The cover of CORAL Magazine Volume 15, Issue 6 – ACROPORA – November/December 2018. On the cover: Triangle Butterflyfish, Chaetodon triangulum. In the background: Acropora humilis. Both by award-winning Australian photographer Gary Bell, OceanWideImages.com
CORAL Magazine‘s 6th issue for 2018 is an Acropora-lover’s delight. With vibrant images, husbandry advice, and tips from experienced coral farmers, the issue will expand your thinking whether you’re just toying with the idea of keeping Acropora for the first time or you’re a seasoned pro. Of course, covering the subject of Acropora from the frag plug up doesn’t end at the axial corallite.
In this issue, CORAL contributors investigate two fish groups whose lives are inextricably tied to Acropora; at least, that is how it would seem from solely observing them in the wild. Readers will enjoy a fresh look at the symbiotic clown gobies of the genera Gobiodon and Paragobiodon, while also being challenged to rethink the preordained deaths of the coral-feeding butterflyfishes that our hobby and industry had long since written off as wholly unsuitable for aquarium life.
Beyond the cover features and related topics, Daniel Knop’s how-to series on aquarium photography continues. If you thought you knew every cnidarian you’d possibly encounter in this hobby, you might be pleasantly surprised with Dr. Ron Shimek’s introduction to the Stauromedusans, also known as the stalked jellyfishes. We take another look at the Cuban Basslet, Gramma dejongi, and as always, a broad variety of exciting fish and corals await in our Rarities and Reef Notes columns. Journey to the black sands of north Bali for Werner Fiedler’s look at this unique biotope, and check out an amazing European Acropora-dominated SPS reef aquarium of Robert Haase.
The magazine is printed and on its way to subscribers, local aquarium shops, and select bookstores—on sale November 6th, 2018, at the best marine aquarium retail stores and leading Barnes & Noble stores everywhere.
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HEREWITH, a sampling of articles and opening pages for readers curious about what the issue will bring.
The Table of Contents for the November/December 2018 issue of CORAL Magazine. You can view this TOC online.
How would you react when encountering a fish so rare that it is typically only collected once per year? Daniel Knop shares such an experience, with the legendary Centropyge debelius.
“One of the peculiarities of reef aquarium keeping is how much of what we do is being made up as we go along,” writes CORAL Editor and Publisher James Lawrence, introducing an issue featuring corals that biologists once thought no one would ever keep alive.
When traveling to a remote tropical island, you might hope to find a quiet, sweet-smelling respite from daily life. But this idyllic scene may mean that all is not well with the island’s coral reefs. It’s a tale involving seabirds, rats, and corals reported by CORAL writer Bayley Freeman.
It’s an aquacultured bonanza for this issue’s Rarities column, with stories of ORA’s new Damselfish releases, beautiful corals from A&M Aquatics, and Sea & Reef Aquaculture’s stunning release of their long-awaited Longfin Black Ice Ocellaris Clownfish.
“ACROPORA. The very name is shrouded in magic…Treat it well, and an Acropora colony can be one of the fastest-growing and most attention-grabbing species in a reef aquarium. Look at one of them the wrong way, and it can transform itself into a deathly white skeleton in a matter of days—or even hours.” Coral culturist Than Thein will do everything in his power to keep you on the right track with his Acropora Primer.
“It could be said that we are entering a Golden Age of Acropora culture,” writes Felicia McCaulley, highlighting the Rockstar Acropora species, color morphs, and priceless frags that continue to grab the spotlight and drain our wallets!
Few know about the partnership that exists between the wee gobies of the genera Gobiodon and Paragobiodon (known collectively as coral gobies by ichthyologists and sometimes called clown gobies by aquarists) and various small-polyped stony (SPS) corals. Reef fishes expert Scott Michael investigates.
Volcanoes have scattered extensive dark sediments along many island coastlines, so why not try to create an unusual tank decor of this kind instead? Get inspired by the black-sand reefs of north Bali with an underwater excursion led by veteran tropical explorer Werner Fiedler.
What is that stalked animal that has invaded my reef? CORAL’s resident Senior Science Editor Dr. Ron Shimek introduces the Staurozoans.
CORAL Magazine’s photography series continues as Daniel Knop tackles one of the more challenging aquarium photography topics. Learn how to get the “Full Tank Shot” or FTS, with advice on preparation and choice of perspective in whole-aquarium shots of a nano reef tank.
Experience the evolution of Robert Haase’s European captive stony coral reef in this issue’s Aquarium Portrait: Acropora Dreaming.
Daniel Knop reveals the possibility of sexual dimorphism in the rare and only recently-described Cuban Basslet, Gramma dejongi. Learn about this and more in CORAL Magazine’s new Species Spotlight.
Thinking you need to get your tank in shape for the holiday season? Check out the very best local fish shops around the county in our Sources directory. If they’re smart enough to carry CORAL Magazine in their shops, you know they value the same things that make you a CORAL reader! View this list online.
Our issue closes with Advanced Aquatics, featuring Part I of Matt Pedersen’s Butterflyfish Chronicles: Rethinking Corallivores: Progress with the lovely, notorious coral-eating Chaetodontids. Are these fish still best considered “cut flowers,” destined to wither and perish in our aquariums? Read on to find out.
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Would like to buy your latest issue on Acropora. How do I do so?
Have offered a few times to ask if you can be interested in distribution of your magazine in the uK and ireland. We have contacts throughout the industry, and are building a multispecies hatchery which will be selling to ALL quality stores.
Dr.J.R.Prescott