Water Colors Aquarium Gallery

Another Top 5 episode where the team discusses beginner mistakes in reef aquariums. There are a handful of mishaps that can be easily avoided with a little research and the right advice. Listen in to find out how to save yourself from a ruined tank with a few easy tips.

“What do you mean you don’t want to do it right?!” – Ben In this episode, the Water Colors team discusses the complicated topic of conservation within the aquarium hobby. We owe it to the animals we keep in aquariums to ensure that our hobby isn’t contributing to the loss of the organisms we claim to love. Let us know in the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook Group how you feel about conservation in the aquarium hobby! Corrections: – PIJAC (Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council) has rebranded itself as the Pet Advocacy Network. Fishes Mentioned in this Episode: – Running River rainbowfish (Melanotaenia sp. “Running River”) – Killifishes (Nothobranchius spp.) – Pacu (Colossoma macropomum) – Clown Knifefish (Chitala ornata) – Northern snakehead (Channa argus) – Common Plecostomus (Pterygoplichthys pardalis) – Yellow tang (Zebrasoma flavescens) – Iridescent shark (Pangasianodon hypophthalus) – Tiger Shovelnose catfish (Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum) – Zebra pleco – L46 (Hypancistrus zebra) – Apistogramma spp. – Betta spp. – Licorice gourami (Parosphromenus spp.) – Goldfish (Carassius auratus) – Cardinal tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi) – Cockatoo Cichlid (Apistogramma cacatuoides “Super Red”) – Pelvicachromis kribensis “Moliwe” – Chili rasbora (Boraras brigittae) – Pea pufferfish (Carinotetraodon travancoricus) – Denison barb (Sahyadria denisonii) – White Cloud Mountain minnow (Tanichthys albonubes) – Tequila Splitfin Goodeid (Zoogoneticus tequila) – Betta unimaculata “Ancam” – Betta stiktos – Strawberry rasbora (Boraras naevus) – Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus) – Swordtail (Xiphophorus hellerii) – Bristlenose pleco (Ancistrus sp.) – White-Spotted Bamboo shark (Chiloscyllium plagiosum) – Sunadanio spp. Aquarium Clubs and Projects Mentioned in this Episode: – Australia New Guinea Fishes Association (ANGFA) – Project Piaba – German Victoria Cichlids Study Group – American Cichlid Association (ACA) – The Parosphromenus Project – Goodeid Working Group – American Livebearer Association (ALA) – Cambodia Wild Betta Conservation – American Killifish Association (AKA) – Missouri Aquarium Society – Greater Seattle Aquarium Society – Guy Jordan Research Fund via ACA – Paul V. Loiselle Conservation Fund via ACA – George Meier Fund via AKA – North American Native Fishes Association (NANFA) – Conservation Education Grant via NANFA – Gerald C. Corcoran Education Grant via NANFA – Northeast Council Aquarium Societies – CARES Preservation Programs

In this episode, the Water Colors team interviews professional aquascaper Jeff Miotke! Jeff is a friend of the store with a very successful career in aquascaping competitions, demonstrations, and public speaking events. Listen in to learn about his journey into the hobby and to pick up a few tips and tricks from the perspective of a decorated aquarist known around the world.

