Synchiropus ocellatus – the “Ocellated dragonet” (or “Scooter Blenny”) is one of my favorite marine fish. A couple of months ago, not-so-little Elvis began a nightly ritual: swimming back and forth, up and down, along the surface of the water. He did it for hours on end, starting just after sunset and continuing until the tank lights went out for the night. After a little research, I realized he was trying to find a mate; in the wild, male blennies “dance” near the surface to advertise their availability to females in the area. Unfortunately for Elvis, no female was going to wander into his territory
Read moremarine aquarium
Meet the Porcelain Crabs: Ripley, Small, and the Alien Queen
Although not actually “true crabs” (they’re crustaceans, but from the family Porcellanidae) porcelain crabs resemble “real” crabs to a degree that most people can’t actually tell the difference. Porcelain crabs have flat, round bodies–much like those of real crabs–which evolved over time to fit easily into crevices and under rocks–the creature’s preferred living quarters in the wild. You can find them living in almost every ocean (except the Arctic and Antarctic Oceans), but look carefully–the average porcelain crab has a body less than an inch in diameter. Some 277 species of porcelain crabs have been recorded, and fossils suggest the porcelain crab has been around since at
Read moreIt’s Full of (Sea) Stars
Sea stars (sometimes called “starfish,” even though they’re not actually fish) rarely do well in home aquariums. Many species starve to death, either quickly or over extended periods, which is unfortunate because sea stars are fascinating creatures to watch, and often brilliantly colored, too. I’ve tried to stay away from acquiring sea stars, because I don’t like bringing home creatures that won’t thrive in my aquarium. For a while, I had a thriving population of micro-brittle-stars (which measure 1-2 inches in diameter, from arm to arm). Sadly, I lost them due to an unexpected (and largely unpreventable) salinity shift a couple of years ago.
Read moreGrowing Up … on the Reef
A couple of months ago, I acquired a baby Moyer’s Dragonet (Synchiropus moyeri) – a fish that many aquarium enthusiasts know as one of the species of dragonet that shares the general trade name “scooter blenny.” We named him “Tai,” a word which means “fat” in Japanese and “supreme” in Mandarin Chinese – both of which are starting to fit him well. The Moyer’s dragonet differs from other species within its genus mostly in terms of color: the Moyer’s has yellow fins with black or green highlights and a more brilliant adult coloration than its cousin, the Red Starry Dragonet (Synchiropus
Read more