Reef Hobbyist Magazine Q3 2021

THIRD QUARTER 2021 I VOLUME 15

DARWIN'S TOP ZOAS

DECLARING WAR ON NUISANCE ALGAE

FEATURES 6

TOADSTOOL CORALS (Sarcophyton species) Zach Crecelius has been in the reefing hobby for 10 years. His toadstool corals have lived through two tank crashes and a tank upgrade. Learn how to grow these easy-to-keep corals into large colonies in this writeup of Zach's favorite coral.

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THE MAJESTIC QUEEN ANGELFISH Filip Lazar is a 15-year-old, homeschooled student from Bucharest, Romania, with a passion for coral reefs and ichthyology. The Queen Angel is a majestic fish that can thrive in home reefs. Learn the requirements for keeping this large reef fish here.

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ALL IN WITH AN ALL-IN-ONE Brandon McHenry has a master’s degree in marine biology and has been reefing since 2012, with a particular interest in SPS corals. The challenges of an all-in-one system haven’t stopped Brandon from creating an eye-popping little reef.

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ON THE COVER

THIRD QUARTER 2021 | Volume 15 © 2021 Reef Hobbyist Magazine. All rights reserved.

ANNOUNCEMENTS •

•

RHM SPONSORED EVENTS

• Reef-A-Palooza (Los Angeles) - 2021 postponed, Anaheim, CA – www.reefapaloozashow.net • MACNA 2021 - September 3 – 5, online event – www.macna.org • Fargo Exotic Pet Expo - October 2, West Fargo, ND – www.fargoexoticpetexpo.com • Reef-A-Palooza (Chicago) - October 16 –17, Schaumberg, IL – www.reefapaloozashow.net • Reef-A-Palooza (Orlando) - April 23 –24, 2022, Orlando, FL – www.reefapaloozashow.net • MACNA 2022 - September 9 –11, 2022, Milwaukee, WI – www.macna.org

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DARWIN’S TOP ZOAS

Darwin Ngo is a co-founder of Legendary Corals in San Jose, CA. Rare zoanthid collectors may have missed a few of these amazing morphs. See what’s new in Darwin’s collection here.

Cover image by Legendary Corals

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DECLARING WAR ON NUISANCE ALGAE Sabine Penisson is a French photographer and author focused on coral reef fauna. Winning the battle against nuisance algae is critical to enjoying the reefing hobby. Let Sabine help you choose the right ally to succeed.

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SPECTACULAR SCLERONEPHTHYA Levi Peterson is passionate about oddball marine life and currently resides in Constantine, MI. Scleronephthya corals are vividly colored and bizarrely shaped, making Levi’s fascination with them perfectly understandable.

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THERMAL THINKING Jim Adelberg is the executive editor for RHM. Take a closer look at the importance of thermal stability in our home reefs.

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54 PRODUCT REVIEW: ESHOPPS EZ FEEDER

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Toadstool Corals (Sarcophyton species)

Image by Alexander Vasenin

ZACH CRECELIUS

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Toadstools can add motion and color to a reef tank. | Image by Henry Rafael

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oadstool corals of the genus Sarcophyton are some of my favorite corals in my mixed-reef tank. I love that they take almost no effort to grow and can reach colossal sizes. The biggest toadstool I have ever seen in person was a foot and a half in diameter. It took up half of a 60-gallon tank and was an impressive centerpiece. There is something mesmerizing about watching the polyps of a toadstool swaying in the current that draws me in.

Toadstool corals are found in the Indo-Pacific and Red Sea, around South Africa, and on the Great Barrier Reef. They can grow in all reef habitats, from shallow flats to deep reef slopes. These corals come in many colors, including tan, yellow, green, and blue, and their polyps can be tan, yellow, green, or white. Toadstools will grow a short stalk and then develop a crown resembling a mushroom, which is where their common name comes from. The length of polyps can vary between species. Some grow short polyps, while others grow very long polyps, up to several inches. These are highly sought after due to their graceful swaying movements in the current.

Clownfish are known to host in toadstool corals. | Image by Karelj

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for space, toadstools may release terpenes, very strong toxins that can kill other corals.

At around 3 inches in diameter, toadstools start to develop folds in the crown and can manipulate their body shapes. This tendency might be to better direct or deflect water currents, help position polyps for feeding, or maximize light exposure for the photosynthetic zooxanthellae living within their tissues. When a toadstool is threatened or irritated, it will retract its polyps and fold its crown in on itself.

Toadstools reproduce in the wild by broadcast spawning (releasing sperm and eggs into the water column). They can also reproduce by fission, also known as budding. In the aquarium, we can replicate this budding process by fragging small pieces from the crown of the toadstool.

SUGGESTED TANK PARAMETERS Polyps are beginning to emerge from the crown of this toadstool coral. | Image by Henry Rafael

Toadstool corals are very easy to keep and are a great coral for beginners. They can grow in strong or dim light and are forgiving of water conditions. They benefit from strong flow to help remove the waxy membrane they shed on occasion, but continuous heavy flow is not required. Plenty of space should be allowed between toadstools and other corals, as they can grow large in a very short amount of time. When they compete

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Specific Gravity: 1.024 Calcium: 350–450 ppm Alkalinity: 8–12 dKH Temperature: 72–82° F Phosphate: < 0.2 ppm Nitrate: < 0.01 ppm

FEEDING The photosynthetic symbiotic zooxanthellae hosted within the toadstool coral will provide most of its nutritional requirements.

Toadstools also filter feed and benefit from being fed fine particulate foods like Reef-Roids, Coral Frenzy, or Reef Chili.

TOADSTOOLS IN MY TANK I have been in the reefing hobby for 10 years and have had my fair share of failures with corals. Two tank crashes and one tank upgrade later, my toadstool corals are still alive and thriving. I currently have two large toadstools, which came from the same mother colony, and a small Weeping Willow, a very rare toadstool with extra-long polyps.

I received my first frag of a toadstool after watching a tank for my cousin when he went on vacation. His toadstool was around 8 inches in diameter at the time, and when he

This colony is placed at the top of the author's aquascape. | Image by author

returned, he gave me a 1-inch frag he cut off the crown with a pair of scissors. I rubber-banded the frag to a piece of rock rubble, and after a few days, it was attached and began to grow. It eventually split itself into two pieces where the rubber band held it to the rock rubble. I placed one piece near the top of my tank in high flow and the other at the bottom in lower flow. The frag at the top is now about 7 inches (in diameter), while the frag at the bottom of my tank is about 4 inches.

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Weeping Willow | Image by Cherry Corals

My Weeping Willow is attached at the top of my tank to the same piece of rockwork as the larger toadstool. It seems to like its placement in high light and high flow. I had my eye out for a frag of Weeping Willow for a couple of years since I first saw one on the internet, and it seemed impossible to find. I did finally acquire one, and though expensive, I think it was worth it. If you ever get a chance to get a Weeping Willow, take it! They are very hard to find, although the common long- and short-polyp toadstools can be found at most coral shops.

corals I had at the time looked fine. The toadstool had a waxy, shiny layer covering the crown, and after a week, I thought the coral was dying. Then a few of the polyps slowly started to emerge, and the waxy stuff began to peel off. It reminded me of getting a bad sunburn and having my skin peel a few days later.

Once the toadstool was done shedding—and I could breathe a sigh of relief—I noticed it had gotten bigger. I later found out this is how toadstools prevent algae and parasites from attaching to them.

