Minimum Tank Size: 90 gallons

Characteristics: A semi-aggressive fish from the Islands of Solomon and the Indo-Pacific. Capable of growing just over a foot long.

Dogface puffers, like many other large fish, have a very unique and interesting personality. They will often swim up to greet you and splash the water with their tail to let you know they want fed, and boy do these fish eat! Dogface puffers enjoy food items ranging from shelled shrimp, fresh clams, squid, and krill. (On a personal note: my Dogface wont go near squid, but he loves all of the other foods mentioned!) Since Dogface puffers are usually not very shy, you can try to hand feed them a few weeks after they have acclimated to their new home. I like to hold a krill with my fingers and let the puffer eat the krill, he seems to enjoy krill more when I do this. If I just throw the krill into the tank, he loses interest. Also be careful never to let him get near your fingers, my Dogface is perfectly capable of cracking thick clam shells and I wouldn't want him to mistake my fingers for food! Dogface puffers are classified as carnivores, but mine chows down broccoli intended for my Blue Tang. They will truly eat almost anything set in front of them! Be sure to feed them lots of hard-shelled meaty foods, as puffers need to wear down their continuously growing beaks.

The Dogface puffer is semi-aggressive and therefore should not be housed with other puffers, seahorses, sharks, stingrays, and invertebrates. Cleaner shrimp such as the Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp may get along with the puffer fine do to their natural roles, see video below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcqtfEwKVr0&feature=player_embedded

While the Dogface puffer is not particularly difficult to keep, you should have some experience with marine fish before you get one. The most common causes of Dogface puffers not eating is due to water conditions or the fact that they are a recent addition to the aquarium. Since some puffers refuse to eat, it is highly recommended that you ask to see them eat at the pet store before you purchase your puffer.

Dogface puffers are not recommended for reef tanks unless you have an extremely large setup. This is due to the fact that they will eat most all crustaceans, invertebrates, and anything that isn't sand. It is not recommended that you keep even an anemone in the same tank as a puffer since Dogface puffers are very inquisitive and may end up harming themselves by repetitively trying to eat the anemone.

Care level: Easy

Diet: Omnivore

The Ocellaris clownfish originates from the Indo-Pacific, but many found in the aquarium trade are actually tank-bred which makes them much easier to care for. The Ocellaris clownfish is a great fish for the beginner due to its ease of care, fabulous colors, and peaceful temperament. Feeding: The Ocellaris Clownfish will eat most meaty and herbivore foods. Mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, squid bits, and any other small frozen foods are acceptable.

General Clownfish facts:

Do Clownfish Need a Sea Anemone? One question a lot of fish enthusiasts have is whether or not clownfish need an anemone to survive in the aquarium. Although clownfish are a symbiotic species, they can still thrive without an anemone.

Mutualism of the Clownfish and Anemone Much like the way aphids produce a "Milk" for ants that in return guard the aphids from predators, clownfish and sea anemones also form a mutaulism. The clownfish benefits from the protection and housing of the sea anemone while the anemone benefits from the food the clownfish lures in.

Water Quality: Discus come from the soft acidic waters of Brazil and most require a pH of 6.0 - 7.0, but can tolerate a pH of up to 7.5. The temperature for housing Discus is relatively high at 79-86° F. Discus require the water to be near perfect conditions. With that in mind, you will want the largest aquarium you can find to house them (50+ gallons) and will need to do ~25% water changes weekly, since Discus prefer constant water conditions. Top all that off with a powerful filter and you're good to go!

Feeding: Discus should be fed at least two times daily and remember, it's better to underfeed then to overfeed since overfeeding leads to poor water quality. Discus are carnivores and should be fed a varied diet consisting of bloodworms, tubifex, high quality flake foods, and other frozen meaty foods. As you can see discus don't require anything particularly difficult so if you're thinking of getting some, go for it!

Taking time to watch and interact with pets provides a welcome break from the stress of daily cares and concerns.  Aquariums are ideal for creating a soothing, tranquil, meditative place to relax and connect with nature, in your home or office.  They can even pull your kids away from mindless TV to learn about prehistoric species and the cycle of life. They're great conversation starters and provide entertainment for guests.For business owners, they can make those waiting room times fly by for your clients.  For busy people who want to experience the joys of pet ownership, but are concerned that they don’t have enough time to care for them, tropical aquarium fish are a great choice.  They are easier to take care of than dogs, cats, and many other animals, and take up very little space.  With the wide variety of aquarium shapes and sizes, they can fit in virtually any home or office. 

