Practical Fish Keeping December 2015

FREE 24-PAGE BEGINNER’S GUIDE Issue 13 December '15

EALED EV

!

YOUR TOP SHOPS OF 2015

DECOR! FREE TANK

Growing plants made easy

How to make the most of those autumn leaves

EP STEP BY ST

JEWEL BOX

Keep and breed these stunning cichlids BARBS...

RINES USEFUL MA

...but not as you know them! Check out our African alternatives

Beauty on a budget Set up this aquascape for under £320

Fish to help with the housework!

PLUS: READER’S AMAZING REEF TANK ONEW PRODUCTS ON TEST

Welcome Learn from the best

DAVE WOLFENDEN is curator at the Blue Planet Aquarium in Cheshire Oaks. He introduces some home helps for the marine tank on page 34.

GABOR HORVATH is a Hungarian aquarist with over 35 years of fishkeeping experience. He offers some advice on collecting and using leaves in the aquarium on page 56.

JEREMY GAY is a former PFK editor and now Evolution Aqua’s Business Development Manager. He spotlights the gorgeous jewel cichlids on page 42.

The timing of two big events in the fishkeeping calendar has led to the PFK team working over the last two weekends — if you can call being surrounded by fish and fellow hobbyists ‘working’, as both were great fun and highly enjoyable. The first of these was the FBAS Festival of Fishkeeping, which took place over the weekend of October 3–4 at Hounslow Urban Farm in Middlesex, and featured some of the best fish in the country competing for the top awards. You can read a report of that show and see some of the winning fish on page 14 of this issue. The following weekend I spent in the company of the British Killifish Association at its 50th anniversary convention in Wetherby, Yorkshire. This was my first time at that event, and what a friendly bunch they all turned out to be. I learned loads — not all of it fish-related — and even came home with some rather lovely young Aphyosemion for a breeding project. You’ll be able to read a full report of the BKA event in a forthcoming issue of PFK. And then later this week the whole PFK team will be scooting off to the big aquatic trade show, AQUA 2015, which takes place in Telford, Shropshire, to find out what’s likely to be coming to a shop near you very soon. We’ll keep you posted. It’s a hard life, you know!

16 Reader’s amazing reef set-up.

34 Marine fish that earn their keep.

48 Growing aquarium plants made easy.

Get more PFK! Karen Youngs, editor Like us on Facebook.com

NATHAN HILL is an aquatic journalist and PFK’s features editor. This month he discovers a dainty catfish and some stunning barbs from Africa. Pages 52 and 8. www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

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December Cover image: MP & C Piednoir; Aquapress.com

ON THE COVER

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BARBS, BUT NOT AS WE KNOW THEM

42

Explore Africa for an alternative to the usual, easy tank staples.

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WHY START SIMPLE? Meet a reader with one of the densest reef set-ups in the land.

34

SITUATIONS VACANT Need some help with reef tank maintenance? These fish will do a spot of housework in return for good food and lodgings.

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BEAUTY ON A BUDGET Stylish aquascapes don’t have to be expensive or complicated. Create a set-up for under £320.

42

JEWEL BOX Keep these striking cichlids in the right way and they will be fish to treasure.

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PLANTING MADE SIMPLE Some of the easier methods of growing aquarium plants.

56

FREE TANK DECOR!

76

READERS’ POLL RESULTS!

100

NEW GEAR

Collect autumn leaves for your tank and discover the benefits to your fish and your bank account. We reveal your top shops, products and manufacturers.

08

The latest products reviewed, plus two new aquarium vacuum cleaners go head to head.

NEWS & REVIEWS

14

FISHKEEPING NEWS

106

SHOPTOUR

34

6

New shops, show-winning fish and dates for your diary.

We visit aquatic shops in Gloucestershire and Cambridge.

38

PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

28

FISHKEEPING KNOW-HOW

28 52 84 90

PLASTIC FANTASTIC Create a Central American inspired biotope with a difference.

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A DAINTY DEITY Meet a divine catfish that makes its home on the open expanses of the Amazon.

BIG IS BEAUTIFUL Set up a reef tank for large polyp stony corals and you will open up a world full of colour, variety and movement.

SEE THE LIGHT! Too little light and your plants will die — too much and you’ll have algae. So, how do you know what’s right for your set-up?

52

HABITAT

94

CHASING RAINBOWS A storm-plagued trip to the Aru archipelago leads to the rediscovery of a century-old rainbowfish species.

94

YOUR FISH & TANKS

23 26

TANK COMMUNITY The place to share your fish, tanks and experiences.

ME AND MY TANK Meet a reader with a soft spot for Uaru.

PROBLEMS SOLVED

56

65

FISHKEEPING ANSWERS Some of the world’s top experts answer your questions.

PLUS

74

SUBSCRIBE TO PFK!

114

TAILPIECE

65

Save money when you take out a subscription to Practical Fishkeeping magazine. Nathan Hill may have the best job, but he still yearns for a Neon tetra biotope.

FREE INSIDE 4-PAGE BEGINNER’S AGAZINE www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

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but not as we know them... In a trade dominated by Asian barbs, it’s easy to forget that it’s another continent that hosts some of the nicest species out there. Explore Africa for an alternative to the usual, easy tank staples. WORDS: NATHAN HILL

PHOTOGRAPHY: IVAN MIKOLJI UNLESS STATED

T

he old continent really is becoming the new fishy hot spot. Given its size, it should be little surprise that Africa, a land of mystery and adventure, should be as rich in fish above ground as it is in minerals below it. It’s so expansive that it drapes over both the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, containing habitats from dense forest to arid dust. In the middle sits the equator, the world’s beltline, baking under intense sun. In popular literature, authors have invented almost 100 fake African countries. It’s easy to do, as so few people are familiar with the actual geography. When folks might not even know which nation is real — Guinea-Bissau or Katanga — it is fair to say that knowledge of the animals that live across this vast land mass is even flimsier. If we try to use the selections of African fish in local retailers as an indication of what we find across the continent, then we have an inaccurate representation. At face value, going by a shop’s stock would impress upon us that only cichlids reign supreme, and beyond them — aside a stray characin, catfish or Polypterus — there is little more. In reality, cyprinids rank as the second most prolific fish of Africa, after cichlids. But unlike the cichlids, with their limited distribution and dense concentration within the rift valley lakes, barbs are near ubiquitous, living everywhere but the most inhospitable of regions. Plunge into wild, wide river rapids, and you will find them. Sneak up on a tiny pool with a snorkel, and you will glimpse them. There’s even a species evolved for a subterranean life, just like the Mexican blind cave tetra. Barbs have done to Africa what the

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characins have done with South America. They have exploited every niche and made it their own. If I talked of barbs living in the great lakes of Malawi or Tanganyika, certain circles might laugh me out of their fish clubs. But they are there, as well adapted to life as their cichlid neighbours. Some scavenge as

omnivores, others have adapted to a molluscivore lifestyle. Some hunt down fish, feasting on the very cichlids we consider ‘alpha’ in the lakes. In big and robust rivers are equally big and robust barbs. Larger species are hardcore piscivores, with a taste for flesh. They rudely frolic in open water, PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Fish of the month WHEREARE THEYFROM?

African barbs are widespread across the continent, including the great lakes!

The prettiest of the African barbs is probably this little beauty: Barbus fasciolatus.

daring smaller fish to present themselves for supper, while the flanks of such rivers may be seasoned with smaller, aquarium suitable species. Taxonomically, African barbs are like a difficult jigsaw with half of the pieces missing and no guide picture. For a long time, the popular dumping ground for www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

any unknown cyprinid was the genus ‘Barbus’ though this is being systematically pulled apart to make new genera. Just know that if you see the word ‘Barbus’ in inverted commas, there’s good reason — all these fish are awaiting a tidy up and reclassification.

I have no intention of offering my own input on the most obscure species. There’s just too much ground to cover, and I’m unqualified to bring anything new. Besides which, you’re unlikely to meet such fish. Instead, let me explore a brace of the most exciting species — and those you’ve a faint chance of ever seeing.

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AQUARIUMPHOTO.DK

The African banded barb is how a Harlequin rasbora would look if it was given a makeover by Jean Paul Gaultier...

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African banded barb Let's start with the prettiest. This fish sometimes goes under an alternative name of 'Angolan barb' and when you see one you'll understand there's nothing else like it. 'Barbus' fasciolatus is instantly recognisable with its unique peach and black markings, like a Harlequin rasbora redesigned by Jean Paul Gaultier. No other barb comes close to looks as good as this, aside perhaps the Butterfly. As the alternative name suggests, it's mainly Angolan, but radiates outwards and

has been found as far afield as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Namibia and Botswana. Within populations there are subtle differences in colour. Some have a greater intensity of orange, looking like tiny underwater tigers, while others have a lighter, lemony hue. Thickness and even straightness of the stripes can vary, too. Beautifully for us, they live in a range of different habitats, so we can indulge our creative biotope whims. Whether recreating a floodplain, slow stream, riverbank, lake or

African barb creek habitat with Crinum natans.

HEIKO BLEHER

Prior experience with Asian barbs might, to a small degree, be a disadvantage if you're taking the plunge with the African species. For most of us, our experiences consist of the vastly tolerant and forgiving Far Eastern imports, often exclusively from farms. The multiple-generation, line-bred domestic staples are quite different to their wild counterparts. They excuse many of our water chemistry, feeding and compatibility errors. If you've ever maintained the likes of Tiger barbs, you'll have a good idea of what I mean by that. African barbs need to be handled much more gently. Some are so retiring that only a secluded species tank should be considered. Others may be confused at being offered flake foods, or may react badly to slightly base tapwater supplies. In all cases, they can't simply be plonked into a community set up and expected to settle in like, say, Golden or Cherry barbs. Try it, and they'll freak out, starve and roll over. It's an expensive mistake to make. Take heed of water chemistry — water quality shouldn't even need a mention here — and try to get as close to a biotope as you can. Otherwise, given the limited numbers these fish arrive in, it might be politest to leave them to someone who's making more of an effort. Whatever your level of barb history, go in wary. Don't think for an instant that these fish will behave like your previous charges. If you do, you could be up for a costly lesson.

PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Fish of the month These fish prefer to take food from the lower areas of the tank.

Get schooled!

AQUARIUMPHOTO.DK

All the barbs we’re looking at here do best in shoals of at least eight. The general trend is the smaller the fish, the higher the number you’ll need. Please don’t buy any of the species here individually or in pairs – they won’t like it. Raid the credit card, sell a kidney, do what you need to do, but always buy African barbs in shoals.

AQUARIUMPHOTO.DK

Soft, acidic water is definitely recommended for B. fasciolatus.

swamp, these guys will happily live in it. Planting is prerequisite for most small African barbs, and this species especially so. It's not lazy to use Anubias or Bolbitis species with them, but if you've a deep wallet (and don't mind a tattered looking tank) then indulge yourself in whichever soft leaved plants attract you. B. fasciolatus is an omnivore, and a gluttonous one at that. Place a soft stem plant in their tank, and watch them mow it into oblivion. They'll be grateful, as will your local retailer, who can sell you a steady stream of fresh greenery. Once you've made a dense jungle of plants, supplement it with branches and lumps of wood. If tannins are released, then all the better — African banded barbs are partial to a little staining and acidity. Some sources cite peat use in the filter, but we modern aquarists know better than to use this environmentally questionable material. Get some alder cones and make up a tonic if you're struggling to get the water soft and stained. On the base, dark sand and leaf litter should feature heavily. As well as providing psychological comfort, the leaves will produce a string of tiny organisms on which the barbs will feed. These fish like to dine from the bottom, happier plucking their dinner from the lowest 5cm/2in of the tank than the rest of it. Tweak the lighting so that it's low. This is another reason to opt for hardier plants. If it's bright, African banded barbs will get www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

spooked, and nobody wins from that. You don't want to buy the world's prettiest fish, only to have it in perpetual hiding, do you? Getting your water right is essential. Speak to your retailer about how they're keeping theirs. This is entry-level stuff for a store, so if they don't know, consider a different supplier. In an ideal world, they'll be using soft, acidic conditions, and in a perfect world they'll have them in a closed tank away from any kind of centralised system, in stained, dark water. If they try to fob you off by saying that the fish are farmed and can tolerate hard water, give them a raised eyebrow. Your own tank wants to be acidic, but not to any ridiculous degree — you're trying to keep fish, not dissolve them. In the wild, they'll be pulled from waters as low as pH 5.0, but in the home setting somewhere between pH 6.0–6.5 is as aggressive as it needs to be. Go too low and you'll have issues keeping a biological filter established, but start drifting above pH 7, and you'll note a slow deterioration of the barbs' condition — at least I always have when I've seen them kept this way. Unless you're graced with mineral free tapwater, you'll need to use RO to get the hardness down to the desired 2-6°H. At a push, they'll tolerate it up to 12°H or so, but they won't look too great while it's there. Here's a great bonus. If you can get the water as I've just described, and hover the temperature from 24–26°C/75–79°F, then

you're into breeding parameters, too. Cram in some kind of moss to act as a spawning substrate, and either dim the lights more or hurl on a lot of floating plants (Azolla looks nice, but duckweed will work if you want to do it on the cheap), and then you just need to condition the fish — by which I mean feed them plenty of live and frozen goodies like Cyclops, microworms, Daphnia and Tubifex, and away they go. African banded barbs scatter their eggs, and then spin around and try to eat them, so once they've done it, you can either relocate them (ill advised) or relocate their eggs (advised) by lifting out the moss, which should have some of the small, transparent eggs in tow. Slip these into a bare tank with the same water as the main set up, and get culturing banana worms and Artemia nauplii. As for moving the young on after rearing them to a decent size (at least 15mm, plus the tail), it should be easy. Any retailer who knows what they are will want them, as long as you don't take liberties with the price. Just don't barge into the store with an attitude like Al Pacino in Scarface, demanding money for the things. Try haggling for some credit, maybe a third of the retail value. If they still say no, then go somewhere with better taste.

AT A GLANCE G Scientific name: ‘Barbus’ fasciolatus. G Pronunciation: Bar-bus fash-ee-ohlah-tus. G Origin: Angola and surrounding countries. G Tank size: 75 x 30cm/30 x 12in. G Water requirements: Soft, acidic. G Temperature: 20–26°C/68–79°F G Feeding: Flakes, 0 pH Temp C plus live and 8 27 frozen Daphnia 26 25 7 G Temperament: 24 23 Peaceful 6 22 G Availability and 21 20 5 price: Rare to find, from £3.50. 4

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Okay, maybe I lied about African banded barbs. ‘Barbus’ hulstaerti are ‘the’ prettiest barbs coming out of Africa, and when you see one, you won’t want another fish ever again. There’s a similar looking fish, moonlighting under the scientific name of ‘Barbus’ candens, but unless you’re nestled in the belly of a closed-ranks fish club, or have the best-connected retailer in the land, you might not see them in your lifetime. There’s some dispute about a third type, as well. ‘Barbus’ papilio is noted as an alternative with very limited distribution, namely a small spot not far from the Congolese town of Kindu. The difference between this fish and the true butterfly is visible in the spot on each flank. B. hulstaerti has a small, clear spot, as does B. candens, while B. papilio has an elongate, ‘eggy’ blotch. Then again, it might just be a regional variation. Forums are dedicated to hearty rows about this. Butterfly barbs are endemic to the Democratic Republic of Congo, and exports are infrequent and squabbled over. They’re not as open minded about habitat as Banded barbs, and tend to seek out the real estate of swamps and slow moving rainforest streams. In a tank, rich, brown water and leaf litter is a must, as is heavy vegetation. Their tank needn’t be big — they only reach 3.5cm/1.4in fully grown — so 45cm/18in will be adequate. But by heavy vegetation I mean that a good one-third of the tank should be dense tangles of greenery alone. Pack the plants in, and scatter the base with broken twigs over dark sand, and you’re there. Water chemistry for these guys is a shade more hostile than that for banded barbs, so you’ll need to be Johnny-on-the-spot with testing and water changes. Alkaline water is an absolute no-go. If the pH creeps up over 6.5 they’ll go downhill fast, and they’ll live optimally somewhere between 5.0 and 6.5. I’d plump for around pH 6.2 for the filter’s sake — biological bacteria just can’t cope when water gets too acidic. RO is a must, too, or access to it. The hardness shouldn’t be much over 5°H, and being as low as just 1°H is best. RO with just the tiniest dash of remineral should

AQUARIUMPHOTO.DK

African butterfly barb

Butterfly barbs are not a good choice for the community tank.

replicate this, but keep an eye on the tank. If you’re slack with water changes, it might drop even lower, and pH fluctuations can become a problem. I’m pretty sure I don’t need to say, but Butterfly barbs are useless in a community tank. They don’t have the grit for it, for one, and will sooner sulk away and starve to death than feed in even polite company. I’ll be brutal about it, but if you’re thinking of keeping them with gourami and guppies, then they’re not the fish for you. Go species-tank only, or at best a timid community with other lovers of peace and extreme acidity — Boraras would be a wise move. The big catch might be temperature. These guys like it a little cooler than some, going down as far as 17°C/63°F. Spawning is difficult but possible. A tiny tank of about 25cm/10in long with a little air-powered filter and acidic water will get them going if they’ve been conditioned with good food beforehand. Now is the time to get the temperature down, as it’ll alter the sex ratios of fry. At 22°C/72°F, there’s an

AT A GLANCE G Scientific name: ‘Barbus’ hulstaerti. G Pronunciation: Bar-bus hull-stare-tie. G Origin: Democratic Republic of Congo. G Habitat: Slow streams and swamps. G Tank size: 45 x 30cm/18 x 12in. G Water requirements: Very soft and acidic, RO required. 0 pH Temp C G Temperature: 8 17–24°C/62.6–75.2°F. 30 28 G Feeding: Flakes, live 26 7 24 and frozen Cyclops. 22 6 G Temperament: Timid. 20 18 G Availability and price: 16 5 Incredibly rare, current 4 price unknown.

MP & C PIEDNOIR, AQUAPRESS.COM

A stunning little fish, but not one for the inexperienced aquarist.

influence towards lots more males, whereas at 18°C/64°F, the genders are roughly 50/50. Get some Java moss in the spawning tank and leave them to it. They don’t look after the young, so remove them after a couple of days of laying eggs (they’re pretty continuous) and rear the babies yourself. Some keepers suggest Paramecium and infusoria, while others go straight in with microworm. Either way, offer nothing for the first couple of days because they’ll still be guzzling up what’s in their yolk sacs. Did I mention how hard it is to find them? Yeah, best of luck with that.

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PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Fish of the month At a glance alternatives

G Pronunciation: Bar-bus jay. G Origin: Republic and Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. Likely to pop up elsewhere too.

G Habitat: Plant-heavy swamps and slow streams. Always found where plants are dense. G Tank size: 45 x 30cm/18 x 12in minimum. G Water requirements: Very acidic and soft; pH 5.0–6.5, hardness below 5°H. G Feeding: Will take flake, but Cyclops, Daphnia and microworm is also good. G Temperament: Would sooner die in a corner than participate in community tank antics. House only where it’s quiet. G Availability and price: I’ve seen a few of these of late, and they’ve been rubbish. They looked thin, bent and ill, and they were about £3 each. Shop about for good ones, because I think someone is farming badly and pumping out substandard fish.

0

pH MP & C PIEDNOIR, AQUAPRESS.COM

‘Barbus’ jae This is 4cm/1.6in of red/orange packed beauty, while the females look a bit like Checkered barbs. You might see it sold under the remarkably creative common name of ‘Jae barb’ but then you might never see one in your life unless they start commercially farming them properly. Leaves, heavy plants, low lights and peace in a not-too-big tank will see them right. Temperatures can creep down a bit, but the tank will need to be as acidic as a carton of Just Juice.

Temp C 8 7 6 5

30 28 26 24 22 20 18 16

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Barboides gracilis

Temp C 8 7 6 5

AQUARIUMPHOTO.DK

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‘Barbus’ holotaenia Not a great deal I can tell you about these. I’ve seen them once, on a shoptour, but I can’t remember where it was — may have been Wildwoods. These guys are bigger and hardier than the rest here. They’ll get to about 12cm/4.8in fully grown and tolerate neutral water. They’d be great in a set up with Congo tetra and some Synodontis, I reckon. Cool fact: Apparently they’re related to the Blind barb, Caecobarbus geertsii, though this is still to be confirmed. G Pronunciation: Bar-bus hol-lowteen-ee-ah. G Origin: Democratic Republic of Congo, possibly Cameroon and Gabon. G Habitat: Fast and slow rivers both big and small, sometimes

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

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G Pronunciation: Bar-boy-deez gra-sill-iss. G Origin: Benin to Equatorial Guinea, via Cameroon and Nigeria.

open water, sometimes among vegetation. G Tank size: 120 x 45cm/48 x 18in minimum. G Water requirements: Neutral to acid, soft water; pH 6.0–7.2, hardness below 8°H. G Temperature: 24-29°C/75–84°F. G Feeding: Will eat flakes and pellets along with frozen bloodworm and Daphnia. G Temperament: This species is pretty indifferent unless its tank mates are large enough to intimidate it. G Availability and price: I’ve toured at least four different shops a month, all around the country for the last five years and I’ve only ever seen them offered for sale once. I can’t remember the price, either.

G Habitat: Swamps and rainforest streams, in dark, stained water. G Tank size: 45 x 30cm/18 x 12in minimum. G Water requirements: Neutral to acid, soft water; pH 6.0–7.2, hardness below 8°H. G Feeding: Tiny food needed. Microworms and Artemia nauplii are a good start, along with Cyclops. Leaf litter will help stimulate microorganisms. G Temperament: Nervous, with lashings of petrified and an undertow of pure terror. G Availability and price: The only place I’ve seen them is Sweet Knowle Aquatics, but I seem to remember them being quite cheap — maybe £3 or £4 each.

0

pH

Temp C 8 7

AQUARIUMPHOTO.DK

0

pH

A tiny fish, but at least it has a formal genus. Hard to source in the first place, you might need a jeweller’s loupe to actually see the things, as the biggest on record was only 1.8cm. As well as specialist retailers, aquascaping communities might be worth checking if you’re seeking them. With their penchant for acidic water, and their desire to leave plants alone, they make a great choice for a nano ’scape.

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30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23

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FISHKEEPING NEWS Latest news and events from the world of aquatics. SHOW NEWS

EVENTS

Show-winning fish

There will be special offers on livestock at Romsey’s event.

Visit Romsey World of Water over the weekend of October 31–Nov 1 and take part in what the Hampshire store promises will be one of the largest marine events of 2015. Industry suppliers such as Red Sea, Vitalis, Hydor, Seneye and TMC will be showing off the latest tech from the trade show, AQUA 2015, and there will be live demonstrations and special offers on fish and corals. Romsey World of Water’s James Dwyer says: “All visitors will get free entry to the £2,000 prize raffle and will be able to explore the site and see the south’s largest independent aquatic retailer.” The store is open from 9am–6pm on the Saturday and 10am–4pm on the Sunday. Romsey World of water is located just outside Southampton on Greatbridge Road, Romsey, Hampshire, SO51 0HB. Tel. 01794 515 923 for more information.

This gorgeous Pearl cichlid, Geophagus brasiliensis, won the Supreme Final 2015 and the Best in Show at the British Open Final, at the Federation of British Aquatic Societies’ (FBAS) Festival of Fishkeeping weekend. The owner of the fish, Alan Finnegan — with his son Jack — not only won these awards but also the second, third and fourth (and fifth and sixth) in the Supreme Final. This is a success never known before in the Festival’s 27–year history. Alan also won the ‘highest pointed’ in the Open Show (OS) and was awarded the FBAS Gold Brooch. His son Jack represented Leicester AS to collect the Highest Pointed Society Award too. The Festival was held for the third year at the Hounslow Urban Farm over the weekend of October 3–4, and the only major award that Alan didn’t win this year was the Diamond Class, taken by Roy Chapman of

Southend and Leigh AS with a killifish — Aphanius danfordii — which is on the red list of endangered fish. One of the other major awards was the Supreme Breeders championship, where a team of four fish bred this year is judged. The winner was Tim Edwards (Tim’s Fish Room) with his Celestial pearl danios, Danio margaritatus. DR DAVID FORD

Tim’s winning Celestial pearl danios. DR DAVID FORD

ROMSEY WORLD OF WATER

Romsey World of Water to hold exclusive marine event

DR DAVID FORD

ROMSEY WORLD OF WATER

Best in Show at the British Open Final was this Geophagus brasiliensis.

This Aphanius danfordii won the Diamond Class.

DR DAVID FORD

The marine event will feature the latest new products and live demonstrations.

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PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

RETAIL NEWS

RETAIL NEWS The Aquatic Shack carries a wide range of fish.

THE AQUATIC SHACK

Maidenhead Aquatics opens its 150th store

MAIDENHEAD AQUATICS

New aquatic shop opens in Essex

Staff at Maidenhead Aquatics’ new Cirencester branch. A new branch of Maidenhead Aquatics has opened at Dobbies Garden Centre in Cirencester, bringing the number of UK stores in the chain to 150. The store, which was up until recently run by Dobbies, has been given a £50,000 revamp and now features a 4,000 l marine system that incorporates a 6ft coral tray, while the existing marine system has now been converted to freshwater, increasing the tropical section by 25%. A large Koi pond also allows customers to feed the fish. Maidenhead Aquatics @ Cirencester can be found at Dobbies Garden Centre, Siddington, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 6EU.

The Aquatic Shack is a new store located in Upminster, which carries a broad selection in most areas of the hobby but also specialises in Malawi cichlids, L-number plecs and some of the less commonly available community fish. The shop has 164 tropical tanks, a bank of 40 Fighter tanks — current stock includes Koi and Dumbo Fighters — a coral tray and nine large marine tanks. To give you a flavour of what’s available, here’s a list of some of The Aquatic Shack’s current stock: O Metynnis fasciatus O Myleus schomburgkii O Nicaragua cichlid O Longfin Oscars O One sided livebearer O Limia melanogaster

O Xiphophorus montezumae O Vaillant’s chocolate gourami O Electric blue paradise fish O Super red paradise fish O Gymnogeophagus norte O Chameleon whiptails, Pseudohemiodon apithanos O Corydoras armatus O Corydoras CW49 O L134 O L236 O L177 O L025 O L264

Opening times are: Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri 11am-6pm; Tues 11am–7pm; Sat 10.30am–5pm and Sun 10.30am–4pm. The Aquatic Shack is located at Nature’s Reserve Pet and Garden Centre, Clay Tye Road, Upminster, Essex, RM14 3PL. Tel. 01708 227323.

EVENTS

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

ALAMY

Fundraising event at Charterhouse Aquatics London-based Charterhouse Aquatics is hosting a special fundraising event in November in support of Project Coral. This pioneering marine research project is being led by the Horniman Museum and Gardens in South London. In 2013, the Horniman Aquarium became the first institution in the world to purposely reproduce broadcast coral in captivity. This significant achievement led to Project Coral, an innovative coral sexual reproductive research project with the aims of saving endangered corals, securing the world’s coral reefs, furthering sustainability of the trade in corals, and training conservationsists. The fundraising event takes place at Charterhouse Aquatics on Saturday, November 14, from 11am–5pm, featuring talks from Jamie Craggs, Aquarium Curator at the Horniman, about the aquarium’s ground-breaking research, at 2pm and 4pm. There will also be the opportunity to see the store’s new Project Coral display tank and to buy your own piece of coral in support of the project. There will be a raffle and refreshments will be available throughout the day. Charterhouse Aquatics is based at Arches, 300-331 Stean Street, London E8 4ED.

Buy a coral to help raise funds for Project Coral.

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PHOTOGRAPHY: GEORGE FARMER

Dense as a forest, bright as a rainbow.

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PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Reader visit

SIMPLE?

e er usan as on y ep an s or ree an a half years, but he has one of the densest reef set-ups in the land. Learn how he got off to such a great start. WORDS: NATHAN HILL

B

ack in June, a speculative email started a chain of events that culminated with me visiting one of the finest tanks I’ve witnessed this year. “Please see attached images of my tank,” it read. “Hope you are interested,” it went on. When I dragged the image down into Photoshop, bleary-eyed and awaiting my morning caffeine to kick in, it was like an invasion from planet chintzy. Colours as brazen as they were varied clawed out of the screen at me, nearly sending my off of the chair in a flurry of palpitations. This tank was, in journalistic parlance, a bit of a goer. At the first opportunity, I was down at Peter Busani’s pristine Bedfordshire home, admiring the swirling mass of colours first hand, uncensored and unedited. Supping on a daytime beer, and scuttling around his set-up like a ferret in a pipe warehouse, I was duly impressed. Even more so when it transpires that this is Peter’s first ever foray into aquaria. Here’s what we discussed… PFK: Let’s start with the basics — how big is this tank, and exactly how long have you had it running for? PB: The tank is 4ft long, 2ft high and 1.5ft in depth (120 x 60 x 45cm deep), and it has been running now for three and a half years

MEET THE AQUARIST G Name: Peter Busani. G Age: 48. G Location: Dunstable, Beds. G Favourite fish: Purple tang. G Most spent on a fish: £100 for the Purple tang. G Most spent on a coral: £120 for a Bleeding apple Scolymia. G Dream tank: Red Sea Reefer 450. www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

PFK: What first attracted you to marine tanks? Did you migrate from freshwater? PB: This is my first tank. The reason I decided to go full-blown marine was down to my friends who own Deepblue Aquatic in Hemel Hempstead. I used to visit the shop and was fascinated by the fish, but mostly the corals. After several visits I was hooked and became determined to buy an aquarium. One day, someone returned a system to them because he never had the time for the upkeep. I bought it, which is the tank I have at present and since then I’ve totally fallen in love with and immersed myself in the hobby. PFK: What do you do for a living? PB: Easy to answer, I now work in the industry with a company called Fintail that distribute the

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Despite the density, Peter has no compatibility issues.

NEWA range of aquatics products — pumps, heaters, aquariums and so on. I was involved in IT for many years but once I became besotted with the hobby I was hell-bent on working in aquatics. So these days I visit all the best shops around the UK promoting our product range — best job ever. I do stay away from time to time and mostly the system looks after itself. My wife, Margaret, feeds the fish and visually checks things over. If ever there was a problem she would call me. If I go on holiday for two or more weeks I get my friend from my local store to pop in and make sure all is okay and to feed the fish for me.

into the sump. The first chamber contains a filter sock and the return from a chiller that keeps things at the correct temperature. The water then feeds into the second chamber where a lot of waste gets pulled out by a Bubble Magus NAC 6 skimmer. Also in this chamber is a feed through a reactor running Rowaphos for phosphate control. In the third chamber water is heated by a NEWA Therm 400W heater and is returned into the aquarium via a NEWA Jet 4500 pump. Also in this chamber the calcium reactor returns effluent back into the aquarium, keeping alkalinity at perfect levels.

PFK: Talk me through your sump, from one end to the other. If I was the water going through, what would I meet along the way? PB: The water comes down on the right hand side of the aquarium dropping

PFK: What’s the one piece of kit you couldn’t be without? PB: I’d say my protein skimmer but also my calcium reactor. Both these pieces of equipment have helped in making this aquarium I have today.

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PFK: With the cupboard open I can see the inside is wood finish and the outside is black. Is that a customisation thing? PB: I purchased the tank in a wood finish but we decided that the colour did not blend in with the decor. I contacted a friend who wraps cars and asked if he could wrap the hood and cabinet, and he said he could. We wrapped it in Piano black. The finish and quality really boosted the aesthetics of the tank. PFK: What kind of lighting are you using? Does it all come on in one go, or is it staggered through the day? Why did you go for the lights that you’ve chosen? PB: I use three T5, 54W bulbs, one Marine Blue T5, one hybrid T5 and finally two Aquaray Fiji blue LEDs. They’re staggered on timers that ramp up and down. The cycle runs over an hour and half in the morning and the PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Reader visit

Peter’s supplement regime Daily Redsea Reef colors A, B, C, D 6mg dosed thrice daily; Redsea Reef energy A & B, 8mg dosed twice daily; 4mg of Nopox dosed twice daily. These are all dosed through two Jecod dosers.

Peter’s top tips for new reefkeepers G Always begin with cycling your tank correctly. G Don’t overstock if you want to achieve a decent reef tank. G Before stocking any SPS or LPS corals make sure your water quality is the absolute best it can be, and ensure that they can live in the conditions you have created for them. G Purchase from a trusted store that you know you can get the correct advice from. G Finally, make sure you have lots of cash on standby if you want to set up a tank like this one, because you’re going to need it!

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

A clownfish takes a break among some zoas.

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evening. Lighting is on for around eight hours per day. I looked into my options before deciding on the T5s but at the time there wasn’t much information on long term LED use. So in the event I stuck with lighting that I knew had been tried and tested for many years. PFK: How much live rock have you used, and is it mixed? PB: I couldn’t really estimate how much rock has been introduced as it is so well stocked. There is some Java rock, Fiji rock and also a few pieces of Tonga branching, and there are also some plating rocks. I never really had a reason to go for any particular kinds, I just wanted to build the rock up quite high so I purchased additional pieces once a month until I was happy with the ‘scape. PFK: What would you estimate the power consumption up to be? PB: Very difficult question to answer. Let me just say my electric bill has gone up up dramatically being a reefkeeper. PFK: How much do you think the whole set up has cost you to put together? PB: The cost of the aquarium to date is probably around the £8,000 mark, but when I spread that over the last three and a half years it’s not too bad. PFK: What order did you add your corals in? PB: I started by adding soft corals and was very successful with growth. Then ` I started to look into creating an SPS/ LPS tank and started looking for the correct information on water quality required to run a successful reef with very fragile corals. I started by stripping all the soft corals from the aquarium and over the next three months I made sure the water quality was low nutrient for the introduction of small frags. These started responding well, so I decided to add more and have ended up with a fully stocked, prominently SPS aquarium. Stability is the key with any low nutrient system. PFK: Do you need to trim back growth? PB: I have trimmed back some of the corals that were getting close but they seem to change direction when they become too near to each other now. PFK: What’s your favourite coral? PB: My pink Seratiopora hystrix. This was one of my first pieces and I’ve witnessed it growing into an amazing colony. The colour gets better each and every month. PFK: Any other inverts in there? PB: I have a little clean up crew consisting of one sand-sifting starfish, two Fire shrimps, two Blue legged hermit crabs, two turbo snails and four Nassarius snails.

