JellyfishArt Logo

I get the chance to meet a lot of interesting people in this hobby. Most of the time these occurrences happen at random and with varying outcomes. But every once in a while you meet someone who really takes you in a direction you have either never been, or never thought you would go. I had another one of these encounters when Cameron Urban, of Jellyfish Art, who originally contacted us to discuss legislation related to the aquarium industry. I told him my thoughts on the subject, but the conversation eventually progressed into his specialty, jellyfish. Never passing up the opportunity for a good educational experience for the AquaNerd readers, I decided to ask him a few basic questions about jellyfish. Cameron replied in no time, and both our questions and his responses can be seen below.

The questions are very simple. I wanted to ask them from a beginner’s perspective, as most hobbyists don’t really know about jellyfish and their requirements. Cameron did a great job of answering each question, and I know I learned a few things.

AquaNerd: So, why jellyfish? What attracted you to them and what about them fascinates people?
Jellyfish Art: The first jellyfish exhibits opened in public aquariums several years ago when scientists first discovered how to display jellyfish in captivity using tanks with special water flow patterns. Since then, jellyfish exhibits have been wildly popular and now jellyfish are found in virtually all the public aquariums. It was clear people loved to watch jellyfish and their soothing and mesmerizing movements, but nobody had made the necessary tanks and food to allow people to have their own jellyfish. After some tinkering and experimenting, Jellyfish Art started selling jellyfish tanks, food, and jellyfish all online. It was immediately apparent that people had been wanting their own jellyfish as they started getting jellyfish tanks and pet jellyfish. That is when Jellyfish Art took off.

AquaNerd: Are jellyfish hard to care for?
Jellyfish Art: Jellyfish tanks are easier to maintain than many salt water tanks because jellyfish have such a low metabolism. In addition, our jellyfish tanks have very low evaporation rates, so maintaining salinity takes only a few minutes per month. Nevertheless, jellyfish do need to be fed once a day and follow similar cleaning procedures as other salt and fresh water tanks.

AquaNerd: What kind of water parameters are required for proper jellyfish care?
Jellyfish Art: Every 2 weeks, 25% of the tank water must be changed. You can leave the jellyfish in the tank during a water change. We discourage using tap water, so it is better to purchase salt water from your local aquarium store.

AquaNerd: Are round tanks necessary? Why?
Jellyfish Art: Jellyfish tanks need specially designed water flow patterns so the jellyfish do not get sucked into the pumps.

How does a jellyfish tank differ from a normal fish tank? The key differences are in the design and filtration. Whereas a normal fish tank is rectangular and has one direction of filtration, a jellyfish tank is circular allowing the filtration to keep the jellies suspended.

Jellyfish aquariums traditionally follow the kreisel design. By definition, a kreisel tank is circular, which helps the water to constantly flow in a cycle. Even the bottom of the tank is curved so that there are no obstacles or changes in the flow of the current. With its unique inlet and drain, the filtration system uses a special screen to prevent the jellyfish from getting sucked in and liquefied. Separate inlet and outlet chambers assist this operation helping the jellyfish to stay away from the sides of the tank. Combined, both the filter and tank design create an equilibrium in water pressure so the jellyfish don’t get stuck in one place but rather swim freely.

The kreisel tank is able to house most species of fish, however it is specialized for more delicate organisms such as jellyfish. If a jellyfish were to be placed in a normal fish tank there would be multiple barriers that would prevent the jellies from living a normal life span. As mentioned, the rectangular design would get the jellyfish stuck in corners most likely tearing their delicate tissue. It also wouldn’t be long before the jellyfish get sucked into the inlet of the filter. To house a jellyfish properly in a normal fish tank one would need to convert it. This takes a lot of money and free time, as well as a much more in-depth understanding of how a kreisel is constructed.

AquaNerd: Are jellyfish susceptible to any specific diseases or parasites?
Jellyfish Art: No.

AquaNerd: What do jellyfish eat? Are some photosynthetic?
Jellyfish Art: For the most part, jellyfish in the wild feed on plankton, which is made up of thousands of microscopic species of swimming animals. Some species of jellyfish, such as the Upside Down Jelly host symbiotic algae within their oral arms. This algae provides extra nutrition to the jellyfish by producing organic material through photosynthesis. Many species of jellyfish feed on other species of jellyfish. For example, the sea nettles feed on moon jellyfish

In captivity, jellyfish are fed frozen food specially formulated for jellyfish. Jellyfish Art provides a frozen jellyfish food specifically formulated for jellyfish. It is made from plankton high in HUFAs (Highly Unsaturated Fatty Acids), which are essential for proper nutrition. Jellyfish can also be fed live food, although this is very time consuming and messy. Public aquariums have a full time staff, so they often hatch their own Artemia (brine shrimp) to feed to jellyfish. Depending on the species of jellyfish, sometimes public aquariums feed the jellyfish rotifers, blended krill, chopped fish, and other foods.

