Cairns Marine

Cairns Marine Australia’s largest and leading supplier of Marine Fish, Invertebrates and Corals. *Wholesale Only*

Owned and operated by the Squire family, Cairns Marine is based in Australia’s tropical far north, has easy access to the world famous Great Barrier Reef, the isolated and pristine reefs of the Coral Sea and the remote and untamed Gulf of Carpentaria. Cairns Marine has a growing team of over 60 staff members across Australia, including highly trained divers, marine biologists and aquarists. The Squires have been collecting animals for display since 1964 when they purchased the Cairns Baths and converted them to an oceanarium and displayed the animals of the Great Barrier Reef to the public for the first time. Today, the company operates three fully customised 22m vessels collecting under strict licensing and fisheries management conditions from the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Specimens are kept at our custom built holding and husbandry facility in Cairns, Mackay and Darwin which are distributed across Australia and around the world.

G’day reefers! 🪸🤩Our LPS are looking a little too good to keep to ourselves… and with MORE beauties that arrived today (...
25/09/2026

G’day reefers! 🪸🤩

Our LPS are looking a little too good to keep to ourselves… and with MORE beauties that arrived today (as well as SPS), your wish list is about to become an order form! 😂🛒

Have a scroll through some of the stunners in stock now. Big colour, plenty of personality and absolutely no understanding of the phrase “we’ve already ordered enough coral.” 👀🌈

🔥 See something you fancy? Get your name on it!
📦 Restocking your shop or planning your next import? Let’s fill those boxes!
🪸 Waiting for Friday’s arrivals? Give David or Mel a heads-up on your wish list.

Contact our sales reps David and Mel to check availability and secure your order. These beauties deserve a spot in your next shipment, not just a screenshot on your phone! 😉📲

23/09/2026

FISH NERD CHALLENGE 🔎🐟

Where has Kai been?

We are a bit late tonight thanks to a few computer glitches, but the Fish Nerd Challenge has finally escaped the machine.

Three images to work with this week. The first should make the proper fish nerds stop and have a think, while the second gives you a little m@ore to work with without completely handing over the answer.

So, what fish are you looking at?

Common name gets you on the board. Scientific name earns full Fish Nerd honours, and bonus points if you tell us exactly what feature gave it away.

No AI, reverse image searches or identification apps. Observation, experience and fish nerd stubbornness only.

Drop your answer below and we will be back tomorrow at 6 pm with the grand reveal, this week’s winners and a few properly nerdy facts about the fish behind the close ups.

And hopefully the computer behaves itself next time.

G’day Reefers! 🪸👀Let’s just take a moment to marvel at these beautiful corals!Now for a little challenge: can anyone tel...
22/09/2026

G’day Reefers! 🪸👀

Let’s just take a moment to marvel at these beautiful corals!

Now for a little challenge: can anyone tell us what they all have in common? 🤔

Hint: it has something to do with their grade names. This is the easiest clue you’ll get, especially compared with our notorious FISH NERD CHALLENGE! 🐟🧠

Drop your guesses in the comments below!

These corals were sustainably and selectively hand collected from the Great Barrier Reef by our experienced collectors.

Contact David for international export enquiries or Mel for Australian domestic availability.

20/09/2026

🐟 Meet Our True Blue Aussie Icon💙

Laura's Water Column Week 3

You've probably seen him...
The smiling clown triggerfish in the crocodile tooth Akubra, giving an enthusiastic thumbs up on our boxes, brochures and social media.

But did you know he has a name?

He’s called Trigger Digger!

Our little mate has been part of the Cairns Marine story for decades, evolving from the clown triggerfish in our original logo into the character we trademarked in 2008.

He's more than just a mascot.
Trigger Digger proudly carries a message that's at the heart of everything we do:

Aussie Hand Caught - The Sustainable Choice

His thumbs up is our symbol of assurance, representing Australian provenance, selective hand collection, responsibly managed fisheries, quality, traceability and sustainability.

Fun fact... Trigger Digger almost wore a traditional cork hat, but we weren't sure the joke would translate beyond Australia.

Today you'll find him on our boxes, across our branding and even making animated appearances on social media.

A true-blue Aussie icon and our enduring seal of approval. 🐟👍

G’day Reefers! 🪸🌊Fresh from collection, we have a fantastic selection of hand-picked Acropora now available at Cairns Ma...
20/09/2026

G’day Reefers! 🪸🌊

Fresh from collection, we have a fantastic selection of hand-picked Acropora now available at Cairns Marine!

Each colony is selectively hand-collected by our experienced collectors, then carefully acclimated and cared for by our coral team. With some brilliant colours and growth forms in the mix, these pieces are ready to add something special to your next order.

Contact David for export enquiries or Mel for domestic availability and current stock. 🪸

18/09/2026

🪸 Have you ever seen the skeleton of a Cynarina lacrymalis before it’s processed for sale?

Most marine enthusiasts are familiar with the incredible fleshy, cushion-like appearance of a living Cynarina, but few get the opportunity to see the skeletal structure hidden beneath.

Before coral skeletons are cleaned and prepared for their next destination, they offer a fascinating glimpse at the structure that once supported the living coral in the wild.

It’s a side of coral biology rarely seen by hobbyists and a great reminder of the remarkable ways corals grow, adapt and persist in their natural environment.

*Appreciation clip only, featuring a few nice examples.*

G’day reefers! 🪸🌊Soft, swaying and seriously good looking! We’ve got an awesome mix of crowd favourites available, inclu...
18/09/2026

G’day reefers! 🪸🌊

Soft, swaying and seriously good looking! We’ve got an awesome mix of crowd favourites available, including vibrant Green Polyp Lobophytum spp. and beautifully branching Capnella spp. 💚

And because every reef needs a little extra flair, we also have some show-stopping LPS corals ready to add colour and character to your tanks!

All sustainably collected from the Great Barrier Reef

Get in touch with David or Mel to secure a cracking mix of soft corals and LPS for your next order!

17/09/2026

FISH NERD CHALLENGE: GRAND REVEAL 🔎🐟

That little “galaxy far, far away” belongs to the Harlequin Tuskfish, Choerodon fasciatus.

Well done to everyone who picked it, particularly anyone who got there from the first image. That was definitely the super Fish Nerd level. By the time we showed you the eye and those unmistakable colours, we had become considerably more generous.

🏆 Fish Nerd honours: Johannes H. Steen - a true professional in this space!

Harlequin Tuskfish are surely one of the most distinctive wrasses we work with. Brilliant orange, blue, white and dark bands, electric blue teeth, and plenty going on upstairs as well. These are seriously smart fish.

They are reported to reach around 30 cm, although we certainly do not see them getting anywhere near that size in our neck of the woods.

They can also be surprisingly time consuming to collect. Smart enough to make you work for them, but fortunately not always smart enough to turn down a free feed. A little food and curiosity can eventually convince them that coming over for a closer look might be a good idea.

Sometimes collecting fish is less about chasing them and more about patiently convincing them that joining us was their idea all along.

Those brilliant blue canine teeth are not just for show either. Harlequin Tuskfish feed on hard bodied reef animals including crustaceans, molluscs and other benthic invertebrates.

This was also another run at our new Fish Nerd format. Three images, starting properly difficult and becoming progressively easier.

Did you get it from the galaxy, the colours, or did the eye finally give it away?

Address

14 Industrial Avenue
Cairns, QLD
4870

Telephone

+61 7 4058 1711

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