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Home , Maroon clownfish, Pomacentridae, Reef safe, Tomato clownfish

FREE ISSN 1045-3520

Volume 22 Issue 1, 2005

Sea hares in the Photo by Bob Fenner Julie Van Horn Most aquarists regard sea slugs with one idea in mind: eaters. It is true that they do eat large quantities of algae, but sea slugs are singular creatures in their own right. First it is important to distinguish among the types of sea slugs. The sea slugs most commonly appearing at an aquarium store near you are likely either nudibranchs or sea hares. Nudibranchs are generally less than a few inches in length, brightly colored and have highly specific dietary requirements. Sea hares are significantly larger, less brightly colored and have more general diet preferences. Responsible aquarium keepers know what they are buying and its proper care. Many people have heard of nudibranchs, but sea hares are a different story. A sea hare in an aquarium store is likely to be of the Aplysia (Photo 1). A sea hare from the Bursatella is shown in Photo2. The largest Aplysia is the California sea hare (Aplysia californica), which can grow to 3 three feet in length! Not to worry though, this kind of growth is unlikely in a Premnas biaculeatus - A beautiful but ornery clownfish home aquarium. Sea hare growth is limited by the quality and quantity of food they receive. Aplysia are not overly fond of hair algae, but if that is all that is Classification there, they will reluctantly try to eat it, even though Premnas biaculeatus - The it is not their natural food. To really make a sea All other clownfish species (subfamily hare happy, feed it freshly collected seaweeds like Amphiprionae of the family sea lettuce (Ulva). Terrestrial plants (romaine Bob Fenner ) are classed in the genus lettuce or zucchini) will suffice, as will dried seaweed Maroon clownfish have got to be one of the . The Maroon is monotypic... the only (nori). A young healthy sea hare will literally eat as most striking of marine tropicals... with apologies member of its genus; Premnas. The rest of its much as is put in the tank, but beware, it passes to the “Nemo” lovers of the world. With their name, biaculeatus, gives the most substantial through the sea hare’s digestive tract almost as overall bold salmon red body and fin coloring, reason or explanation for its separation: the quickly. demarcated with white to yellow barring. As far presence of two (look closely Photo 2) spines on In the best of circumstances, a sea hare’s life as personalities go, Premnas are just as “comical” this ’s gill covers. Another common name for expectancy is just over a year. With so little time, as other clowns when young. However, very the species is “Spine-Cheek Clownfish”. In reproduction is paramount. Sea hares are often they can and do become belligerent photograph 2 you can clearly see the barb on the hemaphrodites, but this doesn’t mean they can sometimes to the extreme as they age and grow. preoperculum. reproduce without a partner. Because of the way Keeping this species is relatively easy; What about the “yellow stripe” versus the plumbing is laid out, they cannot self fertilize. particularly tank bred and reared stock as “white stripe” Maroons? These are the same Instead, a second sea hare will act as either a male, opposed to wild-caught. Though this species... and in fact, though they tend to stay one or the other color; they can and do change in the Continued on page 4 Amphiprionine will gladly host with a number of anemones and other stinging-celled life, it can color of their banding on the basis of nutrition. happily and often less belligerently get along Behavior (Territoriality) without such symbionts. Captive produced Maroon Clownfishes can be, or become specimens can be easily acclimated to aquarium outright MEAN particularly if crowded, and conditions but wild-caught individuals should be especially, if placed with other , clownfish carefully selected, dipped/bathed in freshwater species included, that will not “back down” and quarantined for at least two weeks before recognizing the obvious superiority of Premnas. Photo by Julie Van Horn introduction to a main display tank. Imported Some folks try to diminish this tendency to “rule specimens are quite susceptible to Cryptocaryon all” in their Maroon tanks with the addition of (marine ich), Amyloodinium (velvet) and anemones, more décor but this almost NEVER Brooklynellosis (“clownfish disease”). And these works. protozoan parasites are WAY better “treated” Sea hare of the genus Aplysia. by exclusion during quarantine, then trying to fight them in your principal system. Continued on page 2