In this episode, the team discusses designer clownfishes. Through selective breeding and careful manipulation, there are some stunning “fancy” clownfish available in the aquarium trade. We discuss some of our favorites variations, and some true abominations of nature. Fishes Mentioned in this Episode: – Flowerhorn cichlid (?) – Blood Parrot cichlid (Amphilophus citrinellus × Vieja melanurus?) – Xcalibur clownfish (Amphiprion sandaracinos) – Clark’s clownfish (Amphiprion clarkii) – Maroon clownfish (Amphiprion biaculeatus) – Percula clownfish (Amphiprion percula) – Ocellaris clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) – Red Sea clownfish (Amphiprion bicinctus) – Spotcinctus clownfish (Amphiprion bicinctus) – Blue-Stripe clownfish (Amphiprion chrysopterus) – Pearl-Eye Clark’s clownfish (Amphiprion clarkii) – Domino clownfish (Amphiprion cf. ocellaris “Darwin”) – Longfin clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) – Naked clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) – Platinum clownfish (Amphiprion percula) – Picasso clownfish (Amphiprion percula) – Onyx clownfish (Amphiprion percula) – Nebula clownfish (Amphiprion percula) – Snowflake clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) – Addison’s Quest clownfish (Amphiprion percula) – Domesticated Betta (Betta splendens) – Gladiator clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) – Black Ice clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris X Amphiprion cf. ocellaris “Darwin”) – Wyoming White clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) – Frostbite clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) – Blacker Ice clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris X Amphiprion cf. ocellaris “Darwin”) – Black Snowflake clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris X Amphiprion cf. ocellaris “Darwin”) – Darwin clownfish (Amphiprion cf. ocellaris “Darwin”) – Black Ocellaris clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris X Amphiprion cf. ocellaris “Darwin”) – Snowcasso clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris x Amphiprion percula) – Mocha clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris X Amphiprion cf. ocellaris “Darwin”) – Blood Orange clownfish (Amphiprion sp. “epigrammata” X Amphiprion ocellaris) – Gold-Stripe Maroon clownfish (Amphiprion sp. “epigrammata”) – Mai Tai clownfish (Amphiprion biaculeatus X Amphiprion ocellaris) – Tomato clownfish (Amphiprion frenatus) – Lightning Maroon clownfish (Amphiprion biaculeatus) – Gold Lightning Maroon clownfish (Amphiprion biaculeatus X Amphiprion sp. “epigrammata”) – Morse Code Maroon clownfish (Amphiprion biaculeatus) – Goldflake Maroon clownfish (Amphiprion sp. “epigrammata”) – Gold Nugget Maroon clownfish (Amphiprion sp. “epigrammata”) – Peacekeeper clownfish (Amphiprion sp. “epigrammata”) – Deluxe Clark’s clownfish (Amphiprion clarkii) – Royal gramma (Gramma loreto) – Neon dottyback (Pseudochromis aldabraensis) – Orchid dottyback (Pseudochromis fridmani) – Springer’s dottyback (Pseudochromis springeri) – Yellow tang (Zebrasoma flavescens) – Kole tang (Ctenochaetus strigosus)

Today, the Water Colors team investigates the topic of schooling fish in saltwater aquariums. We’ll dive into several species that are commonly sold as schooling fish, and why they DON’T WORK! Listen to today’s episode and see why the concept of schooling fish in saltwater aquariums is largely a myth.

One tank turns into two, which turns into a few more… Before you know it, you have a dedicated room to house all your aquariums (and a hefty electric bill). This week, we discuss the concept of fish rooms, and how to manage Multiple Tank Syndrome. Let us know what your dream fish room looks like!