The first time I noticed the larger of my two toadstool corals close up and refuse to reopen, I panicked. I checked all my parameters, but the test results looked fine. I also noticed that all the other

In closing, I think any new reefer looking to keep corals should try a toadstool. They are mostly bulletproof, affordable, and all-around great-looking corals. R

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Image by Roberto Costa Pinto

FILIP LAZAR

THE MAJESTIC QUEEN ANGELFISH 12

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A mature Queen Angel can attain 18 inches in length. | Image by Laszlo Ilyes

T

he brilliantly colored Queen Angelfish can be a captivating addition to a large aquarium. However, not every large aquarium makes a good home for this beautiful fish. Let’s get to know the fish a little better so we can understand what’s required for success.

The Queen Angelfish, scientifically named Holacanthus ciliaris, is one of the most colorful reef aquarium fish. Adults are a vivid yellow and blue with a black crown-shaped spot on their heads. In the wild, they mainly inhabit the coasts surrounding islands in the Caribbean Sea, but they’re also found off the coast of the southern United States, Mexico, and Central America, down to the eastern coast of South America as far as Uruguay.

Queen Angelfish fare best on healthy coral reefs where they can find most of their preferred foods. Their diet consists mainly of sponges and algae, although they have been observed taking bites of jellyfish, soft corals, and other such creatures. Young fish often obtain nourishment by eating the parasites off larger fish. What is really interesting about Queen Angels is that they have brushlike teeth. They use these teeth to rasp sponges and algae.

Normally, we might think that the brilliant colors of Queen Angels would make them an easy target for predators. However, their vivid colors only add to their camouflage. Allow me to explain. As formerly mentioned, they dwell on coral reefs, and coral reefs are full of color. Healthy reefs are perhaps the most colorful habitats Reef Hobbyist Magazine

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Adult Queen Angels sport a black crown. | Image by Robert Costa Pinto

on the planet. The Queen Angelfish simply has to blend in among the riotous colors of corals, sea anemones, and other reef animals.

Queen Angelfish are mainly found at the base of coral reefs rather than near the surface. However, they do rise toward the surface during mating season. A female can release as many as 10 million eggs in one spawning cycle. The little angelfish hatch as a form of larvae (prolarvae) within 15 to 20 hours. When they hatch, they don’t have any fins, gut, or eyes that you would typically recognize.

In about 48 hours, the yolk sac is consumed. During those 48 hours, the larvae develop more recognizable characteristics. At this stage, they begin to look more like fish. In 3 to 4 weeks, the larvae turn into juveniles, having grown to 15 to 20 millimeters in size.

According to the IUCN Red List, the Queen Angelfish is on the Least Concern Status list.

Now that we are more familiar with the fish, let's talk about the requirements for keeping one in the home aquarium. The Queen Angelfish is not a good choice for beginners, as it needs specialized care. Additionally, the Queen Angelfish can grow up to 18 inches and weigh up to 3.5 pounds. A very large tank is required if you want to keep this fish. A 250-gallon, 6-foot-long tank would be the minimum size. Of course, this doesn’t mean you can’t keep other fish in there. You can keep many different fish in the same aquarium, but it is important to note that the Queen Angelfish has a semi-aggressive nature and is prone to attacking smaller fish. It is best to stock only a single Queen Angelfish to avoid any aggression. A few possible tank mates are Blue Tangs,

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The colors of juvenile Queen Angelfish are markedly different than adults. | Image by Damocean

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various butterflyfishes, and small damselfishes, with the caveat that there should be a good amount of shelter for these tank mates.

You should also provide numerous large caves, crevices, and other openings in the rock where the Queen Angelfish can retreat if it feels threatened.

These are my recommended parameters for Queen Angels: Temperature: 72–78° F pH: 8.1–8.4 Alkalinity: 8–12 dKH Specific Gravity: 1.020–1.025

The coloration of this sub-adult Queen Angelfish is shifting toward that of an adult. | Image by Greg Hume

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The diet of the Queen Angelfish is also very important. These fish are omnivores, so you must include both meat and vegetable elements in their diet. To maintain a Queen Angel’s health, the best diet to offer is marine algae in addition to some sponges.

This ensures a very healthy diet that keeps the fish's immune system strong. Any aquarium housing a Queen Angelfish should have live

rock on which algae can grow. This fish is by nature a reef-dweller, but it eats a considerable amount of algae.

It may also have a tendency to take a bite of stony or soft corals and other invertebrates that you might include in your aquarium. There are quality frozen and freeze-dried foods available for marine angelfish that contain every kind of nourishment the fish needs. It is important to note that Queen Angelfish eat quite a lot. A good strategy is to feed them at least three times a day with an amount of food they can consume in a matter of minutes. You must be careful not to over- or underfeed them. As you can see, this is not a fish for beginners.

The Queen Angel is undoubtedly a great fish. Keeping a Queen Angelfish is very rewarding. This is one of those fish that brings lots of personality and color to your aquarium, but it is best to buy this fish only if you can give it the care and conditions it needs to survive in the home aquarium. R

Queen Angels vary in color and markings depending on age and locality. | Image by Brian Gratwicke

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ALL IN WITH AN ALL-IN-ONE BRANDON MCHENRY

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A

s a Florida native, I’ve always felt a connection with the ocean and been fascinated by the creatures that inhabit it. I have a master’s in marine biology and currently work as an aquaculture researcher at FAU Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. My passion for reefkeeping began about 10 years ago, and to date, I have had seven personal reef tanks, ranging from 14 to 150 gallons.

My current tank is a 35-gallon all-in-one (AIO), which I will admit has presented challenges (that ultimately provided many valuable lessons). My AIO reef was easy to set up, cost-effective, and perfect for what I needed. However, there were some limitations.

For example, without a large sump beneath the tank, I wasn’t able to use a large skimmer or proper refugium for nutrient export. Those are two things I really like to have in my reef tanks. I was able to overcome this challenge by increasing my water change frequency and incorporating sandbed vacuuming to make up for the gaps in my export methods. My approach to reefkeeping is fairly simple. I don’t like to overcomplicate the system with too many pieces of equipment or additives. I feel that the fewer points of failure we introduce into a system, the better.

I aim to run my reef in the most natural way possible and replicate the ocean wherever I can. This means running near natural seawater levels and providing strong lighting and flow to the corals. I also feed heavily while preventing the accumulation of unwanted nutrients (nitrate and phosphate) with natural nutrient export methods like harvesting macroalgae.

Various encrusting and plating Montipora species

SPECIFICATIONS Display: Innovative Marine NUVO 40 AIO Skimmer: Tunze Comline DOC 9004 DC Filtration: BRS ROX 0.8 GAC Return Pump: Innovative Marine MightyJet DC AIO Water Movement: (2) EcoTech VorTech MP40QD set to Reef Crest Mode, anti-sync at approximately 40–50 percent Lighting: ATI SunPower, (6) 24-watt T5 fixture (2 ATI Blue Plus, 3 ATI Coral Plus, 1 Giesemann Tropic 6,500 K), 18” Reef Brite LumiLite Pro actinic strip Refugium Lighting: Innovative Marine ChaetoMax, 18 watts Dosing Pump: 3-channel Kamoer Auto Top-Off: Tunze Osmolator Nano 3152 Cooling: DC computer fan that runs during the photoperiod I have always preferred T5 lighting for small-polyp stony corals (SPS), especially Acropora. I feel they provide the best spread and spectrum to grow healthy, colorful corals. I am also a believer in high PAR (photosynthetically active radiation) for SPS once they’re acclimated to it. My tank’s PAR ranges from 350 on the sandbed to around 600 at the surface, and it receives 10 hours of full-spectrum lighting. I also aim for strong, chaotic flow while not directly blasting any of the corals. I want to see the polyps of my SPS waving vigorously, with short intermittent breaks. To maintain minerals, I add BRS calcium chloride, BRS soda ash, and the Tropic Marin trace element package with a dosing pump, as well as saturated BRS kalkwasser through my auto top-off.

