Breeding marine aquarium fish for the hobby was just a dream several decades ago, until a relatively unknown fisheries biologist named Martin Moe started his company, Aqualife Research, with wife Barbara, in the early 70s, breeding clownfish. Martin Moe was ahead of his time, and is now considered by many the father of marine aquarium fish aquaculture, with many fascinating stories to share about the field. Join us, as Martin reminisces on the past and looks to the future of marine aquarium fish...
Mar 10, 2013•38 min
Many beautiful aquarium fish come from the Amazon but one of the most iconic is the majestic discus. Known as the 'king of aquarium fish,' discus have a reputation for being difficult to keep. But are they? Our guest today, Gabriel Posada, has been breeding and raising discus for many years at Jack Wattley Discus. Join us as Gabe shares his knowledge and stories of discus and aquarium pioneer Jack Wattley. Questions or Comments? Send them to: DrRoy@petliferadio.com. More details on this episode ...
Jan 30, 2013•40 min
A beautifully aquascaped planted aquarium or outdoor pond easily rivals even the most complex of reef aquariums. In fact, a school of fish swimming through an underwater forest in a small home tank, or spectacular water lilies in a koi pond can brighten up an space. But where do many of these plants, come from? My guest today is Brandon McLane, Vice President of Florida Aquatic Nurseries, one of the largest producers of aquatic plants in the United States. Join us, as Brandon explains the ins an...
Dec 29, 2012•36 min
Freshwater angelfish, whose scientific name, Pterophyllum means winged leaf, are a uniquely shaped member of the cichlid family from the Amazon and have been a favorite of hobbyists for decades, ever since they were first bred in the 1920’s and 30’s. My guest today is Matt Pedersen, Senior Editor of AMAZONAS and CORAL Magazine, and Associate Publisher with their parent company, Reef To Rainforest Media, LLC. Join us, as Matt explains how angelfish genetics translate into the numerous beautiful v...
Dec 21, 2012•40 min
The aquarium industry is truly international. Although many fish come from farms and collection points in Florida and other parts of the US, numerous species also arrive from points around the globe. Australia has its own thriving aquarium industry and hobby, and is home to some of the most beautiful and prized freshwater and marine aquarium fish in the world, including the popular rainbowfishes and the stunning leafy seadragons. My guest today is Josiah Pit, Operations and Supply Chain Manager ...
Nov 02, 2012•40 min
The Banggai cardinalfish is a small, beautiful marine aquarium fish that was discovered twice, rose quickly in popularity, but now has an uncertain future. What do we know about this fish and what can be done to save it? My guest today, Ret Talbot, is an award-winning writer and photojournalist with nearly 20 years of experience covering stories from exotic locales including Fiji and Papua New Guinea. Ret frequently reports on the marine aquarium trade, has co-authored The Complete Idiot's Guide...
Aug 01, 2012•36 min
Most hobbyists are familiar with the common pleco, the catfish that feeds on algae and detritus and is a staple of any community tank. But most do not know that there are currently well over 600 different species of catfishes in the pleco family, the Loricariidae, many with incredible color and patterns, like the zebra pleco and the gold dust pleco, and many of which have not yet been properly identified by scientists. My guest today is Hans-George Evers, long time aquarium hobbyist, lecturer, a...
Apr 01, 2012•42 min
The U.S. aquarium fish industry is centered in Florida, and has a rich tradition of fish farming families. My guest today, Jason Diaz, has been working in his family’s business since age 12. Jason is President of 5-D Tropical, Inc., an aquarium fish production and import facility, based in Plant City. 5-D produces 100s of thousands of aquarium fish weekly, comprised of over 60 species and varieties of fish, with the spectacularly colored GloFish among their most popular. 5-D also imports fish fr...
Mar 09, 2012•36 min
Ken Jones, my guest today, is a well-known and highly respected water feature and water garden designer, who has been in the aquatic landscape business for over 30 years. Ken has been involved in many aspects of the aquarium hobby throughout his career and his projects have won Designer Showcase awards from the national trade magazine, Watergarden News. Ken also writes for many of the hobby and trade publications and produces and hosts his own television show. Most recently Ken began hosting the...
Jan 26, 2012•39 min
Aquarium keeping is more than just a great hobby. It also teaches valuable lessons about science, nature, and even careers in aquatics! A perfect example of this can be seen at Riverview High School, in Sarasota, FL, where innovators Katrin Rudge and her colleagues use aquarium systems to teach aquaculture, natural resources, engineering, and business. Riverview High School’s Aquascience Program currently enrolls approximately 250-300 students, and their "Stars to Starfish" program is gearing up...