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A Purple tang and a clownfish get on just fine.

PFK: Have you had any hitchhikers or undesirables turn up? PB: I had a couple of bristleworms and also a gorilla crab, but I managed to catch them before any damage was done. I’ve been pretty lucky on that front really. PFK: How do you deal with nuisance algae or Aiptasia? PB: I’ve never really had nuisance algae. I did have a couple of Aiptasia but I always use a Majano wand and it’s been very successful in controlling them. PFK: What fish selection have you gone for? PB: Fish stock as follows: Sohal tang, Salfin tang, Purple tang, Regal tang, Convict tang, two Tangerine clowns, three Ghost cardinals, Sixline wrasse and a Keyhole angel. I really love tangs, so I went with as many as I felt I could get away with while keeping the system low nutrient. The other fish came from my LFS after I looked into their reef compatibility.

PFK: Have there been any issues between the fish and corals? PB: I’ve never had any problems between the two, no. The fish were always bought with emphasis on them being reef safe. PFK: Have you had to take anything out because it was troublesome? PB: Again, no. I’ve had the fish in the system for a long while and corals have never been an issue. The only time I’ve ever taken something out is if I have fragged a piece of coral and then given it away. PFK: What foods are you using for the fish? Do you feed the corals too? PB: I use New Era marine and aegis flakes. The fish receive it once a day in the morning. Then twice a week they get a mixture of frozen Mysis, lobster eggs and Cyclops. I also put in six bags of sieved copepods once a week. PFK: What are your daily, weekly and monthly chores? PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Reader visit Convict tang, Acanthurus triostegus.

Peter opts for sump-based filtration.

Sailfin tang, Zebrasoma veliferum.

PB: Daily I have to check all equipment is working and visually scan over the corals and fish for any problems. Weekly, I clean the glass with magnet and change 50 l/11 gal of water using water from an RO unit in my garage. I clean inside of the tank with toothbrush and a sponge, clean the combs on my weir and also toothbrush over my powerheads. I clean the skimmer out about two or three times per week. Monthly I replace the Rowaphos in the reactor and fill up the Kalk in the calcium reactor. I finish off by cleaning the dosing lines and check dosers are in good working order. PFK: If you could go back and start again, what would you change? PB: I wouldn’t have changed a thing. With the money and time I have put into this tank, everything has always been essentially straightforward and rewarding. www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

This brain coral is just one of a mountain of hard corals.

PFK: What’s something you wish you’d known when you started? PB: I wish I’d known the time required at the beginning to get things right. And the amount that it costs to start and maintain a good system. PFK: What’s your favourite aquarium brand? PB: At the moment I think the new Red Sea Reefer range looks fab. PFK: Any plans for another tank any time? PB: Not at present. The only time I would consider one is if we moved. PFK: To finish off – and I know it’s a lot to ask, how about a list of the coral you own? PB: Bali green slimer, Blastamussa sp., Pink hystrix, Green hystrix, Several zoa colonies, Ricordia florida, Duncanopsammia axifuga, Orange and Green Acanthastrea, Brain coral, Chalice coral, Purple

Pocillopora, Pink Pocillopora, Stylophora, Lobophyllia, various mushrooms, Purple Millepora, Tri colour Acropora and large colonies of Acropora including aussie acros in various colours and a large colony of white Seriatopora. I think this is most of it but there is just so much in there. PFK: Yes, yes there is...

Water chemistry in Peter’s system G Alkalinity: 7.3dKH G Phosphate: 0.003ppm G Calcium: 420ppm G Nitrate: 0.25. G Ammonia: 0. G Magnesium: 1250. G pH: 8.2. G Specific gravity 1.026. G Temperature 26.5°C/80°F.

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TANKCOMMUNITY FORUM Find the popular fishkeeping forum at http://forum.practical fishkeeping.co.uk.

Are my floors up toit?

Fenners I live on the third floor of a new build apartment block with 16 apartments on each floor. The floors are concrete; I’ve got a Rio 125 waiting to be filled. Will the weight be an issue?

fcmf Only a structural engineer who examines the property will be able to give a definitive answer. All are built to withstand ‘domestic loading’, but no two properties are built alike.

daz4321 Would you be happy to have a 20–stone bloke sit in a chair in your apartment? Chairs are usually near the centre of the room unlike aquariums and it is quite possible to have three large chaps on a sofa — would they fall through the floor? With a Rio 125 you should be OK.

_Mark_ Of course you’ll be OK. A Rio 125 will hold at most 125kg of water. What’s the weight of tank and substrate and cabinet and everything else? Approximately 75kg? So maybe 200kg all-in — that’s two slim people sat on a small lightweight sofa, or one fatty on a big armchair!

We need to create a ‘cradle to cradle’ approach I’m writing regarding the article on greener marines in September’s PFK. The hobby needs to move forward to create a “cradle to cradle” approach; we aquarists have a responsibility to the environment and the animals we keep. We now have the knowledge and technology to keep animals removed from the sea alive in aquariums for the most part. Why are we not supporting the marine ecosystem by putting something back or looking at this from a different standpoint? Life rock is the sensible way forward. Why can’t you purchase this already cycled with bacteria? Going through the process of cycling live rock to remove most of the dead or dying animals before it can be sold or put in an aquarium has to be bad and damaging for the environment. How much does is cost to cycle live rock per ton? There is the cost of the rock itself, the cost to import, the cost of the salt water that needs to be made up then constantly replaced to remove the ammonia. A more sensible approach would be for importers to reduce the amount of live rock imported and cycle existing live rock with cycled rock. Yes, there may be a reduction on flora initially on the rock, but the

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

result would be better for the environment. Live rock could still be farmed, thus maintaining a better grade of rock. We should also encourage the collectors to frag coral and to grow frags by using coral farms in the ocean — the mother or parent coral need not be removed. There are pioneering shops in the UK doing this at the tail end. With careful management the reefs can be sustainably farmed. Like picking Retailers should apples, you don’t need to make more of their tank chop the tree down each bred marines. time you need an apple — take what you need, next year there is another crop. supply chain will things Why are tank bred marine fish improve, the demand needs not returned to the sea? Disease to be more focused on the is obvious, but then why are fish use of tank bred or not bred in stations on the reef sustainable collection methods then released? This removes the in the future. disease argument. This letter is not a criticism of The whole industry has a the article, far from it — but it responsibility to the environment needs to go deeper. — from the collector to the Manufacturers of lights, pumps importer to the aquarist. Failure to and other equipment are accept responsibility is not an reducing their impact on the option unless we are prepared for environment through lower a world without marine fish and electricity requirements. coral reefs. What are we doing as There needs be more focus and aquarists from an rewarding of the retailers who are environmental and sustainable selling/promoting tank bred standpoint regarding the marine fish and corals. Only by animals we keep? working with all parts of the Trevor Town, email

Win FishScience aquarium food The writer of each star letter will win a 250ml pot of their choice from this quality range of food, which uses natural ingredients. Email: editorial@practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

yoda If you didn’t fall through the floor when you had a bath, you should be fine — the weight of a full bath plus an adult would almost certainly outweigh the tank. If however, you’re sitting in the bathroom of the apartment downstairs looking up at a big hole in the ceiling, you may need to rethink the Rio 125 and consider a 54 l instead!

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STAR letter

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

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TANKCOMMUNITY FROM FACEBOOK

OSomething for everyone

James Thomas, (forum name ‘Wetelbows’) has managed to combine natural aquascaping materials with traditional sunken ships and ‘No Fishing’ signs to keep both himself, and his family interested and involved with the aquarium.

Responses to our question ‘How do you go about controlling snail outbreaks?’

ALAMY

Friend or foe?

Alys Wyatt: Haven’t had an

issue in ages but have used groups of Assassin snails and Dwarf chain loach in the past with apocalyptic results for the pest snails. Cat Davies: I got Assassin snails. Now I have a lot of baby Assassin snails. I have basically given in to the invasion. Dave Steamy Briggs: I use a baited snail trap and pick out stragglers. Alex Fleming: I don’t — they sift sand, eat algae etc. Booms tell me they’ve been feeding on either excess food, plants, or dead fish, and help to indicate if something is off in the system. IMO, they’re just a normal part of any healthy tank. Mark Beeston: I have Assassin snails in my planted tank. I have kept Yoyo loaches before. Both controlled MTS — although I don’t want to totally eradicate them, justnot have them multiply to the point where they increase tank bioload. Geoff Haglund: We can’t get Assassin snails, so I use a product called No Planaria. Massively successful. My food bill reduces by a third after a snail eradication programme. Peter Clarke: Large group of 300 Assassins that I breed and move from tank to tank. Ruairidh McCall: I love snails, they’re not a pest if you don’t overfeed. Great tank cleaners. Jerome Small: I use tweezers to get rid of a lot of them, but leave some for algae control. Kevin Wedlock: Tupperware tub with 5mm holes drilled in the top, baited with food and buried in the substrate.

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OFlock of Rams?

Phillip Mackie’s (forum name ‘damrabbit’) Bolivian rams, Mikrogeophagus altispinosus, are successfully raising this clutch of fry in his 240 l/53 gal Amazonian tank.

OBoxing clever

13-year-old George Parish from the Midlands sent us this lovely photo of a Boxing or Pompom crab, Lybia tesselata, with the tiny anemones it uses as ‘boxing gloves’ in defence.

OCharming

snakehead

This photo of a Dwarf snakehead, Channa sp., was taken by Chris Hall (forum name ‘doratheexplorer’), and was voted ‘Photo of the Month’ on the PFK forum.

PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Don’t advise if you don’t know! CONTACT US

Oscars need a minimum tank size of 150cm/5ft.

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

I was shocked to overhear a remark made at my local shop to a customer who wanted to buy a juvenile Oscar, which was about 6cm/2.2in in size. He asked if it would be OK in a 60cm/24in tank and was told that yes, it would be fine and no mention was made of the fact that it would need a much larger tank when it grew. Luckily, he didn’t buy the fish so far as I know, but after he left I spoke to the shop assistant who it turned out had very little fish knowledge at all. I know the shop manager is very well-informed, but there was no sign of him at the time. While I understand that staff with fishkeeping experience might be difficult to get sometimes, wouldn’t it be better if they were told not to advise customers in the absence of more qualified staff

— surely most people would prefer to come back or phone later than be given bad advice?

Kay Scott, email OBrown and beautiful

Linda Postin’s (forum name ‘Linda 75’) Hoplo, Megalechis thoracata, is surely one of the most characterful catfish you can get for your aquarium; boisterous animated sausages always on the lookout for food!

Address Practical Fishkeeping, Bauer Media, Media House, Lynchwood, Peterborough, PE2 6EA Email: [email protected] If you or someone you know are aged between 16 and 24 and are interested in work experience opportunities at Practical Fishkeeping go to www.gothinkbig.co.uk

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O A fan of filefish

While undoubtedly beautiful, the Hawaiian fantailed filefish, Pervagor spilosoma, doesn’t make a good reef tank addition, as it likes to nibble polyps. Tracey Davies (forum name ‘CAYO’) rescued this fish from a friend’s tank, which was being shut down.

BAUER CONSUMER MEDIA

ORich tapestry

John Currington’s (forum name ‘metalmaniac’) new planted tank shows what can be achieved using just plants to provide texture, colour and form, and it should only get better as it matures.

Competition winners OThe winner of the Betta Bible in the September issue of PFK was Gordon McLeod from Edinburgh. OAlso in the September issue, the winners of the API water treatment sets were: Julia Todd, Surrey; Peter Harrison, Colchester; www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

Claire Clark, Bucks; Derek Fudge, Fife; William Scott, Fife; John Hunter, Tyne and Wear; Tony Leeson, Norwich; J. Wilkinson, Wigan; Jonathan Watson, Lancs; Lucas Nelson, County Antrim; Mary-Anne Tomblin, Northants; D. S. Younger, Leics.

Managing Director - Sport Patrick Horton Editorial Director June Smith-Sheppard Head of Digital Charlie Calton-Watson Group Direct Marketing Director Chris Gadsby Finance Director Lisa Hayden Group Finance Director Sarah Vickery Group Managing Director Rob Munro-Hall CEO Paul Keenan Practical Fishkeeping magazine is published 13 times a year by Bauer Consumer Media Ltd, registered address 1 Lincoln Court, Lincoln Road, Peterborough, PE1 2RF. Registered number 01176085. No part of the magazine may be reproduced in any form in whole or in part, without the prior permission of Bauer. All material published remains the copyright of Bauer, and we reserve the right to copy or edit any material submitted to the magazine without further consent. The submission of material (manuscripts or images etc.) to Bauer Media whether unsolicited or requested, is taken as permission to publish that material in the magazine, on the associated website, any apps or social media pages affiliated to the magazine, and any editions of the magazine published by our licensees elsewhere in the world. By submitting any material to us you are confirming that the material is your own original work or that you have permission from the copyright owner to use the material and to authorise Bauer to use it as described in this paragraph. You also promise that you have permission from anyone featured or referred to in the submitted material to it being used by Bauer. If Bauer receives a claim from a copyright owner or a person featured in any material you have sent us, we will inform that person that you have granted us permission to use the relevant material and you will be responsible for paying any amounts due to the copyright owner or featured person and/or for reimbursing Bauer for any losses it has suffered as a result. We accept no responsibility for unsolicited material which is lost or damaged in the post and we do not promise that we will be able to return any material to you. Finally, whilst we try to ensure accuracy of your material when we publish it, we cannot promise to do so. We do not accept any responsibility for any loss or damage, however caused, resulting from use of the material as described in this paragraph. COMPLAINTS: Bauer Consumer Media Limited is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (www.ipso.co.uk) and endeavours to respond to and resolve your concerns quickly. Our Editorial Complaints Policy (including full details of how to contact us about editorial complaints and IPSO’s contact details) can be found at www. bauermediacomplaints.co.uk. Our e mail address for editorial complaints covered by the Editorial Complaints Policy is complaints@bauermedia. co.uk.

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TANKCOMMUNITY

Me & my

TANK

● Fishkeeper:

John Tyler (gbone). ● Age: 41. ● Occupation: Taxi driver. ● Whereabouts? Stoke on Trent. ● Time in the hobby: Ten years. ● Number of tanks: One now, but I had four at one time.

What attracted you to the hobby? Seeing someone’s Clown loaches and just thinking they were amazing.

How would you describe your tank? Peaceful and laid back. If you’re into the activity of a Malawi tank, mine is not for you!

What’s your favourite fish? Despite the fact I don’t keep them any more, probably Corydoras — they are the perfect community fish: beautiful, active, easy to breed and peaceful. They’re a real pleasure to keep. Uaru come a very close second. I saw a video a couple of years ago and had to have some; they just looked amazing! I’d never heard of them before — I bought six babies over a year ago and they are the basis of my tank now. I love them because they’re large, have presence, are curious, friendly and you can keep a group together.

What’s the most challenging fish you’ve kept? Fancy goldfish. They always developed problems eventually, no matter how much care I put into them. I’ve never found anything else demanding really, apart from fancy goldfish. I feed well, do lots of big water changes and try to house my fish correctly; for most this keeps them happy and healthy.

PHOTOGRAPHY: JOHN TYLER UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED

Any favourite plants?

Low maintenance plants — a large Anubias looks nice in any set up and requires little effort. But due to the fact that I now have Uaru, my life is pretty plant free right now!

Current stock ● Six Uaru, Uaru amphiacanthoides. ● 6 Striped silver dollars, Metynnis fasciatus. ● One Chocolate cichlid, Hypselecara temporalis. ● One Pearse cichlid Herichthys pearsei.

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John describes his set-up as peaceful and laid back.

PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Chocolate cichlid.

Uaru and Silver dollars.

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

AQUARIUMPHOTO.DK

My wish list...

Myleus schomburgkii.

Potamotrygon ray.

Which fish would you like to keep next? Wide bar Myleus, M. schomburgkii, and freshwater stingrays; they are both beautiful and have a massive ‘wow’ factor.

What would be your dream aquarium? Something like a 16 x 4ft Amazon tank with a massive shoal of Myleus schomburgkii!

The Uaru were bought as babies a year ago.

My advice for beginners Don’t listen to everyone. A lot of people out there are clueless! Find people who keep fish that you like and who know what they’re doing and see what they do. Research five times and buy once! Save money: Stay away from fishkeeping! Seriously though, look for secondhand bargains. There is always someone selling quality stuff www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

at great prices — do research and buy the right thing first time. It’s cheaper than going through three things to finally find the right one. Save time: I find having water butts full of prepared water ready to go makes water changes very quick and easy and you’ve got an instant water change ready if you need to

do one. I remember that when I used to fill loads of 25 l/5.5 gal containers one by one, it wasn’t great… Things I wish I’d known How quickly it becomes an obsession! If I’d known, I’d have just bought a large tank straight away, as the constant upgrades in the first few years were crazy.

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The set-up is based on Noh Lagoon, which has large areas of bulrushes.

Plastic FANTASTIC

Create a Central American inspired biotope with a difference. WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY: LEE NUTTALL

W

hen it comes to imagining a cichlid biotope from Central America, we usually assume rocks, wood and more rocks, but I have come to know in my time researching, that there are many different types of habitat to be discovered when looking for information regarding the natural world of Central American cichlids. I love to see plants thriving in the aquarium — the problem here is that Central American cichlids and plants are

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rarely compatible. I have used a few select species of plants quite successfully, but combining planting and growing techniques with compatible cichlid species is limited!

The search begins My quest to create a planted style Central American aquarium goes back several years when I became interested in keeping what is now a favourite cichlid of mine: Thorichthys pasionis, with a collection locale given as “Laguna Noh”. Noh Lagoon is situated in the southern

part of the Yucatán peninsula, Campeche, Mexico. The lagoon boasts a rich diversity of aquatic species, around 11 representing cichlidae alone. We are given clues on how the underwater habitat may look by reading reports and studying photos. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find any decent underwater photos of Noh Lagoon — this could be down to poor visibility due to high sediment, but from the photos taken above we are given clues, such as large patches of bulrush areas and Nymphaea sp. that populate PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Step by step

The artificial bulrushes were thoroughly tested to ensure they were safe to use.

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

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The 120cm/48in tank gave plenty of space for effective aquascaping.

The fish of Laguna Noh the water surface. I have used Nymphaea sp. before, but bulrush is new to me. Bulrush can take the form of grasses or thick reeds, with around 30 species. They are regarded as cosmopolitan, which means they will be found across all or most of the world. They are generally marginal plants, doing better in boggy/moist soil, however, they can adapt to a submerged state. My research for home aquarium varieties came to a blank, as most of those available are used for outdoor ponds. An open-topped aquarium, strong lighting and a deep, rich muddy substrate to accommodate the large root system would be required and in my opinion this would make things too complicated.

So, my research came up with the next best thing: artificial bulrush. They seemed ideal for my project as they looked quite realistic and were also reasonably priced — but as they were coming from an online florist rather than an aquatic shop, would they be safe to use?

Choosing the fish After deciding to loosely base my biotope display aquarium around a bulrush area of Noh Lagoon, my next job was to find suitable species. Centrals aren’t particularly well represented at retail level, so finding that elusive species may seem an impossible task. The best places to look are specialist importers or breeders.

Laguna Noh boasts an incredible amount of aquatic diversity, including 11 different species of cichlids. Not all will be compatible or suitable for this style of biotope aquarium. Cichlid species known are Astatheros robertsoni, ‘Cichlasoma’ urophthalmus, Parachromis friedrichsthalii, Parachromis managuensis (exotic), Oscura heterospila, Petenia splendida, Rocio octofasciata, Thorichthys meeki, Thorichthys pasionis, Trichromis salvini, Vieja bifasciata. Non-cichlid species include: Astyanax mexicanus, Poecilidae spp. Poecilia mexicanus, Xiphophorus hellerii — and most likely there are more.

The livebearers added movement in the upper levels and helped to settle the cichlids.

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PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Step by step

How the set-up came together

1

I decide to work from left to right for my display. I build the left hand side using a couple of smaller rocks and pebbles to use as a platform. This will help keep the sloping bank shape and also help stop anaerobic build up as the sand substrate will be quite deep. Place a layer of silver or silica sand with a light fine gravel mix building up the left hand side. The main hardscape feature will

be a large beech tree branch. This will need to be prepared in advance, so that it sinks underwater. Place the wood so that it is sloping, helping to create the triangle composition that I have chosen. Place thinner beech tree branches to give height to the hardscape. Place pebbles and leaf litter around the main focal piece of wood to blend the base of the wood with the substrate.

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We can now add the bulrush stems, using the rule of thirds ratio, adding them in different heights so that they taper down towards a third of the aquascape. We can also add

Nymphaea sp, such as African tiger lotus (Green) to give bit of variety, but these would be better planted in a nutrient rich pot.

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or gently scraping the algae with your fingernail. Planted securely enough, the plastic plants should withstand the foraging of larger Central American cichlids.

Over time you may get a slight covering of hair algae on the plastic stems, which will give a realistic look to the aquascape. You can control the growth, either by removing and cleaning them,

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Everything looks so natural that it’s hard to believe that this is an aquarium setting.

When adding livebearers to any Central American set-up, introduce them a week or so before the cichlids.

Since the aquarium I used was moderate in size, I decided to go for a small colony of eight Firemouths, Thorichthys meeki, and a selection of Poecilia and Xiphophorus spp. as dither fish to help settle the young Firemouths and add movement to the upper levels. When adding livebearers to any sort of Central American set-up, it is best to introduce them a week or so prior to introducing your cichlids. A larger display aquarium can be used where a true Noh Lagoon community could be created, including milder temperament The Firemouths were very at home in this set-up.

biotope compatible species such as Astatheros robertsoni, Oscura heterospila, Rocio octofasciata and Thorichthys pasionis.

Preparation of plastic bulrush stems It is important to remove the metal stipe, which the plants are attached to. On removing, you can separate the plants into stems to be planted individually. You can arrange them either by placing them into a plastic plug using silicone or preferably attached to a clear plastic cocktail stick, again using silicone. By doing this, you can plant them easily into the substrate and also remove them for different placement or cleaning when algae develops. I wasn’t sure if the artificial plants were aquarium safe, however, after initial testing over a month period (very important when using anything not designed for aquarium use), the results were positive.

Equipment used OAquarium: 120 x 45cm/120 x 18in. OLighting: A couple of cheap LED lamps or one fluorescent tube is fine for this set-up. OFiltration: Eheim Classic 250. OHeating: Jager heaterstat, 200W. OBackground: White card or polystyrene. ODecor: Silver sand with fine gravel mix, small river rocks and pebbles, beech tree wood, beech tree leaves. Artificial bulrush stems, green/brown supplied by deko-mich.

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PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

3

Step by step

alternative cichlids for this set-up

Astatheros robertsoni

G Origin: Found throughout Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico. G Size: 25cm/10in. G Temperament: These cichlids will do better when kept in colonies, where their aggression can be diluted. G Minimum tank size: 150 x 45cm/60 x 18in. G Notes: These fish are substrate sifters so provide them with plenty of sand.

Oscura heterospila G Origin: Found in Guatemala and Mexico. G Size: 24cm/9.4in. G Temperament: A large, mildly aggressive cichlid, which used to be assigned to the Vieja genus. G Minimum tank size: 160 x 50cm/64 x 20in.

Thorichthys pasionis G Origin: Found in Guatemala and Mexico. G Size: Males to 15cm/6in, females smaller. G Temperament: An ideal companion for Thorichthys meeki, keep this fish in larger colonies to minimise aggression and to encourage natural behaviour. G Minimum tank size: 120 x 45cm/48 x 18in.

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Situations Need some help with maintenance in your reef tank? These fish have the relevant skills and will be happy to do a spot of housework in return for good food and lodgings. WORDS: DAVE WOLFENDEN

vitae Curriculum d goby,

Maintenance of the sand bed is a constant job. Stirring of the substrate prevents it from developing dead spots and helps to clear it of detritus, diatoms and dinoflagellates. There are various species of goby, which are sand-sifters to varying degrees. One of the best choices surely has to be the Diamond goby, Valenciennea puellaris, from the Indo-Pacific. This industrious fish reaches no more than 15cm/6in in length, and will bsessively stir the sand bed, helping to prevent the build up of anaerobic zones, and berating detritus for removal by mechanical filtration. In doing so, they extract tiny orms, crustaceans and other microfauna, so they will need a decent depth of fine and of sufficient maturity to contain at least some of these food types, and an quarium of at least 150 l/33 gal is recommended. These gobies tend to be territorial, o attempting to keep more than one in any system is risky. In systems with LPS on the ubstrate, they can be a nuisance, as they may deposit sand on top of the corals.

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mon O Name: Dia puellaris. ea nn ie nc le Va Indo-Pacific. O Address: . to 15cm/6in O Size: Up g; burrowing. in ft si d an S O Skills: g for an ions: Lookin e O Expectat with a matur um ri aqua established fine sand. substrate of

Property maintenance

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he battle with pests, dealing with algae and generally keeping the aquarium in good condition can sometimes seem like an uphill struggle. Luckily, there is a range of marine fish suited to helping out with many of those tedious maintenance chores.

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PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Marine

Algae control is high on the list of maintenance tasks for the marine aquarist, but some fish can help. Careful research will allow an informed choice to be made about the suitability of certain species. In particular, consider the morphology of mouthparts, adult size, and of course compatibility with other fish as well as invertebrates. The major groups to consider include tangs, blennies, rabbitfishes and pygmy angels.

PHOTOMAX

Gardener

DR DWAYNE MEADOWS, CREATIVE COMMONS

Yellow eye or Kole tang, Ctenochaetus strigosus: Indo-Pacific, up to 15cm/6in. The bristle-like teeth of this fish mean it can be effective in rasping diatoms and dinoflagellates from the rockwork.

Foxface rabbitfish, Siganus vulpinus: Western Pacific, up to 20cm/8in. Very effective algae grazer for larger systems, although care is needed when handling as this species is venomous.

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Yellow tang, Zebrasoma flavescens: Pacific, up to 15cm/6in. A versatile and hardy tang, capable of dealing with a range of algal problems. Good teamworker — can be kept in groups in larger systems.

PHOTOMAX

SHUTTERSTOCK

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

Lawnmower blenny, Salarias fasciatus: Indo-Pacific, up to 12cm/4.8in. Great for nano systems; lacking in looks, but an efficient grazer on filamentous algae. Needs to be kept as one specimen per aquarium.

Coral beauty, Centropyge bispinosus: Indo-Pacific, up to 10cm/4in. Can be delicate, and will require at least 150 l/33 gal, but is an effective algae grazer. Generally reef safe, but may be best considered for a position in a fish only with live rock (FOWLR) system rather than a full mixed reef.

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ALAMY

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but many specimens simply waste away due to low numbers of heterospecifics to clean; although they will accept prepared diets and these are important for captive specimens, they fare best when kept with plenty of other fish to keep them occupied and well fed. One final point — avoid keeping them with fish that have very thin, sensitive skin such as puffers, as their constant pestering can cause damage.

Curriculum vitae

O Name: Bluestrea k cleaner wrasse, Labroides dimidiatu s. O Address: Indo-P acific. O Size: Up to 12cm /4.8in. O Personal state ment: A clientfocused cleaner, ab le to work with a range of species, from large predator s to small herbivores . I can adapt my behaviour to suit client moods. I am very demand ing, and require expert care.

vitae Curriculum by, Elacatinus

n go O Name: Neo oceanops. . : Caribbean O Address in .6 /1 m 4c to ng O Size: Up An easy-goi statement: ems. st sy y O Personal an m in with goby, I will fit nge of pt a wide ra ce ac ily pp ha the needs I’ll to g in l as tend foods, as wel ates. of my tank m

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The Atlantic cleaner gobies of the genus Elacatinus are much easier to maintain, and they’re ideal for the nano aquarium, as they rarely reach much more than 4cm/10in in length. In particular, the blue Neon goby, E. oceanops, is worth considering. This cute little fish is much more adaptable than Labroides, and will happily feed on very finely chopped frozen food and ground flake, as well as performing cleaning duties. They are quite

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On the reef, a whole host of fish take advantage of the services offered by cleaner fish. Whilst cleaner wrasses of the genus Labroides are certainly the most well-known cleaners, they’re not the only ones offering cleaning. In fact, many species will act as facultative, opportunistic cleaners (meaning they don’t rely on cleaning exclusively for their survival), especially as juveniles — as with lots of butterflyfish, for example. Cleaning involves the picking of dead skin, fungus and parasites from the client — and the cleaner wrasses have this down to a fine art. Of the five recognised species, the only one worth considering for the aquarium is the Bluestreak cleaner, L. dimidiatus, and even this species is a challenge to maintain. Other members of the genus are even more difficult to keep, being strictly obligate cleaners to varying degrees (meaning they’re unable to survive on anything other than the diet derived from their clients). Inhabiting Indo-Pacific reefs, Bluestreaks set up cleaning ‘stations’ which are visited by a host of species, all eager to take advantage of the personal services on offer. Sharks, morays, groupers — you name it, they all come for a clean, and the wrasses also offer a ‘massage’ for the more demanding predatory clients — scientists believe this behaviour acts to ‘schmooze’ potentially dangerous hosts. Some individuals will be visited by over a thousand clients a day, and this makes for a challenge maintaining them in the aquarium. They’ll happily set up their stations in the aquarium,

EMPLOY

Beautician

bold and will actively seek out clients; thanks to their blue and black markings (recognised universally as a cleaner ‘uniform’), even many aggressive fish will accept their services, although highly predatory, large-mouthed species may be an issue. In all, these fish are delightful, and can be a great addition to the aquarium. Keep either as single individuals or pairs (this species will breed in the aquarium as an added bonus). PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Marine Pest controller

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For the control of glass anemones (Aiptasia), the Copperband butterfly, Chelmon rostratus, can be excellent, but there’s a snag — they can be challenging to keep. The keys to success with this species are to select a healthy individual from the get-go, and ensure it is feeding before purchase. These are delicate fish, and they need to be expertly collected, transported and rested to keep them in good condition. Limit stress, and provide a mature, amply-sized aquarium (one specimen will need around 400 l/88 gal or Curriculum vitae so). A final point to bear O Name: Copperband but terfly fish, in mind is that they will Chelmon rostratus. tend towards picking at O Address: Western Pac ific. feather dusters and O Size: Up to 18cm/7.2 in. perhaps other polyps in O Skills: Excellent (if del icate) pest addition to Aiptasia. anemone cleaner, I will also pick at a Overall, success rates range of other invertebr ates. I am are low with looking for expert care. Copperbands, and they need expert care and careful selection.

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www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

EMPLOY

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

It’s worth investigating the weird-looking Aiptasia-eating filefish, Acreichthys tomentosus, as an alternative. This relative of the puffers sports a cryptic appearance, perfect for blending in with seagrass and reef environments. They are much hardier than Copperbands, and can be quite effective at controlling Aiptasia infestations as well as majanos, although they will struggle with very large anemones. A drawback to these fish is that they may develop a liking vitae for other polyps, Curriculuma-eating filefish, tasi including corals, O Name: Aip mentosus. to and some folks Acreichthys cific. do-West Pa In : have rued the ss re dd OA . in .2 to 8cm/3 day they added O Size: Up include My interests s: one to their st re te O In variety of a y jo . I en system. Not all eating polyps and ing Aiptasia individuals will polyps, includ ally, I am er en G . ls cora become a problem, occasionally , however. but be aware that an omnivore it’s a possibility.

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Curriculum vitae

O Name: Sixline wr asse, Pseudocheil inus hexataenia. O Address: Indo-P acific. O Size: Up to 10cm /4in. O Expectations: I am looking for a large, established aquarium with ple nty of nooks, crann ies and hiding places. I ca n become aggress ive towards my tank mates.

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Some fish can be used to assist with the removal of pests such as anemones and flatworms. Such biological control can be a little hit-or-miss, but it’s often a useful addition to strategies such as mechanical removal and chemical treatments. There are several small wrasses that can be used as biological control against flatworms. The Sixline wrasse, Pseudocheilinus hexataenia, for example, is a good choice. It’s attractive, reaches a mere 10cm/4in maximum length, and will snaffle a range of pests, including flatworms and small bristleworms. Despite its diminutive size, however, it can be a bully, so it fares best in systems with plenty of room and larger semi-aggressive tank mates.

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Beauty on a Stylish and successful aquascapes don’t have to be expensive or complicated to put together. You can create a set-up like this for less than £320. WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY: GEORGE FARMER

I

’m in a privileged position where I am regularly offered high-end planted aquariums and equipment to aquascape, photograph and write about. A lot of those systems in their entirety will cost in excess of well over £1,000 and this is well beyond the budgets of many hobbyists, especially beginners. So, I took the opportunity to try my hand at creating an effective aquascape using only modestly priced products from a company called Aquadistri. Its brands include Superfish (aquariums and associated kit), Colombo (planted aquarium products) and Aquafleur (aquarium plants). I have to admit to being a little sceptical at first — I’d never really used these products before and I wondered how effective they would be. But I really wanted to succeed because I realise how confusing the planted tank hobby can be for beginners, with conflicting advice and an overwhelming choice of kit out there. So, to have all the products available from one supplier and at an accessible price could only be a good thing in my view.

