The Ciliopagurus strigatus, commonly known as the Halloween hermit crab, is a brightly colored hermit crab with a vibrant orange and black striped appearance. They are popular in marine aquariums due to their distinctive colors and usefulness as algae eaters and scavengers.
Key features and characteristics:
Appearance:
The Halloween hermit crab is easily recognizable by its bright orange and red striped "stockings". They also have a small claw on the left side.
Habitat:
They are found in the Central Pacific region, and are often associated with reef environments.
Diet:
They are omnivores, feeding on algae, detritus, leftover food, and sometimes other small creatures.
Behavior:
They are scavengers, sifting through the substrate to clean up detritus and algae. They also help aerate the substrate by moving the sand.
Reef-safe:
Generally considered reef-safe, they do not pose a threat to reef corals or other reef inhabitants.
Shells:
They live in borrowed shells, usually abandoned snail shells, and may even attack and consume snails to obtain a shell.
Maintenance:
In aquariums, they should be provided with a variety of shells to choose from, and their diet may need to be supplemented with algae and other food items if necessary.
In short, the Halloween hermit crab is a visually appealing and useful addition to a marine aquarium, known for its vibrant colors, algae-eating habits, and cleaning skills
The red-eye wrasse (Cirrhilabrus solorensis) is a species of wrasse native to Indonesia and Australia, where found near the Lesser Sundas, Maluka and Darwin. It inhabits coral reefs on coastal and outer reef lagoons at depths of 5 to 35 m (16 to 115 ft).
Adult male C. solorensis have a yellowish-dusky or yellow-green snout to crown, blue operculum, purple neck-region, yellow-orange upper body and blue belly. It can reach a total length of 11 cm (4.3 in).Until 2021, it was commonly confused with C. aquamarinus and C. chaliasi, which occur in similar habitats and all have mostly reddish eyes. In C. aquamarinus, which is found near Sulawesi, the adult male has a mostly deep yellow head, a dark blue back and operculum, and much of the body is blue-green. In C. chaliasi, which is found near the Lesser Sundas and Tukangbesi Islands, the adult male has a pinkish-red head, yellow-orange upper body and blue belly.Females of these species are considerably duller and not as easily separated.
C. solorensis occurs in small harems of one male, several females and juveniles. It is regarded as data deficient by the IUCN. It can be found in the aquarium trade.
Price per branching frag
Cladiella are a genus of soft coral belonging to the family Alcyoniidae. They are known for their distinctive finger-like projections, which can be round or cone-shaped, extending from a short stalk. These projections branch in various directions and have polyps extending from their tips. Cladiella are hardy, fast-growing corals that can grow up to 41 cm in height. They are often pale in color, with contrasting brown or greenish-brown polyps. They are also known to be slimy to the touch due to the production of mucus.
Here's a more detailed description:
Appearance:
Cladiella have a leathery, smooth base tissue, which can be pale or white, often with an orangey-pink central column. The finger-like projections are the most noticeable feature, with polyps extending from their tips.
Color:
The base tissue is typically pale or white, while the polyps can be brown or greenish due to the presence of zooxanthellae (symbiotic algae). Some species, like Cladiella australis, are known to appear brown with extended polyps but turn white when the polyps retract.
Growth:
Cladiella are relatively fast-growing corals, with some species reaching up to 41 cm in height.
Habitat:
Cladiella are commonly found in the Indo-Pacific region.
Care:
Cladiella are relatively easy to keep in a reef aquarium and are often recommended for beginners. They prefer a moderate to strong current and are adaptable to varying water parameters.
Other notable features:
They are known for their hardiness and can be found in a variety of colors, including pink, red, and purple.
Price per branching frag
Cladiella are a genus of soft coral belonging to the family Alcyoniidae. They are known for their distinctive finger-like projections, which can be round or cone-shaped, extending from a short stalk. These projections branch in various directions and have polyps extending from their tips. Cladiella are hardy, fast-growing corals that can grow up to 41 cm in height. They are often pale in color, with contrasting brown or greenish-brown polyps. They are also known to be slimy to the touch due to the production of mucus.
Here's a more detailed description:
Appearance:
Cladiella have a leathery, smooth base tissue, which can be pale or white, often with an orangey-pink central column. The finger-like projections are the most noticeable feature, with polyps extending from their tips.
