Matt Wittenrich’s Psychedelic Approaches to Mandarin Goby Breeding
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 nature photographer, and the author of The Complete Illustrated Breeder’s Guide to Marine Aquarium Fishes. Matt recently earned his PhD at Florida Institute of Technology studying how larval reef fish feed. Join us, as Matt shares his psychedelic approach to breeding mandarin gobies.
BIO:
Matthew L. Wittenrich is a marine biologist who has been deeply involved with the aquarium world since the age of 15. Born and raised near Buffalo, New York he began raising marine fishes in his parent’s basement, and has since successfully raised over 60 species. He is the author of The Complete Illustrated Breeders Guide to Marine Aquarium Fishes and was awarded MASNA’s 2011 Aquarist of the Year. Matthew recently earned his PhD at Florida Institute of Technology studying the relationship between functional morphology, feeding performance, and mortality in larval stages of coral-reef fishes, offering a unique opportunity to explore both the success of culturists and the fate of natural populations. Matthew has recently joined the team at University of Florida’s Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory. Working as part of a science based, collaboration he continues to develop and experiment with new ideas for raising coral-reef fishes in aquariums.