©2005 Aquarium Systems, Inc., Mentor, OH - Printed in U.S.A. Premnas biaculeatus - The Maroon Clownfish Reproduction Continued from page 1 This fish has been spawned many times commercially over the last few decades. Times About Cnidarian Symbionts & were that tank bred/reared Maroons were clearly Tankmates inferior to wild-caught, with less color, some Maroons will take on a number of other Photo by Bob Fenner behavioral anomalies and at times, shortened organisms (and inanimate objects) as symbiotic lifespans. Nowadays, this is far from the case, and hosts. Most naturally the Bubble Tip Anemone, except for folks who don’t want to wait to bring Entacmaea quadricolor, is well matched with up their own small individuals to pair and perhaps them... and the matching of captive produced fish reproduce, captive produced individuals are far with captive produced anemone is especially superior in quality, disease resistance, overall sweet. adaptation to aquarium conditions. Of all Clownfish species, Maroons are likely Pairs of this species, males are much more the very most changeable, flexible in their red, diminutive in size by comparison, can be purchased as such or if one of yours should behavior, but also the downright orneriest as A wild-caught “pair” in a wholesaler’s cubicle. The well. They can easily take on even larger perish, another of the approximate size of the maile is the smaller, lighter colored individual in the lost one may be introduced (within a few weeks , puffers, basses... and tear up forground. hexacorallian tankmates... and anemones to discount aggression). Raising your own especially. The key descriptor in their intelligent the “old” one in the colander, allowing the new broodstock is not hard to do, with the usual care is “keen observation”. You must keep your one to become familiar with the system, AND approach of acquiring a handful of small eye on them, lest they “go ballistic”. It is highly closely observe them the day of actual fin-to-fin individuals and having them “grow-up together”. recommended that you intentionally place your introduction. This requires either a good-sized system or Maroon/s last or close to last as fish livestock Premnas do best in “reef” type settings, vigilant observation on your part, to notice AND that they be what you want as the “alpha” irrespective of their tenacious personalities and pairing behavior and likely removing these to fish. Even in tanks of a few hundred gallons. “Oh, the possibility of their tearing up sedentary other quarters. I’m going to have a few anemones so I can keep . They may dig in the , Foods/Feeding/Nutrition different clowns together” Think again... often particularly around a host organism/item, but this Small to large Maroons will accept all foods Premnas will “hog” any and all such symbionts. is nothing to be alarmed about. They greatly with gusto. In the wild, the species principally prefer a mix of rocky decoration to cruise about feeds on and macroalgae, but in in, and your other agile livestock will appreciate captivity they will gladly take flakes, pellets, this as well... to get out of sight of the Maroons. Continued on page 3 Photo by Bob Fenner For SALT WATER that MEASURES UP.

