Aquarium Care Guides
2820 articles- Breeding the Derasa Clam (Tridacna derasa)Tridacna derasa is a large giant clam and one of the first species bred commercially. It is a broadcast-spawning hermaphrodite that does not
- Breeding the Crocea Clam (Tridacna crocea)Tridacna crocea is the smallest giant clam, a broadcast-spawning protandrous hermaphrodite. It does not reproduce in home aquariums but is w
- Breeding the Sally Lightfoot Crab (Percnon gibbesi)Percnon gibbesi is a fast herbivorous crab and a notorious Mediterranean invader. Females brood eggs and release long-lived planktonic larva
- Breeding the Pom-Pom Crab (Lybia tessellata)Lybia tessellata is a tiny Indo-Pacific crab that carries living sea anemones in its claws for defense. Females brood eggs under the abdomen
- Breeding the Yellowline Arrow Crab (Stenorhynchus seticornis)Stenorhynchus seticornis is a western Atlantic spider crab whose females brood fertilized eggs on their pleopods and release planktonic zoea
- Breeding the Rusty Guard Crab (Trapezia ferruginea)Trapezia ferruginea is a coral guard crab that lives in obligate symbiosis with Pocillopora, defending its host against predators. It broods
- Breeding the Coral Guard Crab (Trapezia cymodoce)Trapezia cymodoce is an obligate symbiont of Pocillopora corals that defends its host against predators. It broods eggs and releases plankto
- Breeding the Spotted Porcelain Anemone Crab (Neopetrolisthes maculatus)Neopetrolisthes maculatus is an Indo-Pacific porcelain crab that lives commensally inside sea anemones and filter-feeds. It broods eggs and
- Breeding the Red Spotted Porcelain Crab (Petrolisthes galathinus)Petrolisthes galathinus is a Caribbean porcelain crab that filter-feeds with feathery mouthparts. Females brood eggs as a sponge and release
- Breeding the Mexican Red-Leg Hermit Crab (Clibanarius digueti)Clibanarius digueti is a Gulf of California hermit crab that aggregates by the hundreds at low tide. It broods eggs and releases planktonic
- Breeding the Blue-Leg Hermit Crab (Clibanarius tricolor)Clibanarius tricolor is a Caribbean hermit crab whose females brood eggs on their pleopods and release planktonic zoea larvae. Captive breed
- Breeding the Polka Dot Hermit Crab (Calcinus tibicen)Calcinus tibicen is a western-Atlantic hermit crab whose females brood many eggs that hatch into planktonic zoea larvae. Dependent on empty
- Breeding the Zebra Hermit Crab (Calcinus laevimanus)Calcinus laevimanus is an Indo-Pacific hermit crab that carries eggs year-round; the larvae pass through six zoeal stages and a glaucothoe i
- Breeding the Halloween Hermit Crab (Calcinus elegans)Calcinus elegans is an Indo-Pacific hermit crab that lives in gastropod shells. Females carry eggs that hatch into planktonic zoea larvae, s
- Breeding the Banded Clinging Crab (Mithraculus cinctimanus)Mithraculus cinctimanus is a small Caribbean clinging crab that lives commensally with anemones. Females carry eggs that hatch into plankton
- Breeding the Red Mithrax Crab (Mithraculus forceps)Mithraculus forceps is a small Caribbean clinging crab whose egg-carrying females release planktonic zoea larvae. Lab studies have reared it
- Breeding the Emerald Crab (Mithraculus sculptus)The emerald crab Mithraculus sculptus is a Caribbean reef crab in which females carry eggs that hatch into planktonic zoea larvae. Larval re
- Breeding the Bleeding Tooth Nerite (Nerita peloronta)Nerita peloronta is a Caribbean intertidal nerite with a red aperture mark and separate sexes. It lays egg capsules on rock that release pla
- Breeding the Textile Nerite (Nerita textilis)Nerita textilis is a marine intertidal nerite with separate sexes that lay egg capsules on rock. The eggs release planktonic veliger larvae
- Breeding the Cerith Snail (Cerithium spp.)Cerithium snails lay gelatinous egg strings, but the eggs hatch into long-lived planktonic veliger larvae. They reproduce readily yet cannot
- Breeding the Brunneus Turbo Snail (Turbo brunneus)Turbo brunneus (bruneus) is a small Indo-Pacific dwarf turban snail with separate sexes that scatter eggs and sperm. Its planktonic larvae c
- Breeding the Tapestry Turbo Snail (Turbo petholatus)Turbo petholatus, the Indo-Pacific tapestry turban with a green cat's-eye operculum, has separate sexes and planktonic larvae. It is collect
- Breeding the Mexican Turbo Snail (Turbo fluctuosa)Turbo fluctuosa is an eastern Pacific turban snail with separate sexes and free-swimming planktonic larvae. It is essentially never bred in
- Atlantic Star Snail (Astraea phoebia): Breeding NotesAstraea phoebia (Lithopoma phoebium) is a long-spined Western Atlantic star snail and algae grazer. As a turbinid broadcast spawner with non
- Astraea Snail (Lithopoma tectum): Breeding NotesLithopoma tectum (Astraea tecta) is a Caribbean star/turban snail and algae grazer. Turbinids are broadcast spawners with separate sexes and
