Price per Polyp
Fimbriaphyllia ancora, commonly known as anchor coral or hammer coral, is a reef-building coral characterized by its dome or cushion-shaped colonies and distinctive anchor-shaped (or hammer-shaped) tips on its tentacles. It exhibits a wide range of colors, including green, purple, and orange, making it popular in the aquarium trade. This species is known for its flabello-meandroid skeleton and is found in Indo-Pacific tropical and subtropical waters.
Here's a more detailed description:
Colony Shape:
Fimbriaphyllia ancora forms dome or cushion-shaped colonies, which can be quite large, sometimes several meters across.
Skeleton:
The skeleton is flabello-meandroid, meaning it has a branching pattern with valleys between the ridges.
Polyps:
The polyps have large, tubular tentacles with distinct anchor-like tips. These tips can also resemble hammers or the letter T.
Coloration:
The coral displays a variety of colors, including blue-gray, orange, and green, often with pale cream or green outer borders on the tentacles.
Habitat:
It is found in Indo-Pacific tropical and subtropical waters, forming large colonies in reef environments.
Common Names:
It is known as anchor coral or hammer coral due to the shape of its tentacles.
Price per polyp
Euphyllia ancora, commonly known as anchor coral or hammer coral, is a reef-building coral characterized by its dome or cushion-shaped colonies and distinctive anchor-shaped (or hammer-shaped) tips on its tentacles. It exhibits a wide range of colors, including green, purple, and orange, making it popular in the aquarium trade. This species is known for its flabello-meandroid skeleton and is found in Indo-Pacific tropical and subtropical waters.
Here's a more detailed description:
Colony Shape:
Fimbriaphyllia ancora forms dome or cushion-shaped colonies, which can be quite large, sometimes several meters across.
Skeleton:
The skeleton is flabello-meandroid, meaning it has a branching pattern with valleys between the ridges.
Polyps:
The polyps have large, tubular tentacles with distinct anchor-like tips. These tips can also resemble hammers or the letter T.
Coloration:
The coral displays a variety of colors, including blue-gray, orange, and green, often with pale cream or green outer borders on the tentacles.
Habitat:
It is found in Indo-Pacific tropical and subtropical waters, forming large colonies in reef environments.
Common Names:
It is known as anchor coral or hammer coral due to the shape of its tentacles.
Price per polyp
Candy Cane coral or Caulastrea, is a popular, beginner-friendly large polyp stony (LPS) coral, characterized by its bright green, trumpet-shaped polyps. These polyps grow in clusters from a branching skeleton, creating a visually appealing structure. They are known for their hardiness and ability to add a vibrant pop of color to reef aquariums.
Key characteristics:
Appearance: The coral has a branching skeleton with trumpet-shaped polyps that are typically a vibrant neon green.
Polyp Structure: Each polyp has a central mouth surrounded by tentacles, and they can expand significantly, sometimes resembling a closed brain coral.
Hardiness: Green trumpet corals are considered hardy and relatively easy to care for, making them a good choice for beginners.
Lighting and Flow: They generally thrive under moderate lighting and moderate water flow.
Aggression: They have short sweeper tentacles, but are generally considered peaceful and can be placed near other corals, provided there's enough space to prevent them from touching.
Growth: They tend to grow at a moderate pace, forming dense colonies over time.
Water Conditions: Stable water conditions with appropriate levels of calcium, strontium, and other trace elements are important for their health.
In summary, the green trumpet coral is a visually appealing and relatively easy-to-care-for coral, making it a popular choice for reef aquarists of all experience levels.
Price per polyp
Candy Cane coral or Caulastrea, is a popular, beginner-friendly large polyp stony (LPS) coral, characterized by its bright green, trumpet-shaped polyps. These polyps grow in clusters from a branching skeleton, creating a visually appealing structure. They are known for their hardiness and ability to add a vibrant pop of color to reef aquariums.