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A Psychedelic Mandarin hunting for copepods on the reef

MAINTENANCE Daily: • clean glass • check temperature • test alkalinity • feed fish • inspect corals and fish (aka enjoy the tank!)

day, and I feed a frozen mix in the evening, which covers multiple particle sizes for my fish and filter-feeding animals in the tank.

The corals get no dedicated target feeding. I think the best thing we can feed our corals is strong, correct-spectrum light and fish poop.

FISH

Weekly: • perform 5-gallon water change • scrape back wall • vacuum sandbed • clean skimmer • test calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, potassium, nitrate, phosphate, and salinity

• Banggai Cardinalfish • Tailspot Blenny • Psychedelic Mandarin

• (2) Yellowline Goby • Rhomboid Wrasse • Harptail Blenny

CORALS PARAMETERS Calcium: 420–440 ppm Alkalinity: 7.0–7.5 dKH Magnesium: 1,350–1,400 ppm Potassium: 380–400 ppm Nitrate: 0.2–0.5 ppm

Phosphate: 0.03–0.05 ppm pH: 8.0–8.3 Salinity: 35–36 ppt Temperature: 78–80° F

One thing that sets my system apart from many others is my feeding regimen. My fish are fed five times per day. I have an automatic feeder that is set to feed pellets four times during the

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• Acropora austera • Acropora subulata • Acropora secale • Acropora valida • Acropora spathulata • ORA Hawkins Echinata • Bubblegum Digitata • ORA Pink Birdsnest • ORA Green Birdsnest • Seasons Greetings Montipora

• ORAnge Setosa • Mind Trick Montipora • Montipora capricornis • Montipora undata • Anacropora sp.

• assorted zoanthids • Australian Octo Frogspawn • WWC Twig and Berries Acro • encrusting Montipora spp.

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Tailspot Blenny hiding between the plates of a Montipora capricornis

Juvenile Rhomboid Wrasse beginning to develop its adult coloration

LESSONS LEARNED • Take time to learn the concepts behind how a reef tank works.

The better you understand the science of the system you are caring for, the more equipped you will be to make educated decisions about it.

• Don’t trust everything you read just because it’s on the internet.

Think critically when taking a suggestion, and decide whether it's right for you and your particular system.

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Captive-bred Yellowline Goby from ORA

Banggai Cardinalfish

• Try to find a mentor. It’s better to follow the methodology of a veteran hobbyist who has the success you are looking for than to try to blend together a dozen different techniques.

• Create a maintenance routine that works with your schedule and stick to it. This is the easiest way to prevent problems and helps you stay more in tune with your reef tank.

• I’ve found that a pH around 8.3 gives me healthy, strong, and fast-growing corals. Don’t chase a mystical “perfect” pH value Reef Hobbyist Magazine

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Bubblegum Montipora

Bubblegum Montipora

8-year-old Australian Octo Frogspawn

Two classic birdsnest corals (Seriatopora hystrix and Seriatopora guttatus)

with additives. Instead, make use of macroalgae, kalkwasser, and CO2 scrubbers to help maintain an appropriate pH. • Be patient and keep things stable. In this hobby, good things come slowly while bad things can happen overnight. In my experience, the best way to ensure success is to allow the reef to mature on its own without trying to force the system’s balance one way or another. The fewer changes you make to your reef tank, the quicker it will settle into its rhythm and reward your efforts.

I hope to upgrade soon to a large display where I can grow colonies of Acropora the size of dinner plates and house large groups of colorful fish. My next tank will be carefully thought out

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and encompass all the things I’ve learned about keeping SPS corals over the last decade. My must-have list includes a sump, a display deep enough (from front to back) to have a natural-looking aquascape, only peaceful fish, and large colonies of as many classic acros as I can get my hands on!

The thing that inspires and excites me the most in this hobby is the simple fact that I can keep my own personal slice of the ocean right in my living room. I’ve also enjoyed sharing my tank with the reefing community and connecting with hobbyists around the world! R Social Media: Instagram (Florida_Reef_Keeper)

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SBB Hephaestus | Image by Legendary Corals

DARWIN NGO

Darwin’s Top Zoas Z

oanthids were some of the first corals I ever purchased. I remember meeting up with a hobbyist in front of a Target store for a pack of collector zoanthids over 10 years ago.

They were Rastas, Sunny Ds, and Darth Mauls. Acquiring named zoanthids was a big turning point in the hobby for me, as it opened the doors to countless other varieties of zoanthids to collect. Zoanthid collectors know that the collecting never stops, with new morphs popping up at least every month. Part of the fun of collecting zoanthids is aquaculturing and trading them, and you can grow a fraggable-sized mini colony on just one frag plug, leaving plenty of real estate in your tank for more morphs.

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The never-ending obsession of collecting these little flower polyps eventually led to my current occupation.

Having collected these little beauties for over 10 years, I’ve had the pleasure of owning my fair share of polyps. I’ve seen all the latest trends and hot new releases, but there are still a few morphs that stand out to me that are a little more obscure but well worth seeking out. In this article, I’ll highlight a few zoanthid morphs that I believe are special, along with some short back stories where possible.

Not all of these zoanthids are guaranteed to please you, as we each have our own opinions and tastes about what we consider

Frankie’s Acid Trips | Image by Legendary Corals

desirable, but hopefully one or two will leave an impression and possibly earn a little corner in your reef tank.

FRANKIE’S ACID TRIPS First up on the list is Frankie’s Acid Trips. This morph is a relative newcomer to me, as I only acquired a mini colony from my friend Matt in late 2020. I wasn’t able to find much information on these, other than a few for-sale threads by Jason Fox, who works closely with private coral collector Frankie on many releases.

Frankie’s Acid Trips | Image by Legendary Corals

mentioned that lighting also plays a large role in this morph’s physical traits. Frags placed higher up in his tank would become much brighter with more pink sparkles on the skirt and a swirly black body pattern. The polyps on the side of the tank (that didn’t receive as much light) were less colorful. I have confirmed these same observations, but luckily, the less colorful polyps will color up over time when given more light. Avoid keeping this zoanthid in the shade if possible.

Matt’s done a phenomenal job growing these zoanthids.

He purchased his first fragment in the summer of 2020 and aquacultured a small handful of mini colonies by the end of the year.

He keeps these zoanthids under an ATI T5 fixture (8 ATI Blue Plus bulbs) with a Reef Brite XHO LED unit. They are grown in the lowermiddle portion of his tank at roughly 200 PAR (photosynthetically active radiation), with just enough flow to move the zoas’ skirts and keep detritus off. The nutrient levels are kept rather high, as they tend to be in wild zoa habitats.

The polyps are a bit small in person. For reference, the mini colony shown in the photo above is grown on a standard ¾” frag plug. But what they lack in size they make up for in beauty. Glitter adorns the entire zoanthid, from the body all the way to the skirt. The glitter on the skirt looks like small pink crystal shards when viewed closely.

The yellow and black splatter is reminiscent of a much sought-after zoanthid morph called Stratospheres but with more fine splatters than the splotchy effect found on Stratospheres. It’s almost as if a Stratosphere and a Darth Maul had a baby.

