bed can be developed inor ' ganlcally by adding ammonium chloride); without the addition of unwanted dissolved o anks that inhibit growth of nitrifying bac te y a and encourage unwanted microalgae The second is that. because ammonia in hibits the establishment of nitrobactel bacteria, cultivating nitrobacter before nitro-, somonas will start up the filter sooner. Thf method also allows for culture of a lar e( bacterial pulatlon. This is important, 7 of when the rockis introduced there will be some die-off of the animals on it. If the bac terial colony is not large enough to handle this rapid increase in ammonia and relatec end roducts, the result! toxic conditions could kill the remainderof the micro-faun# on the live rock.

Live rock is a key factor in creating a miniature reef. Initial processing and place-. rnent of the live rock is of paramou importance and aoes a lona wav towa 3 determining the $timate s u k b r failure of a reef exhibif m -.mu--

~ostoftheliverockthai haw usedhas been shipped i boxes from the i collector and moist, covered with wet newspaper. This rock was covered with all different sorts of material: sponges macroalgae, coralline algae, and m a d other inhabitants too numerous to men' tion. By the time you receive your rock. some o anisms are dead or dying and; others will die If the dead material Is not' removed. When the rock arrives it should first be rinsed in saltwater that can be taken from the show tank, since the rock will evenn tualty replace the water's volume. Rinsing will remove anv sand or slit and dead oroani isms, as well asallow for easier inspection ol what is left. Please note, under no cir- cumstances should the rock be rinsed in freshwater, as this osmotic shock will kill many of the already stressed Inhabitants. Once the rock is rinsed it should then be closely inspected and dead organisms' removed with tweezers, toothbrush, or wire4 brush. If something Iswhite and/or mushy It is usual dead. If in doubt, smell It, This will provide '? rnmediite verification. Also remove any unwanted inhabitants at this time. Th include chicken liver sponges, brisqt . -

(continued on pa

VisiJeP adds two new sizes to the pump and power head line:

quariiSystems ManutaCtwprol Instant Ocean*

SeaScopt was created to present shoi formative articles of interest to marfru, luarists. Topics may Indude water diemis-

try, nutrition, maricutture tern design, ecology,bdww,andf^hea&i.~rtideoon- tribuOons are wdcomed. They should deal u th pertinent marine aquarium topics and

esubjecttoeditorialreviewsthatinour Altonarer~-cesaa - T V f a y m ent will bemade

wf cover alt author's rntothematerial submitted. Sea6copà Is published qusrterty for free stributton through local aquarium dealers. eaters not receiving coptes of Seascope for stribution to their customers should call qi~rlumSystems,Inc.tobeaddedtoth Dili BsLTelephone: 1-800-822-1100~ 16)%1997. Aquarists interested in re-

movingcopiesdbecilyshouldsendthrirname with $2.00 (JSA ($4.00

HIT issues) to

WGO, Address questions, and suggestions to: Thomas A. Prates, Editor.

-Methodology - . . - r bttinwd from page 3)

worms, coh shells, crabs, mantis shrimp, mollusks, etc. Aft& all of (his has been removed,therockshould berinsedagainin

&Itwater. It should have the dean smell of 'the ocean. If it smells rotten, the source of thisodor needs to bà located and removed. In the worst case, this may mean breaking therockopento attheencasedorganism that isdead insi&~ncethlslsremoved the rock should be rinsed again and the whole process repeated, if necessary. Each piece of rock should be treated In the aauaeman-

detritus can accumtdate and makes It caster to place corals and other animals later. In addition, the inhabitantsof the mini-reef are more comfortable when numerous nooks and crannies are provided for them.

After all the rocks are in e and the water level adjusted, the b e* logical filter +Id be restarted ah) wtlh any other

'equipment, such w skirnrntas. ozonizers, or oxygen reactors. These are

"-started now because the introductionof live wHI add a tremendous amount of nu- ts to the water. To prevent future micro

a n d thread algae blooms, it Is n e r n o v e ~ s e n - t s a s m M 7 : Ailoftheliverockshouldbe addedatonc Adding it piece by piece results In a steady introduction of nutrients and the may never stabilize. The longer periodof d d t u s ~ w t i m f v e s an increased Ilk* llhood or algal an diatom blooms. It Is unneeesauy to add any trace elements or related compounds at this time. To prevent algal blooms, do not provide

anylightOther nroomlightfortherocks for the first month, Duri &is month of waiting, however, there l s a a lot to do. or the first two weeks jet water over the rocks with a bulb baster. This will dislodge any dead materlalandthedetritusthatseemsto beconstantl released. Thisdelritus should be siphonedfrom the bottom d the tank daily. Piles of debris will help Identify where stagnant or dead areas are. Power heads can then be added to eliminate these dead spots as well as provide additional tur- butence, which is beneficial to the Inhabi- tants. Weekly measurements of ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and phosphate levels should be taken. Once ammonia and nitrite levels are at zero, a 90% water change should be performed withaged saltwater.This isdone to remove accumulated nitrate and