Key characteristics:
Appearance: The coral has a branching skeleton with trumpet-shaped polyps that are typically a vibrant neon green.
Polyp Structure: Each polyp has a central mouth surrounded by tentacles, and they can expand significantly, sometimes resembling a closed brain coral.
Hardiness: Green trumpet corals are considered hardy and relatively easy to care for, making them a good choice for beginners.
Lighting and Flow: They generally thrive under moderate lighting and moderate water flow.
Aggression: They have short sweeper tentacles, but are generally considered peaceful and can be placed near other corals, provided there's enough space to prevent them from touching.
Growth: They tend to grow at a moderate pace, forming dense colonies over time.
Water Conditions: Stable water conditions with appropriate levels of calcium, strontium, and other trace elements are important for their health.
In summary, the green trumpet coral is a visually appealing and relatively easy-to-care-for coral, making it a popular choice for reef aquarists of all experience levels.
Price for frag with 10 polyps
Zoanthus, commonly known as "zoas" or "button polyps," are a genus of colonial, polyp-forming anthozoans, related to sea anemones. They are popular in the aquarium hobby due to their vibrant colors and relatively easy care. Zoanthids are characterized by their encrusting growth form, spreading across surfaces like a mat, with individual polyps connected by a fleshy tissue called a coenenchyme.
Here's a more detailed description:
Colonial Structure:
Zoanthus colonies are made up of numerous individual polyps, each with a central mouth surrounded by tentacles. These polyps are connected by a mat-like structure called the coenenchyme, allowing for nutrient and energy transfer throughout the colony.
Growth Form:
Zoanthids typically grow in a flat, encrusting pattern, often resembling a carpet or mat on rocks, sand, or other surfaces.
Appearance:
They exhibit a wide range of colors and patterns, with many hobbyists naming specific color morphs (e.g., "Watermelon," "Miami Vice"). Some zoanthids also possess proteins that cause them to fluoresce under certain lighting conditions.
Habitat:
Zoanthids are commonly found in coral reefs, where they can tolerate a wide range of light and water flow conditions. They are often found in shallow, high-light environments, but some species can also be found in deeper waters.
Aquarium Care:
Zoanthids are generally considered relatively easy to care for in captivity, making them a popular choice for reef aquariums.
Toxicity:
It's important to note that some zoanthids contain palytoxin, a potent toxin that can be harmful if ingested or if it comes into contact with skin or eyes. Some aquarium hobbyist sites say to handle them with care and avoid contact with the toxin.
The Pajama Cardinalfish, scientifically known as Sphaeramia nematoptera, is a popular saltwater aquarium fish known for its vibrant colors and peaceful nature. It features a greenish-yellow face, bright orange eyes, and a silver body with a bold black band across the midsection. The posterior part of its body is adorned with orange polka dots. These fish are relatively small, typically reaching a maximum size of 3 inches (8 cm).
Here's a more detailed description:
Appearance:
Coloration:
The Pajama Cardinal has a striking appearance with a greenish-yellow face, bright orange eyes, and a silver body.
Markings:
A prominent black band runs across the midsection, and the posterior of the body is dotted with orange polka dots. These dots are black in juveniles and turn red as they mature.
Fins:
The fish has distinctive tail fins.
Size:
They are relatively small, typically reaching a maximum length of 3 inches (8 cm).
Behavior:
Peaceful:
Pajama Cardinals are known for their peaceful nature and are suitable for community saltwater aquariums.
Schooling:
They thrive in small groups or schools within a larger aquarium.
Hierarchy:
While they establish dominance hierarchies when kept in groups, they don't typically rely on aggression to assert their position.
Nocturnal:
They are most active during twilight hours and during the night, when they disperse to hunt.
Care:
Reef-safe:
Pajama Cardinals are generally considered reef-safe and do not harm corals or invertebrates.
Diet:
They are omnivores and readily accept a variety of high-quality frozen foods, pellets, and live foods.