Two spines on the gill cover give this fish its species name “biaculeatus”. • Full-Range, Easy-Read Scale Yes, Premnas will accept “strange bedfellows” like Trachyphyllia (Brain ), Flower Pot Coral with Safe Zone (Goniopora), Plate Corals (Fungiids), all sorts of • Durable Outer Casing and Needle soft corals, even faux corals, rocks, powerheads and the like, but they do NOT need these • Extra-Wide Stabilizer Base organisms to live healthy, long lives. Tank bred • Easy-Fill Design specimens have very likely never been exposed ACCURATE to cnidarians period and may not take to them in your system. TO ±0.001! Systems ® This fish gets big, nearly seven inches long in the wild, just slightly smaller in captivity. And can HYDROMETER be, to put it mildly, feisty with its own kind and other livestock. I would not place a single individual in any aquarium smaller than a forty gallon, or two fish in a minimum of sixty gallons. If mixing a new individual with an established one, it is strongly suggested to separate them for a Aquarium Systems, Inc. • Mentor, OH • www.marineland.com • ©2005 Marineland solid week, with a partition or my favorite, a floating plastic colander (spaghetti strainer). Put Premnas biaculeatus - The Maroon respite from their journey. Lots of T.L.C. in Allen, Gerald R. 1975. of the South Seas. TFH Clownfish quarantine for a few weeks to rest up... and for Publications, Neptune City, NJ. you to observe, possibly treat them for problems Allen, Gerald R. 1979. The Anemonefishes of the World: Species, Continued from page 2 is the best approach. Care & Breeding; Handbook for Aquarists, Divers and Scientists. Aquarium Systems, Mentor Ohio. Crypt/Ich and Amyloodinium can be treated Fenner, Bob. 1989. Popular marines: the Anemonefishes. Pets with copper based medications and/or Supplies Marketing 2/89. environmental manipulation. Brooklynellosis almost Frank, Stanislav. 1996. Zum geschlechtsdimorphismus einigere never responds to any treatment not containing riffbarsche. Das Aquarium Nr. 323, Mai 1996. formalin/formaldehyde. Beware of “reef safe” and Goldstein, Robert J. 1972. Anemone Fishes. Marine Aquarist “herbal” voodoo and other ingredients label-less 3(3):72. Photo by Bob Fenner treatments - they do NOT work. And do make Goldstein, R. J., 1982. Breeding Anemonefishes; Aquarist & sure and NOT attempt treatment in your main Pondkeeper, part 1 vol46(11), part 2 vol47(1). Henningsen, Alan D. 1989. An introduction to breeding system... this must remain fish-less (free of hosts) Clownfishes. TFH Jan 1989. for a good month, while you’re treating your fish Hoff, F., 1984. Pairing Clownfish, FAMA Sept 1984. livestock (all of them) elsewhere. The logic of Juhl, Torben. 1992. Commercial breeding of Anemonefishes. quarantine becomes immensely clear to any/all SeaScope vol. 9 winter 92. who have suffered these experiences. O’Malley, John. 1989. Potential problems with clownfish; despite their peaceful dispositions, clownfish prefer to be alone. AFM Feb Cloze 1989. A Premnas with Brooklynellosis. So... you can read this off like a checklist: Do Stratton, Richard F.1989. The . TFH Feb 1989. you have a large enough tank (forty gallon for one, Stratton, Richard F. 1994. The maroon clownfish. TFH Nov 1994. frozen/defrosted. The species does best being sixty for two minimum), which can use a “boss” fish? Wilkerson, Joyce D. 1997 Clownfish; a guide to their captive care, afforded regular spontaneous feeding through the Where its hexacorallian organisms might end-up breeding & natural history. Microcosm, VT. 216 pp. use of a live () but will also fare shredded? Lots of time to wait on a beautiful fish or Wilkerson, Joyce D. 1993. Clowning around; simple clownfish well being offered foods twice daily. two? Well, you just might be a candidate for Maroon spawning and rearing facility. FAMA Jun 1993. keeping. Most problems with this fish are self- Young, F.A. & Guerrant, C. 1984. Raising Clownfish for the Diseases of All Sorts generated... people trying to keep them in too small Hobbyist. FAMA Sept 1984. As clean and easy to keep biologically a system, not as the alpha fish, buying large wild- disease-free as captive produced stock of this caught specimens and not properly quarantining species is, the wild-caught is VERY often funky them... Avoid these common mistakes. and gunky. Almost all imports are hosts to a Future Events and Conferences goodly amount of parasite fauna, and coupled Bibliography/Further Reading: with the stress of captivity, handling, shipping, Allen, Gerald R. 1974. The Anemonefishes. Their Classification IMAC 2005 June 24-26, 2005, starving, are a recipe for disaster IF not given and Biology, 2nd Ed. TFH Publications, NJ. Chicago IL. More information at www.theimac.org MACNA XVII September 16-18, 2005 Washington D. C. More information at www.macnaxvii.com

