We received word that one of the publishing pioneers of the aquarium hobby passed away today. Many newer hobbyists may not recognize Terry’s name, but they are certainly benefitting from his legacy. Terry was an enthusiastic supporter of the hobby and will be remembered for his pioneering efforts in establishing respected aquarium journals such as Marine Aquarist and Aquarium Frontiers. Today you can find his fingerprints on the reefs.com site, which he founded, and the archive for Advanced Aquarist magazine.
In addition to requiring that accurate data was being presented in his publications, Terry was also instrumental in the development of many of the authors and speakers that we rely on today. If one were to look back on early publications, they would find that these hobby elite published their early works in one of Terry’s many publications.
Terry was honored with the 2105 MASNA Award at MACNA in Washington, D.C. As both editor and author, Terry strived to publish scientifically accurate content regarding reef aquaria. When I spoke with Terry at MACNA, he stated, “I have always insisted throughout the many editorials I wrote that we present to the public information that is more than the smoke from somebody’s opinion pipe or simple anecdotal observations, but information rather that was quantifiable, repeatable, and scientifically accurate. Creatures that we keep in our reef aquariums deserve no less.”
In addition to his published works, Terry was also an active aquarist, maintaining both fresh water and marine biotopes. His 500-gallon marine reef was featured in Sprung and Delbeek’s, “The Reef Aquarium” series. Siegel commented, “In that aquarium most of the corals had grown considerably, over approximately a dozen years, from coral fragments. Many of the fish, including seven surgeonfish, managed to stay together in that aquarium for at least a dozen years. In fact, one fish, a tomato clown, spent 25 years in various reef aquariums of mine.”
More than just an aquarist, more than just a publisher, Terry was a mentor and friend to many in the hobby. The legacy that he leaves behind shines brightly.
Terry with his dogs Smudge and Noble