The kit The tank I used is a Superfish Home 60 and it holds 60 l/13.3 gal. It comes supplied with 10W of LED lighting that are a mix of white and blue, with a heavy bias towards the white. The LEDs can be controlled from the top of the unit or by remote control. It’s dimmable, as well as adjustable between the white and blue LEDs. The lighting unit is also hinged, making aquarium maintenance simple.

Maintenance O Daily: feed fish, add liquid fertiliser (2ml), check filter, check temperature, check fish health, check CO2 level. O Weekly: Clean aquarium glass, change 50% water, prune plants as required. O Fortnightly: Clean filter in old aquarium water.

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The tank comes supplied with an internal filter that sits inside a plastic housing with an additional a slot for a heater. I was concerned that 10W of LED wouldn’t be sufficient to grow many species of plants and that the filter might not be capable of providing decent circulation. But I decided not to compromise on my plant choice and deliberately chose a few more demanding species to see if the system could handle it. I was pleased to see that the Colombo Pro Fertiliser contained nitrates and phosphates, which I always like to add in a heavily planted tank, especially with CO2 injection. The CO2 kit itself was impressive. It’s supplied with a regulator, 95g disposable cylinder and 3-in-1 diffuser with non-return valve, bubble counter and removable ceramic disc. The ceramic plate produces a very consistent CO2 microbubble output across the entire disc surface. I could also have opted for a liquid CO2 fertiliser as an alternative here. The next factor to consider was the soil. I’ve probably tried a dozen or so different soil brands over the years and this seemed similar to the better ones, although there isn’t really much difference between any of them. Grain size is consistent with no bits of wood and other organic matter you can often get. It can produce ammonia after initial installation, so large frequent water changes are the order of the day to help prevent algae. Livestock should not be added until ammonia and nitrite are undetectable using test kits.

The aquascape The aquarium sits in my living room, and with a partner and children to consider, it had to appeal to everyone. Also, with another four aquariums in the house I needed something that didn’t require high levels of maintenance but still offered high impact with plenty of colour and interest. I chose a mixture of easy and more demanding plants to test out the whole

Lush and green needn’t be expensive.

system. The Alternanthera roseafolia ‘mini’ would be an interesting choice because in poor lighting it loses its redness and turns a greenish-red. Cyperus helferi is fussy about CO2 and circulation and Hydrocotyle tripartia is regarded as a medium demand plant, as is Eleocharis acicularis. I wasn’t too concerned about the Anubias or crypts, as these will grow in most conditions. I chose a classic triangular composition using the height of the Cyperus sloping down to the right. The Alternanthera would provide the idea focal point with (hopefully) its red intensity. I positioned it deliberately one third across to the right, as this provides a pleasant aesthetic balance. I tend to mix up my foreground species, as this gives a more naturalistic appearance. Over the months I gradually added more species to increase the complexity of the aquascape. A dozen Neon tetras were stocked to add movement and extra colour. These classic fish are among my favourites. They were stocked in the first ever tropical aquarium I saw as a young child and they have always held a special place in my heart since. PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Step by step Shopping list O Superfish Home 60 aquarium £110 O 10 litres of Colombo Flora Base Pro Soil £35 O Colombo CO2 Advance Set and solenoid £75 O Liquid fertiliser (250ml) £7 O Wood £20 O Dragon stone £5 O Plants £50 O 12 Neon tetras £12 Total £314

Ideal entry-level system I’ve been delighted with this little tank. I think it’s great that an entry-level system like this can grow plants really well without any problems. I’ve not done anything special and any hobbyist should be able to replicate this set-up, or something similar using readily available and reasonable priced equipment. So, if you’re wanting to take the first steps into aquascaping or are struggling with your current set-up, then please take comfort in that it is possible to create and maintain something very nice without breaking the bank or causing you a headache.

Plant key Cyperus helferi

Anubias nana

Alternanthera roseafolia ‘mini’ Cryptocoryne amicorum

Bucephalendra sp. ‘Green velvet’

Plants O Anubias nana O Alternanthera roseafolia ‘mini’ O Eleocharis acicularis O Cyperus helferi O Pogostemon helferi O Cryptocoryne parva O Cryptocoryne amicorum O Bucephalendra sp. ‘Green velvet’ O Micranthemum umbrosum

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Eleocharis acicularis Hydrocotyle bipartita

Micranthemum umbrosum

Pogostemon helferi

Cryptocoryne parva

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How the aquascape came together

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PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Step by step

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HRISTO HRISTOV

WHERE ARE THEY FROM?

Jewel cichlids are African in origin, and distribution varies depending on the species.

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PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Cichlids

Jewel box

They are among the most strikingly coloured cichlids out there, but jewels have a reputation for aggression that is largely undeserved. Keep them in the right way and these are fish to treasure. WORDS: JEREMY GAY

S

carlet-coloured, and moderate in size and temperament, the jewel cichlids of the genus Hemichromis are perennial aquarium favourites. They’re cheap, easy to feed, easy to keep and easy to breed, and their all round hardiness means that they’ve made their way into all types of tropical aquariums over the years. But what do we really know about them? Most Hemichromis top out at about 10cm/4in total length, and are red, with blue spots, yet the type species, Hemichromis fasciatus reaches 25cm/10in in length, is olive coloured with five large black blotches and looks more like a Jaguar cichlid than a small, round jewel. Jewel cichlids prefer soft water, yet H. frempongi lives in some of the hardest water there is, while H. guttatus lives everywhere from acidic blackwaters to brackish lagoons. It’s their hardiness which has aided their aquarium survival but the eclectic mixture of fish they’re often mixed with — from Neon tetras to Oscars, has earned them an unjust reputation for aggression.   

Feelers out — what’s about?

Few freshwater fish can match jewel cichlids in the colour department.

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Fishbase recognises 11 species of Hemichromis, although more than this are mentioned in total, with around ten ‘new’ species awaiting description or needing to be slotted into those already described. In the hobby we know Hemichromis bimaculatus, paynei, guttatus, lifalili, cristatus and stellifer quite well, although what we think of as the most common — bimaculatus — may not actually be in the hobby at all! H. paynei probably isn’t either, and nearly every bright red species with blue spots we know of as H. lifalili is probably guttatus… Species recognition is really difficult and what makes it worse is that there may also be hybrids, with one of the most frequently available species, the very blue H. sp. ‘neon’ coming to us from south east Asian fish farms, being of unknown origin. A new fish on the block is the small and beautiful Hemichromis sp. ‘Moanda’. PFK’s Nathan Hill had some a while back, and we would probably agree that they were some of the most beautiful and peaceful Jewels he had ever kept. To me they looked like H. cristatus, others have them and say they are H. lifalili while some pictures of them on the net have characteristics more like that of H. stellifer. I pride myself on my cichlid ID skills but if I spy a Jewel cichlid, try putting a moniker on it and get it wrong, I won’t be losing any sleep over it. Indeed, it’s half the fun of keeping them.

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For tanks of 150cm/5ft length and over

AQUARIUM PHOTO.DK

All the following are larger, more aggressive jewels requiring big tanks and sizeable, robust tank mates.

Hemichromis frempongi.

For tanks of 90cm/36in and over

MP & C PIEDNOIR, AQUAPRESS.COM

These jewels are suitable for smaller aquariums and are less aggressive. They can be mixed with robust community fish such as Black widow tetras and Rosy barbs, but avoid snack-sized tank mates like Neons.

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

Hemichromis guttatus.

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

Hemichromis lifalili.

Hemichromis stellifer.

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HRISTO HRISTOV

PFK’s Nathan Hill bought this fish labelled as Hemichromis sp. ‘Moanda’ — but is it?

The cool school occurring cichlid species there is and with fishkeeping being such a visual hobby, their colour is a really big draw. Filtration can vary from internal to external power filters with either soft or hard water suiting these fish, and neither condition dissuading breeding. Eggs are laid out in the open and protected by both parents. Numbers vary depending on species, adult size and maturity, though usually will be in the hundreds, and parents are guaranteed to offer first cichlid keepers that magical brood care and herding of fry around the aquarium — which also makes for wonderful photo opportunities! Fry will graze algae and detritus for microscopic foods, so if your Jewels spawn, let the substrate and other surfaces fur-up and supplement with powdered flake and newly hatched brine shrimp. I’ve witnessed my male Hemichromis give themselves up to their cloud of fry and become grazing bars, the fry glancing mucus off their bodies in the same way that those of discus do.

It’s the uncertainty of species and the thrill of the chase in finding something unusual which provides the pull for cichlidophiles. Jewel cichlids reside in almost every aquatic store in the UK, yet every so often you can give one a double take, or see a pair in unusual breeding colouration and maybe, just maybe, you’ll have found something different. H. stellifer used to be a rare fish, yet search them out now and you’ll find them. I even found H. cerasogaster in the early naughties and H. letourneauxi has come into the hobby via German specialist wholesalers. The very different looking H. elongatus is available wild caught, but if you want to show off to your cichlid keeping mates, you’ll have a breeding pair of the hard water H. frempongi. Then there are the real exotics like the undescribed H. sp. Guinea 1 and H. sp. Guinea 2. There may be even more gems hiding that are as beautiful, if not more so, than those we currently keep — who knows what’s still out there?

Jewels in the aquarium Before you look at how to house them you must first split Hemichromis into its two very different groups — the large, aggressive, predatory five-spotted cichlids: H .fasciatus, elongatus and frempongi, which will need an aquarium in the region of 150 x 60 x 60cm/5 x 2 x 2ft, and the smaller, more colourful and better behaved H. guttatus, lifalili and stellifer. The smaller species can be housed in aquariums upwards of 90cm/36in in length — and in something of 120cm/48in and over they’ll even breed and protect fry while still tolerating their tank mates. Furnish any jewel cichlid tanks with robust plants, rocks and wood, with good quality water and no fish small enough to swallow and they will be incredibly easy to keep and reward you with superb colour. A settled jewel (with the exception of the orange hued H. cerasogaster), should turn scarlet in colour and those blue spots, correctly known as iridophores, should really shine. Jewels are probably the reddest naturally

Hemichromis sp. ‘Bangui’.

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

AQUARIUM PHOTO

Hemichromis elongatus.

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

HEIKO BLEHER

Hemichromis fasciatus.

PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Cichlids Jewels are prolific breeders.

Kept in a suitably sized set-up with the right tank mates, the Jewel is a real gem of a fish.

MP & C PIEDNOIR; AQUAPRESS.COM

So, with your appetite well and truly whetted for some of the original African cichlids, do please take some advice on their breeding. Jewel cichlids reproduce easily and prolifically — possibly in order to combat heavy predation pressures in the wild. In the aquarium your dead rare pair of sp. ‘Moanda’ at around £10 each will delight you when they first spawn and you’ll be counting the ‘£’ signs all the way back to the aquatic store to trade them in — but don’t get your hopes up! Of the 50 or so fish the store had in, some 20 or so pairs may have formed, been sold off and spawned by their equally delighted keepers, each raising maybe 300 fry. So, in just one spawning your Moanda and their siblings may have caused a Moandan glut in your part of the country, devaluing themselves — and that’s just the first spawning! Either resist temptation to keep a pair or leave the juveniles with the parents, which will slow down the breeding cycle.

MP & C PIEDNOIR, AQUAPRESS.COM

Don’t over-produce!

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You can slow down the breeding cycle by leaving the fry with their parents.

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HRISTO HRISTOV

Cichlids

Parents are guaranteed to offer first cichlid keepers that magical brood care and herding of fry around the aquarium.

What to keep with them The five-spotted forms will need large tank mates, with Synodontis catfish or armoured South American catfish fitting the bill perfectly. The standard jewel cichlids will mix with any medium sized tropical fish species such as Black widow tetras, Rosy barbs, gouramis and rainbowfish, but avoid small, delicate species like guppies, Neon tetras or Siamese fighters as they may be eaten or killed. The biotope creators will relish the challenge of recreating their chosen Jewel cichlid species’ natural home. Set up a Nigerian biotope and Elephantnoses, Kribs, African red eye tetras and African long fin tetras are the order of the day, along with some Crinum and Bolbitis plants for good measure. African Barbus fit in here too. Or what about a Congolese biotope with Anubias, Distichodus, Phenacogrammus and other riverine African cichlids like Steatocranus? Now we’re talking...

reasons including diet and breeding behaviour, so I wouldn’t want to see my prospective purchases for sale in the same tank as these. Observe the size and shape of the individuals within the group. Males should be larger and longer bodied with larger fins, while females are short in the body, smaller, with a slightly smaller head and are oblong-shaped in the belly when full of eggs. If you want to get a pair, the best bet is to buy four or five specimens, opting for two that look the most different from the others to hedge your bets. Don’t buy from “mixed jewel cichlid” batches as these could be fish from four or five species or even crosses. If you can buy them small, at say 5cm/2in or less, this is best, as you can place them with large Congo tetras and medium sized Synodontis and for a few months they won’t

46

be thinking about getting too territorial or breeding too soon, but if you’re unlucky and offer perfect conditions to a mature pair they are likely to spawn within days. If you have two pairs, expect them to separate into two halves of the same tank with lots of flaring, sparring and occasional jaw locking by the males. This is when medium sized tetras or barbs come in handy as they then act as dither fish, being active and catching the male’s gaze without getting close enough to be bitten, while also giving the female a rest from the sexually charged male. In the wild, adult pairs of Hemichromis elongatus are known to take up territories as large as 20 x 5m/67 x 16ft, but plant and decorate heavily and your smaller domestic jewels should be happy inside a territory of 45 x 45cm/18 x 18in.     

Juveniles of 5cm/2in or less are recommended as they won’t start breeding so soon!

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

Buying jewels You’ll need a mature aquarium of six weeks old or more for your jewel cichlids. Put some other, non-aggressive fish into the set-up beforehand — if you introduce the jewels first it will just become a breeding tank, and any fish added later may not be taken to kindly. Watch the jewels in the store tank before you buy. You want active, colourful fish with all their fins intact and plump, round bellies. I don’t recommend keeping them with Lake Malawi cichlids for lots of different

A mature pair might spawn within days of adding them to your tank.

PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

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Some plants can be attached to decor.

Planting made Take heart that even if you’re not the most green-fingered fishkeeper out there, you can still have a stab at growing some of the easier plants. Here are some of the simpler methods to put you on the road to success. WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY: NATHAN HILL

I

t’s impossible to talk of a planted tank today without evoking images of glamorous aquascapes. Rolling fields of green, and the kind of hardscape that you’d need an architect to design prevail as the ‘popular’ face of the planted scene. That’s great if you’ve time and money to spend, but planted tanks shouldn’t just be synonymous with high end, high energy, creative artistry. Plants are just another part of a broad and complex hobby, and as such you can be as advanced or as basic as

48

you like — there’s no shame in a few strands of Elodea in an unheated tank, if that’s what you like! The plant selection is vaster now than it ever has been, and new species are being found all the time. Some of them are, quite literally, delicate flowers best left to those who are more botanist than aquarist. Others are old hands, popular because of their obstinate refusal to die, even in the worst of tanks. And in between is a plethora of species to suit any water type you may have.

3

benefits of plants in aquaria

G They provide cover, and a spawning medium, for many fish. G They help to remove problematic nutrients such as phosphate and nitrate from the water. G Strong growth competes with algae, resulting in a cleaner looking tank.

PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Back to basics

To pot or not to pot? Advice on how to handle your plants will vary between sources. If you’ve got a planting substrate, then you’ll be told to remove plants from their pots, trim the roots down, and space them out at set distances and at set depths. Assuming you’ve got a tank already set up with gravel on the bottom, this is easier said than done, and you may be better off getting any loose plants and potting

them up! Plant buffs everywhere will be screaming at me for saying that (they’ll want you to change substrates) but there it is. Pots can work. The problem with potted plants is that eventually they’ll become pot bound. That is, the roots will curl and tangle on themselves in the confines of the pot, and the plant will become stifled. The solution? Repotting, just like with houseplants.

A potting kit will set you back just a few pounds, and will come with the necessary potting medium (usually rockwool based), pots and fertilisers. Personally, I favour liquid fertilisers, but each to their own. Not all plants work in pots, so species with a rhizome, or bulb plants, may struggle. But some of the staple species, such as stem plants and rosette plants (like Amazon swords) can thrive in them.

How to pot...

1

Divide up the plant you want to pot into individual stems or plantlets, and trim excessive root growth away.

2

Divide the rockwool so that it opens like a hot dog bun. It’s easier to work with if it’s not separated clean into two pieces.

3

Line the plants along the rockwool split, spacing them apart. Don’t try to clump them all in the centre!

4

Gently pinch the rockwool ‘bun’ closed and make sure that the stems aren’t buried too deep in it. If they are too packed, they will die off. If using a fertiliser tablet, sandwich it in the rockwool at the same time.

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

5

If you need to weigh the pot down, now is the time to place a couple of stones in the bottom. Then gently push the wool (not the plant) into position. Job done!

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Make a floating plant island Tying plants onto wood is no new thing. You might have already tried yourself with species like Java ferns. They quickly establish root growth and fend for themselves by pulling nutrients directly from the water. Many of these plants will grow in an epilithic environment, setting their roots around, and grabbing on to, stones and rocks. Many of these plants don’t need to be

completely submerged to grow. You’ll find that some will grow even more vibrantly when out of water than in it, and that means that we can use certaint types to create a floating island of greenery — ideal for the open-topped tanks that are increasingly popular. The trick with an island is to use multiple plant species, and to allow the plants some access to the water, especially immersing their roots.

Some plants will not tolerate this treatment, but prime candidates are mosses, Anubias, Java fern, and Bucephalandra. Hydrocotyle can work, but the delightful thing about islands is that you can try the occasional strand of whatever you like. As an additional bonus, some of the plants kept this way will even flower, which is a phenomenon you’ll rarely see when they’re entirely submerged!

Making your island

1

Remove plants from their pots. You may need to cut the pots away with the scissors if root growth is strong.

2

4

Remove any leaves that are substandard. Those that are brown, pale or have obvious holes should be discarded. Cut them instead of pulling them off, and cut as close to the base of the stems as possible.

5

7

8

Remove Java moss from its pot and rinse it in some tank water. Use a piece of kitchen towel to pat the worst moisture from it afterwards.

50

Remove all rockwool from between the roots and trim them back to 1.5-2cm.

Apply a patch of glue on the edge of the piece of cork bark. Try to ensure dry wood at this stage, and be sparing. The glue will turn white in water, so the more you use, the more you’ll see.

Run a thin line of superglue up the edge of the cork bark, where the water meets the wood.

PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Back to basics Create this attractive cork bark ‘island’.

What you’ll need G One pot of Anubias. G One portion of Java moss or similar. G One pot of either Java fern or Bucephalandra. G One piece of cork bark (reptile stores often stock this). G Sharp scissors. G Aquarium safe superglue or coral glue.

3

With big Anubias or Java ferns, the plant can be cut along the rhizome to make smaller plantlets. The rhizome is the ‘tuber-like’ main root that runs along the bottom.

To feed or not to feed?

To grow any plant you need three things: light, carbon and food. If you’ve got an aquarium, it’s probable you already have lights, so we’ll take that as a given. The most common newcomer’s question when buying plants is ‘do I need to feed them?’ For a high-end aquascape, the answer is yes, and heavily. For the community tank, the answer is yes, but not excessively. Liquid foods will suffice for many plants, though you’d benefit from adding some fertilisers to the substrate too. Capsules or tablets that slow release for six months at a time are fine Special planting for this. substrates are available. You’ll be told by ‘fishkeeper in the pub’ types that the fish make the plant food, so you won’t need to feed them. This is only partly true, as fish will be the source of nitrates and phosphates, which plants do indeed need. But plants also need other things like iron and magnesium, which fish don’t generate. Whether you have fish or not, you want to add a comprehensive plant food to the tank. Just as important – and probably lacking – is the carbon source. Aquascapers will rely on carbon dioxide injection to provide this, but it’s an expensive and risky approach. For the community tank, consider a liquid carbon source, like Easycarbo, or TNC Carbon. Just remember not to overdose with either! Excess food may encourage algae, while excess carbon can be dangerous to both fish and shrimp!

9

tips for growing plants in community tanks

G Cut down a cleaned margarine tub to 2.5cm/1in deep and fill it with aquarium plant substrate. Make a space in the gravel and put the tub in, planted with carpeting plants like dwarf Amazon swords. G Keep on top of changing light tubes. Old tubes emit poorer quality light than new ones, and will promote slow growth.

6

Push a piece of Anubias or Java fern rhizome in to the glue and hold it for a few seconds until it starts to cure. Be careful not to glue your fingers!

G Test your water and buy plants to suit the hardness. Hard water only suits some types like Vallis, Sagittaria, and a few Echinodorus sword plants. Soft water is much more conducive to strong growth.

Vallis prefers harder water.

G Keep on top of removing dead leaves and unhealthy growth with sharp scissors. G If you can’t keep plants on the base, remember that there are many floating species like Frogbit you can try instead. G If plants start to flower at the surface, they will start dropping leaves. Remove flowers before this happens. G Always use dechlorinator for water changes. Chlorine is devastating for most plants.

9

Pull off a chunk of the moss mass with about 15-20 strands. Attach it to the wood by pressing it against the glue so that the glue areas are all connected to the moss.

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

G Opt for tough, rubbery leaves like Anubias if you have fish that nibble plants. G Stock up on Amano shrimps and Otocinclus catfish to help keep leaves free of algae.

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A dainty deity It’s not all flooded forest and dense, planted tangles. Meet a divine fish that makes its home on the open expanses of the Amazon.

PHOTOGRAPHY: BEN LEE

WORDS: NATHAN HILL

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PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Catfish WHERE ARE THEY FROM?

Mastiglanis is widespread through Guyana, Venezuela and Brazil.

Triangulated on fins, Mastiglanis gets into ambush mode.

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

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I

f you take one word away from this month’s magazine, make it this one: psammophilous. It’s a wonderful word, and it represents a wonderful biotope. Psammophilous means ‘sand dwelling’. It’s usually used to refer to desert flowers, but we’d do well to remember that not all that blossoms does so on land. Sand dwelling fish are an underexplored subject in aquaria. Pushed to describe species that live on the rolling, underwater plains, a hobbyist might mention stingrays. Pushed harder, they might resort to the plaice and flounder of our local seas. But beyond that, a lot of folks are vague. It’s a shame, as there are some amazing substrate huggers out there. Enter Mastiglanis asopos. I’d tell you their common name, but they don’t have one yet, and to that end, I’d suggest one of my own — the River god cat. I don’t say that because of some inherent reverence I have for them, but simply because their species name, asopos, is a direct reference to the Greek river god Asopus. As I hope we’ve already established, Mastiglanis are sand dwellers. They’re unique, too, genetically speaking. They’re pimelodids, (very) loosely related to aquarium favourites like Pimelodus pictus, but it is monotypic. That is, they are the only species in their genus. Taxonomists aren’t 100% sure about where they belong in the big tree of life. On the one hand, they’re not distinct enough to be removed from the Pimelodids, yet at the same time they share no evident characteristics with closer kin. At one guess, they appear not a million miles from certain troglobitic cave dwellers of Pimelodella, Taunayia or Rhamdia, except they have no desire for a subterranean life. Life for these River gods is one spent either buried or foraging. They’re diurnally active, meaning they are out and about at dawn and dusk, and dig themselves in, out of harm’s way, in between.

As head designs go, these catfish are more pike than Corydoras.

They put those amazing eyes to good use.

Unique hunting style They’re ambush predators, and their hunting style is unique. Positioning themselves in streamlet channels, they triangulate themselves on their fins — the ventral and anal fin form ‘legs’ to prop themselves up as though on a tripod. Then they extend their considerable barbels (they have three pairs of whiskers set around their broad mouths) and their equally broad pectoral fins (with long filaments). They complete the action by raising their flagpole dorsal fins, and once in that position they get into ambush hunting mode, waiting to snag something before lunging at it. Caddisfly and Mayfly larvae feature heavily in their wild diets, though they’re partial to the occasional passing beetle or midge larvae too. Their eyes are tuned for this ambush predator lifestyle, and you’ll note that they’re more forward facing than the kind of fish that needs to keep a look out in all directions. As head designs go, these

54

catfish are more like pike than Corydoras. Mastiglanis are widespread throughout South America. You’ll find them in Guyana, Venezuela and Brazil with moderate ease, and it’s not unlikely that they’ll appear elsewhere. Across these countries you’ll always find them in the same habitat — sandy bases of streams with leaf litter and moderate flow. Naturally occurring neighbours include the likes of Characidium cf. pteroides, and Stauroglanis gouldingi, as well as Imparfinis pristos cats and Gymnorhamphichthys rondoni knife fish. And all, if you can find them, would make

a wonderful and unique biotope. In the aquarium, sand is prerequisite. A deep bed of silver sand and some leaf litter is all the decor required.

Keeping these cats at home On top of that, you’ll want some flow, which is a bit of a paradox. Too little, and you won’t see the fish at their best, but too much and you’ll turn your set up into an Amazon snowglobe. Adding a couple of Koralia style flow pumps or powerheads and experimenting will be your best bet. Lighting needn’t be too bright, but this is where a decent LED unit will really shine PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Catfish

(pun intended). Being diurnal fish, they’re in their element during sun-up/sun-down. That’s something that is near impossible to replicate with on/off fluorescents, and so an LED with a dawn and dusk program, slowly ramping light levels up and down over an hour or so, will give these cats a real ‘home feel’. Water quality needs to be spot on, and oxygen levels could do with being high too. Monitor ammonia and nitrite the way you’d monitor a rhino in a vase showroom. Water chemistry can be replicated with remineralised RO water. You want it soft, but not spongy, with a pH value www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

somewhere between 6.0 and 7.2. If you can keep the temperature tight around 23–25°C/73–77°F, then that’d be just swell. By way of return, they’ll thank you by not growing too big. The holotype specimen was a mere 6.6cm/2.6in long, and tank kept specimens are reported to linger around the 3–4cm/1.2–1.6in length. Still, consider a tank of 75cm/30in or more if you’re going to ramp up the flows. Give them the options of busy and quiet regions. Feed on bloodworm and other smaller treats. Daphnia will work, as will Cyclops. There’s little point going for anything

heaving with colour enhancing carotenoids when they’re such a transparent species to begin with. You’ll need vigilance to source some. Send out feelers to the likes of Wharf Aquatics in Notts., or Pier Aquatics or Aqualife Leyland in Lancashire. Chances are, even if they haven’t got any, they’ll know the hobbyists who have. You’ll need to be patient if you’re waiting for some to come up out of the club scene though, because nobody has bred them yet. And just to politely remind you. Psammophilous. It really is a great word, isn’t it?

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tank decor! Make the most of the autumn season by collecting leaves for use in your aquarium and discover the benefits to both your fish and your bank account. WORDS: GABOR HORVATH

W

hen, quite some time ago, I inherited a small group of Wine-red Betta, B. coccina, I didn’t know what a task and responsibility I had taken on. After a quick search of the available literature, I realised they originated from Asian peat swamps and prefer soft and dark — almost black — waters with leaf litter. As I’d never had a fish before with similar requirements, I assessed my options. The first was to buy a ready-made black water tonic to add to their tank. The second solution was to get some imported Catappa leaves and use them to recreate the natural habitat. The final, third option was to collect

fallen leaves from a nearby forest and use those instead. This latter choice was also the cheapest and as I was on a very tight budget at that time, I opted for gathering oak leaves. Fortunately, I had a week to prepare the tank for the Betta coccina, so when they arrived I greeted them with perfect water conditions. Since then I have kept several other leaf-litter-loving fish and — especially since becoming involved with shrimp keeping — I have learned a lot about the different leaves and their potential uses in the aquarium. So, I’d like to offer you some guidance on choosing and using them in your fish or shrimp tank.

ALAMY

PFK/JACQUES PORTAL

This killifish set-up includes leaf litter on the base.

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Collecting fallen leaves is a great way to get the whole family involved.

PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Decor The dos and don’ts of collecting leaves DON’T

collect leaves from a roadside, or other polluted areas. If you live in a big city, it’s time to visit the

countryside! ensure that no chemicals have been used if you are planning to gather your stock from a maintained area (like castle parks or botanical gardens). Always check with the management first. The same applies for trees located near farm land.

DO

DO

pick only healthy, undamaged leaves — watch out for bite marks, discolouration or deformations.

try to collect the leaves as soon as they have fallen (try to beat the rain) to avoid the bleaching out of the valuable compounds.

DO

collect overwintered leaves in the spring, unless you only plan to use them as decoration (but even then they will not last for long).

DON’T

dry the leaves as soon as you can after collection — just spread them on a tray over a layer of paper kitchen towel. I prefer curled up leaves, but if you want flat ones you need to use a press (a couple of books would do). When fully dry store them in a paper bag or box in a dry place.

DO

The benefits of leaves

Did you know? Autumn is the perfect time to top up your leaf stock. By this time all the unwanted compounds (sap, protein, chlorophyll etc.), are removed from the dying leaves by the tree. The tannin concentration on the other hand is increased — it can be 3–4 times higher than in the green leaves.

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

Many of our favourite fish originated from waters flowing through dense vegetation and forests. The constant supply of falling leaves will colour the water tea brown, sometimes almost black. One of the culprits of this is an organic compound called tannin, which can be found in different quantities in most of the dry leaves. It is also a weak acid, which can reduce the pH of the water. The tannin is most effective in very soft waters, as the buffer capacity of hard waters can easily neutralise its acidity. Most of the black water species require soft water anyway, so with a carefully selected leaf you could achieve two goals at the same time: a nice, dark water and low pH without a need to use chemicals. As well as tannins, some leaves also contain other organic compounds that could tackle fungal and bacterial infections without the need to use medications. Catappa (also known as Indian almond or Ketapang) leaf is widely used by fish farmers and exporters in the Far-East to reduce stress and cure diseases. The leaves of the Walnut tree — if collected green and then dried — have similar effects and are very popular among shrimp breeders. Leaf litter can also help shy species, such as Liquorice gourami, Parosphromenus sp., to settle down easier. It provides perfect places to hide, especially if you are using naturally dried, curled leaves and not the flat-packed commercial ones. Even cory cats love to play hide and seek among them, often choosing the larger leaves for depositing their eggs instead of the sides of the aquarium glass. And we mustn’t forget about the use of leaves as decor. While not everyone’s cup of tea, certain biotopes require leaf litter. If you don’t want tea-coloured water, choose a leaf that will not colour it (or boil and soak them for

57

GEORGE FARMER

Many leaves will give the aquarium water a tea-coloured hue.

species useful for aquaria, most will probably mention Oak or Beech, but few will have tried any others. A couple of years ago I met Gabor Csepanyi in Hungary, who became an “advocate” of using leaves and other parts of domestic plants instead of imported ones. He believes it is a more eco-friendly and also wallet friendly option. A discussion with him and the results of Istvan Toma’s research investigating the effect of different leaves on water parameters, have opened up my eyes to see a world of local leaves with possibilities too good to miss. So get out there, and get collecting!

a while before use). For decorating reasons you have a wide choice of large (Plane tree, Turkey oak, Catappa), medium (Oak, Hazelnut) or small (Beech, Silver Birch, Hornbeam) leaves. Leaves can play an important role as a grazing ground for young and adult shrimp, and Mulberry is widely known as an excellent shrimp snack. The biofilm growing on the decaying leaf surface will also be appreciated by the fry of several fish species, acting as their starter food. Fresh leaves of several plants — for example blanched Spinach, Dandelion and Stinging nettle — can also be used to feed fish and shrimp, although in this article I will concentrate on ligneous (woody) plants only. Most aquarists in the UK have heard of the Catappa leaf and some are familiar with its beneficial effects. If asked about British tree

Leaves with special properties Some leaves should be picked green and then dried for storage. In this state they can store valuable nutrients or useful organic compounds, so they are mainly used as food or as an antibacterial and antifungal water treatment. But a word of warning: be very careful with the dosage of green dried leaves, as overdosing them can lead to cloudiness and a deterioration of water quality.

Leaves provide a perfect grazing ground for shrimp.

SHUTTERSTOCK

Catappa leaves.

Leaves of the Mulberry, Morus sp., are considered among the best shrimp foods, but are also readily taken by plecs. The green leaves are high in protein and have excellent nutritional value. If used properly they will not modify the water parameters.

GABOR HORVATH

PFK/JACQUES PORTAL

Mulberry

Walnut Walnut, Juglans regia, leaves are famous for their very positive effect on the health of fish and shrimp. They can cure bacterial and fungal diseases and reduce stress just like those of Catappa, but will not lower the pH and colour the water to the same extent.

ALAMY

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

Leaf litter suits fish from softer, acidic habitats.

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PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

7

Decor

of the best leaves for your tank All the leaves listed below should be collected in the autumn after they have fallen (naturally) from the trees. Oak There are several oak species in the UK, ranging from the relatively small-leafed English oak, Quercus robur, to the Turkey oak, Q. cerris, with its palm-sized leaves. They differ in leaf size and shape, but all contain a relatively high level of tannin, which makes them one of the best natural pH reducers. They will also colour the water a medium brown, so they’re not a good choice if you want to keep your water crystal clear. Otherwise the oak leaf is a very easy to find and versatile option.

Hornbeam

Beech

Despite being widely used in urban parks due to its tolerance of air pollution, not many would recognise the Hornbeam, Carpinus betulus. Its small leaves can punch over their weight: the acidifying effect is very similar to that of the Catappa leaf. You might need more Hornbeam leaves to achieve the same effect, but based on weight they can equal their Asian counterpart. They will lower the pH very quickly, so be cautious when using Hornbeam leaves, so as not to stress your livestock. The best way to do it is to drop in a couple of leaves (depending on the size of your tank) every day until you reach the desired effect. It will also give the water a nice brown shade, which is an additional bonus if you want to achieve that black water look.

