Stylophora pistillata, commonly called smooth cauliflower coral or hood coral, is a species of stony coral in the Indo-Pacific region. It has a branching growth form, with blunt-ended branches that thicken and become more massive as the colony matures. Corallites (the individual polyps' stony cups) are conical or hooded and partially submerged in the coenosteum (the stony framework of the colony). These corallites have a prominent, solid columella (the central column) and may have six primary and sometimes six secondary septa (stony plates forming the corallite wall). The coenosteum is covered in fine spinules. Colonies can be cream, pink, bluish, or green.
Key features of Stylophora pistillata:
Growth Form: Branching, with branches becoming thick and submassive.
Corallites: Conical or hooded, with a prominent columella and septa.
Colony Size: Up to 50 cm in diameter.
Color: Cream, pink, bluish, or green.
Habitat: Shallow water reef environments exposed to strong wave action.
Distribution: Indo-Pacific region
Symphyllia is a genus of large polyp stony (LPS) corals, characterized by their massive, dome-shaped or flat colonies with meandroid (brain-like) corallites. These corals are known for their diverse colors and patterns, often with contrasting colors between valley floors and walls. While the genus name Symphyllia is no longer taxonomically valid, with most species now classified under Lobophyllia, it's still used for CITES purposes.
Key characteristics of Symphyllia:
Colony Shape: Typically massive, dome-shaped, or flat, with meandroid valleys.
Corallites: Flabello-meandroid (brain-like), with ridges separating valleys, often with contrasting colors.
Polyps: Each corallite houses multiple polyps, indicated by the many mouth openings.
Color: Wide range of colors, often mottled, with contrasting colors between valley floors and walls.
Tentacles: They have long sweeper tentacles that can extend to sting other corals.
Habitat: Found on reef slopes and in protected areas of reefs.
Taxonomy: While the genus Symphyllia is no longer valid, it's still used for CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) purposes, and many species have been reassigned to Lobophyllia.
Examples of Symphyllia species:
Symphyllia valenciennesi (now often classified under Lobophyllia), Symphyllia wilsoni (now often classified under Australophyllia), Symphyllia radians, Symphyllia agaricia, and Symphyllia recta.
Distinguishing Symphyllia from Lobophyllia:
Corallite Size and Structure:
Symphyllia species generally have larger, more branched corallites with more mouth openings compared to Lobophyllia.
Valley Ridges:
Symphyllia corallites often exhibit ridges dividing the interior surface (like a brain coral), while Lobophyllia corallites are often more separated.
Мраморният дракон (Synchiropus marmoratus) е малка, обитаваща рифове риба, известна с мраморното си, червеникаво-кафяво оцветяване и отличителните си, удължени гръбни перки, особено при мъжките. Те обикновено се намират на нивото на субстрата, движейки се между скали и коралови отломки в търсене на малка плячка.
Ето по-подробно описание:
Физически характеристики:
Форма на тялото:
Цилиндрично тяло с голяма глава и тръбна муцуна.
Оцветяване:
Бяло с пъстри червени, сиви и кафяви маркировки, като червеното се простира от главата до опашната перка.
Перки:
Много развити перки, включително гръдни перки, използвани за плуване с характерно вълнообразно движение, и коремни перки, използвани като малки лапи.
Гръбна перка:
Ярко оцветени с арабески, вариращи от червено до оранжево, кафяво и черно.
Мъже:
Имат по-дълги бодли на гръбните перки и по-цветен ветрилообразен гръбен перков елемент от женските.
Поведение и екология:
Местообитание:
Среща се предимно в рифовата среда, живеейки сред скали и коралови отломки.
Хранене:
Те са бавноядци, които се хранят с малки, бентосни организми като микрофауна.
Защита:
Те нямат люспи и отделят токсична слуз, когато са стресирани, плюс това имат защитен гръбнак на хрилните капаци.
Други забележителни характеристики:
Мъжки: Могат да бъдат разпознати по удължените си задни перки.
Женски: Рядко се хващат и най-вече не се търгуват
Пъстрият мандарин дракон, Synchiropus picturatus, е популярна аквариумна риба, известна с ярките си цветове и мирния си характер. Най-добре е да се отглежда по двойки, с един мъжки и женски, въпреки че могат да живеят и сами или в малки, свободни групи. Те често са самотни, прекарвайки голяма част от времето си близо до субстрата или скалите в естествената си среда.
Ключови аспекти на отглеждането на двойка Synchiropus picturatus:
Сдвояване: Идеалната двойка е мъжки и женски, тъй като те могат да живеят спокойно заедно.