Tank Size:
A minimum of 20 gallons is recommended for a small group of Pajama Cardinals.
Compatibility:
They should be housed with other peaceful tankmates to avoid any aggression.
Additional Facts:
Mouth Brooders: Like other cardinalfish, they are mouth brooders, with the males incubating the eggs in their mouths.
Difficult to Sex: It's difficult to distinguish between males and females based on appearance alone.
Origin: They are found in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Purple Firefish (Nemateleotris decora) is a vibrant dartfish characterized by its slender, elongated body, often white or yellow, that transitions to a darker shade towards the tail. Its most striking feature is its purple head and face, which contrasts with the reddish-orange or maroon hues on its fins, often edged with black. It's a relatively small fish, reaching about 3.5 to 4 inches in length, and is known for its peaceful temperament and reef compatibility.
Key characteristics:
Appearance: White or yellow body, purple head, reddish-orange or maroon fins with black edging.
Size: Reaches a maximum length of 9 cm (3.5 inches).
Habitat: Found in tropical Indo-West Pacific waters, from Mauritius to Samoa.
Temperament: Peaceful and reef compatible.
Diet: Feeds on zooplankton, especially copepods and crustacean larvae.
Behavior: Often found in pairs, hovering in the water column, and darting into holes when alarmed.
The Bicolor Blenny (Ecsenius bicolor) is a popular saltwater aquarium fish known for its distinctive two-toned coloration, typically blue or dark brown in the front half and orange or yellow in the back. They are relatively hardy, peaceful, and have engaging personalities, making them a good addition to many reef aquariums.
Key characteristics:
Appearance:
The most prominent feature is the color division, with the front half of the body displaying a blue to dull brown hue, while the posterior half is orange or yellow. Males may exhibit more vibrant colors, especially when breeding.
Size:
They typically grow to about 4 inches (10 cm) in length.
Temperament:
Generally peaceful, but can be territorial towards other blennies, gobies, and dartfish in smaller tanks.
Habitat:
Found in Indo-Pacific reefs, they are bottom-dwelling fish, often found among rocks and crevices.
Diet:
Bicolor Blennies are primarily herbivores, consuming algae and plant matter. They will also graze on algae growing in the aquarium and should be offered a varied diet including algae-based foods.
Reef Compatibility:
They are generally considered reef safe, but may nip at clams or large polyp stony corals in smaller setups or when underfed.
Aquarium Requirements:
A tank of at least 30 gallons is recommended, with plenty of rocks for perching and hiding.
In aquariums:
Bicolor Blennies are known for their active and curious personalities, often seen hopping from rock to rock, exploring their environment. They are a great addition to larger reef tanks where they can help control algae growth and provide entertainment with their antics.
The sugar cane shrimp, scientifically known as Parhippolyte uveae, is a small shrimp species characterized by its translucent body and distinctive markings. It inhabits caves and anchialine pools in the Indo-Pacific region, including areas like the Indian and western Pacific Oceans. These shrimps are generally peaceful and thrive in reef-style aquariums with plenty of hiding spaces.
Appearance:
Size: They typically grow to about 5 cm in length.
Coloration: The body is red with shades of white
Habitat: They are commonly found in caves, often in shallow coral reef environments, and sometimes in anchialine pools.
Behavior:
Activity: Some populations, like those in Kakaban Island, are photophobic, meaning they are most active at night. Others, like those in the Philippines, are considered "sun-lovers" and are more active during the day.
Diet: Sugar cane shrimp are omnivores, preferring meaty foods like brine shrimp, mysis, and phytoplankton.
Temperament: They are generally peaceful and safe for reef and fish-only aquariums.
Other Names:
They are also known as the Red Sugar Cane Shrimp or Red Prawn.
Aquarium Care:
Tank Size: A 10-gallon tank is generally recommended.
Environment: They do well in reef or fish-only aquariums and are coral and fish safe.
Acclimation: Shrimp are sensitive to changes in salinity, so proper acclimation is important.