The Beech, Fagus sylvatica, has quite thin and small leaves, which usually only give a faint yellowish tinge to the water. It will only slightly reduce the pH. Due to its small size, it is very suitable as leaf litter for a nano or shrimp tank containing species requiring a pH that’s close-toneutral, such as Cherry shrimp, Neocaridina species.

The Silver birch, Betula pendula, is easily recognisable because of its silver-white bark. It also has small leaves, but won’t alter the pH or the colour of the water. The rigid dry leaves are very slow to decompose, making them an ideal choice if you want to keep your water crystal clear but still use leaf litter for decoration or hiding places.

Hazel

Sycamore Sycamore, Acer pseudoplatanus, leaves are one step up in size to Hazel, but have a strong and quick colouring effect. They bleach out quite quickly and the remaining semi-transparent leaf blades will serve as a delicious snail or shrimp food. The pH reducing capability is also short lived, and after the initial sudden drop it will rise again.

If you need slightly bigger, but similarly long lasting leaves with only a mild colouring and pH lowering impact then it is worth considering the Hazel, Corylus avellana. It has thick and rigid leaves, which are usually left alone by algae eaters and shrimp, so can serve as a durable decoration.

Plane tree

ALAMY

PHOTOGRAPHY THIS PAGE: GABOR HORVATH UNLESS STATED

Silver birch

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

The largest leaves of the domestic bunch come from the Plane tree, Platanus x hispanica, which is another “urban warrior” that’s very tolerant of pollution. It is a perfect choice as leaf litter for larger fish tanks, as it only has negligible influence on water colour and acidity.

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Decor Good for your fish and good for you! Collecting leaves offers an excellent opportunity to get your partner and/or kids involved in your hobby. Who would resist an offer to visit the nearby country park or forest on a beautiful and sunny autumn day for a healthy walk? My children certainly enjoy collecting fallen leaves — they can fill up my store very quickly.

How leaves affect the pH of water pH in RO water Start

10 hours

20 hours

32 hours

56 hours

70 hours

117 hours

190 hours

234 hours

311 hours

7.0

7.1

7.3

7.5

7.5

7.8

7.3

7.7

7.8

7.9

OAK

7.0

6.3

6.1

6.2

6.4

6.2

6.1

6.1

5.8

5.6

BEECH

7.0

6.6

6.4

6.6

6.7

6.7

7.1

7.0

6.8

7.0

HORNBEAM

7.0

5.5

5.2

5.3

5.1

5.1

5.1

5.1

5.1

5.3

HAZEL

7.0

6.3

6.3

6.5

6.6

6.6

6.6

6.8

6.8

6.9

SYCAMORE

7.0

5.8

5.6

5.9

6.0

6.0

6.1

6.4

6.7

6.9

PLANE

7.0

6.3

6.2

6.4

6.5

6.6

6.6

6.7

6.7

6.9

WALNUT

7.0

6.6

6.6

6.6

6.3

6.1

6.1

6.4

6.7

7.2

CATAPPA

7.0

6.0

5.7

5.4

5.1

5.1

5.1

5.0

4.9

4.6

Start

10 hours

20 hours

32 hours

56 hours

70 hours

117 hours

190 hours

234 hours

311 hours

7.6

8.0

8.3

8.5

8.6

8.7

8.7

8.8

8.8

8.9

OAK

7.6

7.6

7.6

7.6

7.6

7.7

7.8

7.8

7.8

7.9

BEECH

7.6

7.3

7.4

7.4

7.6

7.6

7.8

7.8

7.9

7.9

HORNBEAM

7.6

6.9

6.9

7.0

7.1

7.2

7.2

7.3

7.2

7.2

HAZEL

7.6

7.2

7.3

7.4

7.5

7.6

7.7

7.7

7.7

7.8

SYCAMORE

7.6

7.4

7.3

7.4

7.5

7.5

7.6

7.8

7.9

8.2

PLANE

7.6

7.8

7.8

7.5

7.5

7.5

7.7

7.9

8.0

8.4

WALNUT

7.6

7.9

8.0

7.6

7.5

7.5

7.6

7.7

7.8

8.0

CATAPPA

7.6

7.3

7.3

7.3

7.3

7.4

7.4

7.5

7.6

7.8

RO water (reference)

pH in tapwater

Hardtapwater ALAMY

(reference)

Top tip You can simply drop the required amount of dried leaves into your tank, but if you want them to sink faster you can pour boiling water over the leaves before you add them. This is also useful if you want to reduce water discolouration in your aquarium.

The above tables are based on the research of Istvan Toma (Akvarium Magazin).

How leaves colour the aquarium water RO water

10 hours

20 hours

32 hours

56 hours

70 hours

117 hours

190 hours

234 hours

311 hours

10 hours

20 hours

32 hours

56 hours

70 hours

117 hours

190 hours

234 hours

311 hours

OAK BEECH HORNBEAM HAZEL SYCAMORE PLANE WALNUT CATAPPA

Hard tapwater OAK BEECH HORNBEAM HAZEL SYCAMORE PLANE WALNUT CATAPPA

Water colouration charts based on the research of Istvan Toma (Akvarium Magazin).

60

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Fishkeeping Answers No.1 FOR ADVICE

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Send your questions to us at: Fishkeeping Answers, Practical Fishkeeping Magazine, Media House, Lynchwood, Peterborough, PE2 6EA, or email them to us on questions@practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

OUR TEAMOFEXPERTS

TRISTAN LOUGHER works in aquatic retail and has sold marines for 15 years. He has written books and taken part in research projects. Tristan works at Cheshire Waterlife.

BOB MEHEN has been keeping fish since the 1970s and has a particular passion for catfish. He helps to moderate the PFK website forum and excels at advising and guiding new keepers.

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

GEORGE FARMER is a world-renowned aquascaper. He co-founded the UK Aquatic Plant Society and now works as a freelance aquatic specialist.

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JEREMY GAY has kept fish most of his life. He’s managed an awardwinning store and is a former PFK editor. He’s now EvolutionAqua’s business development manager.

NEALE MONKS has kept fish for over 20 years. He has authored a number of fishkeeping books and has a particular passion for brackish species.

65

U

Fishkeeping Answers Female Fighters can be kept either singly or in groups of five or more.

TROPICAL

Q. Do I need a separate tank to breed these cats? Please could you offer me some advice on breeding Sturisoma? Should I set up a separate aquarium or will they breed in my 120cm/48in community tank? I’m worried about the other fish eating the eggs. I have platies, Black widows and rainbows, along with some Corydoras and loaches. DAVE CONNOR, EMAIL If you have a well-conditioned pair in your community tank then there is every chance that they will breed, and given sufficient cover in the form of plants, bogwood and branches you may well succeed in raising some fry. While the males aren’t as ferocious in defence of their eggs and young as many ‘plecs’, they will still put up resistance to predation. Depending on the exact species, the biggest threat to the fry from your current stock are the loaches. If you want to be certain of raising as many fry as possible then setting up a separate aquarium is the way forward. A tank with a footprint of at least 60 x 30cm/24 x 12in, filtered by an air-powered sponge filter, should be sufficient, and try adding branching wood to make the adults feel at home. Substrate isn’t necessary and its absence will make cleaning easier. Once the eggs have been laid, remove the adults and add some extra aeration if possible. Some people report issues with fry failing to thrive or dying off and this is usually down to a combination of poor tank hygiene (be sure to keep the tank floor clean), or lack of appropriate nutrition (while they like green foods, be sure to provide adequate protein as well). Some breeders recommend dropping the water level in the tank to around 15cm/6in, as this seems to help improve survival rates. BOB MEHEN

A

Q. Are female Fighters a better alternative? I understand that PFK does not recommend Fighters for the community aquarium due to their long fins and preference for gentle currents. However, I have seen some stunning female Fighters on my travels lately, and I wonder if I could keep one of those (or even two or three if they don’t fight like the males). My tank is very well planted, has no nippy fish and is 48in/120cm long with areas where the flow is broken up by the plants. JOSH GOODWIN, EMAIL

You’re right that keeping Betta in community tanks isn’t recommended. A It’s been done, but it’s such an unpredictable mixture that it’s simplest just not to do it. But with that said, in many ways a short-finned female Betta is simply a small gourami, and if you work from that premise they aren’t impossible to keep in community situations if you choose tank mates with care. Betta splendens, the original Siamese fighting fish and the commonest Betta species in the trade, originally came from thickly vegetated ponds, canals and other habitats with little to no water movement. This preference has been exacerbated over the decades as they have been bred with ever-longer fins, and nowadays even some of the females have fins that are more for looks than swimming ability. Translated into an aquarium situation,

66

that’s a tank with air-powered filtration rather than a canister, and lots and lots of tall plants. Floating vegetation provides an easy win here, with floating Indian fern being hands-down the best species for this type of aquarium. Unlike other floating plants, it’s easy to crop above the waterline leaves without harming the plant, so you can create a top-downwards canopy of vegetation that your female Betta will adore. It’ll also provide them with shelter from any other fish in the tank, as well as nooks and crannies where they can forage for food. Even nominally non-nippy tank mates such as danios can create problems by stealing food, so any midwater fish will need to be of the most gentle varieties. Pencilfish and hatchetfish are obvious candidates, as well as those tetras or rasboras that are small and stay close to the substrate. Peaceful catfish and loaches of appropriate size can work as well. Corydoras and Ancistrus aren’t going to be a problem, nor are whiptails, and among the loaches, Kuhli loaches would be completely trustworthy. But skip anything likely to be defensive of its territory, such as dwarf cichlids and other labyrinth fish, including gouramis. In short, it’s doable if you go carefully. Oddnumbered groups work best, and either keep just one for starters or a fair-sized group of five or more. Female Betta aren’t territorial as such, but in twos and threes they do sometimes squabble. NEALE MONKS

Male Sturisoma will care for the eggs and fry.

MP&C PIEDNOIR, AQUAPRESS.COM

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

Tropical letter of the month

PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

TROPICAL

Melanotaenia trifasciata can reach 15cm/6in in length.

Q. Will my small tetras be eaten? Will larger rainbows like Boesemans and Melanotaenia trifasciata eat fish such as Neons? I didn’t think they were predatory, but I have been told that if I add tetras to my tank they might be eaten. The rainbows are only juveniles at the moment. SANDY CLARKE, EMAIL

boesemani and M. trifasciata are big fish and would make short work of many of the smaller tetra species such as Neons, Glowlights and Cardinals, especially if they were the typically small specimens sold in most shops. Even adding the tetra while the rainbows are juveniles doesn’t guarantee their safety as they grow. Deeper bodied species such as Diamond tetra, Moenkhausia pittieri, Lemon tetra, Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis, and Rosy tetra, H. rosaceus would be safer choices. It is also worth noting that both rainbowfish species prefer slightly alkaline, hard water conditions while the tetra are best in soft, slightly acidic water. BOB MEHEN MARINE

ALAMY

You are right to be wary. Many rainbow fish have surprisingly large mouths and as with most fish, if they can fit one of their A tank mates in it then sooner or later they’ll try! Adult Melanotaenia

TROPICAL

Tank bred Marine bettas are sometimes offered for sale.

Q. Why aren’t these fish breeding? My male Paradise fish keeps building a bubble nest but then he loses interest and the whole things just falls to pieces over a few days. There is a female in the tank but he doesn’t seem to be interested in her. Any ideas what is going wrong? CHRIS NUTTALL, EMAIL

Paradise fish are fairly straightforward to breed, so if you have a pair in suitable accommodation and in good physical condition then I would expect them to spawn. Clearly the male is ready but it sounds as if perhaps the female isn’t. Try feeding your fish up with live and frozen foods such as bloodworm, Cyclops, Daphnia and brine shrimp to get them in top condition. A female ready for spawning should be noticeably plump, filled with eggs. The male typically becomes quite aggressive during nest building so provide plenty of cover in the form of plants for the female to shelter in — the male will also appreciate this material to help with nest construction. Once he has finished his nest he should calm down and approach the female in a more amicable manner and hopefully, if she’s responsive, spawning will commence. However, be aware though that once spawning has finished, the male will become extremely aggressive towards his mate and she will probably need removing for her own safety.

A

Q. Will a Marine betta be compatible with my other fish?

GILES H. EMAIL

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

A

The Marine betta, or Comet grouper, Calloplesiops altivelis, is a beautiful species of fish. They have fascinating behaviours, particularly when stalking their prey, and tank bred specimens may occasionally be offered for sale.

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

On paper at least, there shouldn’t be any major conflicts with the species already present in your aquarium but you should be aware that these are shy, wary fish in reef aquaria that are already home to more extrovert species such as your tang. Although they might get on OK, frequently Marine bettas will hang around the back of the tank and emerge during lower light levels to hunt for food. More confident individuals do exist, and I would suggest looking for an individual that feeds readily and appears confident in the aquaria of your local retailer and accepts frozen foods readily. TRISTAN LOUGHER

BOB MEHEN

ALAMY

Are Marine bettas suitable for a reef tank without shrimp and crabs? The tank also houses a Flame hawkfish, a pair of mature Percula clowns and a Purple tang. Are these tank makes compatible? I would like to get a blenny such as a Midas or Bicolor in the future. Would it be OK and should I add it before a betta?

Male Paradise fish may attack the female after spawning.

U 67

Fishkeeping Answers

Q. How do I control this ‘desirable’ algae? I know that purple coralline algae is meant to be desirable, but mine is making my whole tank look a mess as it’s growing where I don’t want it, on equipment and everything. Is there any way to keep it under control? NATHANIEL SPARKS, EMAIL

From the sound of things you are a victim of your own success! Such A profuse growth of calcareous forms of alga can indicate stable water quality with balanced levels of both calcium and

Diadema sp.

68

Not everyone is a fan of coralline algae.

hobby with the smallest, and least clumsy, being Mespilia globulus, the Tuxedo urchin. Longspine urchins, Diadema spp.; Pincushion urchins, Lytechinus variegatus, are frequently seen in the hobby as are the Sputnik urchins, Eucidaris spp. Another species is the frequent accidental import occasionally offered for sale: Echinometra sp. Take care not to acquire a specimen that grows too large as they can knock over sessile invertebrates and many species have spines that are capable of inflicting painful wounds. TRISTAN LOUGHER

Eucidaris sp.

ALAMY

rchins to control calcareous algae

ALAMY

4

carbonate in the aquarium water. Short of messing up your water chemistry there is no real way of controlling it other than employing animals that might consume it. Perhaps the obvious choice here would be the perpetually ravenous sea urchins that consume alga not only for its sugars but also its calcium carbonate content. When stocked into aquaria with abundant growth of calcareous alga, these chaps will munch their way through it, leaving a strip of denuded white rock in their wake. Several species are available in the

ALAMY

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

Marine letter of the month

Lytechinus variegatus.

Mespilia globulus.

PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

ALAMY

Plants use ammonium as a nitrogen source.

Plants letter of the month

Q. Do plants use ammonia as food? In some of your publications I observe the setting up of hitech planted tanks, which you almost immediately stock with fish. This is on the basis that the tank need not be cycled due to the plants’ love of ammonia. Although I prefer to cycle my own planted tanks with fish food and suchlike, I have noticed how perfectly plants can keep ammonia to zero. It leads me to wonder if plants absorb ammonia during the night. I had always thought that plants absorbed ammonia,

minerals and trace elements from the water column during the process of photosynthesis. What happens in a non-cycled planted tank at night? Is there a negligible spike of ammonia? JOHN ANUSAS, EMAIL

If I can take your points in reverse order, any system that relies primarily on plants as opposed to biological action will, in theory, suffer a tiny spike of ammonia during the dark hours, when photosynthesis is stifled. How drastic this will be involves

A

stocking density, and the ratio of bacterial/plant activity. It’s actually ammonium that plants prefer rather than ammonia, and though the process is longwinded to explain, they will also uptake nitrates and (to a lesser degree) nitrites for conversion back into ammonium. In an aquarium, it’s a matter of balance. If there are enough plants to convert any and all ammonium produced by fish, then the plants will effectively usurp biological filtration. From

my own experiences, I’ve always found zero-waiting periods when ‘cycling’ heavily planted set-ups. I literally experience no ammonia readings. In most aquaria, it’s likely a mixture of the two forming in tandem. Plants, provided they are looked after and have ample resources (light, food and carbon dioxide), dominate conversion during the day, while bacteria are more liable to claw back some presence at night when the plants are ‘switched off’. NATHAN HILL

TROPICAL

Q. What do I need to keep scats? JOE MUSGROVE, EMAIL

More than anything else, scats need space! They’re active, open water fish, so, depending on the species, you’re going to want an aquarium upwards of 300 l/66 gal for adult specimens. They also need brackish or marine conditions, though they can do well in hard, alkaline fresh water for long periods. The actual salinity isn’t crucial, and anything upwards of s.g. 1.005 is fine, but you must use marine aquarium salt rather than freshwater aquarium (or tonic) salt. Finally, they need a lot of food! These fish have been described as swimming waste disposal units because they will literally eat anything that fits into their mouth — the family name, Scatophagidae, can be translated from the Greek as ‘faeces eater’, because in the wild these fish swim around sewage outfall pipes across the tropics picking off anything even vaguely edible that comes their way. Actually, their preferred diet is algae and organic material shovelled off the substrate, but scats are nothing if not adaptable. While feeding them in an aquarium isn’t

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

A

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

Scats have huge appetites.

a problem, biasing the diet towards fresh green foods (cooked spinach for example) and algae flakes or wafers will ensure good health. Given their massive appetites, providing them with good water quality will mean robust filtration and regular water changes. A protein skimmer will quickly pay for itself, removing organic waste from the water before the filter has to deal with it. Selenotoca multifasciata is one of the smallest species traded. It’s silvery-white with vertical black markings, and it gets to about 20cm/8in in the aquarium. It’s pushy at feeding time but otherwise friendly and completely peaceful. The Common scat, Scatophagus argus, gets to 25–30cm/10–12in or more, but is otherwise no more difficult. It’s basically brassy-green with dark brown spots on its

flanks, though various colour forms are seen, most notably the Ruby scat that has red markings on its forehead and back. One nice thing about scats is that they happily blunder their way through schools of archers and monos. This has the effect of diffusing the tendency of these fish to sometimes become a bit waspish towards each other, monos especially. On the other hand, while scats are good in groups, they’re bold enough to hold their own kept singly, and such fish often become remarkably tame. Experienced aquarists have often noted the apparent intelligence and friendliness of scats, which is one reason why they’ve maintained their popularity over the years. NEALE MONKS

69

U

Fishkeeping Answers

TROPICAL

MP&C PIEDNOIR, AQUAPRESS.COM

ALAMY

Lamprologus ocellatus.

Apistogramma cacatuoides.

Q. Which cichlids are best for my tank? I am setting up a Juwel Rio 125 aquarium and I have narrowed down my choice of set-up to either a Tanganyikan rock/shell dweller tank or a South American Cockatoo cichlid aquarium. I would really appreciate your advice on which would be better. TOM CLARK, EMAIL

Your Juwel Rio 125 is just about large enough to keep either shell dwellers A from Tanganyika or South American

Apistogramma. The thing that would sway me most however is whether my tapwater is hard or soft, as that will make life a lot easier when it comes to water changes. If hard and alkaline, go for the Tanganyika biotope. I would opt for either a pair of L. brevis, a pair of L. ocellatus or

a group of L. multifasciatus. All three deliver as shell dwellers by being big on character as well as being true shell dwellers and making regular excavations in and around their shells. L. ocellatus and brevis are more aggressive than multifasciatus and grow larger. I wouldn’t want to combine any of those three species in a tank of that size, and instead encourage your pair to breed, with their offspring then being tolerated in the future. L. caudopunctatus aren’t true shell dwellers like the above three but they are known to breed inside large shells. Other species will do this too. Once you select your shell dweller species you could include a pair of L. caudopunctatus, a pair of Julidochromis and a pair of

Telmatochromis. Add plenty of rockwork, a sand bed and of course lots of shells. For soft water, yes go for the Apistogramma, although I recommend just one pair, and that they should be the only cichlids in the tank. Where apistos do score points against Tanganyikan shell dwellers however, is that they can be very colourful with bright red markings, and you get to mix them with tetras such as Cardinals, pencilfish, hatchetfish, Corydoras catfish, small to medium sized sucker-mouthed catfish — and you can create a South American biotope tank. Neither the shell dwellers nor the apistos will appreciate new tanks or immature filters, so make sure that fishless cycle goes properly. JEREMY GAY

TROPICAL

Q. Are these fish as delicate as they look? I recently came across some lovely little fish called Triangle glass tetras, Leptagoniates pi. They look rather delicate but I would love to keep some. Please could you advise on their care? JENNY MARTIN, EMAIL

These little transparent South American tetras are a relatively recent addition to the hobby but do appear occasionally in UK shops. The ones I’ve seen have been sold under the name of ‘Mountain crystal tetra’ but the ‘pi’ part of their scientific name is perhaps the easiest way of remembering them and is a result of their uniquely shaped swimbladder. As these fish are transparent, this is clearly visible just behind the head and is divided into two sections connected at the top in a

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

A

70

shape reminiscent of the π symbol. Despite their delicate looks they are relatively easy to care for. Soft, slightly acidic conditions with a temperature around 25°C/77°F are preferred and as they can be timid, they should be stocked in groups of at least ten to see them at their best. Avoid large, boisterous tank mates and they should be fine. Feeding is easy with the usual

range of dried, frozen and live foods being accepted. Shelter in the form of plants and branching wood will offer further security. They reach a size of around 3.5cm/1.5in. BOB MEHEN

PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

MARINE

Atya gabonensis.

Q. Can I keep this coralmunching fish? Are Oxymonocanthus filefish as difficult to keep as I am led to believe? If I can supply them with enough Acropora frags to eat, will they be OK in a species aquarium? HANNAH MYLES, EMAIL

Yes, these are difficult fish to keep, although not impossible — but this can depend very much upon the individual(s) concerned and/or where they are to be housed. Typically, they do better in pairs; males have a more colourful/patterned flap of skin connected to the modified fin on their undersides, and occasionally individuals that will readily accept frozen diets can be sourced. I once had a pair that I kept in the shop for over six months before they were passed on to a public aquarium and they were fighting fit and positively chunky throughout this time. However, such individuals are the exception rather than the rule and although your proposed method of maintaining them could work, it might prove impractical to keep sufficient frags present in good enough health to sustain these fish. There are aquarists that have kept them in the long term by maintaining them with established colonies of Acropora spp. coral but these tend to be larger systems where their predation pressure on the corals is spread over many individuals so as to minimise the impact to a single colony. The question should be whether it is right to keep importing fish with a very small chance of survival, given that most aquarists will “give them a go” rather than research their requirements and seek to give them what you need, as you do. TRISTAN LOUGHER

A

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

Q. How should I feed these shrimp? Please could you give me some information on keeping Bamboo or other fan shrimp? I understand they can be difficult to keep in a community tank, so I’m contemplating giving them a specialist set-up. What’s the best way to ensure they get enough to eat? RICHARD KNOWLES, EMAIL

Bamboo shrimp are commonly Atyopsis moluccensis from Southeast A Asia. In the wild they inhabit fast-flowing

day should ensure your shrimp get enough to eat. Bamboo shrimp appear regularly on importers’ lists, so your local aquarium shop shouldn’t have any trouble getting them in. The similar, but more robust South American and West African species Atya gabonensis sometimes gets traded too, as the Vampire shrimp. All these shrimp have an estuarine or marine stage to their life cycle that means they can’t be bred in captivity (at least, not easily), so all the ones you see are wild caught. Inevitably that lends a seasonality to their appearance in the trade, so just because you don’t see them this time of year doesn’t mean they won’t be available a few months from now. Shrimp are sensitive to certain chemicals. Formalin and copper both kill them quickly. So don’t use standard fish medications around them, but if you can, offer special shrimp or crustacean foods (enriched with iodine) regularly to prevent moulting problems. NEALE MONKS

streams where the water is clear, well oxygenated, and not too warm. If you think about the sort of habitat favoured by minnows and freshwater gobies, you’ll have the right sort of idea. You’ll certainly want a tank with fairly strong water current provided by some sort of canister filter, and adding additional powerheads or even airstones will be beneficial. That’s because these shrimps are filter feeders and tend to congregate where water current is strongest. If you want them all over the tank you’ll need to make sure there are suitable perches (rocks or bogwood) positioned near areas with lots of Atyopsis water movement. moluccensis. Although Bamboo shrimp are able to pick food off the substrate (energyrich lobster eggs are a favourite), they won’t do well kept this way indefinitely. You need to get yourself to your nearest marine aquarium shop and purchase foods sold for filter feeding marine invertebrates like tubeworms and corals. These are just the thing for your shrimp. If this isn’t an option, finely powdered flake food (as sold for baby fish) mixed with water or Liquifrytype foods can work too, as can brine shrimp nauplii, though culturing these in sufficient quantity can be a hassle. In any case, use a turkey baster to direct the suspended food particles at your shrimps, and watch them catch the food with their fanlike appendages. Assuming they’re able to pick up some food from the substrate as well, a couple of feeds per

JAMES DUFFY

ALAMY

Orange-spotted filefish have a poor survival rate in captivity.

TROPICAL

71

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Fishkeeping Answers

SHUTTERSTOCK

Clown loaches often ‘play dead’ on the floor of the aquarium.

Q. Help! I think my fish is sick…

Knowing what is ‘normal’ for the species of fish you keep is essential if you are going to spot signs of ill health later on. WORDS: DAVE HULSE, TECHNICAL CONSULTANT AT TETRA

I

n order to be able to tell when a fish is poorly, we have to know what a healthy fish looks like and how it behaves — we can only recognise the abnormal when we know what is normal. For example, a goldfish keeper may become concerned about the presence of small white spots on the gill covers and pectoral fins of their fish. Further investigation will reveal that these small white spots are not a sign of disease but are actually special spawning pimples that cover certain parts of male goldfish at spawning time. In turn a tropical fishkeeper could become concerned that their Synodontis catfish are swimming upside down — this could be a sign of a swimbladder disorder. Again further investigation will lead the fishkeeper to discover that the fish are actually ‘Upside-down catfish’ that swim happily in an inverted position when juvenile, often resorting to a more conventional posture as adult fish.

Know your fish! The above examples highlight the need to know your fish. This should start even before you buy them. When you read up on the potential size, feeding and water quality requirements of any potential new fish, try

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to also seek information about the natural appearance of the fish at different stages of their life cycle and their natural ‘normal’ behaviour. Kribensis cichlids, Pelvicachromis pulcher, for example, show a markedly red belly at spawning time, which could be mistaken for bacterial erythema. Clown loaches, Chromobotia macracanthus, are notorious for eccentric behaviour. At the Tetra fishkeeping helpdesk we hear of many who play ‘dead’ and even a case of one Clown loach destroying its aquarium by pulling out the silicone that held the glass panels of the tank together! Upon acquiring your fish, you should familiarise yourself with the individual’s natural appearance and behaviour. In the

first few days in the tank, your new fish are likely to be very timid and may decline feeding, however as they settle most common freshwater aquarium inhabitants will venture out into the tank and respond to feeding. It is important to take notice of the swimming patterns of your fish, how quickly they eat food and the method of food intake. Feeding time offers an excellent time for a brief visual health check of your fishes. However, as emphasised above, we must be familiar with ‘normal’ appearance and behaviour of healthy fish in order to recognise ‘abnormal’ and thus potential ill health. Abnormal signs to look out for can be split into behavioural and morphological deviations from the accepted ‘normal’ state of your fish.

Dave Hulse is Tetra’s Technical Consultant. He has 20 years of experience within the aquatics industry, and has been involved in education and training for the last 15 years, having taught at both Sparsholt and Reaseheath Colleges. He is currently based at the School of Life Sciences at Keele University where he turns his hand to other subjects in the biological sciences — although he usually manages to crowbar a piscatorial reference in at some point! With such a varied and rich background in aquatics, Dave brings a wealth of experience to support Tetra and its customers.

PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Whitespot

External signs of disease

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

The cotton-wool like growth on this poorly fish is a fungus infection.

e Crooked spin

PHOTOMAX

The external appearance of fish is another key indicator of disease. If a fish’s skin is irritated either by pollutants in the water such as ammonia, or by infection with a skin parasite, the first response the fish will show (in addition to the flicking and scratching mentioned above) is overproduction of mucous. The mucous layer is highly protective and the fish increases its production when the skin is irritated. This overproduction of skin mucous makes the fish’s colours look duller and it assumes a grey hazy appearance. Most external parasite infections cause generalised symptoms, but white spot, causes a very recognisable condition. As the name suggests, infection of the skin with the white spot parasite causes the fish to develop tiny white pimples over its body. The white spots are around 1mm in diameter and tend to develop on the fins first before progressing over the body as the infection proceeds. Scaleless fishes such as Clown loach are highly susceptible. Another very recognisable condition is finrot, although there are many possible causes. The fins of a healthy fish should be complete, symmetrical and of a uniform consistency. In finrot the skin between the bony fin rays rots away leaving the fish with decaying tissue where the fins used to be. If the cause of the finrot is identified and

Whitespot spreads quickly and needs prompt treatment.

Fungus

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

Behavioural indicators of ill health include gasping for air at the water surface, which is a common sign of gill disease or water quality problems in most fish. However, in air breathing fish such as the lungfish, this is perfectly normal behaviour. Changes in the swimming activity are a sign of potential ill health. If a normally active fish ceases swimming activity, becoming lethargic and swimming only when disturbed, then this is a strong indicator of ill health. For sedentary carnivorous fishes, this is again a common ‘normal’ behaviour. Fish infected by skin parasites or irritated by certain water pollutants, will flick and scratch against objects in the aquarium or pond. Erratic darting motion instead of smooth swimming is often seen in small tropical aquarium fish when they are infected by internal parasites or bacteria. These affect the swimbladder and occasionally the neuromuscular systems, which has an effect on posture and locomotory activity. Assuming an abnormal posture, such as a lopsided gait or even fully upside-down, is usually a sign of a swimbladder problem, a common complaint in fancy aquarium goldfish. The same problems can also cause the fish to lose its normal neutral buoyancy, and they either sink or rise when at rest. A fish that normally feeds voraciously, and then starts refusing food is another sign of ill health. As in all fish health problems, the first thing to check is that the water quality is within the preferred range of the fish.

ALAMY

Behavioural symptoms of disease

This danio has a bent back and a swollen abdomen.

treated, the fins rapidly grow back. Finrot can be caused by water pollution, most commonly extremes of pH or ammonia poisoning. Infection with certain types of bacteria can also cause the problem. The delicate tissue of the mouth is also prone to a similar necrosis. Bacterial infection can also cause large open sores on the skin of the fish called ulcers. These are very damaging and must be treated early. Many internal problems can manifest themselves with external symptoms. Damage to the muscle around the spine, or vertebral deformity can lead to spinal

bending, causing the fish’s spine to assume a pronounced curvature and swimming is often affected. Infection or damage to the delicate tissue behind the eye can lead to swelling which pushes the eye outwards — a condition known as exophthalmia or pop-eye. Often in these circumstances the fluid in the eye will turn cloudy also. Recognition of disease in fish involves knowing what your fish look like, how they swim, feed, interact and behave. It is only when we truly know our fish can we begin to recognise the early signs of an ill health problem.

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And your winners are...

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selection of whiskery wonders, often including the rare and unusual among the tanks, and it’s a store PFK staff are particularly fond of. Catfish fans obviously agree. London-based Chen’s Discus clinched Discus Retailer of the Year. PFK’s Nathan Hill visited Chen (who actually isn’t called Chen at all), earlier this year — he reported on his visit in the May 2015 issue of PFK — and he can certainly vouch for the quality of his fish. Emperor Tropicals from Devon took the Plant Retailer of the Year title. Established since 1983, this Plymouth store is “run by fishkeepers for fishkeepers” and prides itself on having some of the best choices of healthy aquatic plants within the UK, ordered fresh every week. Emperor Tropicals is an ADA stockist and also sells Tropica plants including 1-2-Grow, huge mother plants and a large selection of potted plants. When it comes to pondkeeping, Lincs Aquatics took the top spot of Pond Retailer of the Year. This huge store encompasses over 30,000 sq ft in a former RAF aircraft hanger and its stock includes over 80 indoor pond vats containing livestock from goldfish to white sturgeon and all the pond kit you’ll need.

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

Other specialist awards went to Seahorse Aquariums in Dublin, which won three of the categories: Marine Retailer of the Year, Cichlid Retailer of the Year and Oddball Retailer of the Year, as well as being voted runner-up to Charterhouse in the overall Retailer of the Year award. PFK visited Seahorse Aquariums on its Ireland shoptour and Nathan Hill said of the store: “Why would anyone ever want to leave Ireland with a store like Seahorse there? If you haven’t visited yet, then you’ve never lived. I’ve only been away from it for a few days and the craving has already kicked in. Note the abundant five-star ratings. Seahorse deserves every one it gets.” The title of Catfish Retailer of the Year went to Pier Aquatics of Wigan, which also won the award in 2014. Owner Neil Woodward is well known for his amazing

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

arlier this year we asked you to vote for your favourite aquatic shops, products and manufacturers in our readers’ poll. We were overwhelmed with the response and we had thousands of votes — so thanks to everyone who took part. Now, after much vote counting, we can reveal the winners. So, for 2015, the highest accolade of Retailer of the Year was won by Charterhouse Aquatics in London, which also scooped the award for Online Retailer of the Year. PFK visited the store on a London shoptour last year. George Farmer said: “This is a must-see shop, if only to witness the incredible showroom with its inspirational marine and freshwater displays in such a stylish and progressive environment. Dry goods representation outweighs the livestock but the quality of all fish and inverts was excellent nonetheless. The most forward-thinking aquatic retailer I’ve ever visited.” Readers voted Sharnbrook shrimp from Northamptonshire their Small Retailer of the Year. Sharnbrook also took the title of Shrimp Retailer of the Year, making it three in a row for this specialist store that supplies the highest quality shrimp you’ll see.