AquaNerd: What kind of equipment is required to successfully keep jellyfish?
Jellyfish Art: The tank must have a kreisel design so that the jellyfish don’t get stuck in any corners. The kreisel design will also ensure that the jellyfish don’t get liquefied in the filtration system and also so that they swim suspended above the bottom of the tank. The pressure of the filtration system must be fairly light and must be composed of biological, mechanical, and chemical components.

AquaNerd: I know there are countless species of dangerous jelly, but can the ones in captivity sting us? Are they dangerous to unsuspecting aquarium hobbyists?
Jellyfish Art: Most jellyfish can sting us. However, Jellyfish Art uses moon jellyfish, a species that is harmless to the human touch.

AquaNerd: Any crowd favorites? Which jellyfish are the most popular and why?
Jellyfish Art: There are definitely a few crowd favorites when it comes to jellyfish. After the movie Seven Pounds came out everyone wanted a box jellyfish. But more realistically, our customers will ask for either pacific sea nettles or moon jellyfish. Unfortunately, pacific sea nettles are a species that will only work in our larger custom tanks. Most people like the moon jellyfish because they become illuminated under LED lighting.

We would like to thank Jellyfish Art for, not only participating in our interview, but also expanding our horizons.

Kevin Kohen

Kevin Kohen, the Director of LiveAquaria.com and designer of the Drs. Foster & Smith Aquaculture Coral & Marine Life Facility has recently taken the time to do an exclusive email interview with the AquaNerd Blog. He even sent us a few photos that he has taken of some absolutely gorgeous aquarium livestock, including the legendary Blue Stripe Tamarin Wrasse. Mr. Kohen currently oversees the operations of the aquaculture facility and is actively involved in the husbandry and propagation of all of the aquatic life.

Kevin also maintains a personal website where he shares a little additional information about himself, some photography tips, and gives us a look at his personal aquariums.

AquaNerd: Thanks for taking the time to sit down with us today Mr. Kohen. To start things off, why don’t you tell us what have you been up to lately. Any new projects, presentations, etc?
Kevin Kohen: I have been staying busy as usual. This is an exciting time in the marine fish industry, as we are seeing more and more unusual species than every before. Having the responsibilities to not only purchase the livestock, but also run Drs. Foster and Smith’s Aquaculture Coral and Marine Life facility is demanding, and is unlike a 9-5 job. I really enjoy working with our suppliers, as well as handling and conditioning the animals in our facility, as this is surely my passion.

Xanthic Plesiops coeruleolineatus

Upcoming projects include the installation of a custom built 180 gallon aquarium that I am really excited about. This aquarium is a standard Perfecto 72 x 24 x 24 with two permanent dividers to section the aquarium into three 24 x 24 x 24 compartments, all of which have built in overflow boxes. This will allow for one filtration system to be utilized on basically three aquariums. Hopefully next week I will have some time to tear down my existing mixed reef aquarium and install the new aquarium. As far as livestock, the initial plan is to maintain one compartment with hardy soft corals and mushrooms as well as Zoanthus, one with primarily large polyp stony corals, and the third compartment with Azooxanthellate corals that can be fed thought the day and night via a dosing pump.

As far as presentations I am looking forward to speaking at Dallas Fort Worth Marine Aquarium Societies yearly Next Wave 2010 conference on February 27th, then the following weekend I will be speaking in Maryland at the Chesapeake Marine Aquarium Society’s monthly meeting on March 6th. From there Drs. Foster and Smith will be setting up our boot at MAX – Marine Aquarium Expo on April 10th and 11th.

Nematelotris helfrichi Cook Island Variant

AquaNerd: Since you do travel quite a bit and give conferences and speeches, what effect does this take on your personal aquariums? Also, where all do you or have you traveled?
Kevin Kohen: I gave up having an aquarium at my home long ago as I would work all day (long days in the fish biz – 12-15 hours per day are the norm for me), then go home and work for a few hours per night on my aquariums.  That normally doesn’t sit well for a relationship with a spouse or girlfriend.

Since 2002, all of my aquariums are in my office at work, and they are maintained by the staff here while I am away.  The very best thing for hobbyists is to try and get their spouse or significant other interested in the hobby or at least train them properly for when you are away.  Having a neighbor or friend that lives close to come by and check things out daily while people travel, then automate as much as possible making sure there is redundancy and fail safes in place in the event that something were to malfunction.

I have traveled extensively for my job and for recreation/vacations. Outside of the country I have been fortunate enough to visit places such as Costa Rica, Mexico, and Belize, all throughout the Caribbean Islands, Curacao, Hawaii, Singapore, Malaysia, and Fiji in the South Pacific. The most breathtaking for me was having the opportunity of a lifetime diving in Fiji for 11 days with my good friend Christopher Buerner, owner of the marine importer/wholesale company Quality Marine in Los Angeles California, and Tony Nahacky famed fish collector known for the collection of Centropyge nahackyi. We did twenty-one dives in 11 days around Pacific Harbor off the southern coast of the big island of Fiji which is called Viti Levu. We frequently hear in the new about reef degradation and the loss of habitat, but there are places in this world that are a bit more remote, with little to no population pressures to negatively impact coral reefs. Diving in Fiji really showed me that in more remote places of the world, there are some pristine coral reefs that appear as though we were the only ones who have every been there. Diving in Fiji was very beneficial to see the different habitats where corals grow, and where they are harvested sustainably for the aquarium trade. I think many would be very surprised about the habitat where a good number of coral species are harvested from, and with the exception of most Acropora spp. the habitat is far from crystal clear water with the corals basking in the sun all day.