In this episode, the team at Water Colors discusses their Top 5 CARES fish species. The CARES Preservation Program (Conservation, Awareness, Recognition and Responsibility, Encouragement and Education, and Support and Sharing) is based on conservation efforts and public education. Let us know in the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook Group what rare and endangered fish species you’re breeding at home. The goal of the program is to “encourage hobbyists worldwide to devote tank space to one or more species at risk and distribute offspring to fellow qualified hobbyists, while forming an information network where possible between aquarists, scientists, and conservationists.” –Claudia Dickinson CARES Preservation Program Coordinator Addendum: We recorded this episode before our recording session for the Lacey Act Amendments (Episode 67). In this podcast you will hear us referring to an upcoming “Lacey Act Amendments” podcast, despite that episode having already been released. The content discussed in our Lacey Act Amendments episode includes many potential ramifications for the future of our hobby. At the time, it was decided that we should prioritize getting that information to you as quickly as possible. Fishes Mentioned in this Episode: – Pacu (Colossoma macropomum) – Redtail shark (Epalzeorhynchos bicolor) – White Cloud Mountain minnow (Tanichthys albonubes) – Buffalo-Head cichlid (Steatocranus casuarius) – Soda cichlid (Alcolapia alcalica) – Cherry barb (Puntius titteya) – Betta macrostoma – African Red-Eye tetra (Arnoldichthys spilopterus) – Betta albimarginata – Betta splendens – Betta persephone – Betta channoides – Betta brownorum – Powder Brown tang (Acanthurus japonicus) – Chocolate tang (Acanthurus pyroferus) – Cherry Red Zebra cichlid (Metriaclima estherae) – Red Swordtail (Xiphophorus hellerii) – Nothobranchius korthausae – Nothobranchius foerschi – Nothobranchius rubripinnis – Nothobranchius rachovii – Dwarf angelfishes (Centropyge spp.) – Mandarin dragonet (Synchiropus splendidus) – Trigonostigma somphongsi – Lambchop rasbora (Trigonostigma espei) – Harlequin rasbora (Trigonostigma heteromorpha) – Giant krib (Pelvicachromis sacrimontis) – Apistogramma spp. – Pelvicachromis kribensis “Moliwe” – Common krib (Pelvicachromis pulcher) – Celestial Pearl danio (Celestichthys margaritatus) – Corydoras sterbai – Nanochromis splendens – Enigmatochromis lucanusi – Angelfishes (Pterophyllum spp.) – Discus (Symphysodon spp.) – Pelmatochromis spp. – Blue Gularis killifish (Fundulopanchax sjoestedti) – Clown killifish (Epiplatys annulatus) – Great White shark (Carcharodon carcharias) – Gold Nugget pleco (Baryancistrus xanthellus) – Luminatus rainbowfish (Pseudomugil luminatus) – Forktail Blue-Eye rainbowfish (Pseudomugil furcatus) – Parosphromenus nagyi – Parosphromenus juelinae – Parosphromenus kishii – Parosphromenus parvulus – Highland Swordtail (Xiphophorus malinche) – Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus) – Sheepshead Swordtail (Xiphophorus birchmanni) – Tequila Goodeid (Zoogoneticus tequila) – Brass Swordtail (Xiphophorus kallmani) – Yellow Swordtail (Xiphophorus clemenciae) – Denison barb (Sahyadria denisonii) – Dwarf Chain loach (Ambastaia sidthimunki) – Black Skirt tetra (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi)

In this episode, the team discusses the misinformation and unethical practices of many large scale aquarium businesses. Here at Water Colors, we’ve seen first hand just how many new hobbyists are given awful advice from chain stores. Take a listen and see how common misinformation affects newcomers and the industry as a whole.

This is part 2 of our Captive-Bred Saltwater Fish discussion, listen to Episode 74 for more information on this topic. The team is discussing captive-bred saltwater fish that are available in the hobby. Here at Water Colors, we’re both impressed and inspired by the innovations in captive breeding efforts. Despite this, we’ve run into some issues with captive-bred fish. Let us know how your experiences with captive-bred fish have gone!

In this 2 part episode, the team is discussing captive-bred saltwater fish that are available in the hobby. Here at Water Colors, we’re both impressed and inspired by the innovations in captive breeding efforts. Despite this, we’ve run into some issues with captive-bred fish. Let us know what you think about our favorite captive-bred species, and stay tuned for part 2 where we discuss some of the drawbacks we’ve encountered.

The team discusses our top 5 brands for aquarium products, and why we think they’re the best in their class. We stand by equipment that outperforms its competitors, is cost-efficient, and is just plain reliable. What brands do you trust?

You know those fish that just make amazing pets? More personable, more interested, more interactive? In today’s episode, we discuss our top “wet pets” in saltwater aquariums, and why they make such great companions.

You know those fish that just make amazing pets? More personable, more interested, more interactive? In today’s episode, we discuss our top “wet pets” in freshwater aquariums, and why they make such great companions.

The Water Colors team discusses all things discus in todays episode! Tune in to learn about one of the most prestigious freshwater fish around. Literature Cited: Manuella Villar Amado, Izeni P. Farias, Tomas Hrbek, “A Molecular Perspective on Systematics, Taxonomy and Classification Amazonian Discus Fishes of the Genus Symphysodon“, International Journal of Evolutionary Biology, Vol. 2011, Article ID 360654, 16 pages, 2011. https://doi.org/10.4061/2011/360654

The team discusses frequently asked saltwater questions, and dispels some common myths and assumptions. Lots of useful information for new hobbyists and seasoned veterans alike.

This episode is inspired by listener questions on our Facebook group! The team discusses frequently asked coral questions, ranging from some of the basics to some advanced water chemistry knowledge. If you’re new to reef keeping, or you’re a seasoned veteran, you’ll certainly learn something new from this discussion.

