Reef Ramblings

Reef Fishes of the East Indies is a 3-volume set of books written and compiled by Gerald R Allen & Mark V. Erdmann.

Weighing in at just over 6.5 kg, Reef Fishes of the East Indies represents a mammoth undertaking. Comprising three hardbound volumes, packed together in a slipcase (10 cms in width!), this fantastic work covers the fishes of the ‘Coral Triangle’ in 1292 pages and 3,600 high quality colour photographs, many never before seen in print.

Embracing an area extending from the Andaman Sea to the Solomon Islands this is the only reference work to cover every known reef fish, making it the most comprehensive treatment of the region in a century. The East Indies encompasses a vast array of marine habitats and an unsurpassed marine biological diversity. Home to approximately 2,600 species of reef fishes occurring on coral reefs and nearby habitats the ‘Coral Triangle’ forms the basis of the reef aquarium hobby. The reef and related marine ecosystems of the region are the most bio diverse and economically valuable on the planet whilst, at the same time, amongst the most at risk with over 80% of its coral reefs being considered endangered.

The text provides up to date information on the classification, habitat, and distributional range of each species as well as an overall synopsis for each of the 120 families covered. Volume one includes descriptions of the regions that make up the East Indies along with a discussion of the zoogeography i.e. the geographic distribution of the species of the area. All useful information for the reef keeper aiming to put together a biotope aquarium.

Many of the featured species have not been previously recorded from the region, nor have their photographs appeared in print. Reef Fishes of the East Indies features the 2,631 known reef fishes of the ‘Coral Triangle’, including 25 species new to science.

To see samples of some of the photography, go to the Guardian, environment section.

Reef Fishes of the East Indies is an essential reference for advanced reef keepers, professional aquarists, biologists, naturalists, and scuba divers.   The book has been written to engender an appreciation of the region’s amazing biodiversity and the urgent need to conserve it for the benefit of future generations.

The book represents a milestone in the prolific careers of two dedicated marine biologists, Dr. Gerald R. Allen and Dr. Mark V. Erdmann, who have spent a combined total in excess of 60 years exploring and describing the fishes in the ‘heart’ of marine fish biodiversity.

Gerald R. Allen served as Senior Curator of Fishes at the Western Australian Museum in Perth and is an international authority on the classification of coral reef fishes. Since leaving the Museum in 1997, he has worked as a private consultant, primarily involved with coral reef fish surveys in Southeast Asia for Conservation International.

Mark V. Erdmann is senior advisor for Conservation International–Indonesia’s marine program, with a primary focus on managing CI’s marine conservation initiatives in the Bird’s Head Seascape in West Papua.

Published by Conservation International.

Available to special order from Midland Reefs (delivery 3 – 5 days). Price for the three-volume set is £ 204.99 including post and packing

For more about Gerald Allen, see Alert Diver Online, ‘A Magnum Opus of Tropical Reefs’

Tim Hayes

Midland Reefs

©2012

16^th June 2012.

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson.

It’s 50 years ago today, 16^th June 1962, that Silent Spring by Rachel Carson first appeared in print as a three-part serialization in The New Yorker magazine. The book itself was published later the same year on the 27^th of September and then in October was chosen by the Book of the Month Club as the featured book for the month, greatly increasing its accessibility to the public

While Silent Spring is widely credited with the launch of the Environmental or Green movement it must be remembered that the idea of nature conservation came about nearly 100 years previously with events such as the creation of the Yellowstone National Park in 1872 the first US national park and possibly the World’s first national park. In the UK Charles Rothschild is regarded as a pioneer of nature conservation, credited with establishing the UK’s first nature reserve Wicken Fen, near Ely, in 1899.

Nevertheless Silent Spring had a significant affect in popularising the idea that mankind could have a seriously detrimental influence on the world around us, perhaps the first time that ideas such as this were received by such a large audience.

The title of the book alludes to the consequences on the environment of continued use of persistent pesticides evoking a spring season in which no bird songs could be heard, as they had all perished.

During the fifties Rachel Carson, a marine biologist, had previously published a trilogy of best selling books exploring ocean life: The Sea Around Us, Under the Sea Wind, and The Edge of the Sea.

A long-standing interest into the damaging affects of DDT, an artificial pesticide, on wildlife and human health led to 4 years of research, culminating in the publication of Silent Spring. The following year, 1963, President Kennedy ordered his Science Advisory Committee to investigate the book’s claims with the result that the committee issued a report supporting Rachel Carson’s thesis. This led to an eventual ban on the use of DDT.

The book argued that uncontrolled and unexamined use of pesticide was not only harming and killing birds and animals, but also affecting human health.

For more on Rachel Carson, see the Independent series, ‘The Green Movement at 50‘

Rio +20

It is ironic that Rio +20 is set to commence just a few days after this anniversary. For those concerned with the state of the oceans, particularly in the context of ocean warming and acidification, a writer could be tempted to go with the title, ‘Empty Seas’ for a comparable book written about the oceans today.

I make no excuses for the length of the following quote from the Rio 2012 Issues Brief 4 – Oceans, but for the short version skip to the end:

‘In addition, key commitments with regard to the sustainable development and use of the oceans were agreed as part of the outcomes of the nineteenth special session of the General Assembly on the programme for the further implementation of Agenda 21, the 2000 Millennium Summit of the United Nations, the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development and the 2010 High-level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly on the Millennium Development Goals. Several conventions, as for example the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), mention oceans and their marine resources and even establish ocean related targets.

Despite these efforts, the WSSD target to restore fish stocks to their maximum sustainable yields by 2015 is likely to be unmet as are other targets including the reversal of biodiversity loss in the oceans and the elimination of destructive fishing practices.

The Secretary-General report on oceans and law of the sea A/66/70/Add.1 identified gaps regarding the implementation of the legal and institutional framework for the sustainable development of oceans and seas as well as with regard to adequate and comprehensive knowledge and scientific research. The report was the focus at the twelfth meeting of the UN Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea, which took place in June 2011 in New York. Several delegations were of the view that, in achieving sustainable development, fragmentation of the law of the sea should be avoided. They recalled that activities in the oceans were governed by the law of the sea as reflected in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the integrity of which should be preserved. As of May 2011 there were 162 state parties under the Convention. It was recalled that ratification of the Convention was a very significant action a State could take towards sustainable development. The need to harmonize the vision of the international community and develop synergies in order to promote the sustainable management of the oceans was emphasized.