Размер: Те могат да достигнат до 8 см дължина.
Размер на аквариума: За един екземпляр се препоръчва минимум 100 литра, като за двойки или групи са необходими по-големи аквариуми.
Диета: Те са месоядни и се хранят предимно с жива микрофауна като амфиподи и копеподи, които трябва да присъстват в достатъчен брой в аквариума.
Съжителстващи в аквариума: Мирните риби, морските кончета, морските иглички и други малки риби са добри съжителстващи в аквариума. Те не са съвместими с силно агресивни или конкурентни риби.
Подготовка на аквариума: Те изискват добре установен аквариум с много живи камъни за паша и скривалище, както и пясъчно дъно.
Темперамент: Те са като цяло мирни и не вредят на корали или безгръбначни.
Живописният дракон ( Synchiropus picturatus ) е ярко оцветен член на семейство драконови, произхождащ от Индо-Западната част на Тихия океан : Филипините , Източна Индонезия и Северозападна Австралия . Понякога попада в търговията с аквариуми, където е известен като петниста мандарина , психеделична мандарина или таргет мандарина .
Описание
Живописният дракон може да достигне размер от 7 см на дължина. Те имат гъста слуз по кожата си, която потиска много видове паразитни инфекции и минимизира риска от заболяване след стрес или физическа травма. Това изглежда помага да се предпазят от някои други по-агресивни риби.
Synchiropus picturatus е едно от само двете гръбначни, за които е известно, че имат синьо оцветяване поради клетъчния пигмент, като другото е близкородственият Synchiropus splendidus . Името „цианофор“ е предложено за сините хроматофори или клетки, съдържащи пигмент и отразяващи светлината. Във всички други известни случаи синият цвят идва от тънкослойна интерференция от купчини плоски, тънки и отразяващи пуринови кристали.
Този вид е доста безвреден за хората и е доста миролюбив с други видове. Живописният дракон е морско животно, което живее естествено при температура между 24-28°C.
Двойка Synchiropus splendidus, известни още като Великолепни мандаринки, се характеризират с ярък, многоцветен външен вид и уникална форма на тялото. Те са малки, безлюспести риби с широка глава и удължено тяло, достигащи около 7,5 см дължина. Телата им са предимно сини, украсени със сложни шарки от оранжеви, червени и жълти линии. Мъжките имат по-заострена, удължена първа гръбна перка в сравнение с женските.
Основни характеристики на двойка Synchiropus splendidus:
Оцветяване: Ярко сините, оранжевите, червените и жълтите шарки създават впечатляващ визуален ефект.
Форма на тялото: Широка глава и удължено тяло, без люспи.
Полов диморфизъм: Мъжките имат по-удължена и заострена първа гръбна перка.
Структура на перките: Те притежават две къси гръбни перки, две големи гръдни перки и една голяма анална перка.
Местообитание: Предимно дънни рифови риби, срещащи се в защитени лагуни и крайбрежни рифове.
Поведение: Бавнодвижещи се, мирни и леко териториални, те обикновено живеят по двойки или малки групи.
Диета: Предимно месоядни, хранещи се с малки ракообразни и безгръбначни.
Synchiropus sycorax, известен още като рубиненочервено драконче, е малка, ярко оцветена риба с отличителен външен вид. Тя се отличава с яркочервено тяло и глава, жълт корем и тазови перки и е украсена с бели петна. Първата гръбна перка на зрелите мъжки е голяма и подобна на платно. Тези риби са известни с ярките си цветове, уникално поведение и безопасен за рифовете характер.
Подробно описание:
Оцветяване: Главата и тялото са яркочервени с ясно изразени бели петна. Коремът и тазовите перки са жълти, а тазово-гръдната мембрана на мъжките може да има синкава или зеленикаво-сива до черна ивица.
Форма на тялото: Има голяма глава, очи, разположени отгоре, и малка, заострена уста.
Структура на перката: Първата гръбна перка на зрелите мъжки е голяма и подобна на платно. Гръбната перка има добре очертани ивици и къси нишки.
Петна: Тялото има три реда бели петна: един по страничната линия, друг над аналната перка и среден ред, простиращ се отгоре над гръдната перка.
Размер: Synchiropus sycorax е сравнително малка риба.
Допълнителна информация:
Synchiropus sycorax е популярна аквариумна риба поради ярките си цветове, интересното поведение и безопасната си среда за рифовете.
Известно е, че са бавнодвижещи се, хранят се умишлено и не би трябвало да се конкурират за храна.