 Aquarium Therapy for Human Health

In addition to the joy, entertainment, and companionship many animals provide, it has been known for years, that animals can provide many health benefits to humans.  Studies have shown that animals can increase longevity after heart attacks, lower cholesterol, and even predict seizures in people.  Similarly, studies have found that watching fish in aquariums has many therapeutic effects, including: a notable and beneficial decrease in blood pressure, pulse rate, and muscle tension.  In a study of patients awaiting dental surgery, it was found that aquarium-watching was as effective as hypnosis, in reducing anxiety.

Purdue University researchers conducted an extensive study, which found that exposing Alzheimer’s patients to tanks of brightly colored fish may curtail disruptive behaviors and improve eating habits.  Generally, it is difficult to keep these patients calm, attentive, or awake long enough for them to eat adequately, resulting in a need for costly nutritional supplements and medications.  However, when aquariums were placed in the dining room of Alzheimer’s facilities, it appeared that the stimulating combination of color, sound, and the varying, gliding movement of the fish held their attention for a relatively long time.  They were more relaxed, attentive, and alert – and ate up to 21% more.  As a result of eating more, the patients required less nutritional supplementation. There was also a noticeable decrease in physically aggressive behaviors among the patients. For some, even short-term memory may have been stimulated.

These studies all show that in addition to both the educational and aesthetic benefits of aquariums, people who care for and watch fish can reap health benefits, as well. Make aquariums a part of your family experience.

 Questions?

If you're still unsure whether or not an aquarium is right for you, or if you just have some questions regarding purchasing products, set up, and maintenance, please feel free to Contact Us

Setting up your own nano reef can be quite simple and is almost the same as a traditionally sized reef. This article will go over the basics of setting up a nano reef, as well as the equipment that is necessary. This article serves as a guide only, and not a full in depth step by step method.

For your main filtration, we recommend to use an all-natural method. Good quality live rock and live sand is the key to a successful system. You will want to use at least one pound of live rock per gallon, and about one-half pounds of live sand per gallon. For more information on live rock visit www.ocreef.com/curing_live_rock

When you look for a location to place your nano reef, you will want to keep a few things in mind. The tank should be placed on a level and sturdy surface that can support approximately 70-250 pounds depending on the size of the tank. For the beginner, it's recommended to place the tank in a high traffic area, so that it will be under constant supervision, especially in the beginning while the tank is still stabilizing.

When the time comes to fill the tank with water, you will need good de-chlorinated water; it's recommended to use reverse osmosis water, you can find R.O. water from most local pet fish stores. You will also need to have good quality synthetic reef salt and a specific gravity meter (hydrometers are more commonly used). Floating hydrometers can be purchased for under $10 and will provide a basic reading of the specific gravity (salt concentration in ppm's parts per millionth). A more expensive Refractometer is recommended for highly accurate readings, if money allows that is. Proceed to fill the tank with water and add salt, following the manufacturers directions for adding the salt. Keep adding salt until the specific gravity is 1.023. Place the Powerhead in immediately so it will help mix the salt.

Now is also the time to place in your heater and get the water temperature to 78 degrees. Once your specific gravity has reached it's proper level and the water has begun to stabilize, (this time will vary depending on your particular set up), you can add the live rock and live sand. Place the live rock in first, using an open pattern so the fish have room to swim through and hide in the rock. Be as creative as you want during this process and don't be afraid to go back and change it later. Once the rock is where you like it, you can pour the live sand around the rocks, keeping it at a fairly even thickness throughout the tank. Adding the live sand in will cloud the water, but don't worry it will eventually settle and the water will clear. Following continue to check your water for stabilization.

When your aquarium has fully completed cycling and your confident all water parameters look stable, you will be ready to add a fish and a coral. But don't rush this process; take your time to be rewarded in the saltwater hobby. A last reminder because we can't write a book on here, is to make sure to do your homework and research the species of fish and coral your thinking of keeping; (try to offer them foods they would get naturally from the ocean). This way you'll know how to care for them, when you get the little guys to their new home.