Color:
The base tissue is typically pale or white, while the polyps can be brown or greenish due to the presence of zooxanthellae (symbiotic algae). Some species, like Cladiella australis, are known to appear brown with extended polyps but turn white when the polyps retract.
Growth:
Cladiella are relatively fast-growing corals, with some species reaching up to 41 cm in height.
Habitat:
Cladiella are commonly found in the Indo-Pacific region.
Care:
Cladiella are relatively easy to keep in a reef aquarium and are often recommended for beginners. They prefer a moderate to strong current and are adaptable to varying water parameters.
Other notable features:
They are known for their hardiness and can be found in a variety of colors, including pink, red, and purple.
Clypeaster oshimensis is a species of sea biscuit, a type of sea urchin, characterized by its flattened, circular body and short spines. It's also known as a sand dollar or cake urchin. Clypeaster oshimensis is a marine invertebrate with a calcareous shell. The shell consists of two valves, and the mantle has two lobes corresponding to the valves. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
Shape and Size:
Clypeaster oshimensis is known for its flattened, circular body, giving it a sand dollar or cake-like appearance.
Spines:
The surface of the sea biscuit is covered with short spines, which are often described as furlike.
Mouth:
The mouth is located on the underside (oral surface) and is not prominent.
Habitat:
This species is found in marine environments, specifically in the Indo-Pacific region.
Classification:
Clypeaster oshimensis belongs to the family Clypeasteridae, within the order Clypeasteroida. It is also sometimes classified under the subgenus Pavaya.
Price per frag
Colpophyllia natans, commonly known as boulder brain coral or large-grooved brain coral, is a species of stony coral found in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. It's characterized by large, rounded colonies, often resembling a brain, with a distinctive meandering pattern of ridges and valleys on its surface. The ridges are typically grey, while the valleys are green, whitish, or tan.
Here's a more detailed description:
Colony Shape and Size:
Colonies are large and can be either hemispherical or encrusting. They can grow up to 2 meters in diameter.
Surface Morphology:
The surface of the coral features a network of ridges and valleys that resemble a brain, hence the common name.
Coloration:
The ridges are generally brown, while the valleys are green, whitish, or tan.
Habitat:
Colpophyllia natans is typically found on reef slopes and tops, at depths of up to 50 meters.
Other Characteristics:
The coral has exsert, equal, and finely toothed septa. It also has a fine ambulacral groove along the tops of the walls.
Condylactis gigantea, also known as the Giant Caribbean Sea Anemone or Atlantic Anemone, is a large, columnar anemone found in shallow waters of the Caribbean Sea and western Atlantic Ocean. These anemones can be white, light blue, pink, orange, pale red, or light brown, with numerous tentacles, each often having a pink, scarlet, blue, or green-ringed tip. They can grow to be over 30 cm in diameter.
Key Features:
Size and Shape: Large, columnar body with a large diameter.
Color: Can be white, light blue, pink, orange, pale red, or light brown.
Tentacles: Numerous tentacles, often with colored tips.
Habitat: Shallow reefs, grass beds, and lagoons in the Caribbean and western Atlantic.
Diet: Carnivorous, feeding on small invertebrates, fish, shrimp, and zooplankton.
Reproduction: Dioecious (separate sexes) with a primary mating season in spring.
Defensive Mechanism: Possesses cnidocysts (stinging cells) on the tips of its tentacles.
Conomurex luhuanus, commonly known as the Strawberry Conch or Tiger Conch, is a medium-sized sea snail. It's a marine gastropod mollusk belonging to the family Strombidae, which includes true conchs. These snails are known for their vibrant shell interiors, typically colored orange, red, or pink, with a black or chocolate-brown inner lip border.
Here's a more detailed description:
Appearance:
The shell exterior can have a mottled, striped, or banded pattern, often with pink and white colors reminiscent of strawberries. The interior of the shell is the most striking feature, showcasing bright shades of orange, red, or pink.
Size:
Conomurex luhuanus can grow up to 8 cm (approximately 3 inches) in length.
Diet:
These snails are herbivores, feeding on algae, detritus, and organic matter. They also consume bristleworms and cyanobacteria.
Habitat:
They are found in the Indo-Pacific region, inhabiting sandy bottoms of coral reefs, seagrass beds, and coral rubble. They can also be found in coastal lagoons and other protected areas with clear bottom.