Диетата им включва кървави червеи, стъклени червеи и малки безгръбначни.
Tectus snails, often called turban snails or pyrmaid snails, are marine gastropods known for their distinctive, conical shells. They are found in various parts of the Indo-Pacific Ocean and are a common sight in saltwater aquariums.
Here's a more detailed description:
Shell:
Shape: Conical, sometimes with a pyramidal or turreted appearance.
Color: Typically whitish, grayish, or yellowish, often mottled or marbled with green or brown.
Surface: May have fine oblique wrinkles, spiral rows of beads, or radiating tubercles (rounded protuberances).
Base: Flat and often lirate (marked with concentric ridges).
Aperture: Transverse and rhomboidal (diamond-shaped).
Whorls: Can have 9-14 whorls, which are the spirals of the shell.
Size: Varies between 17 mm and 50 mm,
Other features:
Columella:
A short, vertical structure with a spiral fold, which is a thickening of the shell on the inner wall.
Habitat:
Live in the intertidal zone and shallower waters, often found in holes and crevices of reefs.
Diet:
Herbivorous, feeding on algae and biofilms on rocks and coral reefs.
In aquariums:
Useful for algae control, especially for cleaning live rock and aquarium glass.
Variations:
Different species of Tectus snails exhibit variations in shell color, surface texture, and other features
Trachyphyllia, commonly known as the open brain coral, is a free-living coral species in the Merulinidae family. They are large polyp stony corals (LPS) characterized by a flabello-meandroid growth form, meaning they have distinct valley regions separated by walls, resembling an inverted brain. These corals are often brightly colored and found in inter-reef environments and on soft substrates around continental islands.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
Appearance and Features:
Shape: Trachyphyllia are free-living, meaning they can move around and are not anchored to rocks. They have a flabello-meandroid growth pattern, with distinct valleys separated by walls.
Size: They are relatively small corals, typically not exceeding 20 cm in diameter.
Color: Trachyphyllia come in a wide variety of colors, including yellow, brown, blue, green, and red.
Tentacles: They have short tentacles that are often extended during feeding.
Mouth: They have one to three separate mouths within their valleys.
Habitat and Distribution:
Location: Trachyphyllia are found in inter-reef environments and on soft substrates around continental islands.
Substrate: They prefer to rest on soft substrates like sandbeds.
Water Conditions: They thrive in moderate to strong lighting and moderate water currents.
Care and Maintenance:
Lighting:
They generally prefer moderate lighting (100-150 PAR), but can tolerate lower light conditions.
Water Flow:
They do not like strong currents and should have moderate, indirect water flow.
Feeding:
They are voracious feeders and can be supplemented with various foods like brine shrimp and mysis, according to Tidal Gardens.
Placement:
They should be placed on the sand or substrate bed, allowing for proper movement and feeding.
Aggression:
Trachyphyllia can be a bit aggressive and should be placed with ample space from other corals
Trachyphyllia, commonly known as the open brain coral, is a free-living coral species in the Merulinidae family. They are large polyp stony corals (LPS) characterized by a flabello-meandroid growth form, meaning they have distinct valley regions separated by walls, resembling an inverted brain. These corals are often brightly colored and found in inter-reef environments and on soft substrates around continental islands.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
Appearance and Features:
Shape: Trachyphyllia are free-living, meaning they can move around and are not anchored to rocks. They have a flabello-meandroid growth pattern, with distinct valleys separated by walls.
Size: They are relatively small corals, typically not exceeding 20 cm in diameter.
Color: Trachyphyllia come in a wide variety of colors, including yellow, brown, blue, green, and red.
Tentacles: They have short tentacles that are often extended during feeding.
Mouth: They have one to three separate mouths within their valleys.
Habitat and Distribution:
Location: Trachyphyllia are found in inter-reef environments and on soft substrates around continental islands.
Substrate: They prefer to rest on soft substrates like sandbeds.
Water Conditions: They thrive in moderate to strong lighting and moderate water currents.
Care and Maintenance:
Lighting:
They generally prefer moderate lighting (100-150 PAR), but can tolerate lower light conditions.
Water Flow:
They do not like strong currents and should have moderate, indirect water flow.
Feeding:
They are voracious feeders and can be supplemented with various foods like brine shrimp and mysis, according to Tidal Gardens.
Placement:
They should be placed on the sand or substrate bed, allowing for proper movement and feeding.