Siokunichthys Pipefish

AquaNerd: How, why, and when did you get started in this hobby? What caused you to stay in the hobby for so long, eventually living it and breathing it every day?
Kevin Kohen: The first aquarium I ever saw was at my godfather’s home in Michigan. This was a basic 30-gallon aquarium with some angelfish, tetras, and a ropefish (Erpetoichthys calabaricus). For some odd reason I was fascinated with the ropefish, with it’s long slender body and snake like appearance was like nothing I had ever seen. I used to sit in front of the aquarium just gazing at the fish, while everyone else watched television. Shortly thereafter my godfather purchased me a 10 gallon starter kit, and from then on I always had aquariums. As a teenager I set up my first marine aquarium at the age of 13, and in just a few years I was up to a total of three. By then it was the early 80’s, and I worked in a local pet store spending the idle time reading FAMA (Freshwater and Marine Aquarium Magazine) as well as MFM (Marine Fish Monthly) which were my two favorite publications. I went on to set up my first “reef style” aquarium, a 29-gallon lit by Duro Test power twist light bulbs, and a Phillips Actinic 03 lamp from Europe. This was the most exciting time for me, as we were venturing into new territory, as the now famous “Mini Reef” style aquariums in Holland were being published in FAMA, and invertebrates, live rock, macro-algae and some basic stony and soft corals were just starting to become more available from some US based importers/wholesalers. I was then obsessed with fish and aquariums during my teens, as the passion eventually grew to maintaining 21 freshwater aquariums in my parents basement. My focus was on breeding Malawian and Tanganyikan Cichlids from Africa which were in high demand as this helped pay for my marine aquarium additions. I am still very proud of the fact that I was one of the first to successful spawn and rear the African catfish, Synodontis multipunctatus, as there were no captive raised specimens available in the mid 1980’s. Eventually I was able to established a 135-gallon display for marine angelfish, tangs, and wrasse, along with a 75-gallon “Mini-reef” Style display with live rock, live corals, macro algae, and an array of smaller fish and invertebrates. These two aquariums were nominated by the Greater Dayton Aquarium Society for Saltwater Aquarium of the Year and the Reef Aquarium of the Year which was a great honor for me being only 16 years old. I am very thankful that my parents were so supportive of me and my passion for aquarium keeping, or I would never be where I am today.

AquaNerd: Who (or what) has been your biggest inspiration? Who has been your biggest supporter?
Kevin Kohen: What really inspires me is the continued quest for understanding and knowledge. To me, gaining more understanding of fish husbandry is the most fascinating and enjoyable part of the hobby for me. It’s very rewarding to have the ability to learn something new almost every single day, and then pass my observations along so hopefully others can benefit from my experiences.

As far as some of the people that have always been an inspiration to me, folks like Scott Michael, Charles Delbeek, Julian Sprung, Jack Randall, Roger Steene, Richard Pyle, Rudie Kuiter, and the now retired Helmut Debelius are all at the top of the list. The biggest supporter of me is obviously my mother Carolyn and father Vincent, for without them I would most likely never be where I am today. I should also mention my good friend Scott Michel as well, as we share very common interests in our love for marine fishes, and he has always been a supporter of both myself and LiveAquaria.

Nuptial Male Pseudanthias aurulentus

AquaNerd: What possessed you to pursue a career that is so closely tied to the aquarium industry? And what exactly is your “career”?
Kevin Kohen: Taking this career path was a natural progression for me as I have been in the aquarium industry my entire working life. When I was 13 years old, my mother would drop me off at a local aquarium store in Beavercreek, Ohio where I would hang out for hours with the owner, Kim. I eventually started to help her in the store cleaning the saltwater aquariums as a summer job. . By the time I turned 16, I started working at one of the largest aquarium stores in Dayton, Ohio, called Aquarium House and Pets. I worked at Aquarium House for eight years, throughout high school and college, and learned an immense amount about the industry, and how to properly handle and care for hundreds of species simultaneously. I gained a ton of husbandry knowledge working with tropical freshwater fish, marine fish, invertebrates and corals. This was the best job in the world as I was responsible for ordering the marine inhabitants, as it was like being a kid in a candy store. After graduating from College with a Bachelors of Science degree, I accepted a position to run the operations of one of the largest tropical fish wholesalers in the Midwest: Gerber’s Tropical Fish. During this time I gained an immense amount of knowledge and experience with handling and shipping freshwater and marine aquarium animals on a grand scale. After working for Gerber’s for seven years, I accepted a position with Pet Warehouse in Dayton Ohio as the Livestock Manager. My first task was to prepare a detailed business plan, layout the navigation of a web site, and research and help write most of the content for, and launched the original LiveAquaria.com website which was launched in 2000.