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

GEORGE FARMER

We reveal your favourite shops, manufacturers and products of 2015...

PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Readers’ poll Top manufacturers and products Readers voted Rolf C. Hagen as 2015’s Manufacturer of the Year, an award that it also took in 2014. With established brands such as Fluval, Marina and Nutrafin among its portfolio, along with several market leading products, and a huge range covering everything from aquaria and filters to foods and decor, Hagen’s products will be used every day by a huge number of fishkeepers. We often hear tales of excellent customer service by the Hagen team here at PFK. Runner-up to Hagen this year was Eheim. Rolf C. Hagen also won the category for Tropical Product of the Year, with its Fluval FX6 external filter. This ‘heavy horse’ filter superseded the incredibly popular and similarly award-winning FX5, and is the filter of choice among fishkeepers with larger tanks. The Fluval FX6 is powered by a more efficient motor, which provides better performance while consuming 10% less electricity than its predecessor. Like the FX5, it also features Smart Pump Technology, an advanced technological feature that continually monitors the pump, constantly measuring impeller speed and force to ensure powerful output and energy efficiency. It also manages the filter’s self-starting feature and evacuates air that may enter or build up within the filtration system. On a 12-hour cycle, the pump will pause and allow trapped air to escape, ensuring the best filtration efficiency at all times. The FX6 is the all-terrain vehicle of the filter world, the 4x4 — only use one and you’ll realise that it’s more Big Foot monster truck than Jeep Cherokee, and there’s no dirty situation this thing can’t handle. It’s rated for aquariums up to 1,500 l/333 gal in volume — that’s in the region of 8 x 3 x 2ft, folks — and comes with filter media and a three-year warranty. Runner up to the FX6 for Tropical Product of the Year was Evolution Aqua’s Pure Aquarium filter supplement, which tied in second place this year with Esha’s 2000 treatment range. EA’s Pure Pond bomb was also runner-up in the Pond Product of the Year award, narrowly beaten by the Bioforce Revolution pond filter from Hozelock.

This advanced pressurised filter with UV clarifier has a patented easy clean system and three-step filter process: High power UV clarifier — eliminates green water; Mechanical filtration — CypriCube foams with +50% surface area ensure clear water and facilitate easy cleaning mechanism; Biological filtration — Large surface area Kaldnes K3 biological media accommodates beneficial bacteria in a bug bungalow to maintain healthy water. Hozelock’s Bioforce Revolution pond filter is available in three sizes to suit 6,000 l, 9,000 l and 14,000 l ponds. TMC’s V2 iLuminAir lighting romped away with the title of Marine Product of the Year, with the new Red Sea Reefer aquarium the runner-up in the saltwater category. The V2 iLumenAir LED lighting system is a sleek high power three channel lighting system that can be individually controlled via a remote control unit to provide a unique user-customised lighting solution for your aquarium. It has built in timing and dimming to allow for a full range of effects, including sunrise, sunset, twilight and moonlight, along with lightning simulation. Other features include quiet temperature controlled cooling fans, which only switch on when required; a power readout to tell you how much electricity is actually being used and thermal cut out to protect the LEDs should overheating occur. It’s available in three size options to suit most popular aquarium sizes and can be tank mounted using the supplied fittings or suspended (kit sold separately).

Competition winners Many thanks to our sponsors of this year’s Readers’ Poll — Tetra and Rolf C Hagen — who supplied over £1,000 worth of prizes.

The winners were: 1st prize: The Fluval FX6 external filter was won by Ross Saunders, Cornwall. 2nd prize: The 60 l/13 gal Tetra AquaArt Explorer aquarium and cabinet goes to James Mace, Cheshire. 3rd prize: The Fluval Edge 46 l/10 gal aquarium was won by Jack Dickinson, Dorset. 4th prize: The 30 l/6.6.gal Tetra AquaArt Explorer aquarium and cabinet goes to Lee Hand, Cheshire. The 20 runners up, who will receive a food and care package from either Tetra or Rolf C. Hagen, were: Paul Wolstencroft-Moore, Merseyside; Ricky Cheal, London; Kevin Kelly, Perth; James Holyoake, Gloucs; Mick Bradshaw, Cambs; Nicola Doig, East Sussex; Alasdair MacMillan, Fife; Brenda Todd, Lancs; Barry Jones, Cornwall; Ryan Loveday, Lincs; Gareth Ward, Westmeath, Ireland; Elaine Handley, Herts; Alysha Sime, Edinburgh; Susan Grant, Inverness; Karen Wilsdon, Surrey; Alan T. Parks, Berks; Graham Cairns, North Lanarkshire; John Behan, Co. Wicklow, Ireland; Angela Rolls, West Midlands; Steve Rubenstein, London.

Manufacturer of the Year Rolf C. Hagen Runner-up: Eheim

Tropical Product of the Year Fluval FX6 Runners-up: Tie between Evolution Aqua Pure Aquarium and Esha 2000 treatment

Marine Product of the Year V2 iLuminAir lighting Runner-up: Red Sea Reefer

Pond Product of the Year Hozelock Bioforce Revolution pond filter Runner-up: Evolution Aqua Pure Pond Bomb

The Fluval FX6 filter, Hozelock Bioforce Revolution pond filter and V2iLuminAir lighting were voted top aquatic products of 2015.

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

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The top shops Here are the top shops of 2015, as voted for by readers of Practical Fishkeeping.

Top 40 shops

ROLL OF HONOUR Retailer of the Year

Scotland

Charterhouse Aquatics, London Runner up: Seahorse Aquariums, Dublin

Small retailer of the Year Sharnbrook Shrimp, Northants. Runner up: H2O Habitat, Woldingham, Surrey

North East Northern Ireland

North West

Online retailer of the Year Charterhouse Aquatics Runner up: Complete Aquatics

Republic of Ireland

East Midlands Wales

TOP SPECIALISTS

Marine retailer of the Year

Pier Aquatics, Wigan Runner-up: Seahorse Aquariums, Dublin

Discus retailer of the Year Chen’s Discus, Middlesex Runners-up: DL Discus, Co Durham/Devotedly Discus, East Sussex

East West Midlands London

Seahorse Aquariums, Dublin Runner-up: The Abyss Aquatic Warehouse, Manchester

Catfish retailer of the Year

Yorkshire & Humberside

South West

South East

REGIONAL WINNERS

Scotland

West Midlands

Fishkeeper Glasgow Runner-up: Discovery Aquatics, Dundee

Prestwood Petzone, Stourbridge Runner-up: Erdington Aquatics, Birmingham

Republic of Ireland Seahorse Aquariums, Dublin Runner up: The Aquatic Village, Co Dublin

Cichlid retailer of the Year

Northern Ireland

Seahorse Aquariums, Dublin Runner up: Discovery Aquatics, Dundee

Exotic Aquatics, Belfast Runner-up: AMC Aquatics, Co Londonderry

Shrimp retailer of the Year

North east

Sharnbrook Shrimp, Northants. Runner-up: Seahorse Aquariums, Dublin

Silksworth Aquatics, Co Durham Runner-up: DL Discus, Co Durham

Oddball retailer of the Year

North West

Seahorse Aquariums, Dublin Runner-up: Lincs Aquatics, Alford, Lincs

Aquahome Aquatic Centre, Lancs Runner up: Pier Aquatics, Wigan

Plant retailer of the Year

Yorks and Humber

Emperor Tropicals, Devon Runner-up: Seahorse Aquariums, Dublin

Ferrybridge Aquatics, Wakefield Runner-up: Aquatic Finatic, North Yorks.

Pond retailer of the Year

East Midlands

Lincs Aquatics, Alford, Lincs. Runner-up: Fishkeeper Glasgow

Lincs Aquatics, Alford, Lincs. Runner-up: Sharnbrook Shrimp, Northants.

East The Coral Cave Aquatic Centre, Hardwick, Cambs Runner-up: The Waterzoo, Peterborough

Wales Maidenhead Aquatics @ Cardiff Runners-up: JayDee Aquatics, Wrexham/The Green Machine, Wrexham

London Charterhouse Aquatics, London Runner-up: Aquatic Design Centre, London

South-east H2O Habitat, Surrey Runner-up: Abacus Aquatics, Kent

South west

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The Aquatic Store, Bristol Runner-up: Emperor Tropicals, Devon

(listed alphabetically) O Abacus Aquatics, Kent O Aquahome, Leyland O Aquajardin, Gloucester O Aqualife, Leyland O Aquatic Design Centre, London O Charterhouse Aquatics, London O Discovery Aquatics, Dundee O Eden Aquatics & Reptiles, Edinburgh O Emperor Tropicals, Plymouth, Devon O Exotic Aquatics, Belfast O Ferrybridge Aquatics, Wakefield, West Yorks. O Fishkeeper Edinburgh O Fishkeeper Glasgow O Fishkeeper Inverness O H2O Aquatics, Essex O H2O Habitat, Surrey O Lincs Aquatics, Lincs. O Maidenhead Aquatics @ Bristol O Maidenhead Aquatics @ Cardiff O Maidenhead Aquatics @ Reading O Maidenhead Aquatics @ Truro O Oasis Aquarium, Manchester O Pier Aquatics, Wigan, Lancs. O Prestwood Petzone, West Midlands O Seahorse Aquariums, Dublin O Sharnbrook Shrimp, Northants O Silksworth Aquatics, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear O Sweet Knowle Aquatics, Warks. O The Abyss Aquatic Warehouse Manchester O The Aquatic Habitat Gloucestershire O The Aquatic Store, Bristol O The Aquatic Village, Co Dublin O The Coral Cave Aquatic Centre, Hardwick, Cambs O The Waterzoo, Peterborough O Trop Shop, Essex O Waterworld, Cheshire O Wharf Aquatics, Notts O Wholesale Tropicals, London O Wildwoods, Middlesex O Woodford Aquatics, London

PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

THANK YOU FOR VOTING FOR

BESPOKE AQUARIUMS  DESIGN  MAINTENANCE  INSTALLATIONS

Well, what a year it has been. We are extremely thankful for the awards and we really appreciate the ongoing support from our loyal customers. We are very proud to win not only online retailer of the year but now retailer of the year too. You can all expect bigger and better things to come so keep your eyes peeled for the brand new website and showroom layout... Thank you again from all of us at

www.charterhouse-aquatics.co.uk

Aquahome Aquatic Centre

Seahorse Aquariums Ltd

within Avant Gardens Garden Centre, Wigan Road, Leyland, Lancs. PR25 5XW. Tel: 01772 623 497. www.aquahome.co.uk www.facebook.com/ AquahomeAquaticCentre

DUBLIN: Unit 3, St Joan’s ind Est Turnpike Road, Ballymount, Dublin 22, Ireland. GALWAY: Unit 2, Kilkerrin Park 1 Liosban Industrial Estate, Tuam Road, Galway, Ireland. www.seahorseaquariums.com https://www.facebook.com/seahorseaquariums Twitter: @SeahorseAquaDub

What they say We are proud to have won North West Retailer of the Year for the fourth year running - 2012, 2013, 2014 and now 2015. We also won Retailer of the Year in 2014, so we are proud to have been recognised for our hard work over the past few years. All our team have been with us for many years now and it is a testament to their hard work and commitment. We would like to say a massive ‘thank you’ to our loyal customers, many of which travel great distances to visit us. We have a new huge coral table planned for this year to replace our older coral section, this means our customers will be able to walk a full 360° around the corals to have a really good look at what they are buying. Our marine customers are ever increasing and this will be a great way of being able to stock more corals and display to the full potential. Our in-store finance, which can also be offered to customers unable to travel to us, is proving very popular. The recent addition of some fantastic

marine systems such as the Red Sea Reefer range and the fact we are now able to ship nationwide free of charge, has brought many new customers to Aquahome. We take pride in our high level of customer service and believe all our team will go that extra mile. To have this recognised makes it all worthwhile. We look forward to continued support from our existing valued customers and look forward to welcoming many new customers to our store.

The Aquatic Habitat Shurdington Road (A46), Brockworth, Gloucester, GL3 4PU. Tel: 01452 862791 www.the-aquatic-habitat.co.uk www.facebook.com/The-Aquatic-Habitat

What they say Established in 1973, The Aquatic Habitat is the largest pond & aquarium specialist in Gloucestershire. We aim to supply top quality, healthy fish and plants along with the widest possible choice of quality equipment and accessories. We cater for all areas of the hobby. In addition to a 2000 sq. ft. aquarium section and a 5000 sq. ft. pond section there’s a large outdoor area for ponds, plants, etc. We’re delighted to once again feature in this year’s poll and would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who voted for us, both this year and previous polls.

What they say We would like to thank everyone who voted for Seahorse Aquariums and gave us the opportunity to win eight awards for the first time in Seahorse Aquarium’s life. We would not have reached this milestone without those who have supported us over the years. Everyone who has experienced Seahorse Aquariums the past seven years has played a pivotal role in helping us become a better company and hence improve what we do. Therefore, we want to celebrate this special occasion by saying a big ‘thank you’ to our customers, associates and employees who, in their own

unique way, contributed to a highly rewarding year. Seahorse Aquariums recently opened its award winning shop in Galway to make it easier to deliver high quality aquatic goods and services across Ireland. We also have the privilege and responsibility of being the creator of the charity Save Our Seahorses. We would like to thank everyone for supporting the charity and we are committed to help build a safer future for seahorses. Seahorse Aquariums have achieved a tremendous amount and we promise to keep reinventing ourselves and delivering outstanding customer service.

Silksworth Aquatics

Sharnbrook Shrimp

Unit 4, Cold Hesledon Industrial Estate, Seaham, Sunderland. Tel: 0191 581 1846. www.silksworthaquatics.co.uk/ www.facebook.com/groups/ SilksworthAquatics/

3 West Street, Rushden, Northamptonshire NN10 0RT Opening Times: 9am to 5:30pm Open Every Day except Sunday (Check website before coming) Tel: 01933 317 107 [email protected] www.sharnbrookshrimp.co.uk

What they say SilksworthAquaticsstartedlife in early 2014 from a small outbuilding at home. Originally intended as a method of making the fishkeeping hobby pay for itself, Graham soon found a niche and began to specialise in Apistogramma and other South American dwarf cichlids. Eighteen months later, after riotous success, Silksworth Aquatics moved into new, spacious premises, holding over 130 tanks in five rooms.

Havingdirectcontactwith the fishermenthemselvesallows Graham to source some unusual species rarely found in the UK, and cutting out the middleman means more money going directly to the fishermen. The Silksworth Aquatics name is quickly becoming established across the UK as a destination for quality, unusual South American fish. Thanks to all our customers for the support over the last year - all we can say is, the best is still to come!

Prestwood PetZone Wolverhampton Road (A449), Prestwood, Nr Stourbridge, West Midlands, DY7 5AF. Tel: 01384 877150, www.prestwoodpetzone.com www.facebook.com/prestwoodpetzone

What they say We are very proud to have won the coveted Small Retailer of the Year award! A big thank you to all our loyal customers who helped us win this and Shrimp Retail of the Year too, for a third year in a row! We hope to try and exceed your expectations for another year! If you have never thought of buying shrimp before, why not try some of our easy to keep crystals or cherries to start you off. We are the UK’s leading ornamental shrimp specialist Orange Sakura

Red Fancy Tiger Bee

What they say Prestwood PetZone has 200 aquariums of tropical and coldwater fish plus a massive selection of dry, frozen and live food, accessories and pondfish and equipment and has been providing expert advice to aquarists since 1980. Aquascaping, Tanganyikans and Discus are specialities, plus a great range of L-number plecs and community fish. PetZone also has one of the biggest reptile centres in the Midlands with an amazing selection of lizards, snakes, spiders and frogs, The PetZone website and Facebook page have regular updates of fish, reptiles, birds and small animals for sale as well as special offers and news updates. Everyone at PetZone would like to say a big thank you to the readers of PFK who voted for us.

shop, packed with the largest selection of shrimp anywhere in the UK, possibly Europe. With an enthusiastic and knowledgeable team, we are sure you will get great advice on setting up your first shrimp tank. Even seasoned shrimp fanatics will find a treasure trove of interesting creatures and products to suit their taste. We are looking forward to seeing you at our shop or pay us a visit online too. (Trade Enquiries Welcome)

completeaquatics.co.uk

Discovery Aquatics

Website: www.completeaquatics.co.uk www.facebook.com/completeaquaticsuk

Tayside’s leading aquatic retailer Unit 18, Manhattan Works, Dundonald Street, Dundee, DD3 7PY. Tel: 01382 452364. www.discoveryaquatics.co.uk www.facebook.com/DiscoveryAquatics-161045863928967 Open: Mon-Sat 10am–6pm Sun: 12pm-5pm

What they say We have worked incredibly hard in recent years to be one of the best online aquatic retailers in the UK. We are very proud to hold one of the highest trustpilot scores in our industry — a huge 9.8 out of 10 — and would invite any new customers to please have a read on trustpilot to see the lengths we go to ensure our customers are looked after, not just for the initial sale but after also for ongoing advice and customer care. To also have our hard work recognised by winning runner up Online Retailer of the year is a great achievement. We appreciate our customers taking

the time to vote for us. We stock a huge range of products from all major brands and we offer friendly advice to newcomers or experts. We provide online chat, email support or telephone advice whenever our customers need assistance and regularly help customers piece together their first aquarium set-up or complete automated reef system. Please give us a try if you have not shopped with us before — you won’t be disappointed!

What they say We have over 400 livestock tanks containing a large array of tropicals and marines, with a live rock system and three coral tables, plus a dedicated coldwater section. We are specialists in Rift valley, Discus, South American and oddball fish. We stock an extensive range of aquariums, along with dry goods for every niche. Open seven days a week.

Proud members of OATA

Lincs Aquatics Hangar One, Strubby Airfield, Woodthorpe, Lincs., LN13 0DD. Tel: 01507 451000. www.lincsaquatics.co.uk www.facebook.com/Lincs-Aquatics-279969242020066

What they say Lincs Aquatics would like to thank all our customers for their continued support and voting for us. As Lincolnshire’s largest indoor aquatic retailer (30,000 sq ft) we pride ourselves on good quality personal service, which we have developed over the last 26 years. Our pond, tropical, marine, coldwater and reptile departments cater for all your aquatic needs, with huge selections of livestock, dry goods and displays, all at

very competitive prices. We truly are considered a one stop aquatic shop, come rain or shine we are well worth a visit. Don’t forget to come and feed our friendly fish. As well as Woodthorpe branch of Lincs aquatics we have another branch in Bawtry, Doncaster. South Yorkshire Aquatics, established four years ago. is based on the same principles as Lincs on a slightly smaller scale and encompasses tropical, marine, pond

and coldwater departments. For anyone in the South Yorkshire and surrounding areas we consider this store to be a one stop shop with a very large selection of livestock and dry goods indoor all under one roof. South Yorkshire Aquatics provides a very friendly traditional Yorkshire welcome, so don’t hesitate to come along and visit. A huge thank you to all existing customers who make us such a popular destination to visit.

Get Practical Fishkeeping magazine every four weeks Every issue of Practical Fishkeeping brings you: O Amazing fish and how to keep them O Inspirational aquariums O Step-by-step guides O Readers’ tanks O Advice from the top fishkeeping experts O Product reviews Available from all good newsagents or turn to page 74 for details of our latest subscription offer.

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Big is beautiful Set up a reef tank for large polyp stony corals and you will open up a world full of colour, variety and movement.

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

WORDS: TRISTAN LOUGHER

Most conflicts between LPS corals arise over competition for space, but some closely related species can be placed very near — even touching — one another.

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PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Marine

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arge polyp stony (LPS) corals can provide an almost rainbowlike spectrum of colour to result in a magnificent aquarium display. And by using modern, controllable LED light units incorporating nearultraviolet (NUV) wavelengths of light, the natural bio-fluorescence in many species of coral can be emphasised and even enhanced, providing plenty to offer and admire throughout the day-night cycle of the aquarium. The combination of LPS corals and compatible fish species given on the following pages provide an emphasis on colours and shapes that will combine to stunning effect.

CITES-controlled trade

The diverse range of stony corals available in the hobby make it difficult to generalise about preferred conditions. Some, like the popular Duncan coral, Duncanopsammia axifuga, can prove tolerant of relatively low light levels (perhaps just a couple of T5 fluorescents) and moderate flow, provided that it is fed suitable foodstuffs regularly. Others, like the exquisite shallow water golden Scroll coral, Turbinaria reniformis, demand lighting levels similar to the most light-hungry of small polyp stony (SPS) corals. Give a species of stony coral too much illumination and it can bleach (expelling its symbiotic zooxanthellae) and give it too much flow and its delicate tissues may be ripped from its rigid skeleton. A rough rule of thumb is that the smaller the stony coral’s polyp, the stronger the illumination and water movement it needs. So, solitary, single polyp corals such as Trachyphyllia and Lobophyllia tend to tolerate less flow and light intensity than, for example, colonial species such as Blastomussa, Acanthastrea or Favites spp. and these corals will tolerate less than species showing smaller polyps such as the aforementioned Turbinara reniformis. An added complication is the range of shapes formed by stony corals according to their species and local conditions, with tighter, less branched colonies forming in high strength water currents and rangier specimens in lower flow.

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

How to avoid conflict Conflict issues in the LPS-dominated aquarium are all about the ability to conquer new ground and defend what is already yours. These corals possess polyp tentacles armed with powerful stinging cells that can be used both offensively and defensively depending upon the situation. Some, such as Euphyllia spp. and bubble corals (Plerogyra sinuosa and Physogyra spp.) can send out heavily armed tentacles that extend far beyond the original polyp mass. These so-called sweeper tentacles sting adjacent corals and can clear an area of competition into which the colony can expand. Many species do not extend their polyp tentacles during the day, presumably as they might get nipped off by a passing fish. www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

What’s required?

Expect to pay more for corals like Scolymia.

However, at night the coral can extend its polyps in relative safety to take advantage of planktonic organisms that rise from the depths to feed, and they may also be used aggressively by many corals such as Favia and Favites spp. Tentacles can also be extended during daylight hours when food is detected in the water or if a neighbouring specimen is placed a little too close. Sometimes potential problems can be avoided simply by placing one coral upstream from a more aggressive species, so that the polyp tentacles of the more aggressive individual are constantly pushed away from its neighbour by the force of current. But with caution, some closely related species can be maintained in close proximity, even touching each other, such as those of the genus Euphyllia, although some aquarists report slower growth rates when colonies are in contact with each other.

Trade in stony corals is controlled by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora. Permits must be obtained that relate to individual genera or species (some corals may be difficult to identify to species level and in this instance the genus rather than species is controlled by CITES quotas), allowing them to be exported from the countries of origin. Although stony coral dominated reefs can be found circumtropically, most exports are made from Indonesia, Fiji/Tonga and Australia. Corals are exported according to quotas agreed with CITES. Note that live coral shipments are subject to individual CITES export permits and EU CITES import permits. Many commercial concerns are farming stony corals but CITES applies to both farmed and wild specimens.

While stony corals might not have the same prodigious growth rates as many soft corals, they do grow and sometimes rather quickly when conditions allow. There is also the expansion factor — LPS can be rather flexible and a specimen of, say, Acanthophyllia deshayesiana in a dealer’s aquarium might show significantly more polyp expansion when placed in your aquarium — 30cm/12in and over is commonly reported for this species. It is also not entirely straightforward to take cuttings from — a characteristic shared by many of the single polyp solitary stony coral species, making size reduction impractical. This is not true of all species however, and aquarists can often reduce future issues by selecting branching forms instead of massive colonies, such as Euphyllia parancora rather than E. ancora. But this option isn’t available for all species, so give LPS corals plenty of room to expand and grow in the long term.

WHICH CORAL GOESWHERE? Not all conditions suit all corals. Use the table below as a guide when placing LPS corals in the aquarium.

Type of zone:

Suitable for:

STRONG ILLUMINATION STRONG FLOW

Turbinaria (small polyp forms)

MEDIUM ILLUMINATION LOW FLOW

Euphyllia spp.

LOW ILLUMINATION STRONG FLOW

Some Heliofungia spp.

LOW ILLUMINATION LOW FLOW

Duncanopsammia axifuga, Trachyphyllia geoffroyi 85

Open brain coral Scientific names: Trachyphyllia geoffroyi (Track-ee-fill-ee-ah jeff-roy-eye). Size: From 15mm skeletal size upwards to around 12cm/4.8in. Polyp expansion can add significantly to their size. Lifespan: Many years provided the environment is suitable. Tentacle expansion: When food is detected in the water or actually on top of the coral. Occasionally when threatened by a neighbour. Aggression: Not particularly aggressive. Availability and cost: Good; metallic green individuals might cost £40–£75 each depending on size. Expect at least double this for red or red and green specimens. Notes: These solitary corals, consisting of an individual polyp with no obvious tentacle expansion during the day, are among the most hardy and least problematic of all LPS corals. Their beautiful colours make them a favourite among aquarists who often place them on the very bottom of their aquaria, simulating their natural, free-living existence where they are encountered on coral rubble and sand substrates.

Open brain corals are among the easiest of the LPS.

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

Choose your LPS corals... Blastomussa are colourful and easy to keep.

Blasto coral Scientific name: Blastomussa spp. (Blast-oh-moose-ah). Size: Usually purchased as colonies consisting of two or more polyps. Different species have different average polyp diameter: B. merleti seldom reaches more than 5–7mm diameter whereas B. wellsi often has polyps measuring 10mm or more across. Lifespan: A decade or more. Tentacle expansion: When food is detected in the water or actually on top of the coral. Occasionally when threatened by a neighbour. Aggression: Not particularly aggressive. Availability and cost: Good; colouration and colony size determine price. B.merleti is the species most commonly seen in the hobby. Specimens are often priced per polyp so large colonies can command high prices. Notes: Blastomussa spp. can appear to be rather similar to other stony corals such as Acanthastrea but is distinguished from them by having bladder-like vesicles radiating out from their centres. These can vary in size and therefore are not always very obvious, particularly in the small polyps of B. merleti, but close scrutiny will often reveal them. Blastomussa is a beautiful coral and relatively easy to care for. Most species are slow growing but a large colony makes a spectacular display, albeit one that can take some time to achieve.

Spiny brain coral

ALAMY

Scientific name: Lobophyllia spp. (Low-boh-fill-ee-ah). Size: Individuals can be single polyps measuring less than 10cm/4in across to much larger (30cm/12in) colonies consisting of multiple polyps. Many species will just keep on growing should conditions allow. Lifespan: Many years provided the environment is suitable. Tentacle expansion: When food is detected in the water or actually on top of the coral. Occasionally when threatened by a neighbour. Aggression: Not particularly aggressive. Availability and cost: Good; Indonesian individuals are the least expensive while those collected from the Coral Sea command higher prices. Ultra fluorescent red individuals might cost well over £60 for a 10cm/4in individual. Notes: Named for the short, sharp spines found on their extremely solid skeletons, Lobophyllia spp. are often overlooked by aquarists despite offering much particularly in the sheer diversity of colours displayed by specimens. Reds are Lobophyllia grow commonly seen but so quite slowly. too rainbows of colours that really pop under near UV illumination. Growth rates tend to be rather slow, probably due to the density of the skeleton, which might not be a bad thing as it won’t outgrow the aquarium too quickly.

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Scientific name: Acanthastrea lordhowensis (Ah-kann-thah-stray-ah lord-how-enn-siss). Size: Frags consisting of only a few 10-12mm diameter polyps are widely available along with larger colonies. Lifespan: Many years provided the environment is suitable. Tentacle expansion: When food is detected in the water or actually on top of the coral. Occasionally when threatened by a neighbour. Aggression: Not particularly aggressive. Availability and cost: Good; colouration usually determines price, but most acans, even frags, are going to cost in excess of £40 and far more for larger brilliantly coloured specimens. Notes: Acanthastrea are very popular corals due to their exquisite patterns and colours that they display. Their prices are high but they usually prove hardy and willing to grow. Where space and budget allow, more than one frag or colony can be purchased — individuals are tolerant of each other and they can be placed in close proximity to create a multi-coloured and beautiful display.

Acans are never cheap to buy.

ALAMY

ALAMY

Acan coral

PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Marine Donut coral

Scientific names: Scolymia sp. (Skoll-ee-mee-ah). Size: Roughly circular skeletons, usually measuring 15mm-65mm in diameter for most imported individuals. Lifespan: Many years is possible but there is some debate concerning the best options for their long term husbandry. Tentacle expansion: When food is detected in the water or actually on top of the coral. Occasionally when threatened by a neighbour. Aggression: Not particularly aggressive. Availability and cost: Good. The most colourful green and red striped individuals command £100s. Single colour smaller individuals are can be bought for less than £100.

Trumpet/Candy-cane coral

ALAMY

Scientific name: Caulastrea spp. (Kawl-ass-tray-ah). Size: Typically available in two different forms: the first has short skeletal stems arranged so that the polyps, when expanded, form a dome reminiscent of moon and pineapple corals (Favia spp). The second is a longer branched form, often with fluorescent metallic green polyps which do not touch their neighbouring polyps even when fully expanded. Lifespan: A decade or more. Tentacle expansion: When food is detected in the water or actually on top of the coral. Occasionally when threatened by a neighbour. Aggression: Not particularly aggressive. Availability and cost: Caulastrea is Excellent; fluorescent green one of the most specimens will cost more widely available than the brown variety, but LPS corals. even these are not particularly expensive and single polyps can be purchased for a few pounds each. Notes: Candy-cane coral is a beautiful, easy to care for coral. Even the less fluorescent specimens are highly attractive and when subjected to stable conditions and strong illumination these colonies will often develop white stripes through the outer brown margin, making them even more striking.

Duncan coral Scientific name: Duncanopsammia axifuga (Dunn-kann-opp-sam-ee-ah axe-ee-few-jah). Size: Polyps can be 5–10cm/2–4in across the polyp tentacles but Duncans are now colonies can grow massive. within most Lifespan: A decade or more. reefkeepers’ budgets. Tentacle expansion: Permanently on display in healthy specimens Aggression: May sting neighbours but often comes off worse in turf wars. Availability and cost: Excellent; usually priced per polyp — single polyps or colonies consisting of several hundred are available. Notes: Related to the non-photosynthetic sun corals (Tubastrea and Dendrophyllia) which lack zooxanthellae, the photosynthetic Duncans also benefit from regular feedings with meaty diets but are not entirely dependent upon them for their nourishment. Duncan coral is naturally found in a limited range that includes Australia and the South China Seas. When first seen in the hobby some ten years ago, it commanded huge prices but now small colonies and single polyp frags are within the budget of most marine aquarists. ALAMY

Button coral/Scoly

ALAMY

ALAMY

Expect to pay £100 or more for a good Scoly.

Scientific name: Acanthophyllia deshayesiana (Ah-kanthoh-fill-ee-ah dez-haze-eeah-nah). Size: Typically the skeleton measures around Price is often 8–12cm/3.2–4.8in in determined by diameter. The polyp colour. expansion can be impressive on specimens in this size range with over 30cm/12in being commonplace. Lifespan: A decade or more. Tentacle expansion: When food is detected in the water or actually on top of the coral. Occasionally when threatened by a neighbour. Aggression: Not particularly aggressive. Availability and cost: Excellent; red individuals or those containing significant amounts of red mingled with green can cost £100s. Green individuals may not be as immediately impressive but are still beautiful and can be obtained for rather less than this. Notes: These corals are truly spectacular and straightforward to keep, but it is possible to give them too much light, leading to the specimen bleaching and losing its symbiotic zooxanthellae but often retaining its fluorescent pigments. In many ways it appears to be a ghost of its former self. Offering lower light and regular feedings with meaty foods such as chopped shellfish can help to sustain the coral until it can regain its symbiotic algae.

Scientific name: Turbinaria peltata (Turr-binn-air-ee-ah pell-tart-ah). Size: Individual polyps usually measure 0.5-15mm in diameter but colonies can grow over 60cm/24in in diameter. Lifespan: A decade or more. Tentacle expansion: Permanently on display in most specimens, particularly those with larger polyps. Lack of polyp extension does not necessarily mean an unhealthy coral but it’s best to select those with wellexpanded polyps to avoid potential problems. Aggression: Not particularly aggressive. Availability and cost: Excellent; £20–£40 depending on size. Notes: With the exception of T. reniformis, most colonies tend to be greenish-grey with similar coloured polyps, but aquarists might be missing a trick by not including T. peltata in a large LPS system. This coral has a rather beautiful shape and its growth can form spectacular structures in the aquarium, including shallow bowls, rising columns and meandering ridges. Hardy, but ensure that detritus is unable to accumulate on the surface (the shallow bowl structure contributes to this problem) as this can result in tissue die-off.

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

Table/Crater/Pagoda coral

Ensure that detritus doesn’t accumulate in the ‘bowl’ of table corals.

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5

ALAMY

Euphyllia parancora.

Hammer coral/Hammerhead coral/ Anchor coral Scientific names: Euphyllia ancora, E. parancora (You-fill-ee-ah anne-cor-ah, You-fill-ee-ah para-anne-cor-ah).

great fish for the LPS aquarium

Choosing fish for the LPS aquarium involves research into species that will not nibble at the expanded flesh of the corals. Frequent offenders include many species of dwarf angelfish (Centropyge spp.) that peck away at LPS colonies such as Trachyphyllia and Lobophyllia, apparently being more interested in the mucus they produce rather than the flesh itself. But this repeated nibbling leads to recession of the coral tissue. The selections of fish here include some benign species that are far more interested in what’s going on in open water rather than on the substrate, along with others that will provide a useful service in the prevention of algae and detritus accumulation.