Dec 28, 2011•37 min
Many hobbyists know that clownfish and a few other marine species are now bred by fish farms for the industry. However, most other marine aquarium fish are even more difficult to breed and are available only as wild caught specimens. How can we ever crack their breeding and culture codes? Rising Tide Conservation, an initiative spearheaded by the Sea World and Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, is a collaborative effort designed to advance methods and disseminate information regarding captive bree...
Oct 17, 2011•34 min
Cancer and old age are difficult to handle when they happen to our pets. Although most people are familiar with these issues in dogs and cats, not many aquarium hobbyists have the same level of understanding for their fish. Our guest today is Dr. Todd Cecil, owner and operator of Western Aquatic Animal Veterinary Service, and primary exotic animal veterinarian at Pet Emergency and Specialty Center based in San Diego. Dr. Todd is well known for his fish medicine expertise and has been working wit...
Sep 24, 2011•34 min
Do you want to have the fish tank of your dreams? Ask Wayde King and Brett Raymer, brothers-in-law, best friends, and the highly successful brains behind their company, Acrylic Tank Manufacturing (ATM). Housed in a 13,000 sq ft. facility located in the center of Las Vegas, ATM has created thousands of conceptual aquariums for high-profile clients. Animal Planet’s newest hit show "TANKED," follows the professional "antics" of these creative geniuses and puts a colorful, Vegas-style spin on state-...
Aug 19, 2011•16 min
There are many common "myths" and misconceptions out there in the aquarium hobby that continue to live on. More experienced fish-keepers know fact from fiction, but those new to aquarium keeping often must learn the truth the hard way! Dr. Denise Petty is an aquaculture extension veterinarian at the University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine in Gainesville, Florida. An avid fish-keeper herself, Dr. Petty works closely with the aquarium fish industry, veterinary students, and veterina...
Jul 12, 2011•37 min
For many years, marine aquarium fish were only available from the wild. Then, in the 1970s, pioneering scientists developed methods for commercial production of clownfish. Over the years, other species including neon gobies, dottybacks, and seahorses also became available from fish farms. Most recently Dr. Matt Wittenrich "cracked the breeding code" for the mandarin goby, one of the more popular marine fish species. Dr. Matt is a well-known marine biologist, a highly sought after speaker, a natu...
May 18, 2011•33 min
The aquarium hobby is filled with beautiful and unusual species with secret lives. The black ghost knife and elephantnose are two popular and fascinating fish, which communicate and sense their surroundings by means of weak electrical signals. If we could hear these, what would they say? My guest today, Benjamin Grelie, is a member of the French company Gymnokidi which has worked with scientists to build a machine to answer that question. Their product, the Gymnocom, translates the electrical im...
Mar 23, 2011•32 min
PetSmart is the largest North American pet and pet supply company, with a total of almost 1200 retail stores. Have you ever wondered who manages the health of PetSmart’s millions of fish and other aquatic animals? Dr. Nick St. Erne, who has been working in the field of exotic and aquatic veterinary medicine for decades, is more than up to the challenge! Dr. Nick is PetSmart’s Technical Services Veterinarian in charge of aquatic animal health. Dr. Nick is an author of two fish health books and a ...
Mar 11, 2011•36 min
Most people think of bacteria as something that will make you and your pets sick. In reality, bacteria play a critical role in healthy fish, ecosystems, and well-balanced aquarium systems. Dr. Tim Hovanec, the founder of Dr. Tim's Aquatics, has been working in the aquarium and aquaculture field for decades. His graduate research revolutionized our understanding of biofilter bacteria, and over the years, he has designed numerous bacteria-based products that solve many common aquarium problems. Jo...
Feb 28, 2011•41 min
For a long time, the only way to be near a coral reef was by scuba diving or visits to the local public aquarium. However, over the past 20-30 years, reef-keeping has evolved and become much more accessible. Today, although many people have a piece of the ocean in their homes and businesses, there is still debate over which reef systems work best. My guest today is Bill Hoffman, the Manager of the Smithsonian Marine Ecosystems Exhibit in Fort Pierce, Florida. Bill has spent the past 17 years man...
Jan 28, 2011•40 min
Florida has been the center of aquarium fish and plant production in the U.S. since the 1930s. The state’s fish farmers currently raise hundreds of species of ornamental fish. But how do they breed all these different species? Most people know guppies give birth to fairly developed young fish, but do they know how guppies actually breed? And what about all the other species? My guest today is a good friend and colleague, Craig Watson, Director of the University of Florida’s Tropical Aquaculture ...