To learn more about maintaining your reef aquarium visit www.ocreef.com

They should be fed each day and you should remove any uneaten food from the previous day. If they have eaten all the food from the previous feeding, try to give them a little more this way you can soon be able to discern the proper amount of food. Here is a small list of some foods that they can be given from the 4 basic food groups for a Hermit crab:

• Bread and cereal group: dry cereals, bread, crackers, cooked rice, popcorn(popped), cookies, biscuit pieces, cooked pasta, oatmeal and cornmeal.
• Fruit group: (cut into small pieces) apples, bananas, peeled grapes, pears, avocadoes and coconut meat.
• Vegetable group: spinach, lettuce, broccoli, bean sprouts, cooked beans and potatoes
• Meat group: fish and shellfish cooked or raw, meat, cooked bacon pieces and peanut butter.
• Do not feed: any acidic or dairy foods

Following this guide will ensure that your hermit crab lives a long and healthy life with a well balanced diet.

Here is how I have made moveable shelves that stick to the inside of the aquarium glass. These have worked out so good that I have to be careful that they don't become permanent fixtures in the tank! If you are using frag plugs, this shelf works perfect with them.

Material List
1-Cleaner magnet (get a cheap one that is strong enough to stick to the thickness of your tank glass) Cost: ~$10 from Petsmart

1-chunk of florescent lighting grid (comes in 4' X 8'sheet)

1-piece of thin plastic (1/16" to 1/8" is thick enough) EDIT: if it's too thick, you will have to get a more powerful magnet!

Glue for plastic - (something that will actually melt the plastic like PVC glue)

Saw to cut the plastic and grid. I use wire cutters to cut the grid.

Cut the grid to size....3" X 9" is a good sized shelf

Next remove the scouring pad from one of the two magnets...this is the magnet that will be in the tank water. Scrape it clean and flat as you want it to be sealed when glued to the plastic back. Do not remove the pad from the other magnet that will be on the outside of the tank.

Cut the plastic backing to the width of the shelf grid and the magnet width + 1/4". For instance: The shelf width is 9" wide. The magnet is 1.5" X 3" in size. The plastic backing is cut to 1.75" X 9".

I got a little fancy and cut this piece with some contours:

Next, glue the edge of the grid onto the longest edge of the plastic backing at a 90 degree angle (can use clothespins as clamps):

After the grid glueing had dried, glue the magnet under the grid (clamp down while drying so that there is a good glue seal:

Finished shelf:

Here is it attached to the tank...almost looks like it is floating. Just be careful when cleaning the outside glass....if you knock the outside magnet off, the shelf will fall to the bottom in slow motion!

After a couple months, coralline will start growing on the grid and cover up the white plastic:

Metal halide has long been the industry standard for high intensity reef lighting.  It is a proven lighting solution that can support any lighting needs in a reef tank.   Although metal halide lighting has such a great reputation, it also does have some weaknesses.  High Output T-5 lighting is the new kid on the block, but it has proven to have a few significant advantages over metal halide.  This article will discuss the pros and cons of each of these reef tank lighting systems.

What Metal Halide Lighting Does Right

Metal halide lighting has an excellent PAR rating and will penetrate deep into the water column.  Because the light from metal halide bulbs originates from a single point, it casts shadows in the tank similar to the sun and produces the much sought after "shimmer effect".  It has a long standing track record of being able to support all types of coral life.

What Metal Halide Lighting Does Wrong

Uneven light distribution - Metal halide reef lighting comes from a single round light bulb or a series of round light bulbs.  These bulbs represent a single source of light just like the sun.  Because of this light distribution can be a bit uneven with a metal halide system.  This is one of the weaknesses of metal halide - it almost always leaves a more intense light in a cone shape directly under the bulbs.  This leaves dark spots between the bulbs and can sometimes create a "cone of death" where the light is too intense for most corals.

It gets HOT - Metal halide is very intense and the amount of heat generated can be quite surprising.   In my opinion, this is one of the biggest problems with metal halide lighting.  It will not only make your fish room hot, but it will also raise the temperature in your reef tank significantly.  This often leads to the need for an aquarium chiller to control the heat in the reef tank.  Also, with the heat of metal halides, there is an increased risk of fire.