Frogspawn coral, Honey coral

Euphyllia yaeyamaensis.

ALAMY

Scientific names: Euphyllia divisa, E. paradivisa, E. yaeyamaensis (You-fill-ee-ah dee-vice-ah , You-fill-ee-ah para-dee-vice-ah, You-fillee-ah yay-ahm-ay-enn-sis).

ALAMY

Euphyllia glabrescens.

Torch coral, Cornet coral Size: Colonies can be massive in the case of E. ancora and E. divisa, with a single, unbroken skeletal element or consisting of a number of branches, each tipped with a single polyp (unless dividing and forming a new branch). Single branch specimens are frequently offered for sale. Lifespan: A decade or more. Tentacle expansion: Healthy individuals should show significant polyp extension. Euphyllia have potentially very long sweeper tentacles and demand space to grow and expand into. Aggression: Potentially aggressive. Availability and cost: Excellent; £10–£100 depending on size. Colour variants can be rather expensive. Notes: Few LPS corals tick aquarists’ must-have boxes quite like Euphyllia. With such beautiful colours, polyp shapes and movement, it would be downright negligent not to include them. The prefix “para” in the species name can be thought of as a synonym for “branched”. Therefore we have hammer coral (E. ancora) and branched hammer coral (E. parancora) and frogspawn coral (E. divisa) and branched frogspawn coral (E. paradivisa). The vast majority of specimens in the hobby are cultured although wild collected colonies are available. It can be tempting to stock a large E. ancora into a new aquarium as it is impressive and gives the aquarium a more mature appearance. However, although these large skeleton colonies can be fragged, it is impossible to do without cutting into the tissue. Growth rates can be impressive in Euphyllia, so branching specimens are a better option, offering the advantage of regular ‘pruning’ without damaging the polyps.

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ALAMY

Scientific name: Euphyllia glabrescens (You-fill-ee-ah glabb-ress-enz).

Brown sailfin tang Scientific name: Zebrasoma scopas (Zebb-rah-sow-mah skoh-pass). Size: 12-15cm/4.8–6in in the aquarium. Lifespan: Over ten years is possible. Temperament: Territorial but harassment of new additions usually eases over time, sometimes within a few hours. However, it is best stocked after less boisterous species. Availability and cost: Very good; £17–40 depending on size and provenance. Notes: This genus can be highly useful at preventing undesirable forms of alga in reef aquaria, so I stock them where practical. The Brown sailfin may not be as immediately attractive as its bright yellow counterpart and aquarists could certainly substitute one for the other, but Z. scopas is a subtly beautiful fish and has the advantages of lower price and availability at smaller, yet hardy, sizes. Stocking smaller individuals can reduce the risk of territorial aggression.

Next month... We take a look at a system dedicated to small polyp stony (SPS) corals.

PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Marine Scientific name: Ctenochaetus tominiensis (Teen-oh-keet-uss tom-eeknee-en-siss). Size: 12–15cm/4.8–6in. Lifespan: Over ten years is possible. Temperament: One of the least territorial tang species but still best stocked simultaneously with other surgeonfish to avoid aggression. Availability and cost: Very good; £25-60 depending on size. Notes: Bristletooth tangs from the genus Ctenochaetus can play a very useful role in the prevention of detritus accumulation as they use their specialised teeth to brush hard surfaces, removing microalgae and organic material that settles there. Most of the species currently described in this genus are readily available in the hobby, including the exquisite Kole tang (C. strigosus) and pricey Chevron (C. hawaiiensis), either of which could be substituted for the one listed here. But I find the Goldrush tang to be one of the more peaceful members of the genus and also the hardiest. Smaller individuals are available that usually prove very hardy and adjust well to aquarium life.

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

Goldrush tang

PHOTOMAX

Maldive velvet fairy wrasse Scientific name: Cirrhilabrus rubrisquamis (Sirri-labb-russ roo-breesquarm-iss). Size: 10–12cm/4–4.8in. Lifespan: Over five years but it can be difficult to know the age of imported individuals. Temperament: May occasionally chase fish that enter its immediate swimming space but this rarely escalates into real aggression. Availability and cost: Very good; £35–£45. Notes: There are many species of fairy wrasse suitable for inclusion in LPS dominated reef aquaria and C. rubrisquamis is one of the most widely available and beautiful. Its colours can vary significantly depending on both its mood and the type of lighting it is kept under but either way it looks simply stunning as it swims actively over the reef. Cirrhilabrus spp. are planktonivores meaning they usually feed readily in open water. Perhaps the greatest barrier to their widespread appeal is the fact that they can jump from uncovered aquaria.

Square anthias

ALAMY

Scientific name: Pseudanthias pleurotaenia (Soo-dann-thee-ass ploor-oh-teen-ee-ah). Size: 12–15cm/4.8–6in. Lifespan: Over five years, but it can be difficult to know the age of imported individuals. Temperament: May occasionally chase fish that enter its immediate swimming space. Aggression is generally reserved for members of the same species including females in male-female pairs. Females will also be aggressive towards one another as a pecking order is established. Availability and cost: Good; £50-85 depending on size and sex. Notes: Anthias are open water swimming planktonivores with large appetites that need to be fed regularly to reduce aggression between individuals of the same species. Maintaining shoals is certainly possible as, too, is mixing species. Unless a larger number of individuals is an absolute requirement I prefer to stock pairs of anthias, particularly in larger species such as P. pleurotaenia. Males are typically larger and only they possess the square-shaped spot that gives them their common name.

ALAMY

Blue eyed cardinalfish

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

Scientific name: Zoramia leptacanthus (Zoh-ray-mee-ah lepp-tah-kannth-uss). Size: 5–6cm/2–2.2in. Lifespan: Over five years, but it can be hard to know the age of imported fish. Temperament: Usually very peaceful; may occasionally bicker among themselves. Availability and cost: Excellent; £12–£15 each depending upon size and sex. Notes: This is one of the few species that can form tight “associations” of individuals in the aquarium and it is hardy and relatively inexpensive. Typically this fish prefers shaded areas beneath coral colonies and overhangs. Groups form and break up regularly but when more than half a dozen individuals are present with their deep neon blue markings they can make for a wonderful display. They will also court and spawn in the aquarium with males incubating broods of eggs in their mouths for a short period of time.

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Lighting is the main driving force behind plant growth, but more is not necessarily better.

LIGHT!

Too little light and your plants will die — too much and you’ll have algae. So, how do you know what’s right for your set-up? Read on…

WORDS: GEORGE FARMER

PHOTOGRAPHY: GEORGE FARMER UNLESS STATED

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ighting is the single most important aspect of keeping a successful and healthy planted tank. Not just because light is essential for plant growth, but also because if it is not used appropriately you will run into nasty problems including nuisance algae and poorly plants. Too little light and the plants will fail to thrive and eventually die. Too much light and you will be punished with algae. Sounds simple, right? But it’s more complex than this because how we define “too little” and “too much” depends on many factors, all of which are intrinsically linked. “Balance” is a very common term used in the planted aquarium world. Put rather crudely there are three main components that need to be in balance to achieve healthy plant growth and minimal algae growth: light, CO2 and fertilisers (other nutrients). While there are other factors at play, if you get these three components in the right quantities in relation to one another,

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you won’t go far wrong. Light is the main driving force behind plant growth. The more light there is, the faster the plants try to photosynthesise (i.e. convert light energy into chemical energy, resulting in the growth of new plant tissue). The more the plants’ growth is driven, the bigger their demands will be in terms of nutrients (plant food), such as CO2 and fertilisers. If these demands are not met, the plants will suffer, leaving the door open for algae to use the light instead.

Start with low lighting How much light you actually require for plant growth depends on the plant species, the position of the plants in relation to the light source and how much CO2 and other nutrients are present. In recent years, I have discovered that relatively little light is actually required to grow healthy plants, especially if the plants are well fed and there are good levels of circulation. It is a common mistake for the

hobbyist to assume that more light is better. If powerful lighting is not met with a balance of CO2 and other nutrients, then algae will be the consequence. My advice is to start off with low lighting levels. Most aquarium kits will come with sufficient lighting to grow a wide range of plants if other parameters (nutrients and circulation) are met. The advantages of using less light is that growth is slower and the tank is lower maintenance, algae is less of a risk and your energy bill is reduced! The faster the plants grow, the more organic waste they produce. If this waste is not removed via water changes and regular filter cleaning, algae is more likely. As you become more experienced and you wish to grow more demanding plants such as carpets of Glossostigma or bright red stem plants that typically require high lighting levels, you will need to inject CO2, dose fertilisers regularly and have good levels of circulation (ten times the tank’s volume per hour). Large water changes and regular filter cleaning will also be required. PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Plants

JACQUES PORTAL

A PAR meter will measure your lighting accurately.

Measuring lighting With the popularity of LED lighting the old ‘watts per gallon’ or ‘watts per litre’ guidelines used for fluorescent lighting are no longer relevant. These rules were flawed anyway because they didn’t account for aspects such as aquarium height and quality of light. Testing for photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) is widely recognised as the best way to measure lighting for planted aquariums. PAR refers to the wavelength of radiation that is between 400 and 700 nanometres and is the spectrum range of light that can promote photosynthesis. PAR meters are not cheap (with the possible exception of the Seneye Reef that does read PAR), but if you are serious about your lighting then it may be worth investing in one. The amount of light hitting the plant surface can be accurately measured to ensure your plants are getting enough light. I like to place the PAR meter sensor at the substrate level and take a reading. If this is above 20 umol m-2 s-1 then I know I can grow most plants. Even some carpeting plants can be grown with this relatively low level of lighting, providing the plants are getting

good levels of CO2 and nutrients via good circulation. Some plants such as Cryptocoryne, Anubias and Microsorum will quite happily grow with even less light. Anything over 100 umol m-2 s-1 I would regard as high lighting and in definite need of CO2 injection and regular fertiliser addition. It is interesting to note that just because an aquarium lamp may look very bright, it does not mean it has a high PAR. A fluorescent lamp may have a peak in the green part of the spectrum but relatively little blue and red, for example. Green is the colour that is most sensitive to the human eye and so will appear brighter to us, but red and blue are much more important for photosynthesis, so the resulting light looks very bright but may not actually be that efficient at growing plants.

Lighting duration The amount of time that the lights are on is referred to as the photoperiod. As a general rule of thumb, the more intense the lighting, the smaller the photoperiod needs to be. Too long and algae is likely, too little and the plants won’t thrive. Seven to ten hours is usually fine for most situations. Cutting the photoperiod can be very useful for throttling back growth and I will often limit my lighting to just four hours when I’m away from home for longer than two consecutive days. This allows me to not worry about dosing fertilisers or coming back to overgrown plants and/or algae. Plug-in-timers are an essential tool for the planted tank so that the lights come on and turn off regularly. Simply program the timing to the point of the day when you’re most likely to view the tank. Depending on your lighting set-up you can use multiple timers to ramp up and ramp down the lighting — some LED and fluorescent units allow programming so the lighting intensity

Siesta time! Some hobbyists like to have a midphotoperiod break or siesta, so the lights can be on in the morning and later in the evening to suit their lifestyle, especially if they work during the day. There is also a theory that the break in the photoperiod helps to prevent algae. A classic photoperiod with siesta would be four hours on, four hours off, four hours on. In newly set up aquascapes, I like to start with a shorter photoperiod of six hours then eventually build up to eight to ten hours maximum. In aquariums with brighter lighting I rarely go above eight hours, but in aquascapes with less intense lighting and no CO2 injection I will go up to ten hours.

can be controlled to suit your requirements. This is especially useful for open top aquariums where the sudden burst of light can frighten the fish into jumping.

Colour temperature Lighting will have a colour temperature rating in Kelvin (K). The lower the temperature the more warm the light (yellow/orange), and the higher the temperature the cooler the light (white/blue). Most freshwater aquariums look best between 3,000 and 10,000K and plants are not very fussy. If you have a fluorescent unit then you have a wide range of lamps available to you. Choose what suits your taste and budget. Some LED units are programmable in terms of spectrum so you can experiment with what works best for you. Another unit you may see is colour rendition index (CRI). This is how realistic the colour output of the light is, and it is usually rated out of 100. The dense foliage at the surface of this open-topped tank will help prevent fish jumping out..

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LED lighting usually runs cooler than fluorescent.

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advantages of LED lighting

G LEDs are more efficient than fluorescents in terms of power consumption and light output. G They usually have a much longer lifespan and provide a constant light output when compared with most fluorescents. G They usually run much cooler and can offer better waterproofing. G Many fishkeepers find the lighting they produce is more attractive with their glitter lines due to their point source effect. G The more expensive LED units can be programmable in terms of colour output with some even offering cloud and storm effects.

Some built-in lighting uses power compact tubes.

LED lighting has a long lifespan compared to fluorescent tubes.

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PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Plants The trend for open-topped set-ups means that the lighting needs to be suspended above the tank.

Fluorescent tubes are still preferred by some fishkeepers, and the initial outlay is less than with LED lighting.

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

Fluorescent or LED? In recent years there has been a huge influx of available lighting suitable for planted aquariums. These are either supplied with an aquarium kit or available separately to fit onto your tank. The choice is almost overwhelming, especially for beginners. The two most popular types are fluorescent and LED. Fluorescents are often supplied with larger aquarium kits and come in two tube diameters: T8 (25mm/1in) and T5 (16mm/0.6in). A very effective and cost efficient way of boosting your fluorescent lighting is to use reflectors. Some are shaped in a gull-wing fashion, which helps to prevent re-strike, a phenomenon where the light bounces back and forth between the bulb and the reflectors constantly. Good reflectors will allow almost all of the light to be directed downwards into the aquarium. LED units are becoming very popular and are now a proven technology. Four out of five of my home aquascapes are run with LED lighting and all have healthy plant growth. Cost varies quite dramatically. You can pay as little as £15 for a cheap LED unit or as much as £3,500 for a high-end unit. LEDs come in a huge range of sizes, shapes and colours. Some units are made up from hundreds of very low powered LEDs with various colours to give maximum colour rendition while others may consist of just

one high-powered LED that gives intense glitter lines. My advice when choosing an LED unit is to try to see what they are like in the shop before purchase, or ask someone with experience. LED lighting does not suit all tastes, however. The uniformity of light spread and wide variety of different spectrum fluorescent lamps still appeals to many fishkeepers and the initial outlay is still usually a lot less compared to LED.

Over tank vs. under hood lighting Most aquarium all-in-one kits will come supplied with lighting that fits underneath the hood, but an increasing number now come with over tank LED units. The increasing trend of open-topped tanks means that the lighting needs to be supported above the tank. There are various mounting options from Kessil’s gooseneck to ADA’s lighting arm that fixes to the cabinet. I prefer to have the lighting supported from the ceiling using a suspension kit. Suspended lighting makes maintenance inside the aquarium much easier. More traditional aquarium kits come with fluorescent lamps that fit underneath lids. Advantages here are that there is less evaporation than an open top and little risk of jumping fish.

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Chasing

OWS

A storm-plagued trip to the Aru archipelago leads to the rediscovery of a century-old rainbowfish species. WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY: HEIKO BLEHER

A

t the beginning of the last century, the German zoologist, Max Wilhelm Carl Weber, described two new rainbowfish species from the Aru archipelago: Melanotaenia patoti in 1907 and Melanotaenia senckenbergianus three years later. Despite making two trips to this remote archipelago, I had been unable to find either of these rainbowfish species. Melanotaenia

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patoti was later placed erroneously in synonymy with Melanotaenia rubrostriata, and Melanotaenia senckenbergianus with Melanotaenia goeldiei, species only known from southern New Guinea, which has been separated from the Aru archipelago for at least 100,000 years. I never believed that the Aru rainbowfish species were the same as those on the island of New Guinea — and especially not because during my previous trip to this remote group of

islands, exactly 100 years after the six-month survey by the German, Hugo Merton, from Frankfurt, every species I found was new (most of these have since been given names — see aqua, International Journal of Ichthyology, volume 21(2), April 2015). I knew there was more to discover there, especially in the way of rainbowfish, blue-eyes and gobies, and I very much wanted to finally find Weber’s species. So, I just had to return.

PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Habitat

WHERE IN THE WORLD? The Aru archipelago lies in eastern Indonesia.

Rainbows, blue eyes and gobies are abundant in the rivers of this remote group of islands.

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

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The rough sea prevented Heiko and the team reaching the southern side of Aru by chartered boat.

The southern end was finally reached in a small aluminium boat — and the sun came out!

The fishing boat in Marpen.

Amazing rock formations along the Sungai Galalou.

The tunnels at Sungai Galalou.

From here, the group had to travel on foot.

Open grassland, with the house for the military visible in the background.

The cave in which a Japanese family spent 70 years.

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PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Habitat Storm force The sea was rough on this third Aru archipelago adventure. Accompanied by Gerald R. Allen from Australia and Mark Erdmann of Conservation International, we went through a terrible storm, falling about from one side to another in the cabins while Gerry and I tried to hold on to anything on deck. Even today it is extremely difficult to reach Aru —it can only be accessed by chartered boat, as in our case, or by chartered plane, as no commercial flights or ferries exist. My task was to reach the southernmost island of the archipelago, the areas where Merton and his friend had collected, on Trangan Island in 1907. But reaching their landing spot was impossible with our large sailboat — over the last century the sea level has fallen, and the tremendously rough sea with gigantic waves would also have made it impossible. Fortunately, the sailboat’s owner’s wife, Josephine, managed to find a fisherman’s vessel in Marpen Deu, which was able to enter extremely shallow waters, and off we went early next morning. This trip turned out to be even worse than our previous experience, while coming from Sorong on the western end of Indonesia’s part of New Guinea. The fishing boat moved in between the house-high waves like a nutshell and we were all blown from one side to the other and back. It took a lot of strength not to be blown overboard — and we had to endure this for over three hours!

Melanotaenia patoti, male.

Melanotaenia senckenbergianus, female.

Unreal sight We had taken a smaller aluminium boat with us and from the mouth of the Sungai Galalou we drove up this river across the most fascinating scenery. The lower part of this Sungai had large mangrove vegetation on both sides, later edged by amazing rock formations, and then suddenly flowing beneath other gigantic rock formations, creating tunnels — some kilometres long — and we navigated across jet black, dark, natural underwater passages. It was amazing and frightening at the same time. In between, some gaps opened up to the sky, where horn ferns, tree ferns, and palm trees were hanging down — an unreal sight and probably one that is unique to this area alone.

No more war Our boat’s man went as far up as possible until we came to the end of this Sungai, here

again edged with large mangrove vegetation. From here we had to walk. Then, to our surprise, large open grassland opened up in front of us. Remember that we were in the middle of Aru’s dense primary rainforest — for sure some of the least touched primary forest on earth. And that wasn’t all — a single empty stone house stood here at Aru’s western end. Later we found out that this had been built by the Indonesian military — a command had settled here some months ago, because they had discovered a Japanese family, which had been living in a deep, hidden cave in this remote area for about 70 years, and who did not know that World War II had ended.

“They found a Japanese family who had been living in a deep hidden cave in this remote area for about 70 years, and who did not know that World War II had ended.” www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

Rainbows rediscovered While walking further west into the forest again, we came to a wooden bridge built by natives, with their village on the other side — this was the same village Merton had encountered in 1907. Gerry was the first to dive with a snorkel below the bridge, and he came up screaming: “Heiko, this must be Melanotaenia senckenbergianus and patoti!” Together with Gerry, we caught large specimens in this tea-coloured water, which was hardly 50cm/20in deep. The pH here was 8.14, and water temperature was 28.1°C/82.5°F at 2.40pm. The village residents came to see what we were doing, and then they showed me another small creek flowing out of the forest. Here the water was clear and transparent. I found a tiny species of the Pandaka genus, hardly 2cm/0.8in in total length, and banded Glossamia species. But the place had been used to wash clothes and was already very polluted — even here, in the middle of nowhere, the ‘civilised’ world has arrived… We had agreed with Ken that he would take his sailboat up, further north, and we would come from Galalou, through the endless labyrinth of Sungais, to a meeting point we agreed upon. So, we came again

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Melanotaenia sp. 2.

through tormenting waves breaking over our small boat and soaking everyone, while driving for hours in complete darkness, until we reached the sailboat at 10.30pm. So, finally the two lost species of rainbowfish had been found, but this wasn’t all. We had discovered in the Sungai Sin, also on Trangan, (where I had discovered the well known Melanotaenia sp. IV in 2007), another new species, now named M. aruensis. In the Sungai Unmar on Kobroor Island, there is a very similar looking species, now named Melanotaenia albimarginatus. Both have white spots on the upper and lower caudal lobe, as well as a white seam along the dorsal and anal fins, but the latter is bright golden-yellow along its sides, below the dark lateral stripes. In the Sungai Sin we also encountered a gigantic cave, through which the creek flows — this was about 300m long, with a small waterfall near its centre. And what was interesting here was that I discovered not only this species below the waterfall, but above once again the fish I had introduced from this Sungai Sin in 2007, called Melanotaenia Aru IV (which still has not been named). This shows that a waterfall is a natural species barrier, especially for rainbowfish species. This biotope was unique in the Sungai Sin. The other extremely colourful rainbowfish I had discovered in 2007, which I called — and is still known in the hobby as — Melanotaenia Aru II, was also found again, and G. R. Allen et al. 2015 named it M. picta, which means that ‘Aru II’ now has a name. This fish is similar to another new species from Kola Island, which I visited in 2004. This is the most northern larger island of the archipelago, and there in the small Sungai Marjina, this similar looking beauty lives in a cave into karst rock formation, hardly 2m wide, and which is surrounded by dense primary rainforest. It was named Melanotaenia kolaensis, after the island and can hardly be distinguished from Melanotaenia picta in appearance. Here, as in most other habitats, the only aquatic vegetation to be found were Potamogeton species and many Cryptocoryne ciliata.

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This habitat in Sungai Loramar was home to rainbowfish and glassfish.

And last but not least, another species I found in 2007, and introduced as Melanotaenia Aru I from the Sungai Mareremar from Wokam island (and which is also found in the Sungai Torbol), has also been named in the recent aqua issue (vol. 21 (2) 2015) as Melanotaneia wokamensis. This species is once again similar to Melanotaenia picta and M. kolaensis, but has a thin red stripe above and below the broad stripe in the centre.

The fish we found living alongside them almost throughout their habitats were mainly Craterocephalus, Glossamia, Mogurnda, and Glossogobius species. I am happy that I was able to be involved in introducing these beautiful rainbowfishes, so that future generations can enjoy them too — and especially because it seems the unique Aru archipelago is now to be erased and filled in with sugar cane plantations…

Heiko discovers a new rainbowfish. PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

Habitat

Fish of the Aru archipelago

Melanotaenia sp. 6 ‘Aru’ male, east of Loramar.

Melanotaenia sp. 6 ‘Aru’ — females are smaller with no white upper and lower tail-lobe tips.

Hippichthys sp. pipefish.

Pseudomugil sp. 7 ‘Aru’.

Ambassis sp. 1, Sungai Loramar.

Awaous sp. 1, Sungai Loramar.

Melanotaenia senckenbergianus, male.

Melanotaenia sp. 7, female, Sungai Loramar.

Melanotaenia sp. 7 — males have a bright yellow-orange stripe and white fin-lobe tips.

Craterocephalus sp., female.

Redigobius sp., Sungai Loramar.

Stiphodon atratus, female, over rocky areas of the Sungai Loramar.

Melanotaenia Kobroor 1.

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

G. R. ALLEN

Glossamia sp. 1, male, Sungai Galalou.

G. R. ALLEN

Pandaka rouxi, Sungai Galalou.

G. R. ALLEN

Hypseleotris aff. compressa, Sungai Galalou.

Melanotaenia Kobroor 2.

Melanotaenia wokamensis.

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PFKNewGear The latest fishkeeping products, tried and tested. FIRST SIGHT

NEWA Mirror UVC hang on Now, UVs aren’t exactly a new idea. Pond owners have been using them (and often getting them wrong) for decades, and to aquarium owners they’re either loved or hated. As a quick recap for those not familiar with UV, it can do one of a couple of things. At low exposure levels, it can help to clarify water from floating algae. At high, powerful exposures, it’ll kill, indiscriminately and effectively. Viruses, bacteria, parasites, whatever. If it’s water-borne and goes past a powerful enough UV, it’s getting nuked. The benefit of the NEWA UV is the ease of use. It’s a hang on as opposed to requiring plumbing in, and for a lot of aquarists that’s the kind of difference between a bumper car and a Bentley. Hard plumbed UVs can be awkward to work with, and once they’re in place they’re limited to use on one tank. Many are based on designs for pond use, making them messy to work with. Having clambered around in more than one sumped cabinet in my time, trying to change bulbs without cracking quartz sleeves, I’m happy to embrace anything that changes the rules a bit. The NEWA system runs just like a hang on filter. A lip broaches the top of the tank, and a nozzle and inlet juts down into the water. The working parts of the UV sit outside the tank, on the back or side. The design is simple, in a back to front kind of way. Usually, the emphasis in on water passing through a chamber, while the UV bulb resides in a quartz sleeve. NEWA have theirs the other way, with water passing through a horseshoe-shaped quartz pipe, with the UV sat in between the two straight edges.

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Flow control Speed up and it’s a UVC, slow it and it sterilises.

Overflow Water returns via an overflow principle.

UV housing The body opens up for easy access to the quartz tube and bulb.

Inlet/strainer The nozzle drops down into the tank to extract water. A UV unit you can move from tank to tank.

The real genius comes from the use of mirrors (hence the name). Inside the entire UV chamber, there’s a highly reflective aluminium screen, bouncing that UV back into the water where it’s needed. Access to the working parts is beyond easy. Three sliding clips — one each side and one on the bottom — open up to let you split the entire unit in half. The pump pushes into place, making extraction and cleaning a doozy. Changing the 9W bulb (the same as used in pond clarifiers the world over) couldn’t be more straightforward. Remove cover, change bulb. You don’t even need a screwdriver, which is nice.

There’s a control on top that adjusts flow, with the pretence that higher flow will only impact clarity, while slower flow will bring in the sterilising effect. As I see it, there are only a couple of downsides. The first, if you haven’t got an open-topped set up, then this isn’t going on the tank. But then, if you’ve got a sump, you can stick it on that instead. The only other downside is that it guzzles up plug space. You need one plug for the bulb, plus another for the pump powering it all. It would have been nice to have one plug powering everything, but I guess that wasn’t an option.

Verdict

3.5/ 5

Excellent if trying to control disease in a fish only set-up, I imagine that detractors will point out that UVs often blight the ‘good stuff’ in a reef set up (like microscopic food for corals) and others might be put off by the price. It is steep for what it is, but if I had a £4,000 Clarion angel and was worried about whitespot, I might be thinking otherwise. O Ease of use: 5/5 O Features: 4/5 O Value for money: 2/5 O Overall score: 3.5/5 O Price: £114.99 O More info: fintailproducts.co.uk

PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

FIRST SIGHT

Hydor Koralia Third generation 7000 lph pump Whatever you might think of Hydor, you can’t accuse them of resting on their laurels. These guys and gals have themselves a think tank somewhere, and they’re pouring endless brain nuggets into it. The new pumps are the most futuristic to date, and to be fair, none of the Hydor range was ever old hat to start with. They’ve changed so much — the shape, the outlet, the strainer, even the way it attaches, and all of it is an improvement. First up, you’ve got the shape. The back of the pump is now distinctly ‘eggy’ and smooth, with a rounded rump. The tank bracket that now holds it in place is a rounded egg cup of a thing, and bringing the two together reveals that they’re both kitted with magnets. This ball and socket design, seemingly without any restriction, gives unimpeded directionality around the tank. Aspiring designer doctors take note, breakdancers of the future will want these fittings in human bodies. The ball and cup socket is then attached to the glass by — you guessed it — another magnet. Once in place, this pump’s going nowhere. Even better, the rubberised nature of these elements mean that the bracket doubles up as a noise reducer, bringing everything to a low hum at worst. It’s good for glass up to 1.5cm thick, but over that you’re on your own. The strainer/housing of the unit is now spiral shaped instead of dead straight, making for a more efficient water uptake. In fact, Hydor pulled off the unthinkable, in taking an already energy efficient range of pumps and making them consume even less power for yet more flow. The Koralia 7000 delivers up to 7000 lph of flow for just 4.5W power consumption (based on UK voltages). Not bad when you consider the old Koralia EVO 5,600 delivered 1400 lph less flow for 5WW consumption. Good job, Hydor. On the outlet you get four options. Option one is completely open, bumping out a www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

Faberge egg meets flow pump.

Wide diffuser Flow can be reduced with this handy attachment.

Spiral inlet Note the design change to what were formerly straight slats.

Fish guards No more nano gobies meeting their end at spinning impellers.

heady 7000 lph. Then you have two fish guards (small and medium) impacting on flow and bringing it down to 4900 and 5800 lph respectively. Lastly, there’s a diffuser for a wider spread of flow, and that brings things down to 5300 lph. You get all the different covers in the package so you can pick and choose at your leisure. In Koralia style, access to the impeller is easy, and just involves wriggling the outer shell of the unit in two. The Third generation pumps are still compatible with timers and wave making devices, and The ball and socket magnet design is genius.

You get a comprehensive package.

as a bonus, there’s even a cable protector (which you need to put on yourself) for additional peace of mind. There are three models available. The Koralia 5000 at 3.5W for 5000 lph flow, the 7000 model mentioned above, and a larger 9000 model that pumps out 9000 lph for 6.3W.

Verdict

4.5/ 5

For the SPS crowd that like their water howling through like a hurricane, the new Koralia range will be bang on the money. As pumps go, these are the snazziest to date. They look smart and run smart. At this rate, Hydor will be the first company to put a reef tank on the moon, they’re that ahead of the game. O Ease of use: 5/5 O Features: 5/5 O Value for money: 4/5 O Overall: 4.5/5 O Price: Koralia 7000 lph £129.99 O More info: www.hydor. com/eng/

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HEAD TO HEAD

Battle of the vacs! Like buses or rare catfish species, you sit waiting for ages and there are none, then several turn up at once, writes Nathan Hill. This month it’s a match to the death between the new Fluval AquaVAC+ and the NEWA Pgr gravel cleaner. Except it’s not really a match to the death at all, because we couldn’t get them to fight.

Fluval AquaVAC+ Snazzy, huh? I was hoping that Hagen was going to bring one of these out sooner or later, and now it has, I’m not going to relinquish mine to anyone. Ever. (Apart from me — Ed). In a nutshell, it’s a quick vacuum. Handy, right? Now, I know what you’re thinking. Yes, sometimes the tank does need a proper water change, and this is no substitute for that. You’re dead right, too, this really is no substitute for that. But it is a

H nging clip The head holds the batteries, and the red clip extends to hang the vac between uses.

complement to it. Next, you’ll be thinking that if you’ve got some waste sat in the bottom of the tank, and don’t have the time or requirement for a full blown water change, then you can just get in there with a net. Also correct, unless you’ve got a thick carpet of plants on the bottom of an aquascape. Or, for that matter, if you’re trying to get out some debris on the bottom of a reef tank, from between a load of polyps that really don’t like getting jostled about too much. This thing has a lot of uses for those times when you don’t fancy getting out the buckets, rolling your sleeves up, and then having to spend the next five minutes apologising to family/housemates/pets as you shuffle past to the bathroom, sloshing tropical mucky water on to the floor. Sometimes we all feed a bit too much, and it’s a total pain having to resort to a 10%

Strainer/filter Water pours through here, minus any muck removed by the strainer.

Impeller/motor Easy to access and clean, just tease away the cover.

Verdict It works, and Hagen has got the price point right on it. Aquascapers will love it, as will reefers. Those aquarists with bare-bottom tanks will be scrambling over each other to get one.

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Rifle of the future, or tank cleaner?

4.5/ 5

*Batteries included. O Ease of use: 4/5 O Features: 5/5 O Value for money: 5/5 O Overall: 4.5/5 O Price: £39.99 O More info: uk.hagen.com

change for something that this’ll take care of in seconds. The premise is easy enough. Put the thing in the tank, turn on the switch at the top of the grip, and it fires up. Then just prod around the base of the tank with it, and the water is sucked up by impeller action and then released through a large mesh (that red bit in the middle). Water comes out, dirt gets trapped, and then you pop the red bit out after, pull the foam out and give it a rinse. Job done. You can stick in different, finer foams (supplied) if the black standard mesh is too coarse. It clogs quicker, but removes smaller particles. Drop the thing into the tank, and as long as it’s no deeper than 90cm/36in, it’s not a problem. Provided you’ve closed the battery port properly, it’s waterproof. It gets better. If you really ‘do’ want to change some water, then this’ll do that for you as well. Simply attach the supplied 1.2m of hosing on to the stub jutting from the side, turn the white switch on the side through 90°, press the button and away you go — syphon action instead of water return. Oh, and there’s a curious hook on the top which extends so that you can hang the thing when not in use. Because aquarium vacuum storage is something we’ve all had issues with, right...?

Gravel cleaner There are both short and long nozzle options included. PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

New gear

Length options

The NEWA model hangs on to the tank edge.

You can connect three of these pipes (supplied) giving you a reach of 60cm/24in.

Brush head A soft bristle brush for cleaning off ornaments.

Flexi hose Mine was tight and kept returning to its coiled shape.

Inbuilt strainer There’s no danger of pulling out fish with this strainer in place.