PUBLICATION INFORMATION For more than 40 years, Instant public and scientific ® and Reef Crystals® Sea Salts research facilities everywhere – SeaScope® was created to present short, have set the industry standard for the perfect solutions for the ideal informative articles of interest to marine quality, consistency, convenience, marine environment. aquarists. Topics may include water chemistry, nutrition, mariculture, system design, ecology, and value in aquarium sea salts. behavior, and fish health. Article contributions They are the #1 choice of hobbyists, are welcomed. They should deal with pertinent topics and are subject to editorial reviews that in our opinion are necessary. Payments 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. Dealers not receiving copies of SeaScope® for distribution to their customers should call Aquarium Systems, Inc. to be added to the mailing list. Telephone: 1-800-822-1100. The SeaScope® newsletter is now available on-line at www.marineland.com under the News tab. Go to the “What’s New” section and choose SeaScope® newsletter for the most recent issue. Address comments, questions, and suggestions to Dr. Timothy A. Hovanec, Editor. Marineland, 6100 Condor Dr., Moorpark, CA 93021 or E-Mail: [email protected] Aquarium Systems, Inc. • Mentor, OH (800) 822-1100 • www.marineland.com ©2005 Marineland Aquarium Systems is a Marineland Company Sea hares in the Aquarium Continued from page 1 aquarium, they immediately stop what they are doing and begin casting about with their heads to zero in on the source. The two “ears” on top of a sea hare’s head are called rhinophores. The rhinophores, along with the “mustache” or oral tentacles around a sea hare’s mouth receive chemical cues from objects in the water of interest

Photo by Julie Van Horn to them, namely food or other sea hares. The oral tentacles, combined with the anterior part of the foot are used to grasp and manipulate food. Sea hares do not have teeth. They grasp their food by means of a rough tongue like structure called the radula. Photos 3 and 4 contrast the radula of the sea hares in the species Aplysia and Bursatella, respectively. Different kinds of sea hares have distinct looking radulas, which are adapted to the type of food they prefer. The radula is lined with rows of radula teeth. Aplysia radula teeth are short and fairly blunt while those of another sea hare, Bursatella, has radula teeth that are long and hooked. Between the mouth and the gizzard is a crop that stores food on its way to a muscular organ called the gizzard. The gizzard is endowed with gizzard A sea hare from the species Bursatella. teeth made of chitin that serve to further grind up food. Then it’s just a short trip through the intestine and out through a siphon in the center of the sea transferring sperm to the first via an eversible penis veligers. Most veligers are removed by the filtration hare’s back, posterior to the shell. Because a lot of located on the right side of the head, or as a female, system in fairly short order. Survival in a home what they eat is not digestible, the majority passes receiving sperm from the first through a gonopore aquarium is not likely, as the veligers require right through. Frequent bottom siphoning is a must if located in the middle of a sea hare’s back. Groups phytoplankton food and specific types of algae upon you insist on a neat aquarium with sea hares. of mating sea hares form loops or chains that can be which to metamorphose into adults. Some sea hares can swim. They have large wing- quite extravagant. Obviously, it’s much more fun for Sea hares are low-key creatures. They don’t like extensions, or parapodia, on either side of their the aquarist and the sea hares if more than one are bother other and other animals don’t bother bodies that they beat against the water, lifting them kept. them. On the rare occasion that a sea hare is up. Other sea hares cannot swim, and must be The end result of all this activity is eggs. Sea genuinely annoyed however, it is capable of ejecting content with slow sluglike movement along the sea hares stick their eggs, which resemble green purple ink. The color is derived from pigments in floor with the aid of the muscular foot. spaghetti, onto the walls of aquariums. In about a the diet. Starved or old sea hares release blue ink. Although the term slug implies that sea hares week the eggs will hatch and the egg masses will Nearly blind, sea hares depend on their senses are without a shell, in fact, Aplysia does have a shell disappear, releasing microscopic larvae called of touch and “smell”. When food is put into the (Photo 5). It is much reduced and internal, but can be felt in the middle of its back. The sea hare larva, or veliger, always has a shell, but some species lose it as they mature. Sea hares are not a solution to hair algae. Forcing them to eat it is no fun and they will not thrive. Instead, if you decide to keep sea hares, feed them well and enjoy their slow