AquaNerd: How did you get hooked up with Drs. Foster and Smith/LiveAquaria? How long have you been with them?
Kevin Kohen: In late 2001, Pet Warehouse was acquired by Drs. Foster and Smith Pet Supplies, and I was offered a position and moved north to Rhinelander, Wisconsin in January of 2002 to continue on with LiveAquaria.com. I have worked for Dr. Race Foster and Dr. Marty Smith for eight incredible years now, and am honored to have the opportunity to work with such an incredible group of talented people here at Drs. Foster and Smith.

Anampses femininus Wrasse

AquaNerd: What is your absolute favorite fish, coral, or invertebrate?
Kevin Kohen: My absolute favorite fish is pretty hard to pin down as I can appreciate almost every member of each family of fishes for a specific characteristic, interesting behavior/personality or beauty. If I had to choose just one family of fishes, it would have to be Labridae (Wrasses), and out of that family the Blue Stripe Tamarin Wrasse – Anampses femininus would have to be the one species that I would consider my favorite fish. This Anampses femininus is one of the most challenging and difficult fish to maintain successfully in aquaria, and I have been very fortunate to have successfully cared for several of these fishes over the years.

AquaNerd: What is your favorite aspect of the hobby?
Kevin Kohen: My favorite aspect of the hobby is having the opportunity to observe the exquisite beauty of a reef aquarium, and gain a greater understanding of the animals that we keep in the home aquarium. It’s fascinating to just sit and observe the interaction of marine fishes and gain a greater understanding of each species. I should add that its very rewarding to be in a position where I have the ability to obtain some of the more unusual fish, corals or invertebrates, condition them properly, then offer them for sale on our web site so other folks with the same passion can have an opportunity to purchase the fish of their dreams. There is noting better than to see others enthusiasts have success with the animals we offer on LiveAquaria.com.

AquaNerd: What are your thoughts on aquarium filtration? Which one is your favorite/most effective (dsb, oversized skimmer, plenum, etc)?
Kevin Kohen: My favorite filtration for low nutrient systems where one keeps (SPS) small polyp stony corals such as Acropora spp., is a bare bottom aquarium, run with a large sump, efficient skimmer, calcium reactor, and massive water movement. My reasoning behind utilizing this type of set up for these corals is that I have access to remove detritus easily from the bottom of the aquarium and from the sump. Utilizing a calcium reactor allows me to maintain a very stable alkalinity which is a must when growing Acropora spp. in home aquaria. Deep sand bed (DSB’s) work well in mixed reef displays and is a very effective way of maintaining stability and balance along with a good population of micro-organisms. DSB set ups also allow one to maintain fishes that utilize natural food sources and require a sand bed to bury themselves at night. Wrasse of the genus Macropharyngodon and Anampses are two such examples of fishes that would require a sand bed.

Chaetodontoplus septentrion

The most important thing to understand is that there is not one piece of magic equipment or one way (bare bottom, plenum, DSB) to achieve success. Every technique and piece of equipment has its benefits and drawbacks, but when applied correctly and the equipment and set-up style is maintained accordingly one can achieve success. Each aquarium is different, having different animals, diversity and dynamics, which is why there is not one best method or best piece of equipment for everyone.

AquaNerd: What is your take on “trend” corals (like Acans or Zoas) that fetch hundreds of dollars per mouth/polyp/inch?
Kevin Kohen: It pretty astonishing to see this trend with some of the boutique or designer corals that fetch some incredible amounts of money. Most of these corals (not all) come in from time to time on imports from various regions around the world as large colonies, and its downright shocking to me, that some people are willing to pay so much money for a tiny frag or one polyp of a specific color morph of Zoanthus. I always joke with some friends in the industry, that it wouldn’t surprise me to see some people trying to sell one corallite of an Acropora spp. and measure it by millimeter. I personally hope that day never comes, as we all need to be aware that this morph or species is not the only one that came out of the ocean, or is the only one on the planet.

Aussie Acropora microclados

AquaNerd: When not living and breathing aquariums, what other hobbies or activities do you partake of?
Kevin Kohen: I really enjoy motorsports such as Formula 1 racing, IMSA/Sports Car racing, and WRC (World Rally Championship) racing. Living in a place where we have some harsh winters with a lot of snow, I also enjoy snowmobiling, am an avid photographer, and enjoy fishing.

AquaNerd: What is a good/best source to learn about aquariums and corals?
Kevin Kohen: Years ago, books and magazines were the only place to find reliable information on aquarium keeping and about the inhabitants we care for. Now the internet obviously is the best place to find up to date information. Web sites such as ReefCentral.com have singlehandedly advanced our hobby more than any other source in my opinion in the last decade. I am very thankful to John and Ryan for offering this platform which benefits all of us who are so passionate about marine aquaria.