Many delegations noted with concern the gap between the adoption of commitments and their implementation. They noted that many of the commitments made at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development and subscribed in the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation and the Millennium Development Goals, especially relating to coastal developing States and small island developing States, had not been met. A number of delegations emphasized the need for greater efforts in the implementation of existing agreements and commitments, particularly at the national level, in order to advance the sustainable development agenda.

4. Challenges and emerging issues

Regardless of the significant economic, social and environmental benefits of oceans, there are countless challenges in preserving and maintaining them for future generations. Some of the problems plaguing the oceans are overfishing and destructive fishing, loss of biodiversity, including the serious decline and/or depletion of certain fish stocks (e.g. tuna, cod, haddock, flounder, halibut and red hake), ocean acidification (among others causing coral bleaching), ocean warming, coral reef destruction, watershed-based and marine-based pollution (runoff and debris), including accidental oil spills and radioactive water from nuclear accidents as well as invasive species from ballast water.

Studies have shown that since the beginning of the industrial revolution, oceans have become 30 per cent more acidic and predictions show that, by 2050, ocean acidity could even increase by 150 per cent. This would give marine ecosystems a very small period of time for adaptation, as it would represent a rate of increase that is 100 times faster than that of any ocean acidity change experienced over the last 20 million years.

Tropical coral reefs offer habitat to 25 per cent of all known marine species while constituting only less than one tenth of 1 per cent of the marine environment. About one fifth of the global coral reefs have already been damaged beyond repair and it is predicted that 90 per cent of coral reefs will be threatened by 2030 and all coral reefs will be threatened by 2050, if no protective measures are taken. A recent study assessing the world’s oceans, including the deep sea, highlighted the significant damage caused by pollution, resource exploitation and climate change.

According to the Secretary-General report on oceans and law of the sea A/66/70/Add.1, other challenges identified by member states include maritime delimitation, implementation and enforcement, capacity-building, integrated management of oceans and seas, environmental vulnerability of Small Island and Developing States (SIDS), vulnerable marine ecosystems and ecologically or biologically significant areas, and crimes at sea.

Important emerging issues identified include marine genetic resources, coral reefs management, marine debris, nutrient over-enrichment and eutrophication, geo-engineering, ocean noise, renewable energy and environmental data exchange.

At the twelfth meeting of the UN Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea, several delegations noted that the challenges affecting sustainable development were interlinked and could not be addressed in isolation. Many delegations re-emphasized the environmental vulnerability and isolation of Small Island developing States, whose culture, livelihoods and economies were being threatened by unsustainable uses of marine resources and by climate change.

Potential economic, social and environmental impacts of these challenges are enormous, which highlights the urgency of taking action to ensure the sustainable management and use of oceans and their marine resources.

5. Way forward

The approaching United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, to be held in Brazil from 20 to 22 June 2012, will bring together government representatives, civil society, academia, the scientific community and the private sector to discuss sustainable development issues, including the sustainable management and protection of oceans and marine resources. It represents a unique opportunity to speed up implementation and to take action on ocean-related emerging issues. The Conference will coincide with the thirtieth anniversary of the adoption of UNCLOS.

At the twelfth meeting of the UN Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea in 2011, several delegations expressed the view that, for the 2012 Conference on Sustainable Development to be a success, it should deliver a strong outcome for oceans, fisheries and biodiversity. Oceans and seas, in the light of their economic, social and environmental significance, should feature prominently in the discussions and outcome of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012. The need for setting realistic targets and goals that would be fully implemented was also pointed out.

One of the Rio+20 conference themes is “a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication”. However, the development of this “green economy” will rely in part on the sustainable management and use of oceans and their resources. At the twelfth ICP meeting as well as at the second preparatory committee for Rio+20 held in March 2011, various member states emphasized the importance of sustainable management of oceans and the conservation of ocean resources while referring to a so-called “blue economy” approach, in line with Agenda 21. Many Small Island Developing States (SIDS) specifically called for Rio+20 to provide support for sustainable ocean development and protection of marine resources. Therefore, the topic of oceans is expected to figure prominently at the Conference. Furthermore, there will be several preparatory meetings covering the topic.

The Commission on Sustainable Development, which is tasked to support the achievement of sustainable development, including the preservation of the seas, oceans, islands and coastal areas, is furthermore scheduled to undertake a two-year review of oceans, marine life and SIDS in 2015-2016.‘

Telling phrases include the paragraphs beginning:

‘Many delegations noted with concern the gap between the adoption of commitments and their implementation.’

‘Studies have shown that since the beginning of the industrial revolution, oceans have become 30 per cent more acidic and predictions show that, by 2050, ocean acidity could even increase by 150 per cent.

‘About one fifth of the global coral reefs have already been damaged beyond repair and it is predicted that 90 per cent of coral reefs will be threatened by 2030 and all coral reefs will be threatened by 2050, if no protective measures are taken.’

All leaving me increasingly pessimistic about the future of oceans, in particular the future of the coral reefs. Indeed, it seems that at a time of world wide financial worry, that the future of the world itself is being ignored

As ever, let me leave you with exhortation to show off your reef aquarium to as many people as you can. This is one way in which you can help promote the plight of the reefs by showing non-hobbyists the wonders of the oceans that we are in grave danger of losing.

Tim Hayes

Midland Reefs

©2012

Since its launch in 2005 the magazine Amazonas, edited by Hans-Georg Evers, has been widely considered to be one of the finest aquarium hobby publications in the world.  Up until now it has only been published in German. This year, 2012, sees the launch of the long-awaited English version with Volume 1, Issue 1, dated January/February 2012.

Amazonas issue 1, January/February 2012.

It’s fair to say that no better publication currently exists for dedicated freshwater hobbyists. Each issue featuring cutting-edge articles on fishes, invertebrates, aquatic plants, field trips to tropical destinations plus the latest in husbandry and breeding breakthroughs by expert aquarists, all accompanied by excellent photography throughout.

