Fish 'N' Chips
A Monthly Marine Newsletter
October 2002 Issue

Index

From Liz
By Elizabeth M. Lukan 10/28/02

More Showcases Needed: OK, either you haven't heard me the last two months or you want me to beg. Or, maybe you don't want anymore Tank Showcases. Well, if that's the case, then you'll get your wish unless I get some submissions now. Email your tank photos to fishnchips@mindspring.com with as much or as little tank information as you want published.

Visit This Month's Subscriber's Tank Showcase: Lana Grimard's Reef Tank is this month's Showcase and can be seen at http://www.marinefiends.com/tankshowcase.html.

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Critter Corner
Cowry Comments
By Dr. Gary L. Henkel, DDS, 7/28/02 & Carol E. Keen, 8/2/02
Edited By Elizabeth M. Lukan 10/28/02

Following are more comments on Cowries. The original article, "The Cowry: Add a Little Lustre to Your Tank" by Dale Bennett was featured in the July 2001 issue with comments by Roger Holt, Jake Pehrson, and Anonymous coming in the August 2001, October 2001, and July 2002 issues respectively.

From Dr. Gary L. Henkel, DDS, 7/28/02:

"I would not have another cowry in my tank. I had a large tiger cowry a few years back. It was like having a large bulldozer. Each night I had to rescue run over corals, avalanched live rock, dislodged power heads, the works. They’re beautiful, but they can rearrange your tank big time. Think long and hard about one unless you constantly want to restack things."

From Carol E. Keen of Fish To The Nth (http://www.fishtothenth.com/), 8/2/02:

"Cowries! I really enjoy the large snail like creatures called cowries! The most common is the Tiger Cowry, and I have owned several. It is better to get them when they are smaller, as they will grow to be very large!"

"Cowries will eat all the loose or unwanted algae in their tank, and if you have several tanks then you can move your cowry to the tank that most needs the algae removed. The cowries will also eat leftover foods, so if you have any tidbits of leftover shrimp from feeding your puffers, they will eat them right up. Normally, you will only need one cowry per tank."

"A healthy cowry will show a large mantle, the large flaps of "foot" that come out and cover almost all of the shell of the cowry when it is out and eating."

"When the cowry is asleep, it is often found under a "cave" or in the caluerpa with the mantle retracted. If the cowry stays in one place for more than two days, it is a good idea to check it out and see if it is ailing in any way. More often than not, water quality will make them fold up and not eat. Occassionally, too many stinging anemones will irritate the cowry and it will attempt to sleep a great deal, or it will try to leave the tank. If this happens, you need to make some changes in the tank, or put your cowry in another tank."

"Last but not least, if your cowry gets algae on its back, you can gently scrub it off with a soft toothbrush in a shallow bucket of saltwater, and then return it to its home."

"If fed and cared for properly, your cowry will provide you with years of great cleaning work, and some entertainment on the side."

Anybody else want to send in a comment on their Cowry experiences? Send an email to fishnchips@mindspring.com with your comments and see your name in print in a future issue.

Editor Comments:
Editing was limited to spelling, grammar, and putting the submitter's writing into html and the Fish 'N' Chips format.

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What's Up @ Reefs UK
- http://www.reefsuk.com -
By Elizabeth M. Lukan 10/1/02

9/30/02:

• Clayton Smith has been successfully raising Dottybacks for some time and is now in a position to offer these fish to other hobbyists. The cost is £35 a pair. Call Clayton at 07930 357 995 or email him at claytonjohnsmith@hotmail.com.

To join the Reefs UK Mailing List or the Reefs UK Chat (Email Discussion Group),
visit the Reefs UK Website for instructions.

Editor's Comments:
Information in this section covers the latest happenings at Mark T. Taber's Reefs UK Web Site. Mark has given me permission to publish any information from his mailing list that I feel would be of interest to Fish 'N' Chips subscribers. So, the above, although reworded by me, should be credited to Mark or to Derek Scales who works closely with Mark on the running of Reefs UK. The dates in bold coincide with Mark or Derek's mailings and are provided as a reference.

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Caught In The Net
By Elizabeth M. Lukan 10/28/02

New Stuff Found

On Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine (http://www.advancedaquarist.com/:

• Volume 1, Issue 10, October 2002 is now available.