AquaNerd: What advice do you have for aspiring reefkeepers?
Kevin Kohen: First and most important is to learn as much as you possibly can about the requirements of the animals you wish to keep in your aquarium, and make sure you have the ability and expertise to properly maintain them, it is our moral responsibility. Second, be patient, things in this hobby never happen quickly, weather you’re establishing an aquarium or waiting for a specific animal to become available or will be ready to take home from the local store.

AquaNerd: How do you take such good pictures? Any particular setting or camera/lens combo?
Kevin Kohen: Taking aquarium photographs is definitely more challenging than most other subject matter. I have spent countless hours testing new techniques, using different equipment, and trying different settings on my camera, and that means tens of thousands of images are not so good and end up in the trash…thank goodness for digital cameras!

This is one hobby where putting in the time to gain the experience is really is a must. Understand how the speed and aperture settings work, and what ISO settings are ideal in what situations is an important part of taking good photographs of fish, corals, or invertebrates in the confines of an aquarium.

Dendro Feeding Response

I currently use a Nikon D300 with a Nikon SB800 Flash and depending on the situation prefer to utilize a Nikon 60 mm macro or Nikon 105 mm macro lens, always shooting in the highest resolution possible. Another part of photography that is oftentimes overlooked is Photo editing. Understanding and utilizing some of the basic techniques in software such as Photoshop or Nikon Capture FX is also an important aspect of photography.

AquaNerd: Leaving thoughts or comments?
Kevin Kohen: Aquarium keeping can be very rewarding and fascinating. With some patience, research, understanding, hard work and dedication anyone can be successful. We all need to remember, this hobby is supposed to be fun, and I think sometimes we can forget this simple fact. Happy Reefkeeping!

Cheers!

Kevin Kohen

All images used in this interview are courtesy of Kevin Kohen and are copyrighted by him. AquaNerd has exclusive permission to use these images as permitted by Mr. Kohen for this interview.

Anthony has authored several articles, given public demonstrations and speeches, and has published various books including the Book of Coral Propagation and co-authored Reef Invertebrates with Bob Fenner. Additionally, Anthony has published C…The Journal of Aquatic Science, Travel, and Adventure. Mr. Calfo has also operated various coral farms and greenhouses throughout his career and once had the Marine Systems and Husbandry Forum on the Marine Depot Forum.

But let’s get on to the interview…

I would like to start by saying thank you for taking the time to answer my questions and lending some of your expertise to AquaNerd and the rest of the reefkeeping community. I am a huge fan of yours. I have the book of coral propagation (which is a very useful tool by the way) and all of your posters framed and on the walls in my “office” in my apartment. They are great visual resources.

AquaNerd: Hey Anthony, it’s been quite a while since I’ve seen you at the MARSHreef meeting you spoke at, what’s been keeping you busy?
Anthony Calfo: I keep busy, indeed, my friend. I am finishing a new greenhouse for reef species culture, collaborating on another with a close industry friend, carrying the ball still with my reef magazine – C… the Journal – and maintaining travel for hobby mentoring/events. After I tidy that up, I’d like to finish layout for a Syngnathid/seahorse book that I have been working on.

AquaNerd: What is your “career” and what possessed you to pursue one that is so closely tied to the aquarium industry?
Anthony Calfo: My principal means of employment have been as a commercial coral farmer and as a content provider. I’ve worked at most every level of the industry in marine ornamentals however since a very early age. Nowadays it is my photography that is a staple income and a blessing (for such rewarding work). I’m also enjoying a good career consulting governments and individuals on farming marine ornamental species. All of this when I have the time to get away fro my personanl coral farming projects .

AquaNerd: Can you tell me a little about the coral farm you used to run?
Anthony Calfo: My first coral farm was a greenhouse with a fluctuating volume of about 5000 – 8000 gallons of seawater. I was a youngster at the time and simply had a dream to make a living in aquaculture and also to try to do a small part to relieve pressure on wild stocks via self-sustaining activities for our hobby. I kept a range of species including soft and stony corals, of course, but also breeding fishes, snails and other invertebrates.

AquaNerd: How many books/articles have you written, and which is your favorite or most helpful?

Anthony Calfo: Hmmm… three published books, several waiting published books, nine reef journals, many dozens of articles… and well over 20,000 posts on reef forums sharing with fellow hobbyists.

Anthony Calfo: Hobby efforts to become self-sustaining. It has been THE crucial issue for many years now and is becoming ever more imperative if we are going to survive the impending legislation that will restrict if not halt the collection of wild reef species.

Anthony Calfo: Very tough to say… I love them all Special favorites include anemones and seahorses. Also seagrasses.

Anthony Calfo: The fact that our aquariums are complex and beautiful learning centers that teach children and adults alike about conservation, animal husbandry, biology, physics and so much more.