From the publishers of Coral magazine, this is a freshwater-only magazine with the same excitement and cover-to-cover excellence as Coral. Richly illustrated with high quality colour images and packed with in-depth articles by renowned authors, Amazonas appears every two months.

Coverage includes: new species, new ideas, new expert accounts on keeping and breeding freshwater fishes and invertebrates, planted tank aquascaping, travel to tropical source countries, visits to the fish rooms of legendary home aquarists and breeders, aquarium practice, biological background reports, aquarium technology and chemistry, interviews and much more. All printed on high-quality, sustainably harvested papers and non-toxic, soy-based inks.

The name ‘Amazonas’ is derived from the native Portuguese and Spanish name for the Rio Amazonas, the river that the Western world calls the Amazon.

I have a pre-publication sample issue and have to say that it lives up to the reputation of Coral magazine with amazing photography and in depth articles of a quality not seen elsewhere. If you are a serious fish keeper and value information, rather than the same old aquarium magazine content, you will not be disappointed.

Following the lead of Coral, the cover subject is dealt with in detail through extensive photo-reportage, accompanied by several in-depth accompanying articles.

As with the early issues of Coral, this first issue of Amazonas is sure to become a collector’s item.

See Midland Reefs: Amazonas

Retailers, if you are interested in stocking Amazonas, please contact us at Midland Reefs.

Tim Hayes, Midland Reefs, January 2012.

Coral reefs ‘will be gone by end of the century’ – the first entire ecosystem to be destroyed by human activity.

In his book to be published on the 12^th September 2011, ‘Our Dying Planet’ Professor Peter Sale says that coral reef ecosystems are very likely to disappear this century in what would be “a new first for mankind – the ‘extinction’ of an entire ecosystem”. Professor Sale has studied the Great Barrier Reef for 20 years at the University of Sydney and currently leads a team at the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health.

Coral reefs are on course to become the first ecosystem eliminated entirely from the Earth through human activity, something that will occur before the end of the present century, suggesting that there are children already born who will live to see a world without coral.

The predicted decline is mainly down to climate change and ocean acidification, though local activities such as over fishing, pollution and coastal development have also harmed the reefs. The book contains further predictions, such as the prospect that “we risk having no reefs that resemble those of today in as little as 30 or 40 more years”.

“We’re creating a situation where the organisms that make coral reefs are becoming so compromised by what we’re doing that many of them are going to be extinct, and the others are going to be very, very rare,” Professor Sale says. “Because of that, they aren’t going to be able to do the construction which leads to the phenomenon we call a reef. We’ve wiped out a lot of species over the years. This will be the first time we’ve actually eliminated an entire ecosystem.”

Coral reefs are important for their immense biodiversity, containing a quarter of all marine species, despite covering only 0.1 per cent of the world’s oceans by area, and are more diverse than the rainforests in terms of diversity per square kilometre and the number of different phyla*  present.

*Phyla (plural) – Phylum: a major division of a biological kingdom, consisting of closely- related classes; represents a basic fundamental pattern of organization and, presumably, a common descent.

Research into coral reefs’ highly diverse and unique chemical composition has found many medically useful compounds that could be lost given the present trends, including new means of tackling cancer, a treatment for leukaemia derived from a reef-dwelling sponge, and even the possible application of compounds found in coral as a powerful sunblock.

Coral reefs have considerable economic importance to humanity; around 850 million people live within 100km of a reef, of which some 275 million, often the very poorest, dependant on the reef ecosystems for nutrition or livelihood. Reefs have great value as tourist destinations and also offer protection to low-lying islands and coastal regions from extreme weather, absorbing waves before they reach vulnerable populations.

Carbon emissions generated by human are the biggest cause of the rapid decline of coral reefs, affecting them in two ways.

• Climate change increases ocean surface temperatures, puts corals under enormous stress and leads to coral bleaching, where the symbiotic algae on which the reef-building creatures depend for energy disappear. Deprived of these for even a few weeks, the corals die.

• Roughly one-third of the extra carbon dioxide put into the atmosphere is absorbed through the ocean surface, leading to ocean acidification. This is a more recently recognised problem in tropical reef systems where the lower pH of the water makes it harder for reef organisms to build their calciferous skeletons.

The gaps between periods in which reefs are present have been long in geological terms, described in the book as “multimillion-year pauses”. There has been a tendency for reef disappearance to precede wider mass extinction events, offering a “canary in the environmental coal mine” for the present day, according to the author. “People have been talking about current biodiversity loss as the Holocene mass extinction, meaning that the losses of species that are occurring now are in every way equivalent to the mass extinctions of the past,” Professor Sale says. “I think there is every possibility that is what we are seeing.”

About 20 per cent of global coral reefs have already been lost during the last few decades. Mass bleaching events leading to widespread coral death are a relatively recent phenomenon; scientists have been studying coral reefs in earnest since the 1950s with mass bleaching being first observed in 1983. Dr Mark Spalding, of Nature Conservancy, and the University of Cambridge, who witnessed the catastrophic 1998 mass bleaching in the Indian Ocean first-hand, says: “It was a shocking wake-up call for the world of science, and a shocking wake-up for me to be actually there as we watched literally 80 to 90 per cent of all the corals die on the reefs of the Seychelles and other islands in a few weeks.” That single event destroyed 16 per cent of the world’s coral.

According to the book’s author: “The 1998 bleaching was spectacular because it was so extensive and so conspicuous. But there have been mass bleachings that have been global since then, 2005 was bad, and 2010* was bad. The visual appearance is not nearly as severe as it was in 1998, simply because there is less coral around.”

* See Reef Ramblings, ‘Global Bleaching 2010’.

Bleaching events coincide with weather patterns such as El Niño or shifts in the timing of the Monsoon season and are increasing in frequency owing to climate change. Tackling global warming is the most urgent solution advocated by the book. “If we can keep CO2 concentrations below 450 parts per million we would be able to save something resembling coral reefs,” Professor Sale says. “They wouldn’t be the coral reefs of the 1950s or 1960s, but they would be recognisably coral reefs, and they would function as reefs.” The current atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration is about 390 parts per million, but few experts believe it will remain below 500 for long.

