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Video of Cirrhilabrus johnsoni spawning
Captive spawning is always a sight to see, but few fish do it with as much flair and extravaganza as fairy (and flasher) wrasses. Here is a video of a pair of rare Marshall Island C.johnsoni fairy wrasses doing their courtship dance culminating in a "happy ending."
From 3reef.com member 'evolved' (click link to go to his thread ):
My johnsoni pair spawns several times a week. This has been going on for months now. It happens every evening; the male goes into nuptial display around 9:30. This is at the end of the ramp down of the whites, which shut off at 9:30 and then it's all blues until they ramp down and off at 10:30. The male will be in nuptial display for up to an hour. While he courts the female every night, she generally complies and does the dance with him, but she isn't able to produce eggs every day, and never on consecutive days. So some days are just a "dry run" it seems.
However, last night I was finally watching AND recording at the right time. Take a look. 
You'll note the rhomboid come over and wait for the feast when the pair start their routine. Then him and the male johnsoni are clearly eating eggs from the water column. I don't think the male was quite ready for the female here; he usually swims right along side her when she releases, and you see a quick cloud behind them both.
New 3-dimensional camera developed for deep sea exploration
A team from WHOI uses a new super high-resolution panoramic camera system affixed to a small remotely operated vehicle to explore a coral reef in Palau. Image courtesy of Bill Lange.
The new system, developed by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts (WHOI), allows researchers to view underwater locations in unprescedented 3D clarity.
Giesemann's new (and very sexy) MATRIXX-II T5 light
Giesemann MATRIXX-II T5 light
Giesemann has introduced a new pure T5 light, and it may be the highest build quality fluorescent lighting system we've ever seen. It's not cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but boy is it sexy. The new MATRIXX-II product line is offered exclusively through Reef-Eden (UK) and is now available in Europe (see retail prices after the jump). We have no news yet on USA and Asia availability.
Abundance and distribution of Hawaiian coral species predicted by model
Abundant corals are shown in a shallow Hawaiian lagoon.
Researchers from the University of Hawaii – Manoa (UHM) School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) developed species distribution models of the six dominant Hawaiian coral species around the main Hawaiian Islands including two species currently under consideration as threatened or endangered.
Meet Gavin, the photobombing parrotfish
Gavin says cheese!
I'll wager a lot of you have a fish or two that are attention seekers who seemingly find their way into all your aquarium photos whether you want them there or not. Gavin is a wild blue parrotfish that possesses this diva gene.
$4000 breeding fish stolen from Exeter, South Australia
Three breeding zebra L046 plecos were stolen in the break-in.
In all, more than $15,000 in fish and equipment was stolen from the Exeter business.
Coral Reef Fishes Prove Invaluable in the Study of Evolutionary Ecology
Longnose hawkfish (Oxycirrhites typus) are rich with personality, and their behavior grants us insight about why other animals behave the way they do. Photo by Lakshmi Sawitri
Damsels, gobies, and hawkfish aren't just great fish for marine aquariums. A recent research paper also finds that reef fish provide valuable insight into social evolution. In other words, reef fish can help us understand why animals behave the way they do.
Microbes capture, store, and release nitrogen to feed reef-building coral
Open Brain Coral, Trachyphyllia geoffroyi
Microscopic algae that live within reef-forming corals scoop up available nitrogen, store the excess in crystal form, and slowly feed it to the coral as needed, according to a study published in mBio®, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
Dynamite fishing in Asia [video]
Why do poor fishermen in Asia use dynamite fishing practices even while they know it is unsustainable? This video tries to lend some insight into why fishermen would choose this practice over less damaging methods.
In this video, presented by the Sustainable Aquarium Industry Association, we get an in-depth look at why and how fishermen practice dynamite fishing in the Philippines. We see first-hand how fishermen take empty brandy bottles, fill them with a mix of sand and fertilizer, and then seal it with pieces of old rubber flip-flops and a "firecracker" with a shortened fuse. These firecrackers are not what we typically call a firecracker in the States as they are larger and appear to be either as big or larger than M80's.
Later in the documentary, we see how they are employed and also talk to a fisherman that was a bit too reckless with his bomb and injured three fingers on his hand when one went off too early.
The docuentary was produced by NDR Media GmbH for german TV from 02/17/2013.
Using earthquake sensors to track endangered whales
A seismometer inserted into a hole drilled in seafloor lava. A data recording device is enclosed in the yellow sphere. In three years of operation the network detected nearly 40,000 small earthquakes, and hundreds of thousands of fin-whale calls.
The fin whale is the second-largest animal ever to live on Earth. It is also, paradoxically, one of the least understood. The animal’s huge size and global range make its movements and behavior hard to study.
Even ugly fish need love
Wanted: Alive, not dead.
The Mangarahara cichlid is one ugly tropical fish. But there are only three known specimens left on Earth, and all are captive males. The London Zoo is now searching for any private aquarist who may have a female in their possession in order to try and breed and save this almost extinct species.
Deep Sea ID - a new iPhone and iPad app
Deep Sea ID: A Deep-Sea Field Guide, Presented By The World Register of Deep-Sea Species
Developed by the Natural History Museum, the Deep Sea ID app brings the world's deep sea marine life into your home through your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch device.
Innovative Marine upsizes their MiniMax reactors for the rest of us
IM's MiniMax media reactors get the big boy treatment. The MiniMax product line will soon come to market in a much larger version, appropriately named the MiniMax FullSize. We love the MiniMax design, and we love that IM has upsized these media reactors for broader aquarist appeal. Advanced Aquarist shares the first detailed information and accompanying video.
DC's National Aquarium set to close
The United State's first public aquarium will shutter its doors at the end of 2013's third quarter.
All good things must come to an end. The United States' oldest continuously operated public aquarium is set to close its doors on September 30, 2013. Washington DC's National Aquarium is located in the US Commerce Department building, which is undergoing major renovation that will force the aquarium out of its premises ... and out of business (for now).
More Red Sea Coral Reef Awesomeness
The Red Sea is, simply put, awesome. We can't get enough of this place. Since the Red Sea is an enclosed inlet, its waters are unusually serene compared to the open waters of the Indo-Pacific; The surreal calmness creates a magical "suspended in time and space" aquascape brimming with color. Watch this wonderful 10 minute video to see what we mean.
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