It is inefficient - with rising energy costs it is becoming increasingly more important to increase energy efficiency.  For a 125 gallon reef tank, it requires at least 750w of metal halide lighting to produce enough lighting to keep SPS corals.

It lacks actinic - In a display tank you will want to add additional actinic lighting.  This used to be accomplished with a VHO setup, but is increasingly accomplished with a few T5HO bulbs.

Poor bulb life - Metal halide bulbs only last about 9 months of normal use.

What High Output T-5 Lighting Does Right

Even light distribution - Because T5 bulbs are long tubes, they spread the light evenly across the tank.  This gives a much more uniform light distribution.

It gets LESS hot - High output T5 does get hot, but nowhere near as hot as metal halide.  Once I switched from metal halide to T5 on my reef tank, my average temperature dropped 4 degrees Fahrenheit.

It is more efficient - High output T5 is one of the most efficient lighting types available for reef tanks.  Some of the new LED systems are much more efficient, but they have not been tested long enough to prove long-term viability and growth.   To grow SPS corals in a 125 gallon reef tank it only requires eight 54w bulbs.  This works out to 432 watts of energy, or a 39% energy savings.

The color temperature choices are vast - There are so many choices when it comes to high output T5 bulbs.  You can mix and match to get multiple actinic wavelengths as well as 10k/14k/20k spectrums of light.  You can really fine tune your high output T5 lighting to maximize the beauty of your reef tank.

Long bulb life - High output T5 bulbs can last up to three years under normal use. 

What High Output T-5 Lighting Does Wrong

Tests for high output T5 lighting have shown that it is not quite as good at penetrating the water column as metal halide lighting.  The PAR rating is not quite as good so corals towards the bottom of the tank may not get all the light they need.  Also, there are a maximum number of bulbs you can crowd over a tank so there is an upper threshold to the maximum number of watts per gallon you can put on a high output T5 lighted tank.  Finally, because the light comes evenly distributed, you all but lose the shimmer effect that is so popular.  Most people like the shimmer effect, but there are those who prefer to have no shimmer effect at all.

Conclusion

We at Reef Time have concluded that high output T5 has proven itself to be a viable reef lighting system.  It runs a lot cooler than metal halide, is more energy efficient and has a vast array of color temperature choices.  Unless you just can't live without the shimmer effect or unless you have a very deep reef tank packed with corals that have high lighting requirements, it is our recommendation to choose high output T5 lighting.

With it being garage sale season, I decided to write a few helpful pointers about recycling used aquariums. I am certainly one who likes to save a buck whenever it is possible so I would like to share with you some of the knowledge I have gained over the past fifteen years of recycling used aquariums and equipment I have purchased from garage sales.

Things to Look For When Recycling Used Aquariums

1. Visually inspect the silicone seals of used aquarium. Look at them closely to make sure there are no chips in the silicone, or missing/peeling sections. If you do find problems with the silicone it is best to avoid the tank unless you are comfortable resealing it.
2. Look for chips in the corner glass. Small chips can be filled with some silicone sealant, but may still pose the danger of causing cuts. Aquariums with larger chips or cracks should be avoided because they are often ticking time bombs - waking up at 3am to find 40 gallons of water all over the living room floor (and dining room, and bedroom) is no fun. Trust me and learn from my personal experience here.
3. Check the stand. If you aquarium comes with a stand it should be level and square. If it is made of wood, check the wood for rotting or other problems. If it is made out of metal make sure it is not bent or overly rusted.
4. Smell the aquarium. If you are using the aquarium for fish, you should avoid aquariums that have been used for rodents or lizards (the smell should be evident). I have had a lot of problems trying to recycle these aquariums in the past due to the urine contamination and the cleaning agents the previous owners used.
5. Check the equipment. You can ask the previous owner to plug in the light and pump to make sure they run. Lime scale buildup can be a nightmare to clean off plastic parts so keep this in mind when inspecting the equipment.