With the help of special guest Dr. Alisha Davidson, an expert in invasive species, the Water Colors team discusses the potential impending changes to the LACEY Act, and how it might affect the aquarium hobby/trade. Don’t freak out, this episode is all about breaking down the potential amendments for all to understand.

What makes a fish funny? In this episode: Ben, Amy, and Charles use a Top 5 list in an attempt to answer that question.

In this episode, Ben and Charles have a heated debate about fish from two different regions of the world, South America vs Asia. Which team would you pick? Who won?    

In this episode, the team complains (again)! Only this time, it’s about the worst money wasting aquarium products. Check out some of the most pointless and ineffective things being marketed to hobbyists, and save yourself the money by avoiding them in the future. Carbon cartridges, API master test kits, overpowered filters, vacation feeders, mini CO2 kits, cheap heaters, saltwater dechlorinators, bulb lights, fake anubias, and more.

Plants we hate In this episode, the team discusses aquarium plants that we can’t stand. Whether they’re tough to manage, a pain to keep alive, or just illegal! We normally love aquarium plants here at the gallery, but today we’re channeling our hatred.   Hornwort, duckweed, frogbit, invasive plants (cabomba, euro frogbit, water hyacinth, elodea, parrot’s feather), glosso, java ferns, fake plants, HC cuba

Water changes are an essential part of aquarium keeping… or are they? There are a lot of people out there who claim that they can keep a healthy reef tank doing few to no water changes. For this episode, Charles did some research on what a water change is actually doing for your aquarium. He, Ben, and Amy discuss some different philosophies around water changes, and why we do what we do. We’re getting geeky again folks, you might want to grab a Python and get some changes done while you listen to this one.

Selling fish at a small local store, we get to see a lot of the aftermath of poor advice and improper maintenance. Many beginners, and even the not-so-beginners tend to fall into the same traps. In this episode Ben, Charles, and Amy discuss the deadly mistakes that are the most common, and the common mistakes that are the most deadly.

A list of saltwater holy grail fish is inherently much different than a list of freshwater holy grail fish. When there are fewer species to choose from, the differences between them can seem much greater. These fish are unavailable because of legal restrictions, unattainable because they’re so expensive, very difficult to keep, or just unique and require specialized care. Whatever the reason, these are the saltwater species that Ben, Amy, and Charles consider to be outstanding among their peers.

A holy grail fish can mean different things to different people, but for one reason or another these are the fish that set themselves apart from the others. What are your holy grails? Let us know on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook Page!   Species mentioned in this episode, spoilers below! (more…)

This week’s surprise episode may tiptoe into rant territory. Ben, Amy, and Charles have a freeform discussion on questions that they often get about planted aquariums. What questions did they miss? Post in the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners group on Facebook. Check out watercolorsaquariumgallery.com for merch, aquarium supplies, and live plants.    

Nano aquariums are more popular than ever, and nano reefs in particular have had even the most dedicated freshwater hobbyists peeking over at the other side of the shop. A saltwater tank that is fewer than 20 gallons can offer a less expensive, potentially lower maintenance option, compared to more traditional larger mixed reefs. In this episode: Ben, Amy, and Charles discuss what goes into setting up a nano saltwater tank, from most basic fish only setup to high tech reef. Have a nano reef? Post your pictures in the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners group on Facebook.  

This week’s episode is going to swing us into the research side of fishkeeping. While most of us are exclusively hobbyists, we all have a lot to learn from scientific studies. Will Ogburn and Lauren Roy work in the fish lab at the University of Dayton studying stickleback behavior and transgenerational plasticity under Dr. Jennifer Hellmann. In this interview: Ben, Amy, and Charles discuss their study as well as what goes into maintaining a fish room for scientific research. For more information on the work of the Hellman Lab, see https://jehellmann45.wixsite.com/  

Cyprinidae can be a difficult family of fish to really wrap your head around. It contains danios, barbs, rasboras, some loaches, and other associated species. While it can seem like a catchall, many of the most popular aquarium fish belong to this diverse group. In this episode: Ben, Amy, and Charles discuss their favorite cyprinid species.

Most long term aquarium hobbyists remember a particular fish species fondly as what drew them to aquariums, or as a significant step in their personal journey. This time, this podcast is not about those fish. In this episode, Ben, Amy, and Charles talk about the fish they missed the first time around. Are there any fish that you swore you’d never keep but slowly warmed up to? Let us know!