Frankie’s Acid Trips' polyps vary in coloration. The more mature polyps have a bright golden-yellow color and eventually develop a green sheen, while the younger, less-developed polyps sport a brassy color. You can see the difference in coloration in the main photo, where the polyps in the center are mature and the surrounding polyps are younger. Matt has chimed in and Reef Hobbyist Magazine

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PZ Prometheans | Image by Legendary Corals

PZ PROMETHEANS PZ Prometheans will always have a place in my heart for their incredibly unique and bizarre coloration. They are one of the few zoanthids that I would consider black, and that black coloration is most apparent under blue LEDs. Under white lighting, the black is not as deep, but the zoas are still just as nice. These polyps have an eye-catching orange center surrounded by stunning neon-green rings. The green coloration outlines the patterns on this morph perfectly, surrounding not only the orange mouth but the entire outer skirt, giving this zoanthid a very clean and handsome look.

Their minute size is also a unique feature. Their size is somewhere between a micro zoanthid and a standard zoanthid. Emeralds on Fire and Fruit Loops are good references when it comes to Prometheans’ polyp size.

Travis of Planet Zoa brought these amazing zoanthids to the attention of collectors around 2013. At that time, Planet Zoa was one of the few places where you could easily find a selection of over 100 zoanthid morphs. Collectors would eagerly follow Travis’s updates for the latest and hottest morphs, which gave this zoa a chance to shine.

But the origin story goes back a little further. A Reef2Reef member named “coralfarm123” purchased these zoanthids from Pacific East Aquaculture as a no-name wild morph. Luckily, he was very proficient at aquaculturing corals. After a few years of growing them, he offered his first handful of frags on November 25, 2012.

That was an eventful Thanksgiving weekend, as Travis happened to be browsing the forums when this uniquely colored zoa caught his eye. Travis purchased a few of these zoanthids and took them under his wing. When it was time to offer them for sale, he gave them the name PZ Prometheans, most likely after the robot-like enemies from the popular video game Halo. Unfortunately, as unique as PZ Prometheans were, they were quickly overshadowed by some new, ultra-high-priced morphs that were entering the scene. The early 2010s were a golden era for zoanthids, when pricey morphs such as Ktar Black Hornets, Seductions, Hallucinations, and

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PZ Prometheans | Image by Legendary Corals

Shazams first appeared. These newer, pricier zoas demanded more of the attention of zoanthid hobbyists than the modestly priced Prometheans. From 2013 to 2015, the only source for this unique little zoanthid besides Planet Zoa was coralfarm123’s oncea-year frag offerings. Eventually, Travis started a family and had no time to run Planet Zoa anymore. Once Planet Zoa shut down, finding this zoanthid became increasingly difficult. Luckily, zoanthid lovers who had purchased this morph were able to grow it and spread it around a little bit more. The frags of this morph that you find today are the result of those few zoanthid collectors who kept the lineage alive.

To this day, PZ Prometheans remain rather elusive. If you’re fortunate enough to find this zoa, it’s worth grabbing just so this gorgeous strain gets spread around and remains in the hobby. Its growth rate and care are like Fruit Loops, which fortunately means it’s not too difficult to keep. The only difficulty with PZ Prometheans is their rather small polyp size. The small size means it’s more prone to being physically damaged or covered in algae and detritus.

Once this zoanthid has created a decent amount of mat tissue, it is recommended to give it adequate flow to prevent any detritus buildup. PZ Prometheans do best under lower light levels and require stable water parameters.

SBB HEPHAESTUS Step aside, Bowsers, there’s a new king of the Candy Apple Red family! Introduced to the hobby by Shane Backer of SBB Corals, SBB Hephaestus is currently one of the most sought-after red morphs. Hephaestus, the Greek god of fire and metalworking, is a very suitable name for these polyps. Maybe when Shane was thinking of a name, he saw the red as representing fire and the yellow splashes reminiscent of the molten metal used in metalworking.

Regardless, I wish he’d chosen a trade name that was easier to say and spell. All too often, I and other reefers mispronounce the name and end up saying something completely different. “Hey, have you gotten the Hep… Heppi… Heppa… Hepatitis... you know, zoa… yet?”

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SBB Hephaestus | Image by SaltyManos

At first glance, SBB Hephaestus might look like other morphs such as Candy Apple Reds and Bowsers, but upon closer inspection, they have a brilliant yellow speckling around their bodies. SBB Hephaestus are much brighter, more metallic, and smaller than their Candy Apple counterparts. These traits make this zoanthid an absolute stunner and have captivated many hard-core zoanthid collectors, which explains its hefty price tag. Luckily, SBB Hephaestus has a relatively decent growth rate and will do well with most reefers who are experienced with zoanthids. They can handle

SBB Hephaestus | Image by SaltyManos

rather high levels of light and strong flow and, in my experience, prefer them. In these conditions, the polyps may become smaller, but their colors absolutely glow. The tentacles may also become longer and exhibit some curling, which is a desired physical trait for some hobbyists.

I haven’t spoken to Shane directly about how he acquired this morph, but SBB Hephaestus entered the scene with the help of his good friend Rudy, who owns and operates Golden Basket Reef. I consider Rudy one of the godfathers when it comes to zoanthids, as he is known in the industry for his intense passion for these corals. Some recent zoanthid morphs that Rudy introduced to the hobby include the Krakatoa, Speckled Krakatoa, Grand Master Krakatoa, Buttkisser, Emperor, and Rainbow Eclipse.

As for the origins of the Hephaestus, I have found some zoanthid collectors in Asia with photos of this morph, along with a few other morphs that have made recent debuts in the United States. My hunch is that these were imported from Asia, but I cannot positively confirm it.

It’s amazing how all the Candy Apple Red variants are still so coveted long after the original piece was named. Their signature bright metallic-red skirts and contrasting green centers are universally loved. Thank you, MarvinsReef, for bringing Candy Apple Reds to the world back in 2006 and for giving them a name that has stuck for almost 2 decades!

RR USA KOALA EYES Koala Eyes... what an odd name for a zoanthid, but I’ve heard weirder ones in my years. RR USA Koala Eyes were originally named

by Tony, the owner of Reef Raft USA. Maybe Tony was watching Animal Planet when he got the inspiration to name these beauties.

Tony’s specialty at the time was importing Acropora colonies, but he would occasionally dabble in other corals as well. This morph was one of the few RR USA zoanthid pieces that Tony released, along with the more well-known RR USA Pink Diamonds.

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Tony’s facility is based in Southern California, so he would attend Reef-A-Palooza CA every year as a vendor. Luckily for me, I am also based in California and would run into him at these events. One year (I’d guess around 2015), I saw a pastel-purple zoanthid with unique rainbow lashes at his booth. This zoanthid ended up being named Koala Eyes.

The body coloration of this zoanthid wasn’t show stopping, but those rainbow lashes kept calling me. I sometimes gravitate toward oddball zoanthids and assumed I was doing the same thing again. I unfortunately passed on what would eventually become a rarity in the hobby.

The people who purchased them were able to color them up in their systems and took gorgeous macro photos. Once reefers online started to see the unique colors this zoanthid displayed, its popularity began to rise.

RR USA Koala Eyes | Image by Legendary Corals

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Seeing photos of those beautiful skirts, with each lash exhibiting a myriad of colors, it’s easy to understand why some reefers fall in love with these zoas. The coloration in the center of the body ranges from a soft-lilac purple to sometimes a pinker hue. You can see the different shades of colors in the photo.