Â¥determined If it is below 400 parts per

kalkwasser (calcium hydroxide) to to this level. This will stimulate

million (ppm), add calcium chtoride or

Ti desirable coralline algae Once the rocks 1 are covered with coca ine algae, micro and thread algae won't gain a foothold because they can't compete with the corallie form. This is also why the one month period of low light is recommended, as coralline a ae grow well in low H ht conditions. i e one month time arne is arbitraiy the real determinants to the end of this ini-

a. are when the nitrogemrelated have stabilized in the undetectable

m e detritus Is only very gradually being' ced, and the corallines have become 2%

well established.

However, the goal is to establish a mi ecosystem that will be successful for longterm and require only minimal ups rather than major overhauls. As stated earlier, nothin good happens i a mini-reef, only ad things happ fast. By using this method for settin a mini-reef, you can avoid having a problem decimate the display. In ad you can develop the patience necessary create a functional, successful min ecosystem in your home. &,

Manufacturer of hstant Ocean*

Bambooand pauktte Shaita

characteristics make the members

n most home aquaria. Anatomically, are well suited to it. Slender bodies

Me them toslip between coral branches

Gaining Confidence About Calcium The addition of calcium and other ele-

merits to the aquarium is the hot topic for discussion among reef hobbyists at the moment. This is good because at least it offers us a chance to cool down a little on the big lighting debate. It seems strange to me that so much confusion and discussion surrounds the notion of adding calcium, because actually methods are pretty straight- forward- 1 think some hobbyists are trying too hard to find an easier way to add calcium, instead of accepting the simple steps outlined by numerous authors. It is my intention here to suggest the proper means of maintaininga good calcium level, and I will try to avoid confusing you with chemical theory and formulas. Imagine you are cooking, if you will. and just follow the recipe, please.

First a little background is in order. The calcium level in natural seawaterawayfrom the Influence of land run-off is generally 400 milligrams per liter (mgfl) or parts per million (ppm), I haveobserved that the level

in the vicinity of coral reefs and in coastal waters tends to be slightly elevated, from 424 to480 ppm. Thus.fora reef aquarium it is suggested that the aquarist maintain a calcium level from 400 to 500 ppm.

I have tested the water in typical reef aquaria where no caldum additions have been made, and found that the calcium level commonly falls to between 250 ppm and 350 ppm, depending on the density of calcifying organisms in the aquarium and the frequency of water exchanges. If you have never added calcium to your reef aquarium, y o u can expect the level to be somewhere in this range.

Before worrying about how to raise the calcium level, 11 is best to invest in a good calcium test k i t Although you cou Id follow the "recipe" in this article for adding calcareous water, and never use a test kit you would not have a true understanding of the chemical equilibrium that exists in your particular tank. On the subject of test kits, I also recommend that you use an alkalinity test kit, since calcium additions may also affect the alkalinity, which is sometimes retired to as carbonate hardness.

Several methods exist for raising the m continued on page 4)

*I991 Aquarium Systems, Mentor. OhiiWnted in USA.

the grey bamboo sharksareoften

I brownbanded barn boo sharks have tmns- ¥-vers bands as Juveniles, but these bands ^çtewithmaturityandthebodybecomes 'mlforrrttight brown cotor. In the whitespot- 1 ,@ bamboo shark, tie juvenllta aport a

: handsome color pattern consisting of a ;glossy black body peppered with grey spots and saddles. Adults are dark brown overall

. . larks do well in captivity. The

'

bamboo shark has been re- !i t o j h for over twenty-fitte years in

Several bamboo shark spcctes the three encountered in the

anatomy, the c l a s p we modificationsof Ae peMc fins that ace osad to transfer

sperm. Mating lasts from Rve to fifteen minutes. Both the bamboo and e ulette &&u are oviparous. They lay a pa eathery

Bfc. T '

L

mouth nearer to the smut tip than tc the eyes, and prominent ridges over the eyes (Compagm, 1984). Unfortunately, &one of the five species comprising thismus Es available to <J. S, aquar ia the epaulette shaik. H, oceiidtum. Asmiles, epaulette shaiks are adorned with pale bands and spots, but as they grow the bands transform Into spots. The color pattern pi-ovideseffec- live camouflage, especially when you look down on the shaik. and the eye spots (ocdli)

captive breedw programs.The are similar in appearance to t bamboo sharks, are laid at n or three at a time. and hatch

occasionally succumb tofungal in and the parents have been known t eggs (Whttley, 1967; J. West, communication, 1990).