Anthony Calfo: I like simple and natural methods, indeed, by far versus heavily tech supported strategies. For me, that means oversized aquaria when possible, understocked as well, and large frequent water changes for small and large tanks alike. Dilution is the solution to pollution, as they say. It facilitates superb growth, health and vigor in closed aquarium systems.

Anthony Calfo: I have a strong disdain for the misguided and/or nefarious traders of coral calling specimens “rare” or ‘limited edition” when said folks have no right to be giving out such labels. You can read more about my position on this topic, if I may say so, in a an article I wrote for Reefkeeping magazine at ReefCentral.com called “Reef Trendy.”

Anthony Calfo: Ozonizers rank high for me. It is the single most effective piece of equipment that most aquarists could apply to see overnight improvements in their aquarium systems. Used properly, with carbon and an ORP controller, it can do wonders for health and wellness for aquarim specimens.

Anthony Calfo: My fishroom and greenhouse are fairly simple, somewhat automated (water changes) and generally designed to sustain my extended travel schedule. As per my earlier comments, I like oversized, understocked displays. With automatic waer changes… there are few things that require attention while I am away. Fortunately, I do have full time help when I am traveling, so I am doubly insured you could say. As for my travels, I have been around the globe several times over and through both hemispheres. I reckon I’ve flown the better part of a half million miles by air in the last decade alone. Too many to name here, but one of my favorite destinations for uniqueness, adventure and overall was Sri Lanka. Its a beautiful land with beautiful people despite the ravages of civil war. Africa (coasts and inland) is also magical to me.

Anthony Calfo: I’m an avid gardener. I love old fashioned gardens particularly. My special love is roses. I keep several dozen in large beds that I dote on

Anthony Calfo: I consider local reef clubs and MACNA, the national marine aquarim conference, to be the best places to get the greatest concentration of the most accurate and current information. Every good aquarist should make the effort to participate – sharing and learning – in reef club activities.

Anthony Calfo: Understand how precious the species we keep really are. The reefs are not a limitless resource and if we want to be able to continue to enjoy our hobby after legislation takes most wild sources of livestock away, we simply must become self-sustaining. We must support each other in buying and growing aquacultured specimens. In a phrase… live more gently on the planet.

A little bit about our guest:
Here is a full bio of Bob Fenner found on Wet Web Media. And a brief excerpt from that bio…

Bob has “lived” the science, hobby and business of aquatics in the Philippines, Japan and United States. All phases; collector, wholesale, jobber, retail, design, construction and maintenance. All levels; manager, owner, hatchery worker, retail clerk, technician. Except for a stint teaching high school sciences for four years, he has worked all his life in the field of ornamental aquatics.

Academic experience includes fifteen years of college, a couple of life science degrees and a teaching credential for chemistry, physics and biology. Published works include several studies on aquatic biological and chemical questions, and an extensive book and article publishing (helped author a few books, The Conscientious Marine Aquarist, Fishwatcher’s Guide to the Tropical Marine Aquarium Fishes of the World, Natural Marine Aquariums Reef Invertebrates…) and photographic background in aquatic industry and hobby fields. Have taught High School sciences and Marine Sciences and Aquariology courses at the State University, University of California levels.

And on to the questions…

AquaNerd: First of all, what have you been up to lately? Any new projects, presentations, etc?
Bob Fenner: Am out presently in Singapore, attending Aquarama… the industry trade show… off to a farm tour on the morrow… Just ahead of this was out in Sulawesi/Indo. with Rob Bray, friend who owns/runs “House of Fins” in Conn… diving, making pix… am writing more or less continuously… mostly independent submission articles for the pet-fish and dive-adventure genres… Two weeks back was in London, Ontario/Canada at the 50th anniversary gathering of the CAOAC giving pitches… on Candiru Catfishes (basically), FW Algae…. and chatting with many fine folk there including visitors/fellow presenters Heiko Bleher and Gary Lange… the week before that in Michigan giving some four pitches in three days!

AquaNerd: What possessed you to get started in this hobby?
Bob Fenner: Mmm, always have had a keen interest in the “real world”… including the biota… but being a child in Japan not many chances for much other than aquatics… so gravitated to their enjoyment, study… then later one of few jobs available was working in the trade… getting “warm fuzzies” (vs. “cold pricklies”) for doing well in the field, I continued in it on moving to the U.S., including having a service co. business with a friend in college and beyond

AquaNerd: Who (or what) has been your biggest inspiration? Who has been your biggest supporter?
Bob Fenner: Gosh… hard to state… overall… likely “nature” itself has been the
biggest… And support? No one single, large influence, but time to time
positive reinforcement from others, successes in keeping, culturing various
species

AquaNerd: What possessed you to pursue a career that is so closely tied to the aquarium industry? Also, can you tell us what exactly your “career” consists of?
Bob Fenner: More default likely than outright choice… Again, the sorts of paid work available was limited in my youth, circumstances… But in later teens, I did more consciously choose ornamental aquatics as a “career” path… as the activity, experiences greatly appealed to me… and I made the active decision to favour “fun” over likely to potential greater income streams… as the field encompassed many enjoyable side interests… Diving, photography, writing, chatting with friends, travel…

AquaNerd:Hhow many books/articles have you written, and which is your favorite or most helpful?
Bob Fenner: Mmm, some nine “books”, several hundred articles… likely the Conscientious Marine Aquarist as my fave… but I want to clearly state that there are easily a handful of other people who should get credit for its utility and beauty… for layout, photo-work, editing… This is the only work I have been involved w/ that has had more than “one edition”.