NEWA Pgr gravel cleaner While the AquaVAC+ is a mobile, hand held all-in-one device, the NEWA model takes a more stationary approach, lashing to the side of the tank like a hang on filter (which it kind of is). As concepts go, I’m unsure if this a ‘finest moment’ in product history. Putting the unit together before it’ll work is a fiddly affair, and unless you’re the kind of person who sees the comedy value in a fastening pinging back out into your hand after you’ve spent two minutes rigging it up, then you might get frustrated. The box then goes on the side of the tank, and a large strainer and sock slip inside the thing. There’s no quick on/off button, so once you’re plugged in you’re running, like it or not. At that point, it’s a case of plunging the gravel cleaning

attachment into the substrate and hoping for the best. My advice is not to try to do too much at one time. Initially the hose is a swine to work with as it has a very clear idea that it wants to revert to the original curved shape it was packed in. That means it snags and snarls, and then pulls itself out of its moorings again. On the plus side, it does deal with a fair chunk of waste before blocking, and when it does it’s a ten second job to pull the strainer out, empty and rinse it, and pop it back in. If you need to deal with a lot of solid waste (I’m looking at you indoor goldfish or big cichlid keepers), then this’ll be up your alley. Saying that, the filter mesh does take out remarkably fine waste too, so I imagine that these will find their uses in public aquaria and research

So who wins? Neither and both! They’ve each got a place in the hobby, and while my own sentiments are that the NEWA cleaner might not be great in a heavily decorated tank (that hose does get cumbersome) it works wonders at pulling out big lumps of waste from mucky tanks. If I kept Oscars, I’d want one.

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

facilities as well as in the hobby. You can get down into pretty deep tanks, and using all three gravel cleaner extensions will get you down to 60cm/24in or so. What is lovely is the brush attachment to go on the end, meaning you can gently scrub decor at the same time as sucking out everything you’re loosening up. You will need to do a little bit of a top up after use, as the hang on chamber retains a couple of litres of your tankwater which is full of debris and bits. There’s not really the option to divert it for water change use, either, which is a bit of a shame.

Verdict

3/ 5

So, so close to being great, but the lack of an on/off function and the tendency to come apart during use are a bit of a turn off for me. Make it sturdier and give me a button on top of the cleaner, and it’ll be superb. O Ease of use: 2/5 O Features: 3/5 O Value for money: 3/5 O Overall: 3/5 O Price: £46.99 O More info: fintailproducts.co.uk

The Fluval cleaner is a more nimble device, but has a lower capacity before it needs the strainers cleaned. It’d be my choice for heavily planted tanks where I want to remove debris with precision, but might not have huge amounts of waste to hook out. Also, held the right way, the AquaVAC+ looks like a futuristic weapon, which is always a bonus.

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New gear NANO TANK GEAR

JBL PRO CRISTALi30 internal filter ‘Nano’ sized aquaria seem to be an unstoppable trend in the hobby at present, offering fishkeeping opportunities for those without the space, budget or inclination to shell out for a larger aquarium. Many of these tiny tanks come in a ‘plug and play’ state, with all the required equipment in the box, but there are a significant number of small tanks around that either don’t feature filtration at all, or are hamstrung by poor designs. Many of the offered filters are the smallest that the manufacturer makes, and often little more than a tiny version of what they make for larger tanks. German manufacturer JBL has been recently been confronting this with a series of innovative new internals to suit various applications. The newest of these is the PRO CRISTALi30. This diminutive filter is aimed at tanks between 10 and 40 l; squarely at the ‘nano’ market. At 12cm/4.8in high, 7.5cm/3in wide and 4cm/1.6in thick, it’s compact and easy to place discreetly in most tanks. The majority of the media space is taken up by a standard sponge insert that’s ideal for both physical and biological filtration purposes if

maintained well. The i30 goes a little further, with the addition of chemical filtration cartridges that slot into a purpose built housing below the filter outlet. Currently two different cartridges are available; ‘Algae Prevent’ and ‘Super Clear’, both of which are recommended for monthly replacement. Budget conscious fishkeepers, not averse to a little DIY tinkering, could try emptying the spent cartridges and adding their own choice of chemical media which would increase options. The i30 is expandable via ‘Modul’ units which clip to the base of the filter, with each unit doubling the amount of foam media. This makes the unit bulkier, adding 4cm height with each one, but the 200 lph pump, (rated at a frugal 3.7W) is gutsy enough to deal with extra loading — within reason. A ‘Venturi’ aeration device is included for those after increased surface agitation, and the i30 fixes to the tank via sucker cups. Only long-term testing will show if these suffer from issues of hardening and the associated loss of adhesion that can affect suckers. The i30 can also be installed lying on its back in shallow

Multiple chambers allow media options.

Verdict

tanks, as long as the unit remains submerged. The packaging does mention its use in goldfish aquaria, though PFK doesn’t recommend keeping goldfish i n tanks of sizes between 10 and 40 l (Feature ed’s note: unless it’s a rearing tank for fry, that is). There’s a manufacturer’s four-year warranty too!

4.5/ 5

If you’re in the market for a nano-filter, whether to replace or upgrade existing kit, or in a new tank then the i30 is well worth serious consideration. Compact, adaptable, quiet and economical, it ticks all the boxes for smaller tank filtration. O Ease of use: 5/5 O Features 4/5 O Value for money: 5/5 O Overall score: 4.5/5 O Price: £16.95 O More info: http: www.jbl.de

BOB MEHEN

PRODUCT NEWS

New aquarium foods from NT Labs Pro-f offers a selection of probiotic and prebiotic high-specification foods for aquarium fish, using the highest quality ingredients and the latest nutritional technology. From aquascapes with shrimp and nano fish species, through to competition grade discus, there’s a food to suit most aquarium fish. Tropical Fish Food has now been relaunched with a new look: Pro-f Probiotic Tropical. This food still contains probiotic bacteria, ensuring your fish digest and absorb more of the nutrients, and resulting in less waste and improved water quality. Probiotic Tropical is now joined by an additional seven foods including Shrimp Enhancer, Catfish Pellet, Cichlid Green 33, Cichlid Red 48, Discus Granule and Fancy Goldfish. All foods have been carefully considered for each group of fish. For example,

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Fancy Goldfish has been formulated to boost colour and to slowly sink in the aquarium, avoiding surface feeding and preventing air intake which can cause buoyancy difficulties. Nano Tropical, which NT Labs says is the

smallest pellet available on the market at a tiny 0.8mm in diameter, is ideal for nano species of fish including Sparkling gourami, Galaxy rasbora, Siamese fighting fish and Endler’s guppies. More info: www.ntlabs.co.uk.

Bright and bold new packaging.

PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

O I eSHa OODINEX is a wide range disease treatment for marine fish in aquariums that contain inverts. The unique formula of eSHa OODINEX solves a wide range of bacterial, fecti

eSHa MINAROLL is a unique composition of trace elements, vitamins and minerals. It provides your fish with quantities they need for a healthy life.

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Cambridge Brockworth

Shoptour This month’s shoptour takes us to Brockworth in Gloucestershire and Cambridge.

The Aquatic Habitat Address: Shurdington Road, Brockworth, Gloucester, GL3 4PU. Telephone: 01452 862791. Website: www.the-aquatichabitat.co.uk Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 9.30am–5.30pm; Sundays and bank holidays: 10.30am–4.30pm. Tanks: 97 tropical, 36 coldwater, ten marine; 35 ponds; 14 for Koi and 21 for other pond fish.

T

he Aquatic Habitat has been around since the early 70s and has grown organically over the years to form the impressive if rambling store it is today. Owner Rob Wilden took over the business from his parents in the late 1990s and is a quietly enthusiastic presence, with an encyclopedic knowledge of his stock that shows a love for the hobby which is commendable. The store is entered via a tunnel-like tropical, coldwater and marine section. While showing a few signs of its age, this is nonetheless packed with quality livestock. Each tank is filtered by a classic undergravel filter, rare today but still a great way of keeping tanks clean — and in a shop situation it allows every tank to be entirely separate from the

WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY: BOB MEHEN

STAR RATING Tropical fish .....................11111 Discus .................................11111 Catfish.................................11111 Cichlids ..............................11111 Oddballs ............................11111 Indoor plants...................11111 Pond plants......................11111 Koi .........................................11111 Pond fish............................11111 Fancies ...............................11111 Indoor coldwater...........11111 Marine fish........................11111 Marine inverts.................11111 Indoor dry .........................11111 Pond dry............................ 11111 Freshwater inverts .......11111 Labelling............................11111

KEY: 106

The display set-ups are impressive and well-maintained.

others, reducing the risk of disease spreading. First glance shows a host of quality community staples, but closer inspection reveals oddballs and sought-after rarities in number, nestling among the generous decor and plant life. Angelfish are a highlight, with a wide range of varieties of P. Corydoras sp. CW51.

Member of OATA — the Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association

scalare on sale, all bred by Rob at home. Fancy goldfish feature in number as well, with a comprehensive range on sale. While there is no specific temperate section, a decent array of species suitable for cooler climes are on offer alongside the tropicals. A few potential ‘tankbusters’

were evident, but well labelled to make ill-informed impulse purchases unlikely. The marine section is small — no sparkling coral trays or vast banks of fish here — but what was on sale was healthy and vibrant, if unlikely to set pulses racing. A large dry goods section carried an exhaustive range of kit, foods and decor

Filament tetra.

Member of the PFK anti-dyed fish campaign

Member of the Big Fish Campaign

PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

The owner’s home-bred angelfish grace this planted display tank.

and featured several striking planted displays, one graced with more of Rob’s stunning angelfish.

The pond section is an whole separate shop, reached via a large outdoor pond display area, which was a nice advert for how

The vast pond section has its own separate shop.

Paratilapia polleni.

STAR RATING: Excellent 22222 www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

the right pond can grace any garden. The pond shop is vast, featuring numerous raised brick holding ponds filled with thousands of bright, greedy UK-bred goldfish, orfe, rudd, tench etc. Larger ponds held a superb range of colourful Israeli Koi. A complete range of pond pumps, filters, food and accessories, (including a selection of pipework and fittings to shame a plumber’s merchant) is available. An equally generous pond plant area featured the best range of pond plants and lilies I’ve seen in many years. Reassuringly there was extensive on site quarantine facilities for both indoor and outdoor fish.

Red-backed moon tetra.

Verdict A little ragged around the edges maybe, but filled with old school charm, The Aquatic Habitat is a great place to wander for a couple of hours — the longer you stay the more you’ll discover! Pondkeepers will be especially happy and those aquarists seeking more unusual tropical species will not be disappointed.

Whatstoodout? G Corydoras sp. ‘New Panda’ CW51 £39.90 G Red-backed moon tetra, Bathyaethiops sp. £10.90 G Flagtailed catfish, Dianema urostriatum £23.90 G Madagascan cichlid, Paratilapia polleni £15.00 G Red snook, Petenia splendida £29.00 G Mountain loach, Traccatichthys sp. £12.90 G Imitator catfish, Brachyrhamdia messi two for £15 G Filament tetra Hemigrammus filamentosus £5.90 G Orange-finned halfbeak, Nomorhamphus ebrardtii £9.90 G Mackerel barb, Barilius pulchellus £14.90

Good 22222 Average 22222 Below average 22222 Poor 22222 Out of season OS Not stocked NS

107

This store has a great range of African cichlids.

Maidenhead Aquatics @ Scotsdale (Cambridge) Address: Scotsdale Nursery and Garden Centre, 120 Cambridge Road, Great Shelford, Scotsdale, Cambridgeshire, CB22 5JT. Telephone: 01223 843400. Website: www.fishkeeper.co. uk/store/scotsdale Opening hours: Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat 9am–6pm; Thurs 9am–8pm; Sunday and bank holidays 10.30am–4.30pm. Tanks: 128 tropical, 40 marine, 12 coldwater, 14 pond.

I

f you give a shop just 24 hours notice before a PFK visit and it still looks impressive with plenty of

interesting livestock, wellmaintained tanks and an overall tidy appearance then you know it’s a good one. It’s my usual policy to give a shop around a week’s notice before visiting them for a PFK review but circumstances led to a short-notice trip to the Scotsdale branch of Maidenhead Aquatics. The store, like many other Maidenhead Aquatics branches, is located inside a garden centre, which encourages plenty of visitors and interest from potential new hobbyists, as well as existing customers. The store used to be

well known for its 3.5m/10ft Rift Valley African cichlid display and large range of stock thereof. However, the store has recently invested heavily into the marine side of the hobby with around a third of the selling tanks holding marine livestock. I was really impressed with the wide selection of corals, including some harder to find frags at very reasonable prices. All of the marine fish were in good health and the more commonly available marine animals were stocked in abundance. A beautiful Harlequin tuskfish had the

best colours I’ve seen in such a specimen. Despite coming to the end of the pond season (at the time of the visit) the shop still had plenty to keep the outdoor fishkeeper happy with some impressive Koi in a lovely display and a large variety of pond plants. Goldfish, including fancies, and sub-tropical species were all kept on the same system — a good move that hopefully encourages new fishkeepers to keep the relatively beginnerfriendly and smaller temperate species as their first fish in smaller aquaria.

WORDS: & PHOTOGRAPHY: GEORGE FARMER

STAR RATING

Tropical fish .....................11111 Discus.................................................NS Catfish.................................11111 Cichlids..............................11111 Oddballs............................11111 Indoor plants...................11111 Pond plants......................11111 Koi.........................................11111 Pond fish............................11111 Fancies...............................11111 Indoor coldwater...........11111 Marine fish........................11111 Marine inverts.................11111 Indoor dry.........................11111 Pond dry.............................11111 Freshwater inverts .......11111 Labelling............................11111

KEY: 108

Melanotaenia maccullochi.

Harlequin tuskfish.

Member of OATA — the Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association

Member of the PFK anti-dyed fish campaign

Member of the Big Fish Campaign

PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

PFK shoptour

Aquarium plants were abundant on our visit.

The marine section has recently been extended.

There are plenty of dry goods and hardscape materials.

Aquarium plants were abundant and all in good condition in a well-lit holding tank, although it was a little disappointing to see houseplants among the selection. I discussed this with the duty manager who did assure me that the customers were made aware that these non-aquatic plants are a temporary ornament. It was good to see a dedicated shrimp system, although it was lightly stocked at the time of our visit. Where the store excelled was the tropical freshwater fish

section. Every genre was very well-catered for with the exception of discus that were not sold. I saw the most incredible Asian rummynose, Sawbwa resplendens, which were a good size with brilliant colouration on the males. It is rare to see these great fish colour up so well in shop conditions. If I hadn’t already had full stocking in my home aquariums I would have bought the lot! African cichlids from Lake Malawi and Tangyanika were well-represented with a

Altolamprologus calvus.

gorgeous Calvus cichlid, Altolamprologus calvus, that caught my eye. Regular community, bread and butter fish were all stocked with a great selection of rainbowfish in particular, including some stunning Pseudomugil furcatus in a well-aquascaped planted display tank. The shop itself is a good size and makes good use of natural lighting to create a modern and bright, airy feel with plenty of space to browse the wide array of livestock. Dry goods, as with the majority of Maidenhead

Aquatics stores, were very well stocked with a wide range of aquariums to fulfil the needs of all experience levels and budgets of fishkeeper. Being an aquascaping enthusiast, I will always carefully check out the shop’s hardscape collection and I was pleased to see a good variety of materials, including some great pieces of Redmoor root and mini-landscape rock. Verdict This is one of the most impressive Maidenhead Aquatic outlets I’ve visited this year and is a very solid all-rounder. With healthy fish, well-maintained tanks and a wide variety of livestock and dry goods, there is plenty to keep the vast majority of fishkeepers happy, and the staff are both knowledgeable and friendly.

Whatstoodout?

 Asian rummynose £3.50  Calvus cichlid £19.50  Botia striata £6.50  Parkinson’s rainbow £9.50  Daisy blue ricefish £3.50  Harlequin tuskfish £165  Yellow-eyed tang £45

STAR RATING: Excellent 22222 www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

Good 22222 Average 22222 Below average 22222 Poor 22222 Out of season OS Not stocked NS

109

NEXTMONTH

in the January issue of

MP & C PIEDNOIR, AQUAPRESS.COM

On sale November 25th 2015

SMART AS A WHIP Spotlight on whiptail catfish. AQUASCAPING ACE We visit this year’s highest ranking UK entry in the world’s biggest aquascaping contest.

How one reader turned this shed into a room for 42 tanks.

GEORGE FARMER

GABOR HOVARTH

A FISH HOUSE ON A BUDGET

HARD CORALS MADE EASY The best SPS coral choices — and the fish to keep with them.

How to keep and breed the gorgeous Daisy’s ricefish, Oryzias woworae.

Gear guide

PLUS SPECIAL 110

SHUTTERSTOCK

ALAMY

DAISY CHAIN

We highlight some of the most exciting new products from the recent AQUA 2015 trade show, coming soon to a shop near you. PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

BRISTOL

HAMPSHIRE

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Cafe on site

THE AQUATIC STORE DEFINITELY DIFFERENT

14

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* Quality plants for the aquascaper * An independent shop run with passion! * 120 tanks of top quality tropical fish. * 20 tanks of Malawis and Americans. * 20 tanks of Oddballs from Stingrays to Snakeheads. * Leading brands like JBL, Ehiem, Hagen stocked. 28 North Street Bedminster Bristol BS3 1HW

Romsey World of Water Trading for 30 years Specialist Independant Retailer 9000ltr Tropical fish and Plants 5000ltr Marine fish corals and Inverts 80,000ltr Japanese Koi, Goldfish and Natives

www.romseyworldofwater.co.uk 01794 515 923 SO51 0HB Open 9am-6pm Monday-Saturday 10am-4pm Sunday

ARUNDEL AVIARIES & FISHERIES 311 – 315 Arundel Street, Portsmouth.

Tel: 02392 820047 Tropical, reptiles, amphibians, marines etc. Also cage birds. Good selection of accessories

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

Open Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sat 9am-5pm. Wed Closed

HOBBY FISH

Established over 75 years Find us on facebook

Aquarium, Pond & Reptile Specialists TROPICALS•MARINE•COLDWATER POND•KOI•AQUATIC PLANTS•REPTILES LARGE SELECTION OF NANO LIVESTOCK Towcester Road (A5) Old Stratford Milton Keynes Tel: 01908 543210 hobbyfish.co.uk MK19 6BD

CAMBRIDGESHIRE

+ Voted PFK East retailer of the year & UK runner up + Tropical + Cold water

+ Marines & invertebrates + Huge aquarium showroom + Superb dry good selection

“smell the inspiration not the fish” 175 St.Neots Rd, Hardwick Cambridge CB23 7QJ

COUNTY DURHAM Retailer of the year North East The only true aquatic Superstore, with over 250 stock tanks specializing in community, rare and unusual cold water, tropical and marine fish inverts and corals. Largest range of aquariums, dry goods, frozen and live foods and Tropical plants.

Fish Alive

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DEVON

find us at

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coldwater pond fish

koi tropical

[email protected] Tel: 01442 244072

marine inverts

weekly fish orders taken on facebook

KENT

Abacus Aquatics

 :H¶YH LQFUHDVHG WKH QXPEHU RI WURSLFDO ¿VK WDQNVVR ZH FDQ QRZ RIIHU DQ HYHQ ZLGHU YDULHW\ RI WURSLFDO¿VK  :H¶YH DOVR LPSURYHG RXU ZHEVLWH LQFOXGLQJ DGGLQJ VRPH RI RXU FXUUHQW VWRFN OLVW. Why not visit us to see what has changed.

GILBERTS

TROPICAL FISH

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Tel: 020 8302 8000

CORNWALL LANCASHIRE

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

Reef and River Aquarium 95-97 LANCASTER RD, YORK BRIDGE, MORECAMBE

Tropicals, Marines, Coldwater Fish

LEICESTERSHIRE

PLANTS, BOOKS, FILTERS ETC JUWEL AQUARIUMS, POND EQUIPMENT AND EXCELLENT SELECTION OF LIVE PLANTS

Telephone: 01524 419371

GLOUCESTERSHIRE

Coalville AQUATICS LEICESTERSHIRE

“UK Top Aquatic Retailer 2001”

Large selection of Tropicals, Marine, Corals and other livestock Quality Liverock always in stock

Call us (0116) 274 34 26 All major brands stocked | Pond equipment available

www.clearwateraquatics.co.uk

www.leicesteraquatics.com

Leicester Aquatics 0116 2709 610 111

To advertise here please call the sales team on 01733 366321

THE CORAL CAVE AQUATIC CENTRE “FOR A TOTAL FISH EXPERIENCE” www.coralcave.co.uk 01954 212004

HERTFORDSHIRE

LINCOLNSHIRE

WALES

Lincolnshire’s Largest Indoor Aquatic Centre 30,000 sq ft FRIENDLY HELP s EXPERT ADVICE DELIVERY SERVICE s OPEN  DAYS A WEEK

01507 451000 Lincs Aquatics

Bawtry Aquatic Centre

94c Crwys Road Cathays, Cardiff CF24 4NQ (Entrance on Monthermer Rd)

www.aquaticworlduk.com

Tel: 029 20 34 29 55

01302 711639 South Yorkshire Aquatics

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LONDON

Established 1973 55 John Street, Porthcawl, CF36 3AY Tel: 01656 784646

Classified To advertise here please call the sales team on 01733 366321

Largest retail shop in Central London minutes from Oxford Circus

Quality equipment from all leading manufacturers DELTEC, AQUAMEDIC, JUWEL, EHEIM, AQUAONE

Aquarium design manufacture, installation, and maintenance. 107-111 Great Portland Street, London W1W 6QG Tel: 020 7580 6764

www.aquaticdesign.co.uk

WILTSHIRE

MERSEYSIDE Giftvouchers nowavailable

Fully stocked with marine fish and invertebrates, Tropical and coldwater fish, large range of cichlids including Africans, South Americans and discus. We do all sorts of freshwater and marine nano tanks and everything to go with them.

SPECIAL OFFERS EVERY SUNDAY

ANY FISH, REPTILE OR PRODUCT AVAILABLE TO ORDER Follow us on Twitter and Facebook Open 7 days a week - late night Thursday until 8p.m.

NEW REPTILE SECTION NOW OPEN Lincs Aquatics

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O 7URSLFDO PDULQH FROG ZDWHU SRQG ¿VK O Huge range of aquariums (any shape & size). Cabinet furniture O Wide choice of food, equipment, plants, medication & accessories O Caring & friendly advice from a family business O Est 15 Years O Pond equipment & remedies

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YORKSHIRE

AQUARIUM DIRECTORY

Call: 0151 6789401

[email protected] 229 Greasby Rd, Wirral, Cheshire CH49 2PG

WARWICKSHIRE

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE New African Cichlid room, almost 100 tanks! TROPICAL - MARINE - POND & COLDWATER - REPTILES

Six-time winner of top UK aquatic retailer

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Makers of Fine Quality Glass Aquariums Custom  Sumps  Aquariums Made  Pvc Pipe Fittings  Complete systems Onsite / Design  Build Service  All Equipment supplied  Holes Drilled  Rimless / braceless  Repairs / Servicing  Cabinet / Hoods  Metal frame Stands Nationwide delivery

Tel: 01773 861255 Marine direct: 01773 811044 Reptile direct: 01773 811499 65-67 Wharf Road, Pinxton, Notts. NG16 6LH (near M1 J28)

SCOTLAND

House of Pisces ~ Scotland’s largest aquatic superstore by far

NATIONWIDE DISTRIBUTORS

With over 1000 aquariums full of tropical, marine and cold water fish Huge range of aquariums, aquarium furniture and equipment at discount prices

Barlows Aquatic Trading

Unit B/G, 207 Strathmartine Road, Dundee, Scotland, DD3 8PH

AQUARIUM MANUFACTURERS..supplying direct to the public at trade prices

01382 832000 www.tropicalfish-scotland.com

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EBO

OK Ring: 01254 388815 www.barlows-aquarium-supplies.com e mail: [email protected]

or call in and see us at: Brisol Works, Mount St., Accrington, Lancs BB50PJ

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INTERNET

WHOLESALERS

YOUR “ONE STOP SHOP” AQUATICS & PET PRODUCTS WHOLESALER

P L A N T E D AQ UA R I U M S P E C I A L I S TS

www.aquariumgardens.co.uk 01480 450572 [email protected]

We offer an extensive range of wholesale pond and aquarium livestock, plants, feeds, treatments, rocks, sands, gravels & accessories – at discounted prices, plus FREE delivery via our dedicated van fleet to most of England, Wales and Southern Scotland for a low minimum order of only £100 plus VAT. To obtain a copy of our current price list, full colour catalogue and details of our current special offers or to discuss the matter further, please call Kate on 01246 415275 between the hours of 9am and 4pm. If you prefer, feel free to e-mail us on [email protected] or fax us on 01246 290486 for a reply by return.

AQUARIUM DISPLAY RACKING Economically priced. Extrusions, flat pack self assembly kits, or complete onsite installations. Custom sizes and vivarium versions available. See multitier.co.uk

KKC

Est 1972 Specialist in marine and inverts

AQUATICS CENTRE

www.aquahome.co.uk Within Avant Gardens, (Opposite Leyland Golf Club) Wigan Road, Leyland, PR25 5XW

MISCELLANOUS

Fluke-Solve TM

The simple solution for skin flukes, gill flukes & tapeworms Easy and effective

Tel: 01482 640329 Fax: 01482 640489 15,000 Gal marine and invert system 8,500 gal tropical freshwater system. Marine wholesale and aquaria trade & retail. Open 10am till 5pm, closed Sun & Mon

Email: [email protected]

SHRIMP

Don’t miss the next issue of

Email: sean.treagus@ bauermedia.co.uk

On sale 25th November

Tel: 01733 366399

New 50g Sachet

Get Practical Fishkeeping magazine every four weeks Every issue of Practical Fishkeeping brings you: O Amazing fish and how to keep them O Inspirational aquariums O Step-by-step guides O Readers’ tank set-ups O Advice from the top fishkeeping experts O New products on test

Available from all good newsagents Practical Fishkeeping is available at your fingertips too! Subscribe today www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/ipad

and you’ll get access to amazing extra content including Q video Q galleries

113

To advertise here please call the sales team on 01733 366321

Fish Treatment Ltd. www.fish-treatment.co.uk

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Tailpiece “

with Nathan Hill

Y

ou’ve got a great job’ I hear that a good two-dozen times a month. Admittedly, it’d be nice if I had that many people saying ‘you do a great job’ but hey ho. I know you guys and girls love me on the inside. Right? Anyway, this job of mine. A lot of it is indeed great. But I think people miss one aspect out, and it’s something that makes me envious of every reader I have. Hear that? You all have at least one huge advantage over me, and I’m jealous of it. Fact is that I’m stuck for space. Not only that, I currently live in a rented place and I don’t trust the power supply (shocking, literally) or the housemates enough to have a tank downstairs (which reminds me — housemates, if you’re thumbing through this, it’s high time you took the bin out.) That means that any aquarium has to go in to my room, a picnic hamper of a thing, lined with skateboards, books and all my (scant) worldly possessions. Now, my room isn’t huge. There’s barely enough space to swing a yoyo. Before this becomes the most depressing episode of ‘Through the Keyhole’ ever, the point I’m making is I’ve got space for one aquarium, and not a particularly big one. You’re probably wondering what the problem is. After all, I’ve got space for a tank. Well, yeah, but I never get to do what I really want to in it. My home tank — whichever model it might happen to be at the time — is the basis of projects for the magazine. In this month you’ll find it in the beginner’s guide supplement. That Fluval Fresh F-35 in there is currently sat next to my head, humming me to sleep each night. Again, no problem, right? I get my hardware (mostly) courtesy of the company, to do with as I please... Ahhh. That’s where it all comes crashing down. This month my set up was for a beginner’s guide. Next month it might be Boraras biotope, or a breeding tank for a pair of dwarf cichlids, or whatever else is in the six

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”

NATHAN HILL

When you read the words on a page, I hope that you pick up on some of the thinly concealed desire behind them. When I get to write a Fish of the Month feature, it will be about a genus or species that I desperately crave.

I’ll not be getting a six-footer in there then...

month plan. That tank you see in the guide will be something completely different by the time you read this rant.

All I want is Neons... Flitting through different tanks was a fun if slightly unhinged trait from my youth — I made a point of it in last month’s Tailpiece — but now all I want is a shoal of Neon tetra in a biotope-looking layout. That said, I’d probably take anything, as long as I could keep it for years instead of weeks. I tell a lie. If I had a tank of my very own for a real long-term project, I’d go plants and only plants. I’m away too frequently (and don’t trust my bin-avoiding housemates enough to leave anything in their care) for it to be fair on any fish. So there we have it. You get to keep fish. I just get to look at fish, and write about them. You might think this job is perfect, and that I get to immerse myself in the world of fish, every working day, but I do so only vicariously. There’s an old derogatory saying often aimed at writers, which is simply: ‘Can’t do? Write!’ In one sense, that sums up my position entirely. I presently can’t do, and so I write instead. When you read the words on a page, I hope that you pick up on some of the thinly concealed desire behind them. When I get to write a Fish of the Month feature, it will be about a genus or species that I

desperately crave. Last month I immersed myself in a world of Splash tetra, and got to relive the days I actually kept them. To create it, I got to spend my days just trawling every possible source for information. Quite literally, I got paid to research that fish, as though I was about to embark on caring for them like they were the last fish I’d ever keep. This month it’s African barbs, and I yearn for a shoal of ‘Barbus’ hulstaerti like a man in the desert lusts for water.

Perpetual tease Spare me a thought. For all that research, I won’t get to keep them. At best, and assuming I can plan far ahead enough, I might have them for a couple of weeks, and then back to the shop they go. If you can imagine what that’s like, every month, then you get a glimpse of my life. It’s a perpetual tease, like saving up for the car of your dreams and then driving it into a wall. But yeah, for all that, it could be worse. It is a great job. Just know that when I’m settled and out of rented accommodation, I’m putting together a Neon tetra biotope so beautiful that it would make David Attenborough fall to his knees and weep. And what’s more, it’ll be all mine. Just like your tanks are... Nathan Hill is Practical Fishkeeping magazine’s features editor, laid up amateur freestyle skater, bane of yoyo strings, and Japanese ale guzzler.

PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING

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FREE BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO KEEPING FISH

aquarium

INSIDE:

O Step-by-step OThe best fish guide to setting up for beginners

OHow to feed and care for your fish

OLooking after your aquarium

p4 There’s so much to enjoy about keeping fish! Glorious colours, fascinating behaviour, a slice of nature in your own home — and even breeding! Fishkeeping has so much to offer! This easy-to-follow guide will get you started, with advice on what you’ll need to set up your first aquarium and how to avoid some of the potential problems and pitfalls to make your introduction a successful one.

The PFK team

p18

What’s inside...

ideas for Which food? 19 4 Stocking your new tank Just starting out? Here are 15 great species to choose from, all of which are perfect for the beginner.

up, 8 Setting step-by-step Follow this guide to putting everything together.

for 18 Shopping new fish CONTACT US Address Practical Fishkeeping, Bauer Media, Media House, Lynchwood, Peterborough, PE2 6EA Email: [email protected]

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

p22

Advice on buying new fish and how to introduce them safely to your aquarium.

Not all fish have the same nutritional requirements, so getting the diet right is essential.

20 Spot the symptoms Knowing how to identify common health problems and how to deal with them will help your fish live long and healthy lives.

after 22 Looking your tank Regular maintenance is needed to keep your fish healthy and your new aquarium looking good.

3

LOOK FOR THESE! Platy O Scientific name: Xiphophorus maculatus. O Size: Males to 5cm/2in, females bigger at 7.5cm/3in. O Water preferences: Medium hard to hard water, pH 7.0–8.0 O Temperature: 20–26°C/68–79°F. O Tank size: 60 x 30cm/ 24 x 12in. O Shoal size: Keep at least five, and add more females than males.

MP&C PIEDNOIR, AQUAPRESS.COM

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

Neon tetra

Peppered cory

O Scientific name: Paracheirodon innesi. O Size: Usually to about 2.5cm/1in. O Water preferences: Soft to slightly hard water, pH 5.0–7.5. O Temperature: 21–28°C/72–82°F (ideally around 22–23°C/71.5–73°F). O Tank size: 60 x 30cm/24 x 12in. O Shoal size: Minimum six fish.

O Scientific name: Corydoras paleatus. O Size: Maximum 7.5cm/3in. O Water preferences: Soft, pH 6.0–7.0. O Temperature: 22–26°C/72–79°F (ideally around 23–24°C/73–75°F). O Tank size: 60 x 30cm/24 x 12in. O Shoal size: Minimum six fish.

Harlequin rasbora

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

O Scientific name: Trigonostigma heteromorpha. O Size: To 5cm/2in (females plumper). O Water preferences: Soft to slightly hard water, pH 5.5–7.5. O Temperature: 21–28°C/70–82°F. O Tank size: 60 x 30cm/24 x 12in. O Shoal size: Minimum six fish.

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MP&C PIEDNOIR, AQUAPRESS.COM

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

N

ewcomers can be overwhelmed by the choices offered by an aquatic store. If you’re a seasoned fishkeeper, you’ll have a good idea of what you’re looking at, but for the first time aquarist it can be a little daunting. For your first tank, keep things simple. Exotic fish have exotic requirements, but many of the old favourites have an enduring popularity because they’re so tough and adaptable. Here are 15 species you’ll struggle to go wrong with...