When selecting a tank for your

. ' * , ' 8 # ,

over the pectoralfins rnay functtontadupe would-be predators Into thinking thatthey r e being watched.

The epaulette shark Is usually observed at d e w no greater than nine. meters and often In water so shallow the dorsal fins break the water's surfacft, On Australia's Cireat Banter Rerfthwe^wteareopectoBy common in staghorn coral beds, but can also befoundcrawllngacrossthereofflntw hiding in tide pools. Juvenile epaulette sharks apparently spend their early years deep in crevices hiding from predators- They are also good at avoiding fish collectors; most epaulette sharks available to the aquarist are over 40 centimeters In length. In nature theadultsare most activeat night However, I have observed considerable- activity in these sharks during the day, including foraging and mating. Thet eat small crustaceans, molluscs, and worms (Whitley, 1940) which they hunt in reef crevices and extract from the sand. I have observed H. ocellatum shoving its snout into the sand and flipping over pieces of coral rubble with Its nose to expose concealed quarry.

I had the good fortune to witness the rep- reductive behavior of this species In the wild on a recent trip to the Great Barrier Reef. In this mating bout the male bit the pectoral fln of a smaller female and held it in his mouth while she dragged him through the stag horn coral for twenty-nine minutes! While swim mlng next to her, with her pectoral fin still affixed in his jaws, the mate finally suc- ceeded in cuding his pelvic region toward hers and inserting a single clasper. Copula- tion lasted about one and a half minutes. This observation corresponds to reports of captive matings. This shark regularly rep- reduces In captivity in tanks as small as 1 35 gallons. This makes it an ideal candidate for

, . .

specimens. spend many of the,, hours hiding in cracks and crevic

topple. AS with most reef dwettlna animals d

s h a h need clean water 6 particularly true of the ba which appear to be more

roflenous wastes than the epaulette Bamboo sharks are also more likely to fer from the shock of acclimation, to

week. Remember, the more you feed

the faster it will growl Monitor your dttion carefully. If It grows at ed rate feed it less, and if it

onal deficiencies are commonly

ented is consumed chop It up Into sized pieces. When feeding live prey

sure It is small enough to be swal-

lid.chooseitstantwnates

bamboo and epaulette sharks will eat ornamental shrimp.

HmtacyfM sharks are occasionally the victims d parasitic crustaceans such as

introducing a btueslreak cleaner wrasse, Labrotdes W f a t u s . These wrasses pick crustacean parasites out of the gills and mouth and off the body surface of bmy fishes and sharks. In the wild I observed a cleaner wrasse Inspect and pick at the mouth, barbels, gtll slits, and body surface ofançpaidett shaikfbroverelght mfmtteSi Thà shark helped fay opening Its mouth wide and expandingWe #I aperiare&% may seeyourbarnboo'shariftum&ils lde and chafe against ihe si~&SffaM. If your shatk frequently ~ n g l e s in this behavior treat tt f<fr gut panda

Infections, not para tçs are

hemisqfllds. These infections manifest therrraetves in the form of lesions and extreme redness on the ventral surface and can be treated with chloramphenid or tet- racydne, In another ebsmobranch ft has been determined that hard calcium sub- strates such as dolomite and larger grades of crushed coral may Irritate the animal's belly and cause Infections (Rudloe, 1989). For this reason I prefer to use coral sond in the shark aquarium.

As with the matorfty of shark species, these animals do not attack p b urdess provoked.Man,ontheother K' nd,pbSosa real threat to sharks. There is growing cori- cem about the effect of collection on shark populations. In contrast to most bony fishes, sharks are slow to (nature, Rue long lives, and produce relativity fw young. Because of this hfe history pattern heavy collection for the aquarium Industry may lead to rapid depletion of the population. Therefore. il Is important for serious shark keepers to in- captive breeding pro- grams and to take someofthis pressure off naturalpopulations. A

easier! b Web got something NEW- Reeforms handcrafted aquarium decor is now vailable in kits-that's right, a whole arrangement of Reefornu in me package.

... Confidence about Calcium 11 /continued from page I

calcium level in the tank, but E will focus attention on the long term maintenance via additions of calcareous water or wale1 exchanges. I will also discuss the use of calcium chloride.

Calcium SuppteoienU Calcareous water, also called kalkwasse~

of Hmtwatef, may be used as the sole source of water to make up for evaporation, or It may be added diluted with the makeup water or merely added on occasion. The best aqua- in Europe generally agree that using only kalkwasser for makeup water i: the most practical and successful way t( maintain calcium at the desired level, Yoi should always make the kalkwasser with water purified by reverse osmosis and/or detonization, to avoid adding plant nut rients with the makeup water. Kalkwasser i: a saturated solution of calcium hydroxide or calcium oxide in water. Either of these compounds may be used, and neither one is at all easy to dissolve. Only about one an< a half grams will dissolve In a liter of water about six grams per gallon, and even thi: requires vigorous stirring. For you "scale lew" fish keepers, six grams of calcturr oxide is roughly equivalent to a teaspoon Calcium hydroxide is lighter, so sixgrams I! sightly more than a teaspoon. One tea9 poon per gallon is really all you need to remember, and even then I assure you it won't all stay dissolved for very long.