AquaNerd: What topic do you just love to talk about, more than all others?
Bob Fenner: … in a word, life… What is important, speculations on the nature of the truth… goodness, beauty, happiness

AquaNerd: What is your absolute favorite fish, coral, or invertebrate?
Bob Fenner: No one favorite… I have been amazed and entranced with all I’ve had occasion to experience

AquaNerd: What is your favorite aspect of the hobby?
Bob Fenner: Sharing it with others

AquaNerd: What are your thoughts on aquarium filtration? like which one is your favorite/most effective?
Bob Fenner: Likely refugiums… as they offer so much flexibility, stability, possibilities

AquaNerd: What has been your favorite and/or most useful piece of reefkeeping equipment?
Bob Fenner: My mind

AquaNerd: Where all do you or have you traveled, and what effect does this take on your personal aquariums?
Bob Fenner: I have been to all countries in the “new world”, most of Asia, not much of Europe or Africa. I mainly go “dive traveling” (and hashing) in the tropics… broadly twixt 20 degrees N. and S. latitude

AquaNerd: What other hobbies or activities do you partake of when not wrapped up in aquariums?
Bob Fenner: Gardening, hashing, cooking, reading… the biz of life

AquaNerd: What is the best source to learn about aquariums and corals?
Bob Fenner: Mmm, a mix of broad reading, visiting/chatting with others of similar mind, interests, goals… visiting natural environments

AquaNerd: In closing, what advice do you have for aspiring reefkeepers?
Bob Fenner: Keep an open, curious mind… Do bear in mind the possible good you can do via recording, reporting your experiences, observations… Consider culture… Share

AquaNerd: Thank you so much for your advice and contribution to the hobby. Best of luck with everything and thanks again.
Bob Fenner: Thank you Brandon. Bob Fenner

For those of you that don’t know, Eric is a successful author and researcher that has been giving speeches and workshops all over the United States. Additionally, Eric is active on various aquarium related forums like the Marine Depot Forum and has authored several books and probably over a hundred articles. He travels all over the world and gets to visit exotic locations and see pristine coral reefs.

Eric currently lives in the Houston area and is working on getting his PhD from the University of Houston in the Department of Biology and Biochemistry.

Alright, now that you’ve gotten to hear a little bit about the Mr. Borneman, it’s on to the actual email interview. I initially sent Eric a list of quick questions, but some of the questions will be modified at the time of posting to the blog. The questions are modified simply for ease of reading and clarity. The content of the questions will be the same.

AquaNerd: How, When, and Why did you get into the aquarium hobby?
Eric: I begain in 1990 with a freshwater tank to amuse my cats while I was away. I was terrible at freshwater, cats weren’t interested, and in a last attempt before I quit found a new store where the owner was just coming back from completing a Master’s in marine science in Sweden and was running the then “new” Berlin method. I quickly got a reef tank (55 gallons) and never looked back – and never had problems. I was pretty natural at it since I had been diving since I was 12 and knew reefs pretty well. Having a mini coral reef in my life kept a part of me always in the water, so to speak.

AquaNerd: Who has been your biggest inspiration? Your biggest supporter?
Eric: In terms of reefkeeping, my biggest inspiration is Carl del Favero, the gentleman who is described above. I have had few other inspirational figures in reefkeeping although there are many whom I respect greatly. My biggest supporter is hard because that could mean in terms of my life in this hobby or in terms of my personal aquariums. In the first case, I really can’t answer as I have had a lot of support over the years and have had many great friendships develop as a result, many “fans,” and even a stalker. In terms of my personal tanks, I have been fortunate as my girlfriend when I began was supportive, my parents have been supportive, and my wife has gone beyond supportive to an aquarist of great skill by her own right (though she would probably say by proxy, necessity and deny her abilities), while in fact I think she has more than a passing interest and is right beside me in the water and her knowledge of reefs and reef tanks is exceptional. I am fortunate to have not had a spousal/significant other relationship where the one partner resents or doesn’t support the other’s “hobby” or “obsession,” as the case may be.

AquaNerd: I, like yourself, pursued an education and career that were both related to the aquarium hobby. Seeing as how they are not glamorous, in terms of wealth, what possessed you to pursue a career that is so closely tied to the aquarium industry?
Eric: A constant love of coral reefs – since I was seven and first snorkeled Jamaica. It became apparent that I should be doing what I love for a career. My career is a coral reef ecologist with several interests and initiatives – coral breeding, coral restoration, and coral disease.