RR USA Koala Eyes | Image by Legendary Corals

I haven’t had the opportunity to own this morph for long, but Alexander over at Coralicious Frags has grown them into multiple colonies. I reached out to him for his experience and input. He currently keeps them under a T5 unit (ATI Blue Plus bulbs) with supplemental Reef Brite XHO LEDs. Under higher PAR (275), they exhibit a puffier and more pastel coloration. Under slight shade and lower light (roughly 175 PAR), they become darker in coloration with more prominent rainbow lashes. Alexander’s colonies adore high flow, with Maxspect Gyres flowing right above them. They do not take to fragging well and take longer to recover than other zoanthids. This zoanthid tends to lose its colors quickly once fragged. The colors will return once it grows into a more established colony. These zoanthids would do best in a very stable system. In a relatively new and unstable system, RR USA Koala Eyes will have stunted growth and can melt easily. I would only recommend this zoanthid if you’ve had a few years of reefing under your belt or can commit to keeping stable parameters. If kept in ideal conditions, RR USA Koala Eyes will flourish and grow quickly.

Aside from its unique colors, part of this morph’s popularity has to do with its lack of availability. The increase in demand, along with a limited stock, means the price has stayed rather high. If this zoanthid ends up on your bucket list, be sure to grab it if you see it for sale.

CONCLUSION I had a lot of fun writing this, as I don’t often get to share my knowledge of the history behind many of the zoanthid morphs we see today. I tried to touch on a few special zoanthids that some of you may not have heard of before. For those who have, I hope the background information on them gave you a new appreciation for the need to keep them in our hobby. Hopefully, they’ll end up on your to-collect list next time you’re purchasing zoas. If you’d like to talk more about these beautiful little polyps, feel free to reach out to me on Instagram or Facebook (legendarycorals). R Reef Hobbyist Magazine

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Tailspot Blenny

SABINE PENISSON Images by author except as noted

DECL ARING WA R ON

N U ISA N CE ALGA E M

ost aquarists know the headache of nuisance algae.

Some algae are so persistent they drive people out of the hobby. If you are in a battle with nuisance algae (or want to avoid one), I hope this article will prove useful.

First and foremost, remember the core principle of aquaria when dealing with a problem: try to remove the cause before finding a cure. In the case of nuisance algae, a good place to start

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is addressing water parameters. Monitor the balance of your parameters, keep your filters clean, do water changes with highquality RO water (check for the level of silicates), add nitrifying/ denitrifying bacteria boosters (carbon source), and make sure to always have excellent water flow without any dead zones. Those steps alone may hinder the most common filamentous nuisance algae. But there are tougher enemies out there trying to ruin your neat and clean aquascape. Sometimes the battle against more

Linear Blenny on a bed of Derbesia

pernicious nuisance algae seems impossible, but I promise there is hope. Just keep in mind that everything is eaten by something. You just need to know which ally to choose to eat the algae you want to eradicate.

Many species of invertebrates and fish consume reef algae, from macroalgae to turfing microalgae to various algal films. These herbivores clean the rocks, creating open territory for the colonization of sessile invertebrates. Without them, the vigorous growth of algae would smother delicate baby corals and anemones. Then, in a chain reaction, most of the small species nesting in, living in, and feeding on these coral habitats would disappear.

This would ultimately cascade to the largest organisms that rely on these food sources.

Without the herbivores, the entire reef ecosystem collapses. Yet, nowadays, herbivores of all types have been increasing in numbers on the reef, to the detriment of a more varied biodiversity. They take advantage of the increased algal growth fueled by nitrate and phosphate released from human activities. These nutrients cause algae to proliferate and, in excessively high concentrations, are toxic to sessile organisms. The superabundance of herbivores is unfortunately an indicator of a nutrient imbalance threatening coral reefs, even in the most remote areas of the globe. In these conditions, herbivores and detrivores thrive.

Surgeonfish, damselfish, parrots, blennies, and consumers of molluscs and echinoderms make up the bulk of the fish population, while all other species dependent on healthy corals are becoming scarce.

There are different tiers of difficulty in the battle with nuisance algae in the aquarium. The basic filamentous algae such as Derbesia or Cladophora are not really a problem; they are thin and easily eaten by most herbivorous fish and invertebrates.

Cladophora sp. | Image by KP Aquatics

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Collector Urchin

Astraea sp.

A good cleanup crew composed of Collector Urchins or even small Tuxedo Urchins are perfect for small-sized tanks. Turbo, Tectus, Trochus, Astraea, and algae-grazing porcelain Cypraea snails will also help with the job. Other gastropods like sea hares are reputed to always be hungry for filamentous algae. Beware of propeller pumps with sea hares, as they can get sucked in and chopped to death.

They can also be threatened by large crustaceans and large predatory fish, which can attack and injure their soft tissues. In rare cases, sea hares survive long enough to complete their mission, but starvation then threatens them.

You will have to quickly find another aquarium rich in algae to accommodate them. Despite their efficient work, it is a shame to sacrifice so many animals for short-term benefits.

It is better to entrust the filamentous algae battle to sea urchins, which are much more durable and will eventually live on dry algae sheets once their job on the tank’s nuisance algae is done.

Some challenging algae, like the blue feather Bryopsis, are scorned by most of these common algae eaters, much to the discontent of the aquarist. Rumor has it the Longarm Prawn (Heteropenaeus longimanus) has an appetite for Bryopsis. The Longarm Prawn is reef safe and easy to acclimatize and keep, but like most shrimp, it is omnivorous and opportunistic. And even if Bryopsis is part of its natural diet, it is uncertain whether it will focus solely on grazing algae when various meals and treats are fed to the tank every day. It might be necessary to isolate the shrimp (alone, because conspecific relations are said to be very bad) in a small, separate tank and introduce the algae-ridden rocks to the prawn without giving any additional food. And obviously, even with this specific setup, a single shrimp might be insufficient to contain an invasive growth.

The Collector Urchin could provide some help with Bryopsis because it regularly feeds on rather harsh algae in its natural habitat, but by far the most effective animals for this task are some of the Sacoglossa slugs from the genera Elysia.

Elysia sp.

Aiptasia anemones and Valonia bubble algae | Image by Richard Aspinall

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The Lettuce Sea Slug (Elysia crispata) is a magnificent species from the Caribbean, with delicate undulating folds of yellow and green and shades of gray and blue. Once Bryopsis has disappeared from the tank, it is possible to continue feeding these slugs with Chaetomorpha, Halimeda, and some Caulerpa species, from which they will extract the chloroplasts they use for photosynthesis. Most other Elysia species, such as E. rufescens from Hawaii, E. grandifolia from India and Sri Lanka, E. clarki from Florida, or E. bennettae from Australia, are equally capable of helping significantly in the fight against Bryopsis.

If you have the misfortune of finding dark-green bubbles in your tank, you are struggling with Valonia, also known as bubble algae. These algae are difficult to overcome because their small vesicles attach all over the scape and even on the glass. To make matters worse, when you scrape the bubbles, they burst, releasing their chloroplasts, which then spread new vesicles everywhere.

Mithraculus sp.

Some crabs can help with bubble algae. Mithraculus sculptus (green/gray colored) and M. forceps (the brown/red version) consume these algae, but like most crustaceans, they are omnivorous and will not ignore pellets or other meaty food given to the tank's inhabitants.

Sally Lightfoot crabs (namely Percnon gibbesi from the Caribbean and the East Pacific, P. guinotae from the Indo-Pacific, and P.

Sally Lightfoot crab

planissimum from the Western Indian Ocean and Red Sea) are omnivorous, with a predominantly vegetarian diet. They will consume Valonia and other filamentous and calcareous red algae, but they are also opportunistic. If they are hungry, they can become a threat to polychaete worms, various cleanup crew members, and even small fish. Percnon have also been known to lacerate large, fleshy corals to consume their stomach contents. Be careful about reef compatibility, especially in community tanks containing small species.