The recommended procedure is to mix the solution vigorously and allow it to settle for several hours until you see the clear, saturated kalkwasser solution above white undissolved caldum roxide settted on the bottom. Siphon off y t e clear solution for use, and either discard the undissolved par- don or add more water and calcium hydrox- ide to make another batch. The calcium will react with carbon dioxide (CO*) in air to formacrusty calciumcarbonate skinon the surface of the mixing container. Some calcium carbonate will fall out of solution and settle on the bottom along with the undissolved excess calcium hydroxide. You might reasonably askif it makes a dif-

ferenc* whether you use calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide. Ultimately the results with either are the same, so no, It makes no (Bfference, Catdum oxide Is slightly cheaper than calcium hydroxide, and is also a little easterto handle because of its dumpy con- sistency. Calcium hydroxide Is like talcum

K" er, and of course the dust is harmful to the. Still. I have noticed that the calcium

hydroxide dissolves more readily. On the subject of handling either substances dust mask and gloves are a good precaution.

'

These substances are caustic, though get- ting some on your hands is quickly remedied by rinsing in running water. Keep them out of reach of children, of course. Calcium hydroxide, calcium oxide, and calcium chloride are available through chemical supply companies. Sometimes it is not easy to have these chemicals sent to a home address. Several companies now supply diycalciumhydroxideto-petstores. -

icther precaution Is very important -,, t add too much kalkwasser to the tank all at once1 Kalkwasser has a pH of nearly 12,andeven a little bit will raise the pH in the aquarium temporad A lot will raise the pH i2'- tooquicklyandcoo Injureorhill thefisklf you have a carbon dioxide injection installed. there is less danger ofthis. thes controller will administer CO* to counter die rise In pH from the kalkwasaw. If you don't have a C0Ã system it Is best to add kalkwasser slowly, either by dripping It in or by means of an automatic water makeup system. If you choose to go wlth a drip method, doing It at night creates the least disruption of pH. There is more COi In the water after the lights have gone off. when the plants and coral partners stop photo- synthesizing. If you are using an automatic water makeup system with a levd sensing switch and dosing pump, may simply add the kalkwasser to the &ter rwx- voir. N i h (1990,1991) describesa stm* pledevfce which you can build for providing highquality kalkwasser as part of an auto- matic water makeup system. His design provides saturated kalkwasser as the make- upwater,avoldlng the problem of the doting pump getting Jammed by calcium deposits.

When kalkwasser is used as makeup water die long term calcium tevd in an aquarium may vary from just over 400 ppm to well over 500 ppm. This level depends on the calcium requirements of the animals in the tank, the rate of evaporation, and the quail of the kalkwasser usedL In a large, estab y Ished reef tank that is deficient In calcium and hasa low rate of evaporation, it may take several weeks to get the calcium level up. Only a little over a gram per liter will be added with the makeup water. There Is nothing wrong with being patient andallow- ing the calcium I& to rise slowly.

WMkd-' Thwearequickerwtystoraise thecakimn

level. Making water changes with a wit mix that provides extra calcium Is perhaps the easiest method. In fact, water change* done can maintain adequate caldurn levels. For example, Reef ~rystals* synthetic sea salt was formulated with extra calcium for use in reef tanks. Mixed to a specific gravity of 1.025, It produces a caldum level around 500 porn.

*a: ited to present snort, arm f interest to marine iarists. Topics may include water chernis- ..,, nutrition, maricutture, system design,

ecology, behavior, and fish health. Article con- tributions are welcomed. They should deal with pertinent marine aquarium topics and are subject to editorial reviews that in our opinion are necessary. Payment will be made at existing rates and will cover all author's rights to the material submitted.

Seascope is published quarterly for free distribution through local aquarium dealers.

.- , -re "Ã ,- -: 4 : ' I.

dealers not receiving copies of Seascope distribution to their customers shouid c Aquarium Systems, inc. to be added to t mailin list. Telephone: 1-800-822-1 100 (2 16) 255- 1997. Aquarists interested in c e ~ n g copies directly should send their nar and address, alon with $2.00 USA ($4. foreign countries) ? or postage and handli (four issues) to SeaSco Aquarium S terns, In=., 8141 Tyler Mentor, ( 44060. Address questions and suggestia to: Thomas A. Frakes, Editor.