When venturing into saltwater for the first time, it can be easy to see the more complicated equipment or testing as the biggest mentality shift. In practice and with good guidance, these hurdles usually end up being a lot less difficult than they seemed at first glance. Often the challenge that sneaks up on the new reef tank owner who has been conditioned to buy schools of fish in their freshwater hobby, is that most reef fish are very competitive with conspecifics and any other similar species. This makes compatibility one of our most common debates around the shop. Which fish can go together, and why? A few simple rules will get you pretty far, but there are always exceptions. In this episode: Ben, Amy, and Charles discuss saltwater compatibility, what works, and what to avoid.

Invertebrate diversity is one of the major advantages a saltwater aquarium has over freshwater. Most of the time, and for good reason, coral and other sessile (immobile) invertebrates get the glory. However, it can’t be understated how much character and interest their more active cousins can bring to your tank. In this episode: Ben, Amy, and Charles discuss their top 5 mobile invertebrates.

Freshwater aquarium fish come from all over the world. Most long term hobbyists tend to drift toward one continent or the other to specialize in, and their opinions on where the best fish come from can can be a little heated. In this episode, Ben and Amy attempt to settle a debate they’ve hinted at many times, while Charles moderates. Where do you stand? What did we miss? Let us know! Remember that this is all in good fun, and the good news is that we don’t have to choose just one!

Improper acclimation is by far the most common reason that saltwater fish die soon after going home. If you skip the drip, you risk shocking your fish. Acclimate too long, and the dangers only increase. In this episode, Charles shares the chemistry of acclimation, and why 20 – 25 minutes is all you need.

Plecos, or catfish of the family Loricariidae, are a group of fish that can promote some pretty strong feelings in hobbyists. Whether you’re still bitter over the common pleco that got way too big before you knew better, or you’ve been looking for that holy grail species for years, you probably have a memorable experience with these fish. In this episode: Ben, Amy, and Charles talk about some of these experiences and why they make them love to hate plecos… or maybe hate to love them?

We’ve talked about genetically modified fish in this podcast before, not always in the most positive light. In this episode: Ben, Charles, and Amy flip that attitude on its head and talk about some of their favorite line bred, hybrid, and transgenic fish! What are your favorites? Let us know!   Show Notes: SPOILERS BELOW! Here is a list of all of the fish discussed in this episode and some associated notes. Sunset Platy – Xiphophorus maculatus Cherry Barb – Puntius titteya Glo Fish Danio – Danio rerio Note: Glass Fish are in an entirely separate family than Charicins or Cyprinids. They are in the family Ambassidae Apistogramma agassizii “Fire Red” Apistogramma macmasteri “Red Neck” Apistogramma cacatuoides “Super Red” German Blue Ram – Mikrogeophagus ramirezi Copper Plakat Betta – Betta sp. Marble Plakat Betta – Betta sp. Red Dumbo Halfmoon Betta – Betta sp. Albino Cory Catfish – Corydoras aeneus Electric Blue Acara – Andinoacara sp. Green Tiger Barb – Puntigrus sp. Red and White Ryukin Goldfish – Carassius auratus  

Nano tanks have blown up in popularity over the last few years, for good reason. A nano saltwater aquarium can be a more budget friendly option for the entry level marine aquarist, or the perfect solution to a small space. However, when it comes to stocking a nano reef tank, it’s easy to get lost in the weeds of differing opinions. In this episode: Ben, Amy, and Charles discuss their favorite fish for tanks 20 gallons or less and have some debate over what makes a fish appropriate for a smaller aquarium. What did we miss? Which picks did you disagree with? Let us know!

A&M Aquatics is a marine livestock importer/wholesaler located in Michigan. If you live in the midwest, there’s a good chance you’ve seen their fish in your local fish store, but their range extends across the entire United States. We at Water Colors have been fortunate to work extensively with A&M and benefit from their uncompromising approach to importing fish. In this episode: Ben, Amy, and Charles sit down with Bill Backus, owner of A&M to discuss his history in the aquarium trade, the story of A&M, as well as his views on the hobby and its future.