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Cyanobacteria | Image by Richard Aspinall

There are several invertebrates that can help with the dreaded slime algae Cyanophyceae (cyanobacteria). These are unicellular algae that are annoying to so many aquarists. Very few animals will feast exclusively on these rather toxic and smelly algae, but some animals will consume them as part of a mixed algae diet.

Consider the Scarlet Hermit Crab, the Blue Leg Hermit Crab, and the dark-red Clibanarius digueti hermit crab. All three are found in the Caribbean Sea and grow to around 2 inches as adults. The sea slug Dolabrifera dolabrifera (not Dolabella auricularia, the famous large sea hare that consumes filamentous algae and thin algal films) is very efficient against Cyanophyceae. Its diet is much less varied than the hermits, and it will work with greater zeal when eating the ugly red algae carpets. Its half-pear-shaped body grows to about 4 inches in length, with variable colors like green, gray, beige, and sometimes coralline pink, ensuring excellent camouflage.

Dolabrifera dolabrifera is distinguished from Dolabella auricularia by its smaller size and less rounded posterior.

Diadema sp.

Being so helpful against unicellular algal films has a cruel drawback: this very specific diet will cause it to starve when the aquarium is shiny and clean again. Once your tank is clean, you must quickly get Dolabrifera dolabrifera to another aquarium with algae.

To get rid of the brown film of diatoms, some snails such as Bulla striata, Haminoea spp., or Hydatina spp. have proven to be efficient.

Their main flaw is they are rare on suppliers’ stock lists. Others are less specialized and therefore less effective but still occasional diatom consumers and easier to obtain.

Cerithium spp., Trochus histrio, and Haliotis spp. (abalone) have a good reputation with diatoms and even Cyanophyceae.

Another group of algae that can turn out to be a rather unexpected problem is the Corallinaceae, particularly the common,

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Blue Leg Hermit Crab

sought after, and widespread encrusting pink, purple, and red coralline algae of genera such as Lithophyllum, Lithothamnion, Phymatolithon, and Mastophora. These colored layers blanketing the aquascape are pleasing to the eye and a good sign of balanced water parameters. But by completely covering the rocks, they hamper the circulation of water to the microorganisms and bacteria in the pores of live rock. Fortunately, the undersides of the rocks and those rocks located in the inner part of the aquascape are usually free from photosynthetic coralline algae. The proper functioning of the nitrogen cycle must be monitored if relying on live rock for filtration and you have a strong growth of coralline species. If the coralline form several layers of thick plates, it would be wise to consider introducing a predator such as a diadem sea urchin (Diadema setosum and D. savignyi are the most common in the trade). These sea urchins are also capable of consuming some tough algae types that other scavengers won’t touch, such as Padina spp.

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One other alga that has thrilled the most mature among us, back when reefing meant simply marine aquaria, is Asparagopsis taxiformis. The pretty, feathery, pink bush, soft and delicate as a cloud, should immediately be removed if it takes root. This superfast-growing alga can proliferate to catastrophic proportions, covering an entire aquascape and all its corals, suffocating them. If you need help, a very specific snail is your best ally to overcome Asparagopsis (in addition to the manual uprooting of the biggest patches, of course). That snail is the Mexican Turbo, Turbo fluctuosus, originating from the eastern coast of Baja California, Mexico, to Peru and the Galápagos Islands. It is recognizable by its large size (on average 2 inches, up to 5 inches in the wild!), a light gray turban streaked with darker tones, and small, rounded protuberances over its entire surface. It prefers Asparagopsis to other types of algae. And if it is effective, it will not die of hunger when it is done eating the red algae because it consumes other types of seaweed too, including dry algae sheets.

Most aquarists give some of the grazing job to herbivorous fish as well.

Some of these fish are both pretty and useful, being some of the best sellers in the trade, such as surgeonfish and blennies. Yet many are not strictly herbivorous, and their natural diets reveal (after stomach content analysis) various food sources, with greater or lesser proportions of sedimentary or detrital organic particles and benthic meiofauna.

When it comes to reef fish, the term “grazer” is too often, and often incorrectly, equated with the term “herbivore.” Many fish graze for much more than pure vegetable matter.

Algae is poor in calories, hard to digest, and sometimes toxic. More and more of the marine biology community think many fish actually have a diet that has remained unstudied for a long time: the detritus diet. This is composed of multiple organic sources (bacterioplankton, microbes, decomposing organic substances) and is found to be much richer in proteins

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Scopas Tang and Yellow Tang (Zebrasoma spp. surgeonfishes)

and therefore more energy efficient than the herbivorous diet. In the wild, herbivorous fish feed mainly on turf algae, not macroalgae. The thin filaments support a community of abundant meiofauna and form an extremely effective detritus trap. Therefore, when grazing, fish indifferently consume algae but also meiofauna and detrital matter. No one knows for sure whether they seek the algae itself or the combined meal. Are some items bycatch or actually the main feeding target for the fish? Or maybe a balanced omnivorous mouthful is taken all together on purpose.

This diet, falling between the carnivorous and the herbivorous, deserves more research.

In their natural environment, herbivores occupy a critical role in the maintenance of the coral reef and in the global trophic chain. Well represented in quantity of specimens on the reef, their diversity, however, is not immense. Only a little over 400 species of marine fish are considered herbivores out of the almost 2,000 species inhabiting the coral reefs across the planet. Whether in a natural or artificial environment, the main families of herbivores spend almost all their daytime hours grazing, scraping tirelessly at the various surfaces of their territory.

When thinking of herbivorous fish, a surgeonfish, rabbitfish, or blenny typically comes to mind.

But it appears that 13 percent of pomacentrids (the damselfish, a family usually thought of as planktivorous) are herbivores, as well as a very surprising 97 percent of scarids (parrotfish, a family that is often referred to as corallivorous). At the opposite end of the spectrum, some families perceived as strictly herbivorous have their share of surprises, as only half the species of blennies and rabbitfishes, and only 61 percent of surgeonfishes, have actual vegetable food items as the basis of their diet.

Naso Tang (Naso lituratus)

Regardless, many fish will help consume regular turf algae with enthusiasm, such as Zebrasoma tangs, Ecsenius blennies, and Salarias lawnmower blennies. But the Salarias are hard to keep long term because they are reluctant to eat anything but turf algae. They don’t really like other vegetable sources, and most individuals will slowly wither away when there is no longer any algae left to eat.

Benthos-associated Naso tangs like N. lituratus and N. elegans consume macroalgae such as Caulerpa spp., rhodophytes (red algae such as Laurencia), Phaeophyceae (brown algae such as Dictyota and Sargassum), and even calcareous algae, but to a lesser extent. Ctenochaetus bristle-tooth surgeonfish will be interested in filamentous algae (and especially the detritus that is mixed with it) but will also ingest unicellular algal films like dinoflagellates and diatoms, along with some sand they use for digestion.

Half of the Siganidae (rabbitfishes) tend to be herbivores. Siganus magnificus and S. vulpinus are fond of bubble algae (Valonia). Some damselfish such as Amblyglyphidodon or Neoglyphidodon graze Lawnmower blenny

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on turf algae but sometimes kill patches of coral polyps to cultivate turf algae fields for their grazing convenience. They defend these algae patches fiercely. Any intruder is often bitten and vigorously led to the territorial border, whatever its size (including humans).