Although there are signs that local conservation efforts can make a difference, with certain corals subject to low levels of stress being able to recover if pressures such as over fishing and pollution are removed, all this is really doing is buying time. If climate change continues at its current rate, they will be lost eventually.

Not all reef scientists agree with the timescales set out by the book, some would not be surprised if the demise of the reefs was to occur earlier, but they are in consensus.

“When you’re talking about the destruction of an entire ecosystem within one human generation, there might be some small differences in the details – it is a dramatic image and a dramatic statement,” says Alex Rogers, professor of conservation biology at Oxford University. “But the overall message we agree with. People are not taking on board the sheer speed of the changes we’re seeing.”

Click to read the first chapter of ‘Our Dying Planet’ by Peter Sale (University of California Press)

 

Based on an article by Andrew Marszal, published in the Independent on Sunday

Abbreviated and edited with additional information by Tim Hayes, Midland Reefs.

The first Reef Aquarium Training Course for Retailers took place on 2nd March 2011at SAI Global, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.

The day went very successfully with all delegates taking home their certificate, a couple of complimentary marine aquarium magazines, and, most importantly, the 60 page course booklet.

The course booklet is a unique and valuable document, running to around 28,000 words, covering most aspects of working with marine livestock in a retail environment; possibly the only document of its kind.

Currently the course booklet is only available to those attending the course but hopefully it will be available for SAIA retailer members in the near future.

Chapter headings include:

Aims of the Course. History of the Marine Aquarium Hobby. An Introduction to Reef Fish, Corals, and Mobile Invertebrates. Fishes. Corals. The Octocorals – the Alcyoniina. Zoanthids and Corallimorpharia. The Scleractinians – the Stony Corals. LPS. SPS. Brain Corals, the Faviidae. Mobile Invertebrates. Crustaceans. Mollusks and Echinoderms. Unsuitable Species. Fish. Invertebrates. Understanding Husbandry Requirements. Behaviour. Water Quality Parameters. Introduction and Acclimation of Newly Purchased Animals.

Acclimation of New Stock. Quarantine. Sales Display Systems. Fish System. Invertebrate Systems. Other Invertebrates. Nutrition. Wild diet versus feeding in captivity. Herbivores, and specialist feeders. Food quality and water pollution. The Customer. Advising the Customer. Maintenance. Handling. Disease. Troubleshooting the reef aquarium. Saltwater and electricity. Substances Toxic to Fishes and Invertebrates. Legislation and Conservation. Education & Training. Resources.

Not only covering fish, this one day course is an intensive days training on all aspects of marine systems, covering care in the aquatic shop, nutrition, maintaining healthy stock, species selection – fish, invertebrates, corals, equipping the customer, health and welfare, water quality, legislation and conservation.

The course is based on the Sustainable Aquarium Industry Association, Code of Best Practices.

We hope to be running this course again sometime in the Autumn, to book your place, please contact Rachel Woodwards at SAI Global on 01908 249934 or email rachel.woodwards@saiglobal.com

Hobby Course.

Given the success of the course, I’ve also been asked to prepare a version of the course aimed at hobbyist. Once I’ve written the course material, we’ll announce the date of the initial course. Expect the price for the course to be in the same region of that of the retailer course, around £85.

Tim Hayes

Midland Reefs

©2011

Although Coral is classified as being a magazine, it would be more accurately described as a journal. Rather than having the ephemeral content associated with magazines, each issue of Coral contains in-depth information on the featured species along with world class information in the accompanying articles making it a reference work you’ll go back to time and again.

This bibliography features the available back issues published by EcoSystem.

DOTTYBACKS Volume 5 Number 4             August/September 2008

Exploring the Red Sea           Iron Essentials            Moon Jellies

FLUORESCENCE Volume 5 Number 3             June/July 2008

Underwater Zanzibar             Nutrient Ratio Basics               Sea Hares

BLENNIES Volume 5 Number 2             June/July 2008

Blennies, takes a look at these endearing fishes with articles from Bruce Carlson, Daniel Knop, and Elen Thaler. Additional articles include “Keeping Moon Jellies”, “Artificial Coral Reefs”, an interview with Rudie Kuiter, and much more.

FIRE CORALS Volume 5 Number 1             February/March 2008

Underwater Sulawesi              Spider Crabs             How Fishes Move

SHRIMP GOBIES Volume 4 Number 6       December 2007/January 2008

Exploring the Lesser Antilles        Colour Enhancers        Competition for Space

SAND BED FILTERS Volume 4 Number 5             October/November 2007

Sand Bed Filters, delves into the subject of how Sand Bed Filters work with articles from Dr Ron Shimek and Anthony Calfo. Dieter Brockmann continues his look at Nitrate in the aquarium, this issue discussing Denitrifying filters. Dr Katharina Fabricius explores the Ecology and Nutrition of Azooxanthellate soft corals. Additional articles include a look at the Bluespotted Ray.

CORALLIMORPHARIANS Volume 4 Number 4    August/September 2007

Corallimorpharians, focuses (naturally enough) on the Corallimorpharians, or as they’re more familiarly referred to – Mushroom Anemones. Following on from The Large Reef Aquarium issue there’s a look at aquascaping large aquaria. Dieter Brockmann looks at Nitrate in the aqaurium. Additional articles include a look at Moorish Idols and Filefishes.

GREAT BARRIER REEF Volume 4 Number 3                     June/July 2007

Great Barrier Reef, focuses on the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem. Articles feature the reef itself, look at research on the reef, and at management of the reef. Additional articles include a look at The Sexy Shrimp, Weedy Sea Dragons, and Iodine use in the reef aquarium.

LARGE REEF AQUARIUMS Volume 4 Number 2          April/May 2007

Large Reef Aquariums, focuses on the recent trend for public aquariums to build very large reef aquaria. The systems featured include the 76000 litre reef aquarium at Atlantis Marine World, Long Island, The Dome Aquaree, in Berlin, Germany, and the new Pacific Barrier Reef exhibit at the Georgia Aquarium in the USA, a stunning 625 000 litres. Additional articles include a look at Ricordea florida, mushroom anemones, and there’s a feature from Professor Ellen Thaler on Wrasses in the aquarium.

