Reefs and Reptiles

In this episode of Reefs and Reptiles we will be talking about Halocaridina rubra or the Hawaiian Red Shrimp - aka Volcano Shrimp and Opae ula.  This is without a doubt the EASIEST PET you will ever keep.  I cannot stress this enough.  Hawaiian Red Shrimp are an aquarists dream.   They are wonderful little creatures that eat the bacterial film that grows in rocks.  There is no feeding involved.  There are no pumps, no lights, no water flow requirements.  I've only changed the water in my 5 gallon shrimp tank one time in 2 years.  Interested?  I bet you are, listen to learn more about these amazing creatures from Hawaii.

In this episode of Reefs and Reptiles I will be going over our latest snorkeling adventure.  If you'd like to get a book that has pictures of a lot of the fish that I talk about on the podcast, check out John Hoover's book, The Ultimate Guide to Hawaiian Reef Fishes.

You can purchase that book here - https://amzn.to/3A2AJxv

In today's episode I am going to talk about what I saw snorkeling in Puako, Hawaii.  The Big Island has some of the best snorkeling in the state of Hawaii.  I am hoping that anyone thinking of coming to Hawaii to see marine life will learn more about what to expect underwater.

In this episode of Reefs and Reptiles we will be talking about the Honey Gourami or Trichogaster chuna.  Honey or Sunset Gournami make great additions to peaceful community freshwater aquariums.  The males have stunning coloration and can be the star of your tank.  

This is the final episode of Reefs & Reptiles Season 1.  What if you could communicate with your pets?  What if we could "talk" to whales?  How would that shape our view, not only as pet keepers, but also as citizens of the planet earth?  In this episode, I'm going to explore that topic.  It is a little "out there" but I do think that communicating with animals will be the next big breakthrough for humans.  Scientists are working on understanding the codas (series of clicks) that sperm whales use to communicate with each other.  If we were able to speak with them, it could be the kind of breakthrough that causes a paradigm shift in the way we think about our planet.  I am hopeful that one day we will be able to better understand the organisms that our policies and decisions impact.  I think understanding animals better would cause us to take better care of them and of the planet.

In today's episode of Reefs and Reptiles, we will be talking about Snowflake Eels (Echidna nebulosa).  I will be going over what it is like to keep these eels in an aquarium and I will also touch on what it is like to observe them here in Hawaii.  Snowflake eels typically like to eat crustaceans and they have conical teeth to help them do so.  One thing you must keep in mind if you do decide to get a snowflake eel is to make sure you have a good lid on your tank, as eels are escape artists, much like snakes.  

In this episode of Reefs and Reptiles, I will talking about my observations over the 1st year of my 29 gallon planted aquarium.  I will also talk about the use the fertilizers in planted tanks.  My advice to new planted tank keepers is to be patient.  Let the "set up" phase of your tank last as long as possible.  It is more fun to have reasons to go back to the fish store over a long period of time than it is to stock a tank all at once.  Part of the fun of aquariums is tinkering and taking your time gives you more chances to do that.  

Amazon Affiliate Links to products mentioned in this podcast:

OSMOCOTE PLUS fertilizer - https://amzn.to/3P0FVHA

CAPSULES EXPRESS size 00 - https://amzn.to/3P6qJIO

In this episode of Reefs and Reptiles I will be talking about "alotl" Axolotls.  You might "axolotl" questions about Axolotls and I'm here to help.  I have 2 GFP (green fluorescent protein) axolotls and they are great.  I would highly recommend axolotls to anyone interested in amphibians.  The most important aspect of keeping Axolotls happy is keeping their water cool. 
I mention some products that can help with that, here are links to the water chillers I recommend on Amazon:

Active Aqua Chiller - https://amzn.to/3oDOY5I

Hamilton Aqua Euro Chiller - https://amzn.to/3uF0SAf

Here is the Axolotl Pellet Food that my Axolotls like - https://amzn.to/3JedqT6

Using these links helps out the Reefs and Reptiles Podcast, thanks!

In this episode of Reefs and Reptiles, I will discuss the idea of giving and empty aquarium or terrarium as a gift for the fish / reptile fanatic in your life.  An empty fish tank is like a blank canvas for an artist.  When I see an empty tank the possibilities of what it could turn into make my brain run wild.  I love the idea of bringing an ecosystem to life.  I'll give some different ideas for what your friend or significant other could do with this blank slate.  Part of the fun of this is just gifting the empty tank and seeing what the person does with it.  Will they stick with what they know, or branch out and try something different.  Some of the most compelling set ups I have seen don't have any animals in them at all, they are just plants or in the case of saltwater, simply corals.  The point is, the gift of an empty aquarium provides an opportunity to be creative, and that process is something that many of us love and enjoy.

In this episode of Reefs and Reptiles, I am going over the dreaded Water Changes!  If you are going to have a successful aquarium, you need to do regular water changes.  There have been some game changers that have allowed me to keep more fish tanks than I normally would be able to handle.  Those game changers center around making water changes easier to do.  Below is a list of items I use to make my water changes easier.  These are Amazon Affiliate links that help Reefs and Reptiles out if you use them. 

Brute 32 Gallon Trash Can - https://amzn.to/31i8Hzz

Brute 20 Gallon Trash Can - https://amzn.to/3ps2YPp

 Trash Can Dolly - https://amzn.to/31jtXF9

10ft Braided Hose - https://amzn.to/3xSPWyr

840 Gallon Pump - https://amzn.to/3xYiSoH

 Fritz Water Conditioner - https://amzn.to/3xPQ2XF

 Python Pro Clean Small - https://amzn.to/31rp6Sf

Python Pro Clean Large - https://amzn.to/3pnRAnY

 Bridal Veil Material - https://amzn.to/3pjzXFI

 Ryobi Temp Gun - https://amzn.to/31uXsDC

 Instant Ocean - https://amzn.to/3xO2jMc

 660 GPH Water Pump for Mixing - https://amzn.to/3poXIMB

 Fluval Heater - https://amzn.to/3DjFIIj