On Reefs.org (http://www.reefs.org/):

• Article: Analysis of EcoSystem's Miracle Mud, Testing Performed by Inland Reef and Lars Sebralla
• Article: Analysis of TLF Combisan, Testing Performed by Inland Reef and Ron Shimek, 2001
• Download: Sandbed Depth Calculator courtesy of Inland Reef
• Talk: Breeding the Orchid Dottyback (and other marine fish) by Martin Moe on 10/20/02
• Talk: The Coalition Of Reef Lovers (CORL) by Mike King on 10/6/02
• Talk: Member's Aquarium by Richard Durso on 9/22/02

Aqualines v1.0
From Sapphire Games, the Aqualines game resembles an aquarium complete with coral and sea creatures. They move from the top of the aquarium to the bottom along the coral branches which you can change the structure of in order to steer the creatures. You must line up in a row 3 or more identical creatures at the bottom which then vanishes to make room for more and up goes your score. The game is designed for Pentium 90 or higher Windows based machines and is available to download as shareware. Some features are unavailable unless you register, which costs $12 or Euro 12. You can find Aqualines at http://www.sapphiregames.com/.

Permission for graphic use was granted by Serg of Sapphire Games (Thanks Serg!).

And on that note... Aqualines reviews are welcome! Email your thoughts and opinions to me at fishnchips@mindspring.com.

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Marine News
By Elizabeth M. Lukan 10/28/02

9/30/02 - Maryland, US:
A new report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warns that every U.S. coral reef system is suffering from both human and natural disturbances. The first national assessment of the condition of U.S. coral reefs links development, pollution, and destructive fishing practices with the decline of reefs in U.S. waters and around the globe.
News Release: http://ens-news.com/ens/sep2002/2002-09-30-06.asp

10/4/02 - DC, US:
The first nationwide survey on coral reef issues finds that most Americans support designating coral reefs as protected areas and are willing to take personal action.
News Release: http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2002/2002-10-04-09.asp#anchor7

10/4/02 - Nairobi, Kenya:
The United Nations Environment Programme released a new report stating that all governments should back wastewater emission targets as a key step towards cleaning up the world's seas.
News Release: http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2002/2002-10-04-19.asp#anchor1

10/18/02 - Queensland, Australia:
Scientists at the Australian Institute of Marine Science have confirmed the existence of coral disease on the world's longest reef.
News Release: http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2002/2002-10-18-02.asp

10/24/02 - California, US:
A California commission has voted to create the largest system of marine reserves off the U.S. west coast. Effective January 1, 2003, the decision sets aside 132 square nautical miles (175 square miles) within the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary in 13 separate areas where most or all fishing will not be allowed.
News Release: http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2002/2002-10-24-06.asp

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Chips...er...Tips
Mounting SPS Frags
By Patrick Monaghan 8/24/02
Edited By Elizabeth M. Lukan 9/28/02

Method: Cyanoacrylate Adhesive (Superglue). This is not your standard superglue, but a very viscous glue to avoid having the glue drip onto the tissue of the frag. I personally use SIG CA (15 - 30 Second Cure Time) that I purchase for $9 at my local hobby shop (2 oz. bottle).

Why Glue?: Without a doubt I use glue over other products such as expoxy for it's natural look. It can be a bit more tricky to get the frag to adhere, but once it does the coral tissue will quickly grow onto the rock. This makes for a very nice reef display with no bright white chunks of epoxy to be seen.

How to mount the frag: Hold the end of the frag (side without tissue) just out of the water. Please keep the rest of the frag underwater to avoid having the glue hit the tissue. Put a couple of drops on the end of the frag and then put the entire frag underwater. This will allow the glue to form a skin. Then take the frag out of the water and put a few more drops on the newly formed skin. Again place underwater to allow the glue to form a skin. Repeat as necessary. After you obtain the desired amount of glue (depending upon the size of the frag) place the frag glue side down against your live rock. Hold in place for 10-30 seconds and the frag should be secure. (Note: Sometimes it is necessary to rub the glue against the rock to get a good grip.) I have a near 100% success rate with this method and have only had a few occasions where a hermit crab decided to knock the frag loose.

Happy Fragging!!!!

Editor's Comments:
Editing was limited to spelling, grammar, and putting into the Fish 'N' Chips format.
Patrick's site can be found at http://www.spsfrags.com. It can also be reached via http://home.attbi.com/~monaghan. Patrick also sells captive raised frags via his site.

To Submit Your Tip: Send your tip via email to fishnchips@mindspring.com and I'll publish it in an upcoming issue of Fish 'N' Chips. I'll write it up for you or you can do it yourself if you are so inclined. Make sure you let me know if I can include your name and email address or if you'd rather go anonymous.

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Upcoming Events
By Elizabeth M. Lukan 10/28/02

To Submit Your Event: Send your event and all the specifics (date, time, location, pricing, contact info, etc.) via email to fishnchips@mindspring.com and I'll publish it in all issues of Fish 'N' Chips prior to the event.

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Prove It!, a Bibliography
By Elizabeth M. Lukan 10/28/02

Article: Marine News

• Environment News Service, http://ens-news.com/

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