DAMSELFISHES Volume 4 Number 1                   February/March 2007

This issue of Coral focuses on those ubiquitous small fishes the Damselfishes of the family Pomacentridae with articles by Frank Schneidewind, Torsten Luther, and Professor Ellen Thaler. This includes discussion of how this category of fishes is often misunderstood in terms of aquarium suitability. A secondary feature looks at Tubeworms with articles by Dr Lutz Gohr and Kai Velling. Also in this issue Dieter Brockmann looks at the interlinked processes of photosynthesis and calcification.

GORGONIANS Volume 3 Number 6         December 2006/January 2007

This issue of Coral focuses on those most beautiful of corals, the Gorgonians, with articles by Daniel Knop, Dieter Brockmann, and Todd Gardner. Additionally Scott Michael looks at the commensal animals that live in association with Gorgonians. Daniel Knop visits Raja Ampat, the centre of marine species diversity in Indonesia. Additional articles look at colour variations in Angel and Butterflyfishes,the propagation of Convict Blennies in the aquarium, and the part of Phosphate in the reef aquarium; plus much more besides.

FROGFISHES Volume 3 Number 5                 October/November 2006

This issue of Coral focuses on those bizzare beauties the Frogfishes of the family Antennariidae with articles by well-know Frogfish fanatic Scott Michael, Frank Schneidewind, and Professor Ellen Thaler. There’s a secondary feature looking at Sponges with articles by Daniel Knop and Kai Velling. Also in this issue we have the second part of the article on pathogenic bacteria in the saltwater aquarium, this time looking at bacterial contamination of Frozen Foods. Additional articles look at Zoanthids and Phosphate in the reef aquarium; plus much more besides.

CORALS: Sexual Propagation in the Aquarium Volume 3 Number 4 August/September 2006

This issue of Coral focuses on sexual reproduction of corals in the marine aquarium with articles by Dr Kirsten Micalek-Wagner, Anja Cargill, Dr Dirk Petersen, Professor Helmut Schumacher, and Daniella Stettler. (This may sound like a lot of academics but checkout the article about the SECORE project by Dirk Petersen – it’s really great stuff) There’s a secondary feature looking at Anthias with articles by Daniel Knop, Ellen Thaler, and Kai Velling. Also in this issue are articles covering pathogenic bacteria in the saltwater aquarium (an important topic, especially if you feed live foods) a look at the coral reefs around Yap; plus much more besides.PS, check out the overview of corals noted to have spawned in the aquarium. Yep, Tim’s got a mention again..

HAWKFISHES Volume 3 Number 3             June/July 2006

This issue of Coral focuses on Hawkfishes for the marine aquarium with articles by Frank Schneidewind and Professor Ellen Thaler. There’s a secondary feature looking at Anemones with articles by Daniel Knop, Andreus Neufeld, and Professor Daphne G. Fautin (including a look at Anemone propagation).Also in this issue are articles covering sweeper tentacles, MAC (Marine Aquarium Council), a look at the coral reefs around Vilamendhooin in the Maldives, a comparison of nutrient density in the wild and in the aquarium by Alf Jacob Nilsen; plus much more besides. PS, check out the EcoSystem ad on page 1 featuring a couple of Tim’s shark photos.

HERMIT CRABS Volume 3 Number 2             April/May 2006

This issue of Coral focuses on Hermit Crabs for the marine aquarium. It includes articles by Kai Velling and Proffesor Ellen Thaler. Also in this issue are articles covering trace elements, MAC (Marine Aquarium Council), a look at the coral gardens and reef walls of western Cuba, a look at the significance of ocelli in marine animals; plus much more besides.

LIVE FOODS Volume 3 Number 1             February/March 2006

This issue of Coral concentrates on the culturing and the value of live food for the marine aquarium. It includes articles on culturing phytoplankton and zooplankton by Wolfgang Mai, a look at copepods and their importance in raising larval marine fishes. Continuing the food theme, Scott Michael looks at the hunting strategies of carnivorous reef fishes. Also in this issue are articles covering aquarium photography, travel to Bali, Ricordia florida by Daniel Knop; plus much more besides.

RETICULATE EVOLUTION Volume 2 Number 6

This issue of Coral magazine features J. E. N. Veron writing on coral taxonomy and evolution. Also in this issue are: Julian Sprung on Seagrass Aquariums, Spawning the Spotted Mandarin by Wolfgang Mai, Scott Michael on the aquarium of Leng Sy, travel: the Celebes Sea, my interview with Scott Michael (I even got my name spelt correctly this time!!), plus much more besides.

ANEMONEFISHES Volume 2 Number 5             October/November 2005

This issue of Coral has everyone’s favourite reef fishes, the Anemonefishes, as the featured species, includes articles on breeding by Wolfgang Mai and Joe Lichtenbert. Also in this issue are articles covering Peanut Worms, Sea Stars by Daniel Knop; plus much more besides. (Not to mention my interview with Chris Buerner of Quality Marine – unfortunately credited to my non-existent brother Tom!)

SEA URCHINS Volume 2 Number 4             August/September 2005

Calcium Reactors                  Elba & Giglio              The Guinea Fowl Puffer

SURGEONFISHES Volume 2 Number 3             June/July 2005

This issue of Coral has Surgeon Fishes as the featured species, includes articles by Alf Jacob Nilsen and Scott michael. Also in this issue are articles covering Cleaning Behaviour and Skin Parasites in Fishes, both by Professor Ellen Thaler; a report about pest Acoel Worms; Dr. Elizabeth Wood on the Impact of the Tsunami on Indonesian Coral Reefs part 2; plus much more besides.

LEATHER CORALS Volume 2 Number 2             April/May 2005

This issue of Coral has Leather Corals as the featured species, includes articles by Alf Jacob Nilsen. Also in this issue are articles covering the Clown Triggerfish, a great article on Phytoplankton – the Ultimate Food, by Ron Shimek; Part VII of Nutrients in the Reef Aquarium; Dr. Elizabeth Wood on the Impact of the Tsunami on Indonesian Coral Reefs; plus much more besides.

OCTOPUSES Volume 2 Number 1             February/March 2005

This issue of Coral has Octopuses as the featured species, includes articles by Alf Jacob Nilsen. Also in this issue are articles covering the Leafy scorpionfish, the second part of an article looking at dealing with the problem of Aiptasia, Part VI of Nutrients in the Reef Aquarium, Julien Sprung on setting up a Monaco system aquarium, plus much more besides.

