Reef Aquarium Fishes by Scott W. Michael

Bulky equipment is often relegated to the sump.Ī 'reef ready' or simply 'drilled' tank is often used. Filtration and water movement: A variety of filtration and water movement strategies are employed in reef aquaria.Canopy: The canopy houses the light fixtures and provides access to the tank for feeding and maintenance.Lighting: Several lighting options are available for the reef-keeper and are tailored to the types of coral kept.The refugium and sump are often housed in a single tank with a system of dividers to separate the compartments.

Refugium: An accessory tank dedicated to the cultivation of beneficial macroalgae and microflora/fauna.A remote sump allows for a clutter-free display tank. Sump: An accessory tank in which mechanical equipment is kept.Stand: A stand allows for placement of the display tank at eye level and provides space for storage of the accessory components.Display tank: The primary tank in which the livestock are kept and shown.Reef aquariums consist of a number of components, in addition to the livestock, including: A reef aquarium requires appropriately intense lighting, turbulent water movement, and more stable water chemistry than fish-only marine aquaria, and careful consideration is given to which reef animals are appropriate and compatible with each other. The fins have longitudinal bands of purple, red, black and orange.A reef aquarium or reef tank is a marine aquarium that prominently displays live corals and other marine invertebrates as well as fish that play a role in maintaining the tropical coral reef environment. The head is purple and the body colour is whitish or yellowish, gradually darkening to deep grey towards the tail. The dorsal fin has 7 spines and 27 to 32 soft rays while the anal fin has a single spine and 28 to 31 soft rays. The elegant firefish is a slender, colourful fish. The populations of this species from the western Indian Ocean have been recognised by some workers as a distinct species, Nemateleotris exquisita, however, the validity of this taxon needs more taxonomic research. They feed on zooplankton, especially the larvae of copepods and crustaceans.

This species is often found in pairs and is monogamous.

It reaches a maximum length of 9 cm (3 in). It is found over hard, open bottoms of reefs, sandy patches and rubble, as well as deeper coastal outer reef drop-offs where there are strong currents. Nemateleotris decora, the elegant firefish or purple firefish, is a species of dartfish native to tropical waters in the Indo-West Pacific, from Mauritius to Samoa, north to Ryukyu Islands, and south to New Caledonia, from depths ranging between 25 and 70 m (82 and 230 ft).

Reef Aquarium Fishes by Scott W. Michael