Finally, parrotfish (Scaridae) are also excellent omnivores with strong herbivorous and detrivorous tendencies. Thanks to their strong beaks, they can consume coralline algae and other calcareous algae, as well as agglomerated sedimentary deposits.

Their tendency to chew the benthos with their powerful beaks makes them incompatible with some reef corals, because even if some species don’t eat corals, they are large fish and not able to target a turf patch at the base of living coral with surgical precision.

They can damage coral colonies, even if not on purpose. Only the Greenblotch Parrotfish (Scarus quoyi), which remains somewhat small, can be considered reef safe.

Whatever battle with nuisance algae you have, there is often a natural way to win with one or more of the animals discussed. I hope these grazers will help you achieve the reef of your dreams! R Greenblotch Parrotfish

Image by Sabine Penisson

LEVI PETERSON

Spectacular

Scleronephthya S

cleronephthya is a coral genus that, in my humble opinion, is underappreciated in the aquarium hobby today. I personally have six beautiful Scleronephthya colonies in my deepwater NPS (non-photosynthetic) system. Every specimen is a different color and shape. They all have their own unique characteristics and range from very small sprouting colonies or buds to very large colonies. Most reef hobbyists tend to skip over

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these corals since their care requirements are extremely specific, but if you treat them right, they can thrive.

HABITAT Scleronephthya live in plankton-rich waters alongside corals such as Dendronephthya, Tubastraea, and non-photosynthetic gorgonians.

They inhabit the rich warm waters of tropical oceans. Most of the specimens seen in the hobby come from Indonesia, Australia, and sometimes Vietnam. They can be found from a depth of 10 feet all the way to thousands of feet below the surface. Scleronephthya enjoy the dark ledges and overhangs found on reefs but also inhabit large caves within the reefs where tidal currents stir up the detritus on the bottom and give them plenty of food. They tend to thrive where there is a significant amount of flow from sweeping currents that bring in plankton from the open ocean.

ANATOMY One might argue that Scleronephthya are some of the strangest looking corals we have in the hobby. These beautiful soft corals are commonly known as broccoli corals because they, well, look like broccoli! When fully open, Scleronephthya look like small trees with hundreds of thistles, which are their polyps. When examined closely, these polyps resemble a crown with a mouth in the center.

These corals are found in many different colors, from bright pink to bright orange and even royal purple. Scleronephthya don’t tend to grow tall and slender like their cousins, the Dendronephthya. Their shape aids in their feeding, keeping them stable in the current and making it easy for them to catch food. Some may have polyps with tentacles so small that they are invisible to the naked eye.

PLACEMENT IN YOUR SYSTEM Placing these corals in the right spot in your aquarium is a critical factor in determining whether they will live or die in your care. Many people hang their colonies upside down in a cave or overhang or place them sideways on their rockwork. Either option can be a good choice. Placing them upside down or sideways allows them to open fully without using much energy. The more energy they use to open, the more they will have to eat to make up for all the energy used. Placing them right side up makes it more challenging to keep these corals. If placed right side up, they will need a good upwelling current to help keep them upright. An upwelling current is flow that comes up from deeper parts of your aquarium. When choosing the best spot to place your coral, keep in mind the need for strong flow to facilitate planktonic feeding.

Scleronephthya sp. | Image by Sabine Penisson

PROPAGATION These corals can reproduce in a couple of different ways. They can reproduce asexually by dropping branchlets on the sea floor that will colonize the area around them. They can also reproduce through fission, which is when an organism splits, resulting in two genetically identical new colonies. Broadcast spawning is another way these corals reproduce. These corals become sexually mature rather early in comparison to other neptheid corals. Usually, it is less than a year for male colonies and less than a year and a half for female colonies to reach maturity.

LIGHTING FOR SCLERONEPHTHYA Scleronephthya are non-photosynthetic corals, which means they do not require light to survive. In the hobby, this means that you do not need super-high-tech lighting if you plan to keep these corals.

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Scleronephthya sp. | Image by Sabine Penisson

I have two low-tech ViparSpectras over my deepwater NPS reef and turn them on for only a few hours per day at their dimmest setting. I know quite a few NPS coral aquarists who keep their lights on most of the day, but that usually causes problems for them. If the lights are on most of the day and your Scleronephthya or other NPS corals are exposed to a lot of light, they may be plagued by nuisance algae and eventually die. Remember, these corals lack zooxanthellae, so they do not need light to grow; they need food.

FEEDING Feeding Scleronephthya can be a rather difficult task due to their almost constant need for food. Most hobbyists do multiple heavy feedings for these corals every day, making it especially hard to maintain water quality. They also need a strong current to keep small foods in suspension and constantly bring that food to their mouths. I recommend having a mature sandbed before keeping these corals, as it can help provide a constant supplement of invertebrate larvae. These corals enjoy a variety of different foods, including phytoplankton, zooplankton, and even bacterioplankton. Micro-sized pellets smaller than 200 microns can be used to aid in their nutrition. Feeding a good variety and feeding often will play a huge role in your success with this coral. I personally feed heavily three times per day with a variety of different products from Reef Nutrition. I am especially fond of TDO Chroma Boost, which is made of pellets from 250 to 75 microns. I love that this product stays suspended in the water column for hours on end.

PARAMETERS FOR SCLERONEPHTHYA Scleronephthya require a well-balanced aquarium with very stable parameters. I have observed them in different kinds of reef tanks, including low-nutrient, SPS (small-polyp stony) coral–dominated tanks with pristine parameters, and soft-coral tanks with elevated nutrient levels, which most softies don’t tend to mind. My NPS system’s parameters stay relatively stable, with pH sitting around 8.3, nitrite at 0 ppm, phosphate at 0–0.1 ppm, nitrate at 5–10 ppm, and ammonia at 0 ppm. I do weekly water changes and try my best

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have small infections on their tissue. A good coral dip often resolves the problem. Careful examination may reveal pests, such as flatworms, which can wreak havoc on your entire reef tank. Also, keep an eye out for nudibranchs that may blend right in with the coral. These nudis are toxic when they are stressed (or die) and may also eat your newly purchased Scleronephthya. Crabs are another group of potentially problematic hitchhikers. Most of the crabs will blend in with the coral. These crabs may look pretty, but they will snack on the corals in your tank.

Finding nudis and crabs can be challenging. Sometimes, giving the coral a good shake underwater may cause these hitchhikers to release from the coral. Regardless of physical appearance, remember to always dip, even if you think the coral is totally clean.

Scleronephthya sp. | Image by author

to keep the water well oxygenated to help maintain pH and other critical parameters. My parameters obviously fluctuate during and shortly after feeding, but they quickly return to normal within 20–30 minutes. I use a small submersible Innovative Marine biopellet reactor as well as a few products from Orca Labs, including Nitra-Guard and Phospha-Guard. These products help keep my parameters stable despite heavy feedings throughout the day.

PESTS AND OTHER PROBLEMS Before purchasing a Scleronephthya coral, be sure to look it over for pests and infections. Some Scleronephthya may look healthy even though they

FLOW The flow and circulation in your aquarium play very important roles in keeping Scleronephthya happy. They love upwelling currents and enjoy flow that will help keep them upright. Without upwelling currents, it may be difficult for Scleronephthya to survive. When creating an upwelling current in your aquarium, be sure to create a rock structure that allows plenty of flow through it. Also, you may need to move your wavemaker or circulation pump closer to the bottom of your tank to help create this upwelling effect. Another way to create the ideal flow for your upright Scleronephthya is a semi-direct flow

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The author's pink Scleronephthya sp. | Image by author

toward the coral to help it maintain its upright position and bring it food. However, I still recommend placing this coral upside down whenever possible.