PYGMY ANGELFISHES Volume 1 Number 6      December 2004/January 2005

Also included are articles covering the propagation of Carpet Anemones, the first part of an article looking at dealing with the problem of Aiptasia, Part V of Nutrients in the Reef Aquarium, plus much more besides.

NUDIBRANCHS Volume 1 Number 5             October/November 2004

Atlantis Found                 Lowering Nitrates                  Martin Moe Interview

LIONFISHES Volume 1 Number 4             August/September 2004

Caribbean Biotopes                     Biological Filtration               Rarities

Coming soon …

Look out for the upcoming, buy 2 get 1 free, offer on Midland Reefs.

Tim Hayes

Midland Reefs

©2010

This is something of an experiment in publishing for Midland Reefs.

First Time Reefkeeper is a guide to setting up your first reef aquarium and is aimed at those new to reefkeeping.

We’re making the text free to view on Reef Ramblings whilst hoping to elicit feedback that can be incorporated into the finished book, making it a better, more informative resource.
Are there things in the book that you don’t understand? Are there things that I’ve omitted to include?
Remember that this is a work in progress and that there’s a lot of stuff still to be covered, so please don’t get ahead of the text already published, pointing out omissions, when it’s subject matter yet to be covered.

The finished hard copy book will be fully illustrated and indexed, and will include a thank you to all those who contribute to the finished work.
Cheers,
Tim Hayes.

A Review of Reef Literature.
(updated 2011)

There is a vast array of books on marine and reef aquaria available, unfortunately a lot of these books are either out dated, of dubious factual quality, or poorly compiled. In this review of books appropriate to reef hobbyists I hope to highlight the best of the currently available literature. I absolutely love good books and think that even in the age of the Internet you shouldn’t underestimate the value of having a good library to hand.

As part of this review I’m listing my choice of the best books on the market. I’m using the term “best” to describe a combination of most useful, informative, and cost effective. All the books featured are books that I own and frequently use; these are all titles that I freely refer hobbyists to when ever they’re seeking reliable information on the animals we keep in the hobby.

The first 5 books I consider more or less essential for anyone starting in the hobby, the next 2 books make a good starting point for anyone taking their hobby a step further by becoming interested in captive breeding/propagation.

At the very least you should own Aquarium Corals, Reef Aquarium Fishes, and Reef Invertebrates. These three books together constitute the bare minimum of information you need to have any chance of success with a reef aquarium. In this hobby, if you don’t research the animals you keep I can assure you that you’ll have a very high chance of failure.

Best practical advice book for the newcomer – 500 Ways to be a better Marine Fishkeeper by Tim Hayes, Dave Garratt, Tristan Lougher, and Dick Mills.

Best starter book for the new reef keeper – Natural Reef Aquariums by John Tullock.

Best coral book – Aquarium Corals by Eric Borneman.

Best fish book – Reef Aquarium Fishes by Scott Michael.

Best “non-coral” invertebrate book – Reef Invertebrates by Calfo and Fenner.

Best book on raising fish/live foods – Clownfishes by Joyce Wilkerson.

Best propagation book – The Book of Coral Propagation by Anthony Calfo.

There are a number of other very good books out there but they tend to be more specialist, of limited use, or expensive – Corals of the World (3 book boxed set) by J.E.N. Veron, The Modern Reef Aquarium vol. 1 – 4 by Fosså & Nilsen, The Reef Aquarium vol. 1 – 3 by Delbeek & Sprung, Reef Fishes Series 1 – 6 by Scott Michael, Sprung’s Quick Reference Guides, etc. The “Quick Guides” I find invaluable in a shop setting for ID purposes but apart from the excellent photographs they’re not a lot of use to the hobbyist, the Borneman book is far more informative and useful for the reef keeper at home. Start buying the multi volume sets and you’re into a seriously expensive habit at £50/£60 a pop! Add on the box set and Quick Guides and by the time you’ve completed your collection you’ll have spent close to £900! Incidentally, a friend of mine who works for Oxford University Press informs me that the most likely reason for the high cost of some of these books is due to the use of “medical quality paper” whereas the cost could probably be brought down by the use of “magazine quality paper” and us mere mortals outside of publishing would never know the difference!

Aquarium Corals by Eric Borneman.
For my money this is still currently the best book on coral ID and care. There is an excellent chapter on coral diseases and treatment. This book is fantastic value for money when compared to some of the multi-volume works.

Microcosm MC100 £39.95  ISBN 1-890087-47-5

Fishes and Corals by Dieter Brockmann.
This is a book that looks at some of the mainstays of the hobby, both fishes and invertebrates, in more detail than some of the more general guides. Written by the editor of The Modern Reef Aquarium, it contains a wealth of less well-known information.

Birgit Schmettkamp Verlag £36.00 ISBN 3-928819-15-1

The Book of Coral Propagation by Anthony Calfo.
As far as I know this is the only book about coral propagation on the market. It describes techniques of coral propagation, gives a good overview of corals, their captive requirements, and their potential for sustainable propagation. It’s not just for expert aquarists, the information contained in this book will benefit beginners and it’s an easy entertaining read.

Reading Trees £28.95 ISBN 0-9716371-0-5

Reef Invertebrates by Calfo and Fenner.
This book explores the broad variety of invertebrate organisms that reef aquarists often keep with the exception of corals and anemones. It’s a useful book for ID-ing incidental acquisitions or “hitchhikers” on live rock and corals. Excellent coverage on the subjects of live sand, live rock, refugia, and algae. This is the first in a 3 volume set The Natural Marine Aquarium Series. If the proposed follow up volumes (vol. 2 Reef Fishes and vol. 3 Reef Corals) live up to this one in terms of information and price bracket you’ll be able to put together an excellent “biological” library for around the £100 mark.

Reading Trees/WetWebMedia £25.95 ISBN 0-9672630-3-4

Crustacea Guide of the World by Helmut Debelius.
A very useful pictorial guide to the identification of the various species of crabs and shrimps that find their way into our aquaria. I’ve recently found it helpful when I’ve needed to identify unfamiliar species of pistol shrimps.

