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Marine Topics -
Marine Foods and Feeding
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 Coral reefs have often been referred to as 'deserts of the sea' and paradoxical as this description may seem, it is perfectly accurate. For, although teeming with an abundance and great diversity of life, nutrients are in surprisingly short supply when compared to the seas in other areas of the world. The gin-clear waters bear testament to the fact that plankton and other food particles do not flood the reef in any massive quantity, yet still these are some of the richest and most densely occupied locations to be found on the planet. How? |
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Marine Fish -
Clownfish
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 Family: Pomacentridae
The spawning of clownfish nearly always takes place in the late afternoon and is a delightful scene to observe. A common precursor to this and a good indication of imminent egg laying is the ritual cleaning of the chosen spawning site. Both male and female clean the site vigorously with their mouths until they are both satisfied that the surface will be suitable. Meanwhile, the egg laying tube, or ovipositor will have become clearly visible in the female, while the male's fertilisation tube may only just be obvious.
The female will then glide over the area, depositing a neat row of sticky eggs as she goes. The male follows closely behind to fertilise the line of eggs. It is a process that will be repeated many times until a clutch of yellow/orange eggs is formed in a tight group. Commonly between 200-800 eggs may be deposited at any one spawning.
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Marine Topics -
FAQs
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Q) Is it absolutely necessary to have a calcium reactor in my reef aquarium?
John Sullivan, Maldon, Essex. England. A) It really depends on what type of livestock predominates. Soft corals and anemones for example do not have a calcareous skeleton and have little need for high calcium levels. Consequently, they tend to do very well in aquaria where calcium is in short supply. |
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Marine Topics -
FAQs
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Q) My marine aquarium has been plagued by slime and hair algae almost from the day I started stocking up. What steps can I take to get rid of it? It spoils the whole appearance of the showtank.
C. Crawford, Washington DC, USA.
A) I have long since lost count of the number of marine aquarists who have written to me threatening to leave the hobby as they endure the scourge of nuisance algae. It is possibly the only area of the hobby guaranteed to affect practically all hobbyists at one time or another, with persistent and serious cases being reasonably commonplace. Both filamentous and slime algae can reduce an attractive underwater scene into a ghastly mess, leading the marinist to believe that collecting cigarette butts could be a rewarding hobby by comparison! |
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Marine Topics -
FAQs
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Q) I have never been sure of the best way to dispatch ailing livestock. There seem to be many differing opinions on the subject. Which techniques are best?
David Wallace, Surrey, United Kingdom.
A) The whole subject of livestock euthanasia has always been a sensitive one, creating very little regular and open discussion but nevertheless generating a great deal of strong feeling and disagreement whenever the topic is broached. |
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