Photo by Julie Van Horn motion antics as a contrast to the energetic Photo by Julie Van Horn swimming of . Photo by Julie Van Horn

Close-up of an Aplysia radula. Close-up of a Bursatella radula. The shell of an Aplysia. MANUFACTURER OF INSTANT OCEAN * Volume 22 i Issue 2,2005

There has been a dramatic increase in the number of new hobbyists in )he post few years. This increase has lead to a welling in ftie number of local '"frag swaps" being held in communities ocross the counlry , Frog swaps are events typically sponsored by a local aquarium society during which hobbyists will buy, 4, and (rode captive grown fragments (frogs)of corals, as well as new and used equipment. This article will tell you all you need to know if you will be going to your first swap. Preparingmu Attendingyourfirst conbean intimidating hy b orrange frodes or purchases in advance of the swap. You can usually find a thread in one of Ae online bwrds or on the sportionhg clubs website in which advance Idesand sak are arranged. Scan these frequently in the days Mi uptotheswop.Youcondsoposton k?rd wiha sgcikspzk yw me looking to buy or e Remember to arrange a time and/or a place to meet the seller at the swap, as usually it is someone you Bob Fmnw don't know. Most issue name tags he WaiWobiModia dm,butlh-hXkbhhdk constan* soaring know itiol I11 be wearing a bit red shirt, or Almost about like their other mid-sized fishes of an outgoing nature, avion counterparts the brilliarrtly colored some other way to disiinguish myself to make bird Small fishes, or ones that are too shy to locating each crfher easier. wrasses are amusi ly shaped, and are on a compete for food, and "bite-sized" look-outfor items, predators, invertebrates like small cannot be PossibtePÑ and oquarists. easily kept with Gomphosus spp. There is us+ a small fee to ad Bird Wrasse? so named for their prominent swaps, and anoftier small fee if want to set beaks as much as ^wr flitting The Two Species up an aqwrium to sell or trade I? ags from. You swimming behavior. These are fad movi Gomphosus coen/teuS [Locepede 1801), not hove anything to trade if you moderate sized (males to oha fed 6% the Blue, or Red Sea Bird Wrasse (Ptrcto 1) is are newprobably to hobby, which means that do wry wall in mixed fish species found in the and Red Sea. should bri cash wih you. 90% of EpeopleTheream two species in thegenus Moles are dark azure blue, and females white who ore Jing things will wily accept cash, depending on the to yellow below and dark greenish blue although there will uswily be some vendors aq~xaristhere is Iirophic awareness~ocation of the otherof the by above. They reach about one toot 30 an) in there taking credit cards. Check with the es. Europeans ere readily fimilior with length. sponsoring ctub ahead of lime to find out TheTndiin Ocean and Red Sea species Gomphosus wius (Locepede 180 1), is ¥th which, if any, wndors will be crttendirg and Gornphosus cmhwhich is almost much more common Bird Wrasse in the west, what forms of payment will be accepted. exclusively traded in European markets. But The moles are lighter over-all, and Usuo ,these events are held in veni~esihot Americans wit) only know G. &s which is females tranwersetyEta w htti are ok, ittle too smli for the numbers of found from Hawaii to the tropical western back, with an oragiih u "beak*'. The crttendaas, which will mean mewaiting Pacific and eastern Indian Ocean. inBird Wrasse is Endin Hawaii to the around while the crowd goes from table to Both tfwss spades attain about the same tropical western Pacific and eastern Indian table examining the offerings. You should size, hove similar habits and care Ocean. attempt to see all of the offerings before reot~iremenk.Bird Wrasses are neither small, nor greatly easygoing, and are best kept with Continued on page 4 Continued on page 2