- West Indian Top Shell (Cittarium pica): Breeding NotesCittarium pica is a large Caribbean top shell with separate sexes and external fertilization. It produces short-lived planktonic larvae and
- Strawberry Trochus Snail (Trochus histrio): Breeding NotesTrochus histrio is an algae-grazing top snail. Like other trochids it is a gonochoristic broadcast spawner with short-lived non-feeding plan
- Banded Trochus Snail (Trochus maculatus): Breeding NotesTrochus maculatus is a top snail that grazes algae. Trochids are broadcast spawners with separate sexes and short-lived planktonic veligers,
- Sand Sifting Conch (Strombus maculatus): Breeding NotesStrombus maculatus is a small reef conch with separate sexes and gelatinous egg strands that hatch into planktonic veligers. Dwarf conchs ar
- Bumblebee Snail (Engina mendicaria): Breeding NotesThe marine bumblebee snail (Engina mendicaria) is a small carnivorous scavenger. As a neogastropod with separate sexes and planktonic velige
- Caribbean Nassarius Snail (Nassarius vibex): Breeding NotesNassarius vibex is a sand-bed scavenging snail with separate sexes. It deposits benthic egg capsules that release planktonic veliger larvae,
- Rock Mantis Shrimp (Gonodactylus chiragra): Breeding NotesGonodactylus chiragra is a small smasher mantis that shelters in rock cavities and often arrives as a live-rock hitchhiker. It is not home-b
- Zebra Mantis Shrimp (Lysiosquillina maculata): Breeding NotesLysiosquillina maculata is the world's largest mantis shrimp, a sand-burrowing spearer. In the wild it is socially monogamous with maternal
- Caribbean Mantis Shrimp (Odontodactylus havanensis): Breeding NotesOdontodactylus havanensis is a small Caribbean smasher mantis from sand-and-rubble burrows. It is not home-bred; like other stomatopods it t
- Peacock Mantis Shrimp (Odontodactylus scyllarus): Breeding NotesOdontodactylus scyllarus is a burrowing Indo-Pacific smasher stomatopod. It is not bred in home aquaria; females tend eggs in the burrow and
- Common Saron Shrimp (Saron rectirostris) Breeding GuideSaron rectirostris is a nocturnal Indo-Pacific hippolytid shrimp. As an egg-carrying caridean with planktonic larvae, it is not reared in ho
- Sexy Shrimp (Thor amboinensis) Breeding GuideThor amboinensis is a tiny pantropical commensal shrimp on anemones and corals. Females brood eggs, but larvae pass through planktonic zoea
- Camel Shrimp (Rhynchocinetes durbanensis) Breeding GuideRhynchocinetes durbanensis is a gregarious Indo-Pacific shrimp. Females carry hundreds of eggs hatching in 9–18 days by temperature, but lar
- Harlequin Shrimp (Hymenocera picta) Breeding GuideHymenocera picta is a monogamous, starfish-eating shrimp that has been captive-bred. Females carry eggs and larvae rear over a roughly 60-da
- Marble Shrimp (Saron marmoratus) Breeding GuideSaron marmoratus is a nocturnal Indo-Pacific reef shrimp with strong sexual dimorphism. As a hippolytid it has planktonic larvae that are no
- Spotted Cleaner Shrimp (Periclimenes yucatanicus) Breeding GuidePericlimenes yucatanicus is a Caribbean anemone shrimp. Females brood eggs in summer and release planktonic larvae that are not reared in ho
- Pederson's Cleaner Shrimp (Ancylomenes pedersoni) Breeding GuideAncylomenes pedersoni is a Caribbean cleaner shrimp living on anemones. Females carry eggs and release planktonic larvae that are not reared
- Holthuis Anemone Shrimp (Periclimenes holthuisi) Breeding GuidePericlimenes holthuisi is a cleaner shrimp living on anemones and corals across the Indo-West Pacific. Females carry eggs and larvae are pla
- Pacific Clown Anemone Shrimp (Ancylocaris brevicarpalis) Breeding GuideAncylocaris brevicarpalis is a commensal anemone shrimp. Larger females carry eggs in monogamous pairs, but its planktonic larvae are not re
- Red Spotted Pistol Shrimp (Alpheus rubromaculatus) Breeding GuideAlpheus rubromaculatus is a goby-partner snapping shrimp from the northern Red Sea. Females carry eggs and larvae are planktonic; no home re
- Sister Pistol Shrimp (Alpheus soror) Breeding GuideAlpheus soror is a snapping shrimp described from Sri Lanka. Females are egg-carriers with planktonic larvae, and no home larval-rearing pro
- Djibouti Pistol Shrimp (Alpheus djiboutensis) Breeding GuideAlpheus djiboutensis is a goby-associated snapping shrimp. Females carry eggs and release planktonic larvae, but home-scale larval rearing i
- Breeding the Banded Pistol Shrimp (Alpheus armillatus)Alpheus armillatus is a Caribbean pistol shrimp complex; as an alpheid the female carries eggs and larvae are planktonic, so it is not pract
- Breeding the Tiger Pistol Shrimp (Alpheus bellulus)Alpheus bellulus is the common trade 'tiger pistol' that forms a classic goby symbiosis; females carry eggs and larvae are planktonic, so it
- Breeding the Tiger Pistol Shrimp (Alpheus ochrostriatus)Alpheus ochrostriatus is a goby-associated pistol shrimp; like its family it carries eggs and releases planktonic larvae, so home breeding i