Lune2Moon2

Hafa Adai!

My name is Abram, but friends call me Abe for short. I grew up in the DMV area living in southern MD, until I went off to attend the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. If we step back a bit in time, about midways through high school, my family took a trip to Okinawa Japan.

I was mind blown, not only snorkeling for the first time but baring witness to the sheer splendor of the ocean and everything in it! Especially tropical/subtropical shallow water photic zones of course, namely reefs!  Back then, I only remember seeing the different shapes, sizes and color patterns of the fishes. Honestly, I can’t even recall seeing any coral, probably because I didn’t know at the time that corals existed.  

Now I’m pursing a master’s degree in biology at the University of Guam with a focus on genetic connectivity of, that’s right, you guessed it, a coral (Heliopora coerulea). An increasingly endangered reef-building species of octocoral that’s a little different from your average Scleractinian coral.  Shortly after my experience in Okinawa I quickly immersed myself into the marine aquarium hobby and have been maintaining and designing closed marine systems since 2004.

Guahan Aquaculture & Marine Aquaria (GAMA), stationed in Guam, USA is a small aquaculture facility I'm currently building, which will directly cater to marine aquarium vendors and enthusiasts within the Unites States.  My initial goals are to collect and breed a broodstock of Centropyge shepardi, more commonly known as the Marianas Angel, Mango Angel, or Shepard’s Angel and found within the Marianas Archipelago and southern Japan.  This particular species has not been successfully breed in captivity and has only been collected from the wild.  They are a beautiful and endearing little reef fish, that in my experience is easy to care for, provided it has algae to graze on and acceptable, stable water parameters.  Even though this species is not endangered throughout it's documented home range, I feel it very necessary to preserve as much as possible, the delicate balance of reef ecosystems from which these fish originate by promoting aquaculture. 

Over the past decade, there have been many advancements in knowledge and technology within the marine aquaria industry, allowing more people to easily maintain a marine aquarium and enjoy a small piece of the ocean from the comfort of our homes.  However, as this industry gains in popularity, we are also challenged to continue becoming more sustainable and uphold a responsibility to protect and preserve our oceans for future generations to enjoy!