Woo5 Aqwmm Systems, Inc., Mentor, OH . Prinled in U.S.A. ConHnued from page 1

Ftlfratroft/oeratiori/urculotion need to be marine angels, batfishes, SoUierfishes, bassos ofgoodsize, thesearesuitablefishesintonns d compatibility. Mias, buflerflyfishes, most cot& ndfcihet... win rxri gat enough lo eat in a tank with Gomphosus. wonunderthesubstrate. Bird Wrasses do not consume stinging- celled mimds, prefeiring mollusks, dl fishes, achinodanns dwnro mcndy in he wild, so stridfy weoking Ihey ore "reel sofeu fishes, though lhay will consume smaller shrimpsgiven Ihechance, be fitted with this sand, a gfwn Birdwrassesdofinekeptonebatank, bfew inches)oreashouldbasetaside and con be kept as "pairs" {me fd,one mole),orif >y3temisverytaiga,a T- T- dlemale$,C&rnaintain +tone Hardy donuelfishei, medium to larger system-

3.) Size moUersI Unless you hove a very Bird wrasses are far from fin+ feeders (>100*gaWwtÈ little present and willgluttonously consumedtonnateof IbZ*fwdbf ~sb~ - foods in greet In fad, (here is w*.~ildeshiiandodo~tbrbi~rhan typtai~yv~tylrtSemokefhotno training time lmpnck... whibri ustothepertinent required acquainting Gofrwhosw wflh novel tad thot tfwse fishes likeotfier wrasses ore ioodstuffs.Asaprochcatmeasure,youmay wefl horn to toed Bird Wrasse in one comerwhilesimultaneously hyingtogetfood toprotherlivestock,

mobs. So, uying a b khhy(emale, you oem expect In time to have We hove dreody men-lioned the incidental a mole. damoga and mortalities due to capture trauma and habitat limitation; Bird wrasses are -H&w Ewn dlspecimens of Bird Wrasses need room to move. Thesespeciesore coooblftofir>credib!abuntsofspeed,andcan and do easily dumago ihemselves at limes by running into the walk of their aquariums, A minimum sized 'um lor them if a two-foot majorityofmarinefishes. d&byh~~~;km"m Given a few weeks careful quarantine, Ididmake that a six foot long aquarium. and/or a Hudjusted freshwater bath Akintotheir 'ty for rapid between snipping and placeman*, il is rare that mwemeni,theirtanEELtok theywitcarrypathogensintoanewsystem. covered.MANYandupassomuch¡"e

Continued on page 3 ^ ^ '^ for more than 40 years, In51 They trk the ffT dit~ceornobhyists, Ocean-' and Reef crystals$ Sea Salts public aquariums and scientific have set the industry standard for research facilities everywhere - quality, consistency, convenience, the perfect solutions for the ideal wad value in aquarium sea salts. hsch Hans & Helmut Debelius. 1994; Marina ha,v. I. MERGUS, Germany, Burgess, Wonen E. Herbert R. Axelrod & Raymond E. ~unz^erIll. 1990. Ahof Aquarium Fishes Reference Book, v. 1 Marine Fishes. T.F.H. Publications, NJ. 768pp. Emmens, Cliff W. 1985, Wraaws. TFH 7/85. Nelson loia h S. 1994. Fishes of the ~olfd.'3rd~cf WHçy MOpp. Roncbtl, John E. 1983. Red Sea Reef Fishes. hmet Publishing, London. 192pp. Randail, John E. 1996 Shore F' h*t of HcTOai'i. N-al Worid Prw, QR.Afipp.

is published quortdy tor free mrqhh~ aquarium hbs. DdChfSnotracMVfngcopiesof lor distribution to itwu

customers fhould call Aquarium Systems, Inc.tobeaddedtothemoilinglirt. + Ttlephofto; 1-800822-1 100. The nawshk is now mkbb

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