TANK MATES FOR SCLERONEPHTHYA Appropriate tank mates for Scleronephthya can vary. Whether you are thinking of other corals or fish, there are many options. Regarding fish, I would recommend species that can manage a majority of the day without light, especially if the tank is NPS dominated. If your tank is a mixed reef, there are many more options to consider. I do not, however, recommend any type of angelfish due to the likelihood of these fish nipping at soft corals. Good candidates for an NPSdominated system are squirrelfish, most goby species, brotulas, tilefish, flashlight fish, and many species of cardinalfish. There are a number of other fish that can thrive in an NPS-dominated tank.

As far as other corals go, most NPS corals are suitable, as well as almost any other coral, depending on placement in the tank. If you want to keep a Scleronephthya in a mixed reef, I recommend placing it in the darkest spot in the tank with the most flow.

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SCLERONEPHTHYA IN THE HOBBY Scleronephthya are pretty common in the aquarium trade but are usually not brought to aquarium shows or prominently displayed in local fish stores for customers to see. I would love to see these corals become more popular among those able to care for them.

This is one of the easier-to-keep NPS corals, and if the guidelines above are carefully followed, they can thrive in almost any aquarium.

CONCLUSION Before purchasing a Scleronephthya, be sure to have a suitable place in your scape for the coral. Although they may seem challenging to maintain, it can be done with the right attitude and a dedication to keeping the specimen alive. Also, a Scleronephthya can be a beautiful and fascinating addition to your mixed or NPS reef. These corals were some of the first that caught my eye when I jumped into the world of NPS corals. They can be a challenge, but they can also be very rewarding corals when they’re happy. Good luck with your scleros! R

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Thermal Thinking JIM ADELBERG

I

believe a lot of the most basic aspects of our hobby require more careful consideration than they receive. Too often, beginner-level questions only receive superficial and general answers. To be useful, answers need to take into consideration the complicated balancing act that is home reefkeeping. One such question is “What’s the best temperature to run my reef?”

Typically, the response is to state a range of temperatures found over an assortment of tropical reefs in a variety of countries—for example, 77–82° F. And, while this is accurate in a vague kind of way, it doesn’t address temperature stability or what might be optimal as a temperature target.

First, let’s stop and consider the implications of different temperatures in a home reef, because they’re profound. Most biochemical processes are highly temperature dependent and are adapted to function optimally in a specific temperature range. This would include everything from the digestive tract of your favorite fish right down to the photosynthetic zooxanthellae in your corals and the bacteria in your filter. For life on the wild reef (a habitat of relatively stable temperatures), that optimal range is small compared to freshwater environments. If the environment strays toward the extremes of this tolerable temperature range, we can expect animal health to be compromised.

Olivia Francis

Another issue is that while there may be seasonal temperature changes, these occur over the span of months, and the hour-tohour and day-to-day changes in water temperature are small. This means that temperatures bouncing around quickly (even within the healthy range) are unhealthy for your reef.

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In a reef tank, we don’t have the luxury of a gazillion gallons of water ensuring thermal stability. We have a heater, a chiller, and a few helpful techniques, like insulating the sump against heat loss or blowing fans across the tank and sump for evaporative cooling.

Speaking of equipment, this is a good time to remind you to purchase the highest quality heating and cooling equipment you

Zoo Med's Aqua Cool fan is a simple and inexpensive way to add evaporative cooling. | Image by Zoo Med

can. I’d recommend titanium heaters with a separate control module. Cheap heaters are a nightmare waiting to happen. They break, they short out, they leak water inside, and sometimes they stick in the “on” position and kill entire tanks full of precious livestock.

Chillers should also be of the highest quality possible. Cheap chiller motors can burn out in a surprisingly short period of time.

When I set up a system, I usually start by researching the animals I want to keep and coming up with a target temperature range, and for the sake of argument, let’s use the 77–82° F example from above. I then look to the middle of the range (79–80° F) and plan my tank temp for the bottom end of this reduced range (79° F). I choose the slightly cooler temperature because cooler water carries far more dissolved oxygen. Higher dissolved oxygen is always desirable since many tropical reefs reach supersaturated dissolved oxygen levels which we can almost never achieve in a home reef.

In this case, I might set my heater for 79° F and my chiller for 80° F. Chillers that are set too close to the heater setting have a tendency to cycle on and off rapidly, causing excessive wear on the motor. If my chiller was cycling rapidly, I would raise it to 81° F and consider cooling fans set to turn on at 80° F to further delay the triggering of the chiller. This final range of only 2 degrees of variation is what I would consider a stable temperature for a home reef.

If we want our corals and fish to thrive, we always need to pay attention to their basic needs. Considering that temperature impacts every living thing in your tank, isn’t it worth spending some time (and money) to ensure thermal stability? Happy Reefing! R

Reef Hobbyist Magazine

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PRODUCT REVIEW:

Eshopps EZ Feeder RHM STAFF

F

rom time to time, we at RHM see products enter our hobby that we think you may be interested in. And while we do receive review products without charge, these are never paid reviews.

If you’re like me, you’ve used a lot of different feeders (automatic and otherwise) over your years in the hobby and maybe even built a few yourself. I’ve certainly used any number of different feeding devices to feed frozen foods to my tanks, and none of them were all that great. You might be thinking, “Why is it a big deal? Just use a cup to defrost and pour it in.”

That’s fine if I don’t forget and leave the defrosted food on the tank rim.

It’s also fine if I don’t mind the more aggressive fish getting the lion’s share of the food. And lastly, it’s fine if I don’t have benthic fish reluctant to come out in the open to feed. I feed frozen foods at least 3 or 4 times a week, and I do simply defrost it in a cup and pour it in the tank. I put up with all deficiencies I listed above, but I hadn’t found a good alternative… until now.

Our hobby has come to be dominated by increasingly complicated equipment, so it’s not surprising that a lot of manufacturers focus on cutting edge automation and controllers. These devices have their place, and I appreciate the ease and stability they bring to my hobby. But there are times when simply designing and building a basic piece of equipment better deserves some recognition.

The EZ Feeder is basically a magnet-mounted tube with a very secure, watertight, O-ring sealed cap and a recessed bottom drilled with two sets of different-sized holes. Additionally,

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there is a hole drilled in the side to allow some flow from the tank to help force defrosted food through the bottom holes.

This all seems pretty basic, but it’s the versatility and convenience during use where this item shines. The first thing I want to point out is that this feeder stands upright for loading with or without its second magnet attached.

I’ve accidentally dumped feeders full of food on the ground because they weren’t stable when standing upright. Cleaning brine shrimp out of a shag carpet is awful, and hopefully you’ll never have to do it. Another advantage of this feeder is that by positioning it in more or less flow (into the side hole), you can adjust the speed of the food dispensing. Another very handy feature arises from the combination of the sealed cap and magnet mount. Once capped, you can basically mount this feeder anywhere in the tank. If you have shy fish in the rocks, you can bring the feeder to them. This eliminates the need to overfeed just to get some (any) food to the shy fish. One other nice option is to bring the feeder close to the tank bottom—so close that the largest fish can’t get under the bottom of the feeder. This configuration can preferentially feed the smaller fish first, which is very useful.

The build quality is very nice, and the magnets seem quite strong. Eshopps has a reputation for solidly built equipment, and that seems to be true of the EZ Feeder as well.

It may seem a bit over the top to go on and on about such a simple item, but considering the amount of frozen food I use, this feeder will make my life much easier. R

Reef Hobbyist Magazine

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