Behavior:
Conomurex luhuanus are known for their high visual acuity, with some studies suggesting they can resolve objects with high spatial resolution.
Ecological Role:
They play a vital role in marine ecosystems by consuming algae, detritus, and other organic matter, contributing to the overall health of the environment.
Social Behavior:
They can be found in colonies, both with juvenile and mixed age-class individuals.
The yellow prawn-goby, or Cryptocentrus cinctus, is a small, bottom-dwelling goby native to the Western Pacific. They are known for their symbiotic relationship with alpheid shrimps, sharing burrows and benefiting each other. The fish can range in color from bright yellow to gray or brown, and can grow up to 10 centimeters long.
Here's a more detailed look at the yellow prawn-goby:
Appearance:
They can have a brilliant yellow color.
They can also have gray or brown coloration.
They may have a combination of these colors.
They often have 4-5 dusky bars and fine blue or white spotting on their head and body.
They can reach a length of up to 10 cm (3.9 in).
Habitat and Behavior:
They are found in coastal bays and lagoons.
They inhabit depths of 1 to 25 meters (3.3 to 82.0 ft).
They are symbiotic with alpheid shrimps.
They share burrows with shrimps, with the shrimp digging and maintaining the tunnel while the goby acts as a watchman.
Other Notable Features:
They can change color based on their environment and comfort level.
In good conditions, they are a bright yellow.
Under stress, they can become gray or brown.
They are popular in saltwater aquariums.
They are often kept in aquariums as small as 20 gallons (75 L).
Ctenochaetus tominiensis, the Tomini surgeonfish, Tomini bristletooth, yellowtip bristletooth or orangetip bristletooth, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae which includes the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This fish is found in the western central Pacific Ocean.
Taxonomy
Ctenochaetus tominiensis was first formally described in 1955 by the American ichthyologist John Ernest Randall with its type locality given as Sadaa Island in the Gulf of Tomini, Sulawesi, Indonesia.The genera Ctenochaetus and Acanthurus make up the tribe Acanthurini which is one of three tribes in the subfamily Acanthurinae which is one of two subfamilies in the family Acanthuridae.
Description
Ctenochaetus tominiensis has its dorsal fin supported by 8 spines and 24 or 25 soft rays while the anal fin is supported by 3 spines and 22 or 23 soft rays. The rear ends of the dorsal and anal fins are, uniquely in the genus Ctenochaetus, angular. The lips have warty margins. In juveniles the caudal fin is forked and in adults it is lunate. The maximum published standard length of this fish is 16 cm (6.3 in).The overall colour of the body is yellowish brown with a white caudal fin and broad yellow margins to the dorsal and anal fins.
Distribution and habitat
Ctenochaetus tominiensis is found in the western central Pacific Ocean from Malaysia and Indonesia east through East Timor, the Philippines, Palau, Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Fiji, south to the Great Barrier Reef. It has been recorded from Tonga.This species is found solitarily or in small aggregations on steep drop offs with dense coral growth in inshorse, sheltered waters at depths between 0 and 45 m (0 and 148 ft).
Cycloseris tenuis, a coral species, is characterized by its circular, thin, and flat polyps with a small central dome. The septa are in markedly different orders, but each septum is uniform throughout its length. The undersurface of the polyp exhibits thick, irregularly arranged costae. Its color is typically pale brown or yellow. This species is found in soft inter-reef substrates and is considered rare. It can be confused with Cycloseris costulata, which has thinner, more regular costae
Cynarina lacrymalis, commonly known as the flat cup coral, solitary cup coral, or cat's eye coral, is a large, solitary stony coral. It is cylindrical, with a diameter up to 10 cm and a height of 8 cm, and has a single polyp nestled in a corallite. The corallite is a stony cup that the coral has secreted.
Key Features:
Shape and Size: Cylindrical, with a round or oval upper surface.
Corallite: A stony cup secreted by the coral.
Attachment: Usually fixed to rock but can be embedded in sand or unattached.
Color: Various colors, including pale brown, green, pinkish, and bluish, depending on the species of zooxanthellae present.
Tentacles: Extended only at night.
Mantle: Translucent and inflated with water during the day, allowing visibility of the septa.
Habitat: Protected reef environments and deep sandy substrates.
Abundance: Not common, but conspicuous.
