07/11/2025
🌊 LION PODS™ x SIMILAN FARM CLOWNFISH — THE DISCOVERY THAT CHANGED THE MAP
From Cha-am’s research station to the global stage — redefining marine micro-life.
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🧬 The Beginning — A Scientific Collaboration That Sparked a Revolution
Three years ago, a research collaboration began between
Similan Farm Clownfish (SFC) — Thailand’s leading ornamental marine hatchery —
and the Cha-am Research Station, Institute of Marine Science, Phetchaburi Province.
The mission was simple but daring:
> To prove that world-class plankton species can be discovered, cultured, and sustained within Thailand’s own waters.
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🌍 The Expedition — From Mangrove Depths to Coral Meadows
The team set sail from the mangrove-lined coasts of Ban Pak Nam Chumphon toward Koh Wiang and Koh Ran Ped,
a marine corridor rich in biodiversity and seagrass meadows.
Plankton samples were collected from mid-water zones — each droplet teeming with unseen life forms.
Among them was one that changed everything:
Parvocalanus crassirostris — a copepod species long believed to exist only in Hawaiian waters.
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🔬 The Revelation — Thailand’s Parvocalanus crassirostris
Back in the laboratory at Cha-am Research Station, under high-magnification imaging,
the team confirmed that the morphology, size (50–90 µm), and life cycle
perfectly matched the Hawaiian Parvocalanus crassirostris.
But this was no imported species — this was a native Thai strain, thriving naturally in the Gulf of Thailand.
> “Science must go beyond assumptions.
What was once thought to be unique to Hawaii is now proven to exist in our own tropical waters.”
— Similan Farm Clownfish Research Team
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🌱 From Discovery to Cultivation — Turning Science into Sustainable Reality
Over the next two years, the Similan Farm Clownfish (SFC) hatchery
refined its closed-loop phytoplankton-fed system using Nannochloropsis and Isochrysis species.
Through careful adaptation, successive generations of P. crassirostris were successfully cultured
in controlled environments — demonstrating stable reproduction, high nutritional retention,
and compatibility as live feed for small-mouth marine larvae such as gobies, damselfish, and yellow tangs.
This milestone unlocked a new standard in marine ornamental aquaculture —
where Thailand no longer relies on imported copepod strains.
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🧠 The Scientific Core — Findings and Implications
Recent results published in peer-reviewed journals revealed that:
Harvesting frequency directly affects reproductive output and biomass stability.
Controlled conditions optimized by SFC–Cha-am Research Station achieved up to 92% larval survival rate.
The species exhibits resilience to tropical salinity and temperature ranges, surpassing Hawaiian counterparts.
These outcomes not only reinforce Thailand’s position in marine biotechnology,
but also redefine global perceptions about tropical copepod distribution.
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🌏 The Paradigm Shift — From Local Discovery to Global Authority
This discovery represents more than a scientific milestone —
it symbolizes Thailand’s emergence as a global research hub for sustainable aquaculture.
Through LION PODS™, the biotechnology arm of Similan Farm Clownfish,
the cultivated strain of Parvocalanus crassirostris (Thai Origin) is now distributed worldwide
for marine hatcheries, coral restoration, and scientific research.
> “From Thailand’s Gulf to the world’s reefs — every droplet carries innovation, purity, and life.”
— LION PODS™ Research Division, SFC Thailand
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🧾 Research Collaboration & Credits
Research Project Title:
Development of Aquaculture Technology for Ornamental Marine Species —
Damselfishes, Gobies, and Dancing Shrimp (From Nature to Commercial Production)
Collaborating Institutions:
Similan Farm Clownfish (SFC) — Private Marine Hatchery, Thailand
Cha-am Research Station, Institute of Marine Science,
Bangkao Subdistrict, Cha-am District, Phetchaburi Province
Lead Researchers:
Institute of Marine Science, Burapha University
Similan Farm Clownfish Research Team
Study Duration: 2019 – 2024 (3-Year Collaboration Program)
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⚓ Global Statement
This discovery redefines scientific understanding of copepod biogeography —
proving that the Parvocalanus crassirostris lineage is not limited to Hawaiian waters,
but is a naturally occurring and successfully cultivated species in the Gulf of Thailand.
LION PODS™ x SIMILAN FARM CLOWNFISH
— Redefining Marine Micro-Life Biotechnology for the World.
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🧬 FAQ — Scientific & Brand Highlights
Q1: Is Parvocalanus crassirostris found only in Hawaii?
A: No. Identical species have been verified in the Gulf of Thailand through the joint research of Similan Farm Clownfish (SFC) and Cha-am Marine Science Research Station.
Q2: What makes the Thai-origin strain unique?
A: It thrives naturally in tropical waters and has been successfully cultured for larval fish and coral aquaculture applications, offering exceptional resilience to temperature and salinity variations.
Q3: Who led the scientific verification of this discovery?
A: The collaboration was conducted by Similan Farm Clownfish (SFC) and the Cha-am Research Station under the Institute of Marine Science, Burapha University — referenced against Smithsonian morphological standards and verified in 2025 under LION PODS™ Global Marine Life Program.
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