Questions to Ask the Previous Owner about the Aquarium

1. What kind of animal was kept in the aquarium? An aquarium that we be reused as a fish tank should have only housed fish previously.
2. How was the aquarium cleaned? If the owner used chemicals to clean the aquarium then it should not be used for fish.
3. What kind of medication was used in the aquarium? This is not so important if you are setting up a freshwater aquarium, but if you are using this for a reef tank then make sure no harmful chemicals such as copper or malachite green were used.
4. Does it leak or have any problems with the equipment? It is just good practice to get an idea of what you will be dealing with.
5. How long has it been since the aquarium was in use? If it has been a long time (more than a year or two) then the silicone and rubber component of the equipment may have dried out. A long period of being in storage will likely lead to reduced life expectancy for the aquarium.

Cleaning your Recycled Aquarium

OK so you found the perfect aquarium but it is a filthy mess. What should you do to clean it? The tools and cleaners I usually use to clean recycled aquarium are as follows:

• Scotch pads
• A razor blade window scraper
• Paper towels
• Water
• White vinegar

A razor blade window scraper does an incredible on flat glass surfaces. Just make sure to be careful with the razor blade and avoid nicking the silicone with the razor blade. Green scratch pads can be used in corner near the silicone or on plastic parts that cannot be scraped with the razor blade. I only use plain water to clean the inside of my recycled aquariums to avoid any possibility of contamination. You can use vinegar on the plastic parts that will undoubtedly be more difficult to clean. Just make sure to wipe off the vinegar with a towel wet with water when you are done. After you have it cleaned, make sure to double check for silicone problems and then you can test to make sure it properly holds water. Make sure to fill the tank to the top and make sure to do it outside. Once you are sure that the tank is solid and water tight you can empty it out and set it up in its new place in your home.

Healthy Fish Tip #1 - Water changes, water changes, water changes: This is probably the most important of the healthy fish tips. Regular water changes remove contaminants and waste byproducts from the aquarium and replace them with fresh clean water. Typically you should perform water changes on a regular schedule so that all of your water changes add up to about 100% in a month. Some common examples are 25% water change once a week or 15% water changes twice a week.

 Healthy Fish Tip #2 - Consistent Temperature: This is another important healthy fish tip. Unlike humans fish cannot regulate body temperature so variations in water temperature are very stressful to a fish. Research the recommended temperature range for your fish and make sure that all of the fish in your tank can live in the same temperature range. After finding out what temperature is acceptable to all of your fish species set your temperature there and try to keep it from changing much. Be especially careful when performing water changes that the water is not too hot or cold when you change it.

 Healthy Fish Tip #3 - Don’t use too many chemicals or products: Using pH adjusters or chemicals to clear the water is usually not a very good method to keep healthy fish. Also keep in mind that most medicines are very harmful to the fish because they either stress them directly or kill the biological bacteria in your tank that is keeping it healthy. The only chemicals that go into my tanks are tap water, water conditioner to remove chlorine, charcoal in the filters and aquarium salt (if needed). If you need to adjust the pH of the water, you should use rocks or substrate to raise the pH or wood or plants to lower it. This will stabilize the pH and prevent wild swings in pH.

 Health Fish Tip #4 – Use a quarantine tank: If you have an established tank with no real problems and follow all of the healthy fish tips above then the chances of the fish in your tank spontaneously contracting a disease is very little. The quickest way to raise this risk is to introduce new fish to your tank that have come fresh from the fish store. It does not matter how good the fish store has been in the past, the fact of the matter remains that fish stores have a lot of fish coming in and going out so the chances are greatly increase for the risk of disease infection. I always quarantine my fish in a 20 gallon quarantine tank for 3 weeks prior to introduction into an established tank.

 Health Fish Tip #5 – Keep aggression under control: If you have an aggressive tank such as an African cichlid tank then there will be aggression and territorial conflict. This is normal and probably healthy for the fish because it is natural. However if you notice a fish that is too aggressive or one that seems to be getting picked on by all of the fish in the tank, then you need to find a way to resolve the problem. Sometimes merely rearranging the tank can change the tank dynamic and perhaps give a “picked on” fish some new hiding spaces. If rearranging the tank does not work, then consider removing the problem fish from the tank and placing it in a different tank or perhaps trading it in to the local fish store. Stressed fish are prone to disease and once a stressed fish becomes diseased it is more likely other healthy fish in the tank will contract the disease from the stressed fish.

 The goal of following these healthy fish tips is to avoid having to treat the fish after they become sick. Happy fish keeping!