Blue Tang (Paracanthurus hepatus)

The Blue Tang boasts a vibrant electric blue body dressed with bold black markings. In fact, the black that begins at the eyes, traces the dorsal line down to the tail, and circles back above the pectoral fin to create a unique shape reminiscent of a painter's palette. This marking is why the Blue Tang is also known as the Palette Surgeonfish. It is also called the Pacific Blue Tang, and Hepatus or Regal Tang. Regardless of common name, Paracanthurus hepatus fish is equal parts beauty and peacefulness that suits almost any large community marine aquarium.Native to reefs across the Indo-Pacific, the Blue Tang relishes a good hiding location amongst live rock. However, this active fish also loves to swim. Therefore, ample room to roam around your aquarium is essential for optimum health. Though peaceful towards most tankmates, the Pacific Blue will become aggressive towards other fish of its own species. To keep multiple specimens, introduce the entire lot at once into a larger marine system.

Flame Angelfish (Centropyge loriculus)

The Flame Angelfish is a flashy addition to many aquariums. One of the most popular of the dwarf angelfish, the Flame Angelfish is a bold red/orange color with vertical black stripes highlighting the body and horizontal black stripes along the caudal portions of the blue-tipped dorsal and anal fins.The Flame Angelfish requires at least a 30-gallon aquarium with lots of hiding places and live rock for grazing. The Flame Angelfish is prone to nip at stony and soft corals (sessile invertebrates) and clam mantles. If the Flame Angelfish is to be added to a peaceful community, it should be the last fish introduced. The Flame Angelfish adapts well to aquarium life, but should be kept in an established system and housed with dissimilar genera. The Flame Angel is very sensitive to elevated levels of copper, and should never be exposed to levels near or above 0.15 ppm.

 

Bicolor Angelfish (Centropyge bicolor)

Thought by many to be the most striking of the Centropyge group of dwarf or pygmy angelfish, the Bicolor Angelfish, also known as the Two-colored Angelfish or Oriole Angelfish, is a vibrant yellow on the anterior half of its body and a deep blue on the posterior half. A splash of deep blue extends upward vertically from the eye to the top of the head and the tail is yellow. A minimum of a 30 gallon tank with lots of hiding places and live rock for grazing will offer an environment in which to thrive. Not a good reef dweller, the Bicolor Angelfish is prone to nip at stony and soft corals (sessile invertebrates) and clam mantles. It is hermaphroditic, very difficult to breed in an aquarium, and has no distinguishable differences in color between male to female. The Bicolor Angelfish requires a diet of Spirulina, marine algae, high-quality angelfish preparations, and mysis or frozen shrimp.

Ocellaris Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris)

The Ocellaris Clownfish may be one of the aquarium industry's most popular marine fish. Its beautiful orange body dressed with white bands outlined in black instantly distinguishes the Ocellaris Clownfish. This member of the Pomacentridae family is an excellent addition to almost any saltwater aquarium system. What makes this specific variety even more appealing to aquarists is the fact that each Ocellaris Clownfish is tank-bred to help protect the fragile reef environments of the world. The Tank-Bred Ocellaris Clownfish has other unique advantages over wild-caught species. For one, the Tank-Bred Ocellaris Clownfish is very hardy and more accustomed to conditions found in home aquariums. Therefore, it makes a great choice for novices and seasoned aquarists alike. The Tank-Bred Ocellaris Clownfish can also be kept with a variety of other tank-bred clownfish, if introduced into the aquarium at the same time.

Yellow Tang (Zebrasoma flavescens)

The Yellow Hawaiian Tang is for many aquarists, the definitive fish of home saltwater aquariums. With its oval-shaped, vibrant yellow body, Zebrasoma flavescens brightens any marine system. The Yellow Hawaiian Tang is an active swimmer that will glide throughout your aquarium in near constant motion, acting as an aquarium tour guide of sorts to any onlooker who follows its meandering swim path.Though most common to the reefs of Hawaii, the Yellow Hawaiian Tang's natural habitat is actually widespread throughout Indonesia and the Great Barrier Reef. The Yellow Hawaiian Tang is also known as the Yellow Sailfin Tang or Yellow Surgeonfish. For best care, it should be housed in an aquarium of at least 100 gallons with ample room to swim. Like other Tangs, this member of the Acanthuridae family demonstrates territorial aggression towards its own species, or Tangs in general. Therefore, it is best to keep just one Yellow Hawaiian Tang per aquarium, unless multiple Yellow Hawaiian Tangs are introduced into the system simultaneously.

Zoanthid polyps

Zoanthid and Palythoa polyps (bigger brother to the zoanthid), are colonial type corals. Colonial, means each coral is a colony of seperate polyps living together. Extremely hardy and an excellent beginner coral. They will survive in almost any type of reef tank. They will tolerate very low light levels. Prefering low to moderate water motion, they do well within a range of 76º to 84º F. Since Zoanthids are photosynthetic, they survive with no feeding, but occasional feeding of small meaty foods like brine shrimp is beneficial and will result in faster growth. Since they are not very light demanding, they are great filler corals to place between larger specimens. Easily propagated by cutting individual polyps from the main colonies, pieces can be placed on a gravel bed with low water flow and will attach themselves to pieces of gravel, or, they can then be superglued to a suitable substrate such as a reef plug.

Cup Coral, Pagoda (Turbinaria peltata)

The Turbinaria Corals are large polyp stony (LPS) corals. Depending upon the species, they are referred to as a Cup, Pagoda, Turban, Vase, or Scroll Corals. The genus name, Turbinaria, is derived from the Greek word turbinatus (cone-shaped) because it usually grows in a conical or cup shape while living on the reef. It may also be found in the form of cups, ruffled ridges, plates, vases, or scrolls. It may grow horizontally or vertically. Although the Turbinaria Corals may be bright yellow, green, brown, gray, or cream, this particular specimen is green. A number of species may extend their polyps during the day or night while in an aquarium. Turbinaria sp. vary in the amount of care they require. Those that are highly convoluted or thin plates are the most difficult to care for. Others, like this one, make excellent candidates for the novice reef aquarist. It is a peaceful reef inhabitant and does not bother other corals that are placed in close proximity to it. However, it should still be provided with ample space away from other corals because it does grow quickly. It will require moderate lighting combined with moderate water movement within the aquarium. For its continued good health, it will also require the addition of calcium, strontium, and other trace elements to the water.