The Saron inermis, also known as the Pinecone Marble Shrimp, is a small, colorful shrimp found in tropical Indo-Pacific reefs. They are characterized by their prominent rostrum, banded legs, and opaque white spots on their abdomen. They are typically found lurking in rocky crevices during the day and emerge at night to forage.
Key features of Saron inermis:
Appearance:
They have a translucent body with a mix of white, green, brown, and red coloration, which helps them camouflage in their environment. They grow to about 1.6 to 2 inches (4-5 cm).
Habitat:
They inhabit tropical reefs, specifically in the Indo-Pacific region.
Behavior:
They are solitary and likely territorial, with males sometimes engaging in ritualistic combat using elongated legs. They are known to be omnivores, feeding on both plant and animal matter.
Aquarium keeping:
They are popular in the aquarium trade due to their unique appearance. They are relatively easy to care for in an aquarium, with a recommended tank size of at least 11 gallons (50 liters).
Reproduction:
They are gonochoric, meaning they have separate sexes. Mating involves a precopulatory courtship ritual using olfactory and tactile cues, with indirect sperm transfer.
The Saron rectirostris, commonly called the Purple Leg Shrimp, is a species of shrimp in the family Hippolytidae. It is a reef-safe species known for its unique coloration and elongated legs, particularly in males, used for ritualistic combat. They are found in the Indo-Pacific region, often lurking in rocky crevices during the day and emerging at night to forage and interact.
Physical Characteristics:
Coloration: They are typically white with pale brown patches, featuring purple legs and tail.
Cirri: Males have tufts of cirri (feathery appendages) on their back.
Legs: The first pair of walking legs in males are elongated.
Size: They can grow to about 2.5 to 5 cm (approximately 1 to 2 inches).
Translucency: Their bodies are somewhat translucent with various shades of white, green, brown, and red.
Behavior and Ecology:
Habitat: Found on Indo-Pacific reefs, hiding in rocky crevices during the day.
Nocturnal: They emerge at night to feed and interact.
Solitary: Generally solitary and likely territorial.
Ritualistic Combat: Males engage in ritualistic combat using their elongated legs.
Aquarium Keeping:
Reef Safe:
Generally considered reef safe, but should be kept with other small, reef-safe species.
Acclimation:
They require slow acclimation (4-8 hours) and may lie motionless initially.
Diet:
They are omnivores and will eat a variety of foods.
Water Parameters:
They are intolerant of copper and high nitrates, and require iodine for molting.
Engineer gobies, also known as convict gobies or worm gobies, are a unique and fascinating species native to the Indo-Pacific region. They are known for their burrowing behavior, constructing intricate tunnel systems in sandy substrates, which they use for shelter and to raise their young. These fish exhibit interesting color changes as they mature, initially displaying black and white horizontal stripes, which later transition into vertical bands.
Physical Description:
Size: Engineer gobies can grow up to 12 inches (30 cm) in length.
Body Shape: They have a slender, eel-like body shape.
Coloration:
Juveniles: Black with bright white or yellow horizontal stripes, often mimicking venomous catfish.
Adults: Black with white vertical bands.
Behavior and Ecology:
Burrowing:
Engineer gobies are renowned for their burrowing behavior, constructing elaborate tunnel systems in the sand.
Social Structure:
They are social fish and often live in groups, with multiple individuals sharing tunnel systems.
Mimicry:
Juvenile engineer gobies mimic venomous catfish to deter predators.
Diet:
They are carnivorous and will consume meaty foods, including frozen and live options.
Care in Aquariums:
Tank Size:
A minimum of 55 gallons is recommended, with plenty of substrate for burrowing.
Tank Mates:
They are generally peaceful but can become territorial with other blennies, gobies, or dartfish in smaller tanks.
Diet:
A varied diet of frozen and live meaty foods is essential.
Reef Safe:
Engineer gobies are considered reef-safe and generally pose no threat to corals or most invertebrates.