Bristlenose catfish O Scientific name: Ancistrus cf. cirrhosus. O Size: To 12.5cm/5in. O Water preferences: Soft to slightly hard water, pH 5.5–7.8. O Temperature: 22–26°C/72–79°F. O Tank size: 60 x 30cm/ 24 x 12in. O Shoal size: Can be kept singly. BEGINNER’S GUIDE

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

Stocking ideas

Zebra danio

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

Guppy O Scientific name: Poecilia reticulata. O Size: Males to 4cm/1.6in, females to 6cm/2.5in. O Water preferences: Neutral to hard water, pH 7.0–8.5. O Temperature: 18–28°C/64–82°F. O Tank size: 45 x 30cm/18 x 12in. O Shoal size: Can be kept as a trio of one male, two females.

O Scientific name: Danio rerio. O Size: To 5cm/2in. O Water preferences: Soft to hard water, pH 6.0–8.0. O Temperature: 18–25°C/65–77°F. O Tank size: 75 x 30cm/30 x 12in. O Shoal size: Minimum six fish.

PFK/GEORGE FARMER

O Scientific name: Pristella maxillaris. O Size: To 5cm/2in. O Water preferences: Soft to slightly hard water, pH 6.2–7.6. O Temperature: 22–27°C/72–81°F. O Tank size: 60 x 30cm/24 x 12in. O Shoal size: Minimum six fish.

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

X-ray tetra

White Cloud Mountain minnow O Scientific name: Tanichthys albonubes. O Size: T0 4cm/1.6in. O Water preferences: Soft to hard water, pH 6.0–8.4. O Temperature: 14–22°C/57–22°F. O Tank size: 60 x 30cm/24 x 12in. O Shoal size: Minimum six fish.

Gold barb

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

O Scientific name: Barbodes semifasciolatus. O Size: To 7.5cm/3in. O Water preferences: Soft to hard water, pH 6.2–8.0. O Temperature: 17–25°C/ 62–77°F. O Tank size: 90 x 30cm/ 36 x 12in. O Shoal size: Minimum six fish.

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

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Stocking ideas Coolie loach

SHUTTERSTOCK

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

MP&C PIEDNOIR, AQUAPRESS.COM

O Scientific name: Pangio semicincta. O Size: To 10cm/4in. O Water preferences: Very soft to soft water, pH 4.0–7.0. O Temperature: 22–26°C/72–79°F. O Tank size: 60 x 30cm/24 x 12in. O Shoal size: Minimum five fish.

Dwarf gourami

O Scientific name: Caridina multidentata. O Size: To 5cm/2in. O Water preferences: Soft to moderately hard water, pH 6.2–7.8. O Temperature: 18–27°C/64–81°F. O Tank size: 45 x 30cm/18 x 12in. O Shoal size: Can be kept singly or in huge numbers.

O Scientific name: Trichogaster lalius. O Size: Males to 7.5cm/3in, females to 6cm/2.4in. O Water preferences: Soft to slightly hard water, pH 6.0–7.6. O Temperature: 22–27°C/72–81°F. O Tank size: 60 x 30cm/24 x 12in. O Shoal size: Keep as pairs, or multiples of pairs.

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

Amano shrimp

Lemon tetra O Scientific name: Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis. O Size: To 4cm/1.6in. O Water preferences: Soft to slightly hard water, pH 5.5–7.6. O Temperature: 21–28°C/70–82°F. O Tank size: 75 x 30cm/30 x 12in. O Shoal size: Minimum six fish.

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MP&C PIEDNOIR, AQUAPRESS.COM

Cherry barb O Scientific name: Puntius titteya. O Size: To 5cm/2in. O Water preferences: Soft to hard water, pH 6.0–8.0. O Temperature: 20–28°C/68–82°F. O Tank size: 60 x 30cm/24 x 12in. O Shoal size: Minimum six fish.

BEGINNER’S GUIDE

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From start to finish...

UP YOUR TANK!

Follow our step-by-step guide to setting up an aquarium like this one.

PHOTOGRAPHY: NATHAN HILL

Location matters Siting your tank takes planning, but it’s worth it. A busy hallway might have too many people going past, which will freak the fish out, but a quiet corner might be hard to access for maintenance. O Identify sources of heat or cold. Windows or radiators need to be avoided, and position the tank out of direct sunlight. More sun means more algae, and much more cleaning.

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O Keep away from anything that can knock the tank. Don’t put it next to where you play the Nintendo Wii, or where swinging doors can hit it. O Don’t put it too close to speakers or the TV. The vibrations will stress fish out and cause disease or death. O Keep your aquarium out of any room where fumes are present. If you paint or

smoke, don’t do it near the tank. O Don’t site it miles away from drainage or a water supply. You’ll need to change water from time to time, and you don’t want to travel far with heavy buckets. O Place it on a sturdy floor! O Check the warranty to see if you’re able to use the tank on any cabinet that isn’t purposely made for it. BEGINNER’S GUIDE

Setting up

Putting the basics together My own set up is based on a Fluval Fresh Aquarium F-35 tank and cabinet set with external filter. The tank is 38 x 38 x 44cm, with a volume of around 60 l filled. Many of these steps can be applied to any tank you’re using as your first kit.

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Put your tank on the cabinet, and ensure that you have polystyrene tiles or a base mat underneath if required. ‘Floating bases’ where the glass doesn’t touch the cabinet won’t need this, but if the glass is in contact, it’ll need protection.

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Clean the substrate you’re using for the base. I’m using aquarium silica sand, though fine gravel or silver sand will also work. Rinse up to one third of a bucket at a time under a cold running tap until the water runs clear. Keep stirring the sand as water pours over it. If you

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skip this stage, your tank may never be clear, as it might be beyond the filter to get on top of the fine dust. Important: Use a clean bucket for this, and not one that’s used for other household chores that involve soaps!

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3

My tank has a drilled base, and if yours does too, then now’s the time to attach the pipework. Push it into place and use the fasteners to seal them into position. I hand tighten only to avoid splitting the brittle pipes. www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

Add enough substrate to give about 1cm deep all over as your base layer, and then don’t be afraid to build it up in one corner, or back or side for visual effect. I use the edge of a credit card to sculpt my substrate to shape. I’ve used around 5kg of sand here.

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Add any rocks you’re using to the tank at this stage. Don’t be tempted to try placing them in the tank before the sand has gone in, as it has been known for tanks to break this way. Avoid touching the glass with the rocks as it can scratch, and in plastic or acrylic tanks this will be even more obvious. Make sure the rocks you use are safe for an aquarium. Ideally buy them from an aquatic retailer and ask about suitability in a freshwater tank. Some rocks contain limestone or calcium deposits that will ruin the water chemistry. White, chalky rocks are the usual culprits for this. I’ve opted for 5kg of an unnamed aquascaping stone, but rounded cobbles, petrified wood or lava rock could all work here.

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Time to get the filters installed! Your tank might come with one of a few kinds of filter. It may be built in to the tank at the back or side, giving you little say over where you can put it. You might have an internal canister filter, or you might have what I’m using here, which is an external canister. Internal filters sit inside the tank. They have a pump built in, and are easy to use. The only drawback is that you can only fit so much filter media into them. The more filter media you can use, the better your filter capacity (as a general rule). Less of a problem is that they are visible in the tank, but some are more discrete than others. For a newcomer, they are usually intuitive and straightforward to clean, which you’ll need to do weekly or fortnightly — it takes a couple of minutes at most. External canister filters sit outside the tank, and are physically much larger than internal canisters. This means that they can house much more media than an internal filter, and may require less periodic cleans. Most owners will clean their external canisters on a monthly basis.

Getting to know your external canister Out of the box, the Fluval 206 needs to be prepared before it can be used.

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Open the filter up using the clamps on either side of the body. These clip outwards from the top to open the unit. Wriggle the head unit off — it might be a bit clingy the first time.

10 You can just leave decoration at rocks, but adding a few branches of wood to the tank at this stage will give it a visual boost. I’ve opted for a few small pieces of driftwood (three pieces in total) and arranged them to come out from behind the rocks instead of competing with it. Wood will need soaking for several days before use for two reasons. First, it leaches out acids that will discolour the water. Second, while dry, it will float. Only work with wood

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that you’ve had in a bucket of water for a week or more, and change that water regularly to wash away the acids and dyes being excreted. Don’t feel you need to rush the design stage of the layout. The point of keeping the tank is to look at it, so you don’t want to construct something that’s harsh on the eye. Play, rearrange and keep playing until you feel you can’t do any better. Try to picture at this stage which plants you’re going to put where, and imagine how they’ll work with the decoration.

Note the piece of polystyrene stuck to the filter. This is to protect the impeller — possibly the most important bit of your filter, and the one you’ll need to become familiar with.

BEGINNER’S GUIDE

Setting up

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Get used to pulling the impeller out of its well. It’ll resist, as it’s held in place magnetically, but it’s best to be familiar with it at this earlier stage. Periodically, you’ll need to pull the impeller out to clean both it and the well that it sits in. If the pump ever stops working, you can bet it’s this bit that’s the culprit.

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Turning attention to the filter media in the canister, pull everything out and make sure it’s all there. You should have mechanical, biological and chemical filtration (see box over the page) in the package.

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Important! Impellers are not covered under warranty for wear and tear. If it breaks, you’ll need to buy a new one, and they’re not cheap. The main reason they break is because they’re not cleaned! You have been warned!

16 Replace the pump unit on top of the filter, ensuring that the inlet and outlets of water line up correctly. Get this part wrong, and you could break the filter!

12

19 The impeller cover needs to go over the impeller, otherwise it won’t work. If, after a cleaning session, your filter refuses to fire back up, the chances are that this has fallen out somewhere.

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If the filter comes with a sealing ring (as the Fluval 206 does), then now is the time to put it into the appropriate groove on the filter head. The seal ring plugs in the water when the filter is filled and without it, water will just pour straight out. Always ensure that the seal ring is where it should be after you’ve cleaned your filter!

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

Empty the media out of its plastic packaging and put it into the filter compartments. One chamber should have the biomedia, one should have carbon (leave the carbon in its porous pouches) and the last should have foams in. Rinse the biomedia and carbon to remove dust and place them in the filter canister. My own arrangement sees foams at the bottom, biomedia in the middle, and carbon at the top.

Note that with external canisters, many have an inbuilt cut off for water flow. When in position, the flow through the Fluval 206 is stopped when the white handle is lifted. This is so that you can close the hoses off when you need to maintain the filter, but you need to remember to open the flow when the filter is back in position. Now connect the filter to the pipes on the underside of the tank, using the supplied hoses. On top of the filter, you’ll see the words ‘in’ and ‘out’ by the nozzles. ‘In’ is where the water enters the filter from the tank, and ‘out’ is the return. Simple stuff, but it confuses a lot of people!

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What filter media do you need? The types of filter media can be divided into three camps, all of which have different roles and some of which (confusingly) can slightly overlap. Mechanical filtration is the ‘foamy’ part of the filter. It might be a coarse sponge, or fine floss, or it may even be a plastic strainer. The role of mechanical filtration is to trap out the floating bits of debris in the tank, such as uneaten food or fish faeces. It is designed for regular cleaning, and the idea is that by trapping waste that is then removed by cleaning, that waste doesn’t get a chance to break down into dissolved toxins. Mechanical filters need to be cleaned regularly to be effective. If they clog, they will slow down flow through the filter, upsetting the other media. Weekly or fortnightly cleans are a must. To confuse things, some mechanical filters also behave biologically. This means that when you clean them, you need to use water from the tank and not tapwater! Biological filtration is the core of any filter, and may look like plastic rings, ceramic hoops, spiky ‘sticklebricks’, chunks of pumice, or a heap of other esoteric substances. In a nutshell, fish excrete highly toxic waste as a result of their metabolisms. Where we get rid of our waste down a toilet, fish just ‘go’ straight in the water around them, and the biological filter needs to deal with that. It’s called biological filtration as it uses live bacteria to convert harmful fish wastes into less harmful chemicals. These bacteria are delicate beasts which are painfully slow to develop (they can take weeks to establish a full colony) and easy to kill. The chlorine from tapwater can kill bacteria off rapidly, and it’s vital that biomedia is never cleaned under a tap. At best, it needs a periodic shake about in some tank water to shift off any debris that may be smothering it. Chemical filtration has the job of polishing off water quality. Often, chemical filters will be bags of carbon, but resins and other chemicals may be employed for specific tasks — they may be designed to remove nitrate, phosphate, or one of a dozen other chemicals. The role of chemical media is to remove dissolved waste by trapping it, lightening the burden on biological filters. Chemical filters tend to remove more than just the immediate toxins that fish produce, making them great at pulling out unwanted medicine overdoses, or chemicals that stain the water. On the downside, they’re usually short lived and need frequent replacing. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines on replacing chemical filters, as leaving them in the tank too long may lead to them releasing the chemicals they’ve trapped back into the water.

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Prepare your plants by removing them from their pots (I find that pushing them out from underneath using tweezers is better than pulling them out). Then gently tease away any rockwool around the roots. It may help to gently wash the roots to remove stubborn pieces of rockwool. Alternatively, if the plant looks like it still has plenty of space to grow, leave it in the pot. Just note that it’s harder to hide a pot than it is to plant individual strands.

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Plant up the tank before putting the water in, especially if you’re using stem plants. The substrate is much easier to work with while damp, and you can use long tweezers to push plants into it. A simple trick is to get some Anubias plants (your retailer will be able to point these out) and use superglue or fishing line to attach them to the wood. The glue will cure quickly, holding the plants in place, and they’ll be more than happy taking their nutrients directly from the water. This can also be done with Java ferns, and a small number of other plants that your local shop should be able to advise on. BEGINNER’S GUIDE

Setting up

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If using tapwater to fill your tank, then you need to treat it before use. An off the shelf dechlorinator can be added to the bucket directly, and will act within a few seconds. Alternatively, consider RO water from your retailer if tapwater in your area is bad. RO is water minus all of the bad stuff, and is available to purchase by the drum.

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Place some polythene in the tank and slowly pour the water over it to fill. The polythene will disperse the water, meaning that filling the tank will not displace your layout. Gently pull it out when the tank is around two thirds full.

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Place the heater in the tank. There will be a dial somewhere on it that allows you to set the temperature, though these dials should be considered a guide only. Set it to around 24–25°C/75–77°F, and use a thermometer to eventually make any tweaks. If you can hide the heater behind decoration, then great, but otherwise just make it as unobtrusive as possible.

27 To complete the effect, layer some plain gravel of different sizes over the sand, going from largest stones right by the decor, and fine over open areas. This stage is far from important, but can add a nice touch.

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

13

Setting up

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Attach the lighting to the tank. In my case I’m using LED lights, but you can also use a fluorescent strip light for aquaria. Most off the shelf kits will have a light already included, along with the relevant fittings. The light wants to be on for around seven to eight hours a day.

Fire everything up! Check that you’ve got the valves open on your filter, and don’t be alarmed at a few gurgles and air bubbles while everything beds itself in. Check thoroughly for leaks, and give the tank a couple of days before adjusting temperatures to suit. Now you just need to cycle your tank and you’re away!

Tank cycling A new tank is a dangerous place for a fish, because it won’t be ‘mature’. Tank maturity refers to the levels of bacteria in the filter, rather than the age of the tank. A mature filter will be one with lots of bacteria, and it will be able to cope with fish waste. Long story short, fish excrete ammonia into the water. Ammonia is toxic and needs to be dealt with, and it is bacteria that do this by converting it into nitrite,

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and then eventually into nitrate. Nitrate is a lot less harmful than ammonia and nitrite. Until you have bacteria in the filter, there’s nothing around to convert the ammonia, and so fish in a tank that isn’t matured will be poisoned by it. Cycling a tank involves adding liquid ammonia to the water to simulate fish waste. This is something of an exact science, and though it’s too complex to cover in detail here, you’ll need an online tank

cycling calculator (a search engine will bring up many), a test kit for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, and some household ammonia. Cycle your tank in accordance with the online instructions, adding ammonia as required, and once the water tests show that all ammonia and nitrite is being converted, you can add your first fish. Exciting times!

BEGINNER’S GUIDE

STYLISH, SIMPLE TO SET UP & EASY TO RUN

2/G<756B

:32 :756B7<5

spec

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Spec gives you a feature which looks equally stylish by day or night.

Fluval Edge creates a beautiful aquatic centre piece in any home.

Striking artistic simplicity combine with easy maintenance

Fluval Spec is available in 2 sizes (10L / 19L) and 2 colours (Gloss White / Gloss Black). The larger 19 Litre model provides a slimline panoramic scene without needing lots of space tabletop space.

‘Day and night’ LED lighting, integrated 3 stage filtration. Available in 2 sizes (23L & 46L) in Gloss Black and Gloss White. With twice the volume but the same footprint as a standard Fluval Edge, the 46 litre model allows more fish and a more creative aquascape, without taking up additional linear space.

19L glass aquarium with powerful LED lighting and easy to use filtration system, with easy access media cover for fast, simple maintenance

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For more information on Fluval Aquariums or to find your nearest stockist visit www.fluvalaquatics.com

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

Rainbowfish prefer slightly hard, alkaline water, which won’t suit all fish.

Creating the right What are the most important areas to consider in providing the perfect home for your fish? Dave Hulse, Technical Consultant at Tetra, offers some expert advice.

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important to research the adult sizes of the fish you plan to keep. Some common sense has to be applied here: could the fish grow to a length of greater than half the shortest dimension of the tank? If so, you need a larger tank or you need to reconsider the species of fish. Consider all the species you plan to keep in the tank. For example, if you keep a carnivorous fish with a shoal of small tasty Choosing the right fish tetras, the inevitable will soon happen. It is therefore important to be aware that as fish The first factor to consider when choosing grow, a specimen that previously happily ate fish is what sort of water quality you can fish flakes and pellets may come to regard provide compared to the water quality your tank mates as supper. Similarly with plants, chosen fish needs. It would be disastrous to there are many fish species that are select fish requiring warm, soft and acidic voracious herbivores, so would be not be water if you could only provide hard and welcome in the planted aquarium. Research alkaline water and were unable able to the behaviour of your fish — some species provide a water heater to achieve tropical can become tyrants in the tank, terrorising temperatures. tank mates that venture into their territory; The list of suitable species is limited initially by water preferences, followed by the others are fine to most tank mates but bully members of their own, or similar species. size of tank that you are considering. It is

ishkeeping can seem a tricky hobby with lots of variables to consider, however this beginner’s guide will outline the important areas to create the optimum environment for your chosen fish. The main things to ensure are water quality preferences of your planned fish, as well as their potential sizes, diet and behaviour towards tank mates.

Tetra’s new Digital Water Test app.

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BEGINNER’S GUIDE

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How to manage water quality Once you’ve decided on the fish species, you must then consider water quality. The most important principle in fishkeeping is to ‘look after the water and the fish will look after themselves’. So we need to first acquaint ourselves with the different ways we can measure the physical and chemical properties of the water; temperature, pH, hardness, dissolved oxygen concentration and salinity. It is now easier than ever to assure water quality is at its optimum with the Tetra Digital Water Test app, which helps to analyse the most important water parameters in an aquarium. For an uncomplicated and accurate reading of these water values, you simply need to use Tetra’s 6in1 test strips, and carry out the measurement according to the type of test as described in the app. Different fishes, invertebrates and plants will have varying preferences of water type, some requiring warm, soft and acidic water, while others prefer colder, harder water. We must know the water requirements of the fish we intend to keep to ensure we can provide the correct type of water without compromise and on a permanent basis. We also need to understand how water quality will change over time as levels of pollutants such as ammonia, nitrite and phosphate accumulate. Pollutants will cause the pH level and water hardness to

decline over time. As such, a filter is an essential piece of equipment on any aquarium as this removes and detoxifies some pollutants and reoxygenates the water — it can be thought of as the life support system of the tank. Regular partial water changes are also vital to dilute accumulated pollutants and replenish dissolved minerals that restore the ideal pH and hardness balance.

Lighting and heating Lighting on an aquarium can have a simple function of setting day/night rhythms of your aquarium livestock and allowing you to see inside it. Simple fluorescent strip lights have traditionally been used for this purpose. However, many aquaria will contain living aquatic plants and here the lighting is acting as a proxy for sunlight, driving the photosynthesis of the plants enabling them to grow. Historically, such planted tanks required vast, power-hungry and heat-radiating lighting units hung over tanks to offer light bright enough, and of the

correct spectrum to support an array of aquatic plants. Thankfully, with modern LED technology, sleeker, more efficient lighting units are readily available, making success with planted aquaria a much more accessible option for beginner fishkeepers. The vast majority of aquarium fish species are from the tropics, so the tank will need to be heated above the average room temperatures of the UK. Unless you plan to keep goldfish, or one of the sub-tropical species that will tolerate tanks at room temperature, a submerged aquarium heater is a vital piece of equipment. Modern aquarium heaters use an electric element sealed either in a tough glass tube or, more recently, resin. They usually also contain a thermostat, so the desired temperature can be set and heater/stat will automatically maintain the required value. The new Tetra Proline heater range offers innovative and unbreakable heaters, ensuring this process is made simple, easy and safe. To conclude, water quality, lighting and heating are all very important and must be correct for the fish you keep. Ongoing monitoring and adjustment is required, but once you understand the basic principles, you will be able to enjoy fishkeeping and grow your interest in the hobby.

DAVE HULSE IS TETRA’S TECHNICAL CONSULTANT; his role primarily involves technical support for Tetra customers, but he also delivers training and talks, and writes on behalf of the brand for the aquatic press, advising both consumer and retailers alike. Dave has 20 years of experience within the aquatics industry, and has been involved in education and training for the last 15 years, having taught at both Sparsholt and Reaseheath Colleges. He is currently based at the School of Life Sciences at Keele University where he turns his hand to other subjects in the biological sciences however he usually manages to crowbar a piscatorial reference in at some point! With such a varied and rich background in aquatics, Dave brings a wealth of experience to support Tetra and its customers on their fishkeeping journey.

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Buying fish

Shopping for new fish Buying fish? Our checklists will help you avoid some common mistakes.  Do Test your tank water before you buy fish. Some stores will do this as a courtesy service if you take in a sample, but nothing beats having your own test kit. Check their health. Inspect all the fish in the tank you are planning to buy your fish from to ensure they are healthy. Look for unblemished fish with good body shapes and tidy fins. If any show signs of illness, don’t buy. Ask about suitability first. A retailer might automatically

assume you’ve done your research on what you’re buying, so if you don’t ask you might not be told that the fish you’re after has special requirements. Take notes. If you see a fish you really like the look of, make a note of what it is so that you can research ready for your next visit to the shop.

 Don’t Buy too many fish at once. It may be tempting to buy everything you like the look of,

but it’s unlikely that even the best established filter will be able to cope with the onslaught of fish waste. Buy on impulse. That pretty little fish may turn into a giant tankbuster or need specialist conditions. If unsure, leave the fish in the shop. Take pity on a battered fish. If you see a fish cowering in a corner of the shop tank with tattered fins and missing scales, don’t buy it. It may introduce diseases and parasites to your new tank.

Buy fish if you have a water quality problem. If there is anything even slightly askew with your water quality, you should not add any fish. Even the tiniest trace of pollution in a water test can signify the start of a catastrophe that will ravage your stock if ignored. Buy shoaling fish singly. Many retailer deals involving savings on multiple purchases are for the animal’s benefit, not ours. Fish that naturally swim in thousands in the wild won’t appreciate being kept as a single or even a pair in your home.

PHOTOGRAPHY: JACQUES PORTAL

Introducing your fish to their new home Once your fish are put into a dark bag by the retailer, ready to be taken home, keep them that way until it is time to put them in your tank. Dark bags keep them free from stress during transit. When adding fish to the tank, draw the curtains and turn off the house lights until they’ve settled. Fish will benefit from a dark recovery period when moved. Introduce new fish to your tank slowly — the water in your aquarium may be different to that in the shop. Follow the guidelines below to avoid sudden changes in temperature or water chemistry. 1 Float the unopened bag on the tank surface. This will give the water in the bag time to match the temperature of the tank. A sudden temperature shock can permanently damage or kill fish. 2 After ten minutes, open the bag. 3 & 4 Roll down the sides of the bag to make a collar, so the bag floats — don’t release the fish yet. 5 Add around a cupful of tank water to the bag and repeat this every five minutes for around 40 minutes. 6 & 7 Tilt the bag and let the fish swim out gently or, better still, use an aquarium net to carefully remove the fish from the bag and release them into the tank, then dispose of the water in the bag down the sink. Leave feeding until the next day and check periodically throughout the rest of the day to see how they’re settling in.

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Feeding 8 popular types of fish food Flake food Flake is usually a mid- to high-protein diet made from a mix of fishmeal, cereals and vegetable matter, but often includes insect and other matter too. Flakes are often tailored for herbivores or to enhance colours, and you can cater for fish with some specific requirements this way. There are also blends of flakes, which might include dried, whole insects and other treats.

PFK/NEIL HEPWORTH

Live food

Which food?

Not all fish have the same nutritional requirements, so getting the diet right is essential.

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o into any aquatic store and you’ll be greeted with an array of different foods. Rows and rows of tubs will preach different ingredients, and all have their place. A community tank will be made up of a mixture of herbivores, such as leaf rasping catfish, carnivores, such as tiny micropredator tetras, and omnivores like livebearers. Catering for all will usually involve a balanced, blended flake food, but sometimes you might need to go a step further. Also, foods will need to be stored and

used correctly, and failure to do so can lead to poisoning, water quality issues or nutritional defects in your fish.

How much to feed This age-old fishkeeping question is near impossible to answer, as all fish have different requirements. Predators need large infrequent meals, days apart, whereas herbivore grazers may eat continuously. For most community tanks, two or three small feeds a day, allowing as much as the fish will eat in under two minutes, will be adequate, but monitoring and tailoring this based on weight gain or weight loss is advised.

Feeding dos and don’ts O DO offer variety. Keep a range of different foods to cater for all of your fish’s tastes. Occasional treats like live foods will be appreciated by all. O DO buy small pots. Opened pots have a finite lifespan before they spoil, so buy little and often. O DON’T defrost and refreeze frozen diets. If not kept frozen, these foods will become rancid. O DO use only dry fingers to extract food from the tub. Wet fingers will encourage the growth of mould and aflatoxins, which are poisonous to fish. O DO remove uneaten food after a meal. Surface food can be skimmed off with a fine net. Sunken food may

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need to be removed using a syphon or gravel vacuum. O DO store food wisely. Food in clear packaging will spoil faster than food in dark packaging. Always store food away from bright light. O DO ensure all fish get their share. If any fish are missing out, you might want to distract more aggressive feeders at one end of the aquarium while slipping in some food for the rest at the other end. O DON’T offer human foods! As much as you might enjoy crisps, chocolate or a tasty burger, the make up of our terrestrial food is fundamentally different to that which fish eat.

Many live foods are now available from safely harvested or cultured sources, and though they can become expensive if used frequently, they excel at bringing out a fish’s natural behaviour. Many smaller live foods also offer the best nutrition for newly hatched fish fry. Don’t add the water that the live food is transported in to the tank — strain it through a net and give it a rinse before use.

Crisps Crisps have all the benefits of flakes and much more. Manufactured at lower temperatures, they have better vitamin yields, and their thicker structure means that they don’t leach as many nutrients when they hit the water.

Frozen food Usually irradiated to destroy pathogens, frozen foods are more economical and convenient than live foods and carry no disease risk. Some companies produce blended staple frozen diets for fish, and others even make frozen pellets from a mix of fresh and dried foods.

Holiday food There are a few types of foods available to feed your fish while you’re away. The first, the classic white block, can affect water chemistry as it slowly dissolves to release food and can be unpredictable. Gel tubs of holiday food are very low protein and don’t produce too much waste, so are a good idea for the cautious fishkeeper. Some holiday foods can be attached with a sucker to the tank’s edge.

Wafers These thin discs sink to the base for bottom feeders to nibble at. Algae wafers are superb for many suckermouth catfish.

Tablets Tablets are great for bottom feeders like catfish and can also be stuck to the inside of the aquarium glass for fish to graze on.

Pellets and granules These dried foods are available in floating, slow sinking or fast sinking varieties. Bottom dwellers, or fish that make too much of a mess with flake, do very well with these, but smaller fish may struggle.

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Spot the symptoms When fish fall ill, you need to act quickly. Knowing how to identify common health problems and how to deal with them will help your fish live long and healthy lives.

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results will often give a useful insight into what is going wrong and the potential causes. A wide range of medications should be available from your retailer to treat many common problems, but before you start to treat, you need to be able to identify the problem.

ost fish illnesses are down to problems with water conditions, so the first thing to do on discovering sick or off-colour fish is to test your water and act accordingly with changes and maintenance. Keeping a diary of water quality test

Ulcer disease Sometimes clearly visible as a reddened patch, sometimes as an obvious hole with both white and red areas, this needs to be treated early with an anti-bacterial medication.

Fin rot A bacterial infection that eats the flesh between the fin rays; this is lethal if it reaches the body of the fish. It’s often caused by poor water or as a result of fish nipping each other. Anti-bacterial treatments will help, along with improved conditions.

Slime disease

Whitespot These white spots are caused by small parasites that infest the skin of the fish. They have a complex life cycle that means treatments are usually maintained for at least a week.

This is caused by microscopic parasites irritating the fish, causing it to produce defensive mucous. Correct diagnosis sometimes requires a microscope, and treatment can involve repeated doses of anti-parasite treatments.

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Health

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Fish lice These visible parasites, which look like tiny green woodlice, irritate the fish and puncture its skin with their sharp mouthparts. Treatment can be difficult and follow-up medications may be needed if these bite marks become infected.

Fungus This can rapidly kill a fish if it gets hold and is an indication of poor water quality. Treatments involve mixtures of anti-parasite and anti-bacterial cures, although some specific anti-fungus treatments exist.

Mouth fungus Actually a bacterial infection rather than a fungus, this can quickly erode the mouth, killing the fish. It’s more common in dirtier tanks than clean ones and the disease can be treated with anti-bacterial medications.

Medicine cupboard must-haves

A responsible aquarist should always have some staples on hand to deal with any sudden emergencies. Make sure you store your fish treatments and other chemicals safely away from children or pets.

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Whitespot medication There are many treatments on the market, although nearly all will require multiple dosing, due to the life cycle of the parasite. Follow any disease treatment through its full course, even if the symptoms seem to disappear early on.

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Anti-bacterial medications Many of these will be formaldehyde-based, so handle them with care. If a residue starts to form in the bottle, then the treatment has expired and it should be safely disposed of.

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Aquarium salt This is a valuable treatment of both bacterial and parasitic illnesses. It needs to be dosed at exact levels to have an effect, so don’t be tempted to stick in small amounts ‘just in case’ of illness.

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Mixing jug Medications are best spread over the surface of the tank, rather than dropped concentrated into one area. Invest in a jug that can be used specifically to mix any medications with water before they are dosed.

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Gloves Fish medications contain some very powerful ingredients that can stain clothes and may cause damage to your skin. With this in mind, it makes sense to buy a pair of gloves to use when treating fish.

Dropsy

Red streaking A symptom of poor water quality, especially the presence of nitrite, this is often mistaken for bacterial infection. Test immediately and rectify the problem.

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This causes bloating and protruding scales and is incredibly difficult to cure. It is often too late to treat once symptoms show, but some aquarists have limited success with anti-bacterial treatments and aquarium salt if the disease is caught early on.

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Wormers These will be of more interest to keepers of wild fish or Discus than those of us who buy captive-bred fish for the community tank. Wormers can be added directly to food and water and are best used with quarantined livestock.

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Vaseline/Orahesive powder Open wounds and ulcers in fish may need to be sealed with Vaseline or a gelatine powder to prevent the affected fish struggling with osmotic problems.

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Maintenance

Looking after your tank

Regular maintenance is needed to keep your fish healthy and your tank looking good. EVERY DAY ODo a head count. The absence of any fish that are usually out and about should be a cause for concern. Ensure the fish are breathing normally, not hanging at the surface and not flicking themselves against any objects. Feeding time offers a great opportunity to see your fish and check their condition. OCheck the equipment is working. Defective filters can become hazardous in a few hours, so make sure yours is flowing and free from obstructions, such as leaves from plants. OCheck the temperature of the water. Any high or low temperature swings need to be investigated immediately.

PHOTOGRAPHY: NEIL HEPWORTH

WEEKLY OClean the glass. Use a hand-held algae pad to wipe the glass or, if you prefer dry hands, an algae magnet or an algae pad on a stick. OTest the water. Testing will be your first defence against any potential problems. Keep an up to date record of your results. If nitrate levels creep up above 40ppm, increase water change frequency until it comes back under control. High nitrates lead to increased algae and poorly fish.

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FORTNIGHTLY OCarry out a water change. Remove around 25% of the water in your tank. OClean the substrate. Use a syphon to clean the gravel as you drain the water. OUse a dechlorinator. Always treat replacement water with dechlorinator before use. This is readily available from aquatic retailers. OClean internal filters. Use old tank water to do this, never tapwater, as this can kill beneficial bacteria on your filter media.

MONTHLY OCheck use-by dates on food. Throw away out of date food and replace it. OClean external canister filters. Using tank water, clean through foam filter media. Ensure the impeller inside the pump is clean and free from obstruction. If using carbon or other resins, now would be the time to replace them. Exhausted filters can release waste back

into the water, so there’s no point in keeping them running endlessly. OCheck the piping. Ensure the pipes aren't clogged with waste and debris. OTrim back plants. Remove dead or dying leaves before they pollute the water. Tackle overgrowing plants early on before they strangle others.

EVERY SIX MONTHS OCheck fish numbers and sizes. Fish grow, and if they have also reproduced, you may have too many for the tank, so some will need rehoming.

YEARLY OCheck the lighting. Assess fluorescent tubes, especially if you have live plants, as they become less intense and may lack completeness of spectrum over time. Check LED lights, ensuring all diodes are working. Remove limescale build-up from glass. BEGINNER’S GUIDE

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