AquaNerd: What is your absolute favorite fish, coral, or invertebrate? I remember a certain orange spotted filefish you drooled over at the Coral Identification Workshop.
Eric: Yes, the orangespotted filefish is a favorite, as are puffers, boxfishes, frogfishes. I can’t say there is one favorite. Coral is especially hard, but Acropora palmata is forever the closest in my heart and in my work. I appreciate its importance and majesty even if it may not be the most attractive or behaviorally interesting. For invertebrates it is even harder as so many species exist and they are all so fascinating. Again, the difference is in favorites in a tank, or favorites on a reef. My reef choices aren’t kept in tanks.

AquaNerd: What is your favorite aspect of the hobby?
Eric: For me, its the ability to observe continuously for long periods of time and the learning and appreciation it brings and how it integrates into my work. I also like having that connection to coral reefs around me every day. More recently, I am learning to appreciate it as a learning tool and conservation tool with classrooms in my work with the Reef Stewardship Foundation.

AquaNerd: Since you seem to be an avid an SPS enthusiast, do you prefer deep sand beds and refugiums, or shallow/no sandbed and massive flow…and why?
Eric: I’m actually not an “SPS” guy. I seem to keep species I have had for a long time or those that are given to me (from FWS seizures, people leaving the hobby, donations, etc.). I have a lot of “SPS” corals (although I am reluctant to use that term since it is meaningless as there is a continuum of polyps sizes and polyp size means nothing in terms of husbandry or habitat), and I certainly appreciate their role, their look, and their varying challenges, but I am not a deliberate “SPS” keeper or fan. I am definitely a strong proponent of sand beds and refugiums and massive flow (in the right places) and feel all should be upsized relative to the norm in reefkeeping.

AquaNerd: What has been your favorite and/or most useful piece of reefkeeping equipment?
Eric: Lumenarc reflectors, followed closely by my surge tank and the wideflow powerheads now available.

AquaNerd: Since you travel a lot, what effect does this take on your personal aquariums?
Eric: None, since my wife is nearly my equal in her skills. When we both travel, we have tank sitters but this is always a stress and I have been the victim of “things go wrong as soon as you step out of the door” many times. This is one of the reasons I depend heavily on a natural system (also one of my major goals and promotions to others) so that I am not as dependent on equipment to keep things alive.

AquaNerd: Where all do you travel too and is it for personal or professional reasons?
Eric: The last time I took a personal travel vacation was in 2002 for a week to Aruba with my wife before we were married. I have taken personal days during work-related trips when my wife is with me, but almost everything now is professional. I’m afraid the list of places I have been is too long to cover and many places have been visited many times. I have been to almost every state in the country and then Canada, Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Chile, Easter Island, Fiji, Tonga, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Palau, Yap, New Zealand, Japan, South Africa, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, France, England, Spain, Portugal, Greece (in the next few weeks), Dubai, Cayman Island, US and British Virgin Islands, Jamaica, St. Martin, Puerto Rico, Martinique, Gauadeloupe, Dominica, St. Lucia, Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, and Barbados.

AquaNerd: When not living and breathing aquariums, what other hobbies or activities do you partake of?
Eric: I am an avid if not obsessive reader, avid cook/foodie, and grow ethnobotanical plants.

AquaNerd: What is a good source, or the best source to learn about aquariums and corals?
Eric: Today, I am afraid there is no one source. There are some excellent books with specialized or basic solid information. Some of the best information is found in magazine/ezine articles (depending on the author), and trends and new findings are often best found on various Internet forums. Basic scientific and conservation knowledge is unfortunately something that comes with experience and formal education and training. It is possible to acquire this knowledge on one’s own, but it is hard to get average people to self educate by reading texts on ecology, biology, bicohemistry, marine science, primary literature, or even secondary literature. The best thing I think reefkeepers can do for understanding their aquariums, however, is to spend some time on coral reefs. Seeing the macroscale of reefs and relating it to their microcosm or mesocosm, I feel, would do more than any one information source. The caveat is that this experience must be coupled with solid understanding and skills that are unique to captive systems and to be aware of what constitutes good information from bad – and this is very problematic with the hobby since there are no “credentials” hobbyists possess to give them valid credibility. On the other hand, those with bona fide credentials may not have the best skills or knowledge of aquarium husbandry. The result is all too often conflicting and anecdotal knowledge purveyed by both very smart and capable persons as well as very not smart and not capable persons, to the confusion and detriment of those with the understandable inability to know the difference.

AquaNerd: What advice do you have for aspiring reefkeepers?
Eric: Recognize that a reef aquarium is not the ocean and that coral reefs are under extreme stress on a global scale. Every purchase should be made with this in mind, with the needs of every species needing to be met with extreme care and awareness of all limitations of the species, the aquarium habitat, and the abilities of the reefkeeper. Seek out all information prior to taking these lives into your care.

AquaNerd: Eric, thank you so much for your advice and contribution to the hobby. You have been a personal inspiration to me and I’m sure to so many others. Good luck with all of your ventures and travels, and again, thanks for everything.
Eric: Thank you so much.