IKAN £29.95 ISBN 3 – 925919-55-4

Nudibranchs and Sea Snails Indo-Pacific Field Guide by Helmut Debelius.
Again, another useful resource for the identification of a class of animals that are often unintentionally introduced into our aquaria.
IKAN £29.95 ISBN 3 – 925919-51-1

The Reef Aquarium vol. 1 & 2 by Delbeek & Sprung.
Excellent but expensive, and dare I say it, getting a little dated in places. Together these 2 volumes make up one of the Holy Books of reef keeping and will give you plenty of priceless information.

Ricordea Publishing £ 80.00 (ea. Vol.) ISBN 1-883693-12-8/-13-6

The Reef Aquarium vol. 3 by Delbeek & Sprung.
Again, excellent but expensive. This book is the most up to date and comprehensive look at the technology behind running a reef tank currently available. If you’re serious about your hobby get this book.

Ricordea Publishing £ 90.00 (Vol. 3) ISBN 1-883693-14-4

Giant Clams in the Sea and the Aquarium by James Fatherree.
This new book from the USA is currently the only English language book available on the subject of giant clams. It covers the biology, identification, and aquarium husbandry of tridacnid clams. This book offers hobbyists the most up to date information available on the captive care of clams.

Liquid Medium £29.95 ISBN 0-9786194-0-4

Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Robert Fenner.
This is more of a fish book than a reef book but it’s for this very reason that I recommend it. The book give good coverage of fish health, disease, and treatment in a no nonsense understandable way.

Microcosm MC102/MC102S £39.95/£29.95 ISBN 1-890087-03-3/-02-5

A Fishwatchers’s Guide A Regional Account of Species of Use to the Marine Aquarist, with notes on suitability, husbandry & behaviour.
(Book 1: The Tropical West Atlantic, Hawaii, Baja and the Red Sea.) by Robert Fenner.
The regional approach of this book is unusual but if you’re trying to put a biotype together it’ll help you establish who lives with whom in real life.

WetWebMedia £19.95 ISBN 0-9672630-0-X

A Diver’s Guide to Underwater Malaysia Macrolife by Andrea & Antonella Ferrari.
This is a beautifully photographed field guide covering the fishes and mobile invertebrates to be found in the South China, Sulu, and Sulawesi seas. I’ve found it helpful for the correct identification of some of the newer species of smaller fish that are starting to come into the hobby.

Nautilus Publishing £30.00 ISBN 983-2731-00-3

The Modern Reef Aquarium vol. 1 – 4 by Fosså & Nilsen.
These 4 volumes make up the other major Holy Book of the reef aquarium and deservedly so. This is probably the nearest thing to a marine biology textbook that most of us are going to read but it’s still understandable to the average intelligent reader (most of the time!). By the time you’ve purchased all four volumes you’ll have spent a lot of money but I’m sure you’ll find it worth every penny.

Birgit Schmettkamp Verlag £59.95 (ea. Vol.) ISBN 3-928819-29-1/-23-2/-28-3/-22-4

500 Ways to be a better Marine Fishkeeper by Tim Hayes, Dave Garratt, Tristan Lougher, and Dick Mills.
Probably the best book Interpet has ever published! Biased? Yes! This is my first book in print and worth every penny (if not more!). I was the technical / editorial consultant on this project and wrote over half the book. I had complete autonomy over the content and I’m really pleased with the result. It’s an up to date book that answers many often asked questions, a must for beginners but I dare say some advanced reefkeepers could also benefit from its contents. Nicely laid out giving commonsense answers to everyday problems.

Interpet £12.99. ISBN 1-84286-108-5

Photographic Guide to the Sea & Shore Life of Britain & North-west Europe by Gibson, Hextall & Rogers.
For those of us who get dragged away from our beloved reef tanks once or twice a year by our loved ones to go on holiday, and aren’t lucky (or rich!) enough to visit where our corals come from, try this as holiday reading – and don’t forget your net, holding tank, battery powered air pump…

Oxford University Press £15.95 ISBN 0-19-850709-7

How to Raise & Train Your Peppermint Shrimp by April Kirkendoll.
A unique book, the only book I know solely on breeding crustacea. The techniques work (I know, I’ve tried ‘em) and would be appropriate starting points for species other than Lysmata species shrimps. It’s an easy read that’ll tickle your funny bone in places.

Lysmata Publishing £12.95 ISBN 0-9667784-2-1

Marine Fishes a Pocket Expert Guide by Scott Michael.
This is superb value for money. An up-to-date fish ID book, that gives guidance on reef suitability. Keep it in the car so you avoid those costly spur-of-the-moment purchases. NB. I’m on my second copy – the first one wore out due to overuse showing customers about the fish they were contemplating buying!

Microcosm £21.95 ISBN 1-890087-38-6

Reef Aquarium Fishes a Pocket Expert Guide by Scott Michael.
Again, superb value for money. This follow-up to Marine Fishes concentrates on reef friendly fishes. Contains useful information relating to many new species for the nano-reef. May well supersede Marine Fishes as far as reefkeepers are concerned

Microcosm £21.95 ISBN 1-890087-89-0

Reef Fishes Series by Scott Michael.
This is Scott Michael’s magnum opus, originally planned as a four volume set, this has evolved into an ambitious series of six volumes. These books are packed full of information on identification, behaviour, and captive care. I personally think that this series should be adopted as a standard within the hobby.

Reef Fishes vol. 1 – I absolutely love Vol. 1 and have found it very useful since it first appeared. Vol. 1 contains some of the best information available in print on the subject of sea horses. Twenty other families are covered in this first book including: Eels, Frogfishes, Lionfishes, plus Dwarf Seabasses and Anthias. Don’t be a philistine, shell out the extra fiver or so and get the hardback edition. Respect!

Microcosm MC103/MC103S £55.00/£45.00 ISBN 1-890087-21-1/-45-9

Reef Fishes 2 – Basslets, Dottybacks, & Hawkfishes.
The second volume covers ten families including: Groupers, Grammas, Jawfishes, and Cardinalfishes in addition to the title families.

