- Location
- Brooklyn, NY
You do right? Well, if you don't, this year we are very pleased to present two fascinating lectures from truly groundbreaking members of the reefing community-- Todd Gardener of Atlantis Marine World and Colin Foord from Coral Morphologic. Do yourselves a favor and find the time to break away from the other fragTastic doings and spend some time arming yourselves with some cutting edge reefing info.
Colin Foord:
An Overview of Zoanthus and Palythoa spp.: Their Natural History, Taxonomy, Culture, and Care in the Reef Aquarium.
Beginning with their natural history we will take a closer look at the zoanthids, with a special emphasis on Caribbean species. Their special needs in aquariums are best understood in the context of the niche they occupy on and around wild coral reefs. We will look at the very confusing problems with zoanthid taxonomy, and why the definition of species is so murky. Several tentatively undescribed species of Zoanthus and Palythoa from Florida will be presented as an example of this uncertainty.
I will also discuss the work and goals of Morphologic Studios, improving the public image of the aquarium trade, and the responsibility that we all have as marine aquarists to be good ambassadors of the coral reef.
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Colin Foord is the co-owner of Coral Morphologic, a Miami-based company that specializes in the study, sale, and aquaculture of Caribbean corallimorphs and zoanthus, in operation since 2007. He holds one of only 100 commercial licenses to collect ornamental marine life in Florida. As a marine biologist schooled at the University of Miami ('04) and James Cook University (Australia), he has long made coral reefs and ornamental marine aquaculture the focus of his studies. He is most interested in the natural history and taxonomy of the corallimorphs and zoanthids; two anthozoan groups still relatively understudied in the scientific world.
Colin has worked at all levels of the marine aquarium trade, as a collector, wholesale, retail, and, of course, passionate aquarist. Additionally, he has interned with the Marine Aquarium Council (MAC) in 2006-07 in Bali, Indonesia where he wrote a simplified coral aquaculture handbook used by local fisherfolk to teach an alternative to wild harvest. Following the return from Bali, he set out with a goal to improve the public's perception of the reef aquarium hobby through the medium of art and science. This multi-media aquarium art is produced by Morphologic Studios, and is funded entirely through earnings derived from sales of marine life via Coral Morphologic. Another significant long-term goal of Coral Morphologic is to improve the sustainability of the reef aquarium hobby, and increase the dialog between the aquarium community and marine biology establishment.
Coral Morphologic/Morphologic Studios has recently moved into a new 3,000 sq. ft. facility which will greatly improve aquaculture capabilities. Morphologic Studios is in the process of producing a commissioned series of building sized fluorescent coral video projections to be displayed across the city of Miami during Art Basel Miami Beach December 2-5 2010.
Todd Gardener:
"Turn out the lights: the joys and challenges of a non-photosynthetic reef tank"
This talk will focus on recent breakthroughs and continuing challenges associated with keeping azooxanthelate corals-- the next frontier of the reefkeeping world.
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Todd Gardner has been studying marine life since he was old enough to walk. He has an extensive background in marine sciences and has written numerous scientific and popular articles about his research and experiences collecting, keeping, and culturing marine organisms.
In 1993 he graduated from East Stroudsburg University with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and marine science. After graduation he spent a year working for Blue Earth Films, assisting in the production of a National Geographic Explorer feature film about coastal marine life. Todd spent the next 3 years working at the world's largest marine ornamental fish hatchery, where he worked on developing technology for the production of new marine species. In 1998 Todd left commercial aquaculture to pursue a Master of Science degree in biology at New York's Hofstra University where he completed a thesis on the early nutrition of the lined seahorse, Hippocampus erectus .
Todd is currently working as an aquarist at Atlantis Marine World where he cares for a number of exhibit tanks, leads collecting expeditions, and continues his aquaculture research behind the scenes. In his spare time, Todd dives, photographs marine life and plays in a blues band.
Colin Foord:
An Overview of Zoanthus and Palythoa spp.: Their Natural History, Taxonomy, Culture, and Care in the Reef Aquarium.
Beginning with their natural history we will take a closer look at the zoanthids, with a special emphasis on Caribbean species. Their special needs in aquariums are best understood in the context of the niche they occupy on and around wild coral reefs. We will look at the very confusing problems with zoanthid taxonomy, and why the definition of species is so murky. Several tentatively undescribed species of Zoanthus and Palythoa from Florida will be presented as an example of this uncertainty.
I will also discuss the work and goals of Morphologic Studios, improving the public image of the aquarium trade, and the responsibility that we all have as marine aquarists to be good ambassadors of the coral reef.
--------------------------------------------------------
Colin Foord is the co-owner of Coral Morphologic, a Miami-based company that specializes in the study, sale, and aquaculture of Caribbean corallimorphs and zoanthus, in operation since 2007. He holds one of only 100 commercial licenses to collect ornamental marine life in Florida. As a marine biologist schooled at the University of Miami ('04) and James Cook University (Australia), he has long made coral reefs and ornamental marine aquaculture the focus of his studies. He is most interested in the natural history and taxonomy of the corallimorphs and zoanthids; two anthozoan groups still relatively understudied in the scientific world.
Colin has worked at all levels of the marine aquarium trade, as a collector, wholesale, retail, and, of course, passionate aquarist. Additionally, he has interned with the Marine Aquarium Council (MAC) in 2006-07 in Bali, Indonesia where he wrote a simplified coral aquaculture handbook used by local fisherfolk to teach an alternative to wild harvest. Following the return from Bali, he set out with a goal to improve the public's perception of the reef aquarium hobby through the medium of art and science. This multi-media aquarium art is produced by Morphologic Studios, and is funded entirely through earnings derived from sales of marine life via Coral Morphologic. Another significant long-term goal of Coral Morphologic is to improve the sustainability of the reef aquarium hobby, and increase the dialog between the aquarium community and marine biology establishment.
Coral Morphologic/Morphologic Studios has recently moved into a new 3,000 sq. ft. facility which will greatly improve aquaculture capabilities. Morphologic Studios is in the process of producing a commissioned series of building sized fluorescent coral video projections to be displayed across the city of Miami during Art Basel Miami Beach December 2-5 2010.
Todd Gardener:
"Turn out the lights: the joys and challenges of a non-photosynthetic reef tank"
This talk will focus on recent breakthroughs and continuing challenges associated with keeping azooxanthelate corals-- the next frontier of the reefkeeping world.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Todd Gardner has been studying marine life since he was old enough to walk. He has an extensive background in marine sciences and has written numerous scientific and popular articles about his research and experiences collecting, keeping, and culturing marine organisms.
In 1993 he graduated from East Stroudsburg University with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and marine science. After graduation he spent a year working for Blue Earth Films, assisting in the production of a National Geographic Explorer feature film about coastal marine life. Todd spent the next 3 years working at the world's largest marine ornamental fish hatchery, where he worked on developing technology for the production of new marine species. In 1998 Todd left commercial aquaculture to pursue a Master of Science degree in biology at New York's Hofstra University where he completed a thesis on the early nutrition of the lined seahorse, Hippocampus erectus .
Todd is currently working as an aquarist at Atlantis Marine World where he cares for a number of exhibit tanks, leads collecting expeditions, and continues his aquaculture research behind the scenes. In his spare time, Todd dives, photographs marine life and plays in a blues band.
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