Aggression:
Trachyphyllia can be a bit aggressive and should be placed with ample space from other corals
Tripneustes gratilla, commonly known as the collector urchin or Halloween urchin, is a species of sea urchin. It's a herbivorous echinoderm found in various tropical habitats like coral reefs, seagrass meadows, and algal forests. These urchins have a dark, often bluish-purple test (shell) with white or orange spines, sometimes completely white or orange-tipped.
Key Features and Behaviors:
Color: While typically dark, their spines can vary from white to orange, with some having orange tips or being entirely white.
Test: The test is usually dark, especially in interradial regions, which are the areas between the spines.
Spines: They possess long, obvious spines, and their spines are often inclined towards adjacent ambulacra, giving the appearance of a pentaradiate cross.
Podia: These urchins have long and obvious tube feet (podia) that help them move and collect debris.
Diet: Tripneustes gratilla is herbivorous, feeding primarily on algae.
Habitat: They are found in a variety of tropical habitats, including coral reefs, seagrass meadows, and algal forests.
Covering Behavior: They are known for their "covering behavior," using tube feet to cover their aboral (top) surface with debris like rocks and other materials.
Predators: Common predators include pufferfishes, octopuses, and humans.
Venom: They possess venom but it doesn't typically cause severe stings.
Edibility: While they are not the most commonly consumed sea urchin, some cultures do eat their gonads.
Other names: They are also known as cake, Parson's hat, Halloween, Hawaiian, priest-hut, pincushion, and hairy sea urchins
The Trochus histrio, commonly known as the Banded Trochus Snail, is a marine snail with a pale gray, pyramid-shaped shell adorned with maroon bands. It's a popular choice for reef aquariums due to its algae-eating habits and peaceful nature. These snails are reef-safe, coexisting well with most marine species, and are particularly effective at controlling film, diatom, and hair algae.
Here's a more detailed description:
Appearance:
Shell: The shell is pale gray, pyramid-shaped, and often has maroon bands or stripes.
Size: They are relatively small, typically reaching up to 1.5 inches in length.
Foot: The foot is black, and the underside is off-white/tan.
Behavior and Diet:
Algae-eating:
Trochus histrio snails are herbivores, primarily feeding on various types of algae, including brown, green, hair, and filamentous algae.
Cleaning:
They actively forage for algae on live rocks, glass, and other surfaces, helping to maintain a clean aquarium environment.
Peaceful:
They are peaceful snails and coexist well with most reef aquarium inhabitants.
Supplementation:
In aquariums with limited algae, it's beneficial to supplement their diet with algae wafers or nori sheets.
Care and Maintenance:
Water Parameters:
Maintain stable water conditions with temperatures between 72-78°F (23-26°C), pH levels of 8.1-8.4, and salinity around 1.023-1.025.
Acclimation:
Introduce them to the aquarium gradually using a slow drip acclimation process over 1-2 hours.
Tank Size:
They are suitable for nano tanks or larger setups, with a sandy substrate and rockwork for grazing.
Compatibility:
They are reef-safe and generally compatible with most marine species, but should be avoided with predatory creatures like pufferfish, triggerfish, or aggressive wrasses
Turbinaria is a genus encompassing both brown algae and stony corals, each with distinct characteristics. Brown algae (like Turbinaria ornata) are marine organisms with an upright, tough thallus resembling a pinecone. They are often found in tropical waters, attached to rocks or coral heads, and can be invasive in some areas. Stony corals (like Turbinaria peltata) form colonies with corallites, which are the skeletal structures where polyps reside. They can be disc-shaped, vase-shaped, or plate-like, and are commonly found in reef environments.
Brown Algae (Turbinaria):
Appearance: Erect, radially branched, with blades or "laterals" that can be turbinate or peltate. The overall structure resembles a long pinecone.
Habitat: Primarily found in tropical marine environments, especially coral reefs.
Growth: Can be invasive in some areas, colonizing reefs and outcompeting other species.
Examples: Turbinaria ornata (Crowded or Crowned Sea Bells)
Stony Corals (Turbinaria):
Appearance: Colonial, with corallites (skeletal structures) arranged in various forms like discs, vases, or plates.
Habitat: Coral reefs in various depths and water conditions.
Growth: Can form large colonies, sometimes dominating reef ecosystems.
Examples: Turbinaria peltata (Disc Coral), Turbinaria mesenterina
Key Differences:
Structure:
Brown algae have a thallus (non-animal tissue) with blades, while stony corals have a skeletal structure with corallites.
Growth:
Brown algae can fragment and reproduce vegetatively, while stony corals reproduce sexually.
Invasiveness:
Some brown algae species are considered invasive, while stony corals are generally not considered invasive.