Microcosm MC108 £29.95 ISBN 1-890087-33-5

Reef Fishes 3 – Angelfishes & Butterflyfishes.
The third volume, the majority of which is given over to the title families, covers twelve families including: Grunts, Goatfishes, and Monos.

Microcosm MC118 £29.95 ISBN 1-890087-69-6

Reef Fishes 4 – Damselfishes & Anemonefishes.

Microcosm             ISBN 1890087971

Reef Fishes 5 – Wrasses & Parrotfishes.

Microcosm            ISBN 1890087440

Great British Marine Animals by Paul Naylor.
A good photographic reference work for those of you keeping native marines or going on holiday, rock pooling, in the UK. There’s a fair bit of additional written information on each species featured; it covers fishes, and both mobile and sessile invertebrates.

Sound Diving Publications £14.00 ISBN 0-9522831-4-X

Reef Secrets by Nilsen & Fosså.
Rather a nice well put together book, which benefits from the wealth of information and photos garnered from the authors’ four volume Modern Reef Aquarium, a sort of “Modern Reef Aquarium Light!” This book has a useful ID section on common aquarium animals and as such could well make a good choice for some one unable or unwilling to purchase more than one reference work.
A beginner’s book but it does contain something of interest for more experienced aquarists.

Microcosm MC111 £29.95 ISBN 1-890087-67-X

Seahorses – An identification guide to the world’s species and their conservation. by Sara A Lourie, Amanda C J Vincent and Heather J Hall.
This is probably the definitive guide to seahorse identification and as such is invaluable given the changeability of colour and pattern in these animals and the often-incorrect ID of seahorses by importers and shops. Currently available only as a CD-ROM.

Project Seahorse £19.99

Ultimate Marine Aquariums by Mike Paletta.
A book that looks in detail at 50 world class marine aquariums ranging in size from 40 gallons to 20 000 gallons. It features statistics detailing tank size, circulation, control, filtration, lighting, system parameters and chemistry, livestock, feeding, plus a section of notes discussing topics such as any problems with the system or things the owner might like to change. If you’ve not had much chance to view other aquarists’ captive reefs this book gives you the opportunity of taking an armchair tour of some really great aquaria.

Microcosm MC116 £29.95 ISBN 1-890087-74-2

Algae by Julian Sprung.
In this book Julian Sprung identifies algae that are often considered problematic and gives recommendations on how to control them using a combination of aquarium husbandry practises and specific herbivores. Possibly a bit overpriced given the slimness of the volume, but useful information nevertheless.

Ricordea Publishing £19.95 ISBN 1-883693-02-0

Reef Life by Tackett & Tackett.
This one’s an interesting oddity, a book for the aquarist or diver giving what I would describe as “a pictorial slice of life on the reef”. It contains superb photos illustrating “what lives where” and “what lives with what”.

Microcosm MC107/MC107S £29.95/£22.95 ISBN 1-890087-55-6/-56-4

Natural Reef Aquariums by John Tullock.
If you’re new to reef keeping, this is the book I’d recommend that you get first and READ! Depending on how far you intend to get into the hobby, this may be the only book you need. This is the book that I always urge newcomers to get.

Microcosm MC101/MC101S £32.95/£25.95 ISBN 1-890087-01-7/-00-9

The Environmental Gradient by Steve Tyree.
Cryptic Sponge and Sea Squirt Filtration Models
Volume 1 of the Captive Maintenance Advanced Techniques CMAT Series.

This book contains the foundation for a new zonal approach to maintaining tropical reef organisms, based around the use of sponges and sea squirts as living filters. One for the more advanced or more adventurous aquarist. The following two titles compliment this book by describing the organisms at the heart of this new method.

D. E. Publishing £25.00

The Porifera (Living Sponges) by Steve Tyree.
Their Biology, Physiology and Natural Filtration integration
Volume 1 of the Captive Ocean Series.

D. E. Publishing £24.35

The Ascidians (Sea Squirts) by Steve Tyree.
Their Biology, Physiology and Natural Filtration Integration
Volume 2 of the Captive Ocean Series.

D. E. Publishing £26.25

Reef Building Stony Corals by Steve Tyree
The Natural Physical Environment.
Volume 1 of the Reef Building Stony Corals RBSC Series.

This, along with Steve’s other books, is probably for the more advanced aquarist. It contains a wealth of information, culled from scientific research papers, describing the natural environment from which our stony corals come. A great asset when it comes to understanding the conditions we should be replicating in our aquaria.

D. E. Publishing £25.00
NB. No ISBN currently available for D.E Publishing.

Corals of the world (3 book boxed set) by J.E.N. Veron.
Although it appears initially expensive it’s actually very good value for money, with three superb volumes giving complete coverage of stony corals. Put together by the man responsible for naming the majority of the Acropora species, this is essentially an identification book, but much other useful information can be gathered from the magnificent photography. This is really one for the expert aquarist or “Acronut” – vol. 1 has approximately 400 pages on Acroporidae alone!

Australian Institute of Marine Science £95.00 ISBN 0-642322-36-8/-37-6/-38-4

Clownfishes by Joyce Wilkerson.
A must have if you’re interested in trying to breed clowns (or for that matter any other marine fishes). The chapter on raising live foods alone makes this book worth having for anyone contemplating raising marine organisms.

Microcosm MC104S £24.95 ISBN 1-890087-04-1

The Complete Illustrated Breeder’s Guide to Marine Aquarium Fishes

By Matthew L. Wittenrich
Recycles some info from Clownfishes. Looks at more than 90 species including: jawfish, grammas, marine bettas, assessors, gobies, blennies, cardinals, dottybacks, damsels, chromis, clownfishes, and angelfishes.

Microcosm        ISBN: 1890087718

This is by no means an exhaustive review of reef literature, simply the books that I’ve talked about are the ones I consider the most important/useful in the field. There’re still plenty of books sitting on my shelves that I haven’t mentioned, I could go on for ages on this subject, in fact if I were talking to you in the flesh I probably would!

Please note: prices may not be up to date and some titles may no longer be in print (even so they are still well worth searching for!)

Go on, treat yourself and your reef – build a library.

The majority of these titles are available through www.midlandreefs.co.uk

Midland Reefs Sales – Phone No. 01543 685599

Tim Hayes.
Midland Reefs.
©2007 -2011