Jan 03, 2011•32 min
So your aquarium has been set up for a few years and now it looks great! But then life throws some aquarium-keeping challenges your way. Here are a few scenarios: you are moving and want to bring your 55 gallon aquarium . . .you have to leave home for a few weeks, and aren’t sure what to do about your fish. . . powerlines have just been cut because of bad weather, and you don’t have a generator. What do you do? My guest today is aquarium fish expert Bill Shields, from 5D Tropical, Inc and the Ta...
Dec 20, 2010•31 min
Although most aquarium hobbyists are freshwater enthusiasts, a growing number are taking the salty plunge and keeping marine fish and invertebrates. Advances in marine aquarium technology, increases in numbers of aquacultured species, and a better understanding of animal needs has helped fuel this increase. Our guest today is James Kinsler, Assistant Curator of Fishes at SeaWorld Orlando. Jim has over 16 years of professional experience working with marine and freshwater fish, invertebrates, rep...
Dec 07, 2010•36 min
What do major league baseball and coral reef aquaria have in common? If you said the Florida Marlins new Ballpark in Miami you are right! The New Marlins Ballpark, scheduled to open in 2012, features two state-of-the-art coral reef aquaria, both within wild pitch distance of home plate. Our guest today is Francis Yupangco, the very experienced Director of Business Development and Marketing, and Senior Marine Biologist for Living Color Enterprises, Inc., the innovative company based out of Ft. La...
Oct 24, 2010•28 min
Fish live, breathe, sleep, in fact, do everything, in the same body of water. Your fish rely on you to keep things clean and fresh. So do you know enough to keep them happy? Poor water quality is one of the most common causes of problems in the aquarium industry, for both large and small systems. Many hobbyists only understand part of the story, and need to learn more. Our guest today is Allen LaPointe, the Director of Environmental Quality at the world-famous John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. ...
Sep 26, 2010•39 min
Killifish are beautiful, small-bodied fish found in many areas around the world, including in the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe. They are, as a group, one of the aquarium industry's hidden gems with only some of the hundreds of brightly colored species sold in local aquarium shops. In nature, some of them live in tiny puddles of water, where their eggs must survive dry periods. One species can reproduce, literally, on its own, from just one fish! All have fascinating life histories. Our gue...
Aug 16, 2010•43 min
So you’ve got a sick fish-- who are you gonna call? Why, your local fish veterinarian, of course! Although pet owners don’t think twice about contacting their vet for the dog or cat’s problems, more and more hobbyists are now also seeking help from their local veterinarian for their sick pet fish. And this is perfect timing, since more and more veterinarians are willing and able to work on wet pet patients. One of the country’s leading pet fish veterinarians, Dr. Helen Roberts has been working i...
Jul 20, 2010•33 min
What is the biggest and baddest aquarium you’ve ever seen? How about the biggest and baddest fish? Best-selling author Steve Alten blows all of those out of the water, with his latest sci-fi horror novel, "MEG: Hell’s Aquarium." In this 4th installment of Alten’s MEG series, we learn more about Carcharodon megalodon--MEG, for short--the enormous, prehistoric relative of the great white shark, and what could happen if they were still around prowling the oceans-- or on display at some of the large...
Jun 03, 2010•33 min
Hundreds of millions of aquarium fish are sold each year throughout the world, with an economic value of over 600 million. Fish in the hobby come from many different sources, including farms in Florida and wild caught fish from the flooded forests, streams, and lakes of the Rio Negro in the Amazon. Tens of millions of fish are exported yearly from this area, and are the major economic source of income for many native people. Project Piaba is a community based, interdisciplinary project which has...
May 13, 2010•35 min
The aquarium fish industry includes thousands of species of freshwater and marine fish and invertebrates farmed or collected from all over the world. This global diversity keeps the aquarium hobby fascinating and fresh, but also troubles our natural resource agencies, especially when non-native fish are found in our environment. Join us, as we talk to Dr. Jeff Hill, a scientist at the University of Florida, to learn more about keeping non-native aquarium fish where they belong! More details on t...
Apr 22, 2010•40 min
North American Native Fishes are often overlooked and under appreciated as aquarium specimens. However many of our native fishes, not only make excellent aquarium subjects, but also rival some of the more commonly available tropicals in color and beauty. Combine this with the fact that you can go on your own collecting adventure, often nearby--or perhaps even in your own back yard--and you have a great reason to give a second look at North American Native Fishes as subjects for your next (or fir...
Mar 17, 2010•33 min