Sometimes selecting fish for your aquarium can seem like a daunting task. You want fish that get along, look beautiful together, and fill your tank with a variety of activity. In this episode: Ben, Charles, and Amy bring some of their favorite freshwater fish combinations to the table.   What are your favorite fish to put together? Leave a comment or e-mail us at [email protected]

Biota Aquariums is one of the world leaders in captive bred saltwater fish, producing and wholesaling an amazing array of livestock including large food fish, tiny gobies, invertebrates, and the now the highly sought after yellow tangs. Ben, Amy, and Charles were very lucky to get the opportunity to sit down for a call with Jake Phillips, the general manager of Biota Florida to discuss Biota, their mission, and his journey into the world of captive bred marine fish. There may be a few more audio hiccups than usual as this episode was recorded over a video call.

In the second part of this introduction to our aquarium books: Ben, Charles, and Amy discuss their favorite reads on the saltwater side of the hobby.

Summer is the season for getting outside and enjoying the weather while it lasts, but that doesn’t mean you need to leave your indoor hobbies entirely. Setting up a temporary pond outside can be the perfect way to take on a breeding project you don’t have space for in the fish room, or add a beautiful feature to your yard or balcony. These tub ponds are cheap and easy to set up and maintain. In this episode: Ben, Charles, and Amy talk about summer tubs, how to do them, and what to put in them.

Breeding fish is one of the most rewarding aspects of the aquarium hobby. Taking something we love and making more of it for others to enjoy is often what keeps us engaged with our tanks. In this episode: Ben, Charles, and Amy discuss their favorite fish that breed by scattering their eggs, and some of their favorite methods to raise them.

The next couple of episodes will be about books! The internet is an irreplaceable resource for finding information about your aquarium, but there’s nothing like a book when you need to take a comprehensive look at a subject. Ben, Charles, and Amy discuss the impact that books have had on their freshwater hobby, and some recommendations for titles to look for.

The family Cichlidae is near and dear to all of our hearts at Water Colors. Almost every aquarium has room for a pair of these devoted parents. Their fascinating behaviors and outgoing personalities, often combined with spectacular color, are what draw us to cichlids. However, with these traits often comes aggression, large size, and plenty of other drama. In this episode: Ben, Amy, and Charles discuss the cichlids that have earned their place at the bottom of their lists. We’d love to hear from you too! What cichlid will you never keep again?

We talked nano saltwater last week, this week we’re shifting over to freshwater! There are so many options for tanks that are 10 gallons and under but Ben, Amy, and Charles do their best to narrow it down to their top 5. Do you have a favorite nano fish? Let us know!

The big trend in aquariums right now is small. Nano aquariums are easier to fit into your life, typically require less time to maintain, and are often cheaper than larger tanks. But where does this trend fit into the marine side of the hobby? Many of us have heard “bigger is better” when it comes to reef tanks. Thankfully, in our experience, this isn’t always true. With some careful planning a nano saltwater tank can be a lot less work and just as much fun! In this episode: Ben, Amy, and Charles discuss their experiences and ideas for reef tanks smaller than 20 gallons.

In this episode, Ben sprung a surprise debate on us. What’s better, freshwater or saltwater? From the start it’s an impossible question, the disciplines are so different that comparing them seems fruitless. However Ben, Charles, and Amy try to tackle every angle a hobbyist may look at the issue. This includes species availability, time, difficulty, and cost. While the conversation may come across as contentious, it’s all in good fun. What do you think is better? Keep it civil, but let’s keep the debate going!

In this episode: Ben, Amy, and Charles take a look at what it takes to get into planted aquariums for the first time as a freshwater aquarist. In this scenario, they talk about hypothetically what it takes to transition into planted tanks. They discuss a hypothetical scenario in which they are converting a non planted aquarium into a planted aquarium. This discussion covers plant choice, substrate, lighting, and fertilization. While setting up a high end aquascape may take more effort or money than a handful of anubias plants, a beautiful tank is possible at any skill level and in most setups with a little careful planning.

We’re keeping the series going this week, but flipping the discussion over to the saltwater side of things! This episode covers a wide range of marine fish from the common and hardy, to the rare and particular. While Ben, Amy, and Charles do tend to get carried away designing dream systems, most of the fish and aquariums discussed in this episode could be achieved by the average aquarist. Questions and suggestions, or just have your own inspiration to share? Comment under this episode, send an email to [email protected] or join us on Facebook to keep the conversation going!!