Practical Fishkeeping November 2024

WELCOME TO ANOTHER packed edition of Practical Fishkeeping! In this issue, we delve into the captivating world of freshwater gobies, exploring their unique behaviours and care. We also shine a spotlight on the elegant fairy cichlid and guide you through setting up the perfect biotope for the stunning celestial pearl danios. This month, we’re thrilled to feature a shop spotlight on a fish store in London that’s making waves in the hobby. Plus, we take an in-depth look at the different species of angelfish, uncovering what makes these icons of the aquarium world so special. With even more expert advice and inspiration inside, there’s something for every aquarist to enjoy. Happy fishkeeping! Stay in touch Email us at editorial@practicalfishkeeping.co.uk Watch us on youtube.com/user/practicalfishkeeping Follow us at www.facebook.com/PFKmag/…

Fancy being featured in the next issue of Practical Fishkeeping Magazine? Showcase your work and share your photographs with the Fishkeeping community – if you have a tank you’re proud of, we want to see it. For a chance to be included, simply send us your tank photos with a little bit of information about you and your tank. This month’s Star Letter will receive an Aquadip care package!* Submit yours to us via email at editorial@practicalfishkeeping.co.uk or visit our website here: practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/gallery. WIN AN AQUADIP CARE PACKAGE • AQUADIP Liquid Filter Medium - 500 ml • AQUADIP Plant Food+ - 500 ml • AQUADIP Liquid Carbon - 500 ml • AQUADIP H2O Maker - 500 ml • Plus AQUADIP Aquascaping Towel STAR LETTER - GREGORY MINES Gregory from Wigan has…

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE FISH auctions. You ge.t a chance to see in flesh (and purchase) fishes you have always wanted to keep and species you have never known existed. I usually prepare one or two tanks before attending any of these events for the (almost inevitable) new arrivals. Most of the time I have a plan of what to buy and what not to buy, but occasionally the situation persuades me to impulse purchase something I didn’t intend to. This is how I got my fairy cichlid (Neolamprologus brichardi) group and here is the story of what happened next. I have to start with an admission. For some strange reason I have never got into keeping Rift Lake cichlids. In fact during my fishkeeping career spanning well over four decades…

TROPICAL Freshwater Gobies GOBIES ARE ENJOYING somewhat of a boon in their popularity at present; what was once a rarity to find beyond perhaps the odd Sewellia species has since blossomed into almost any fish retailer having at least a few different genus on display in their setups, albeit often in standard holding tanks that are far removed from the natural habitat these species often inhabit. Keeping these critters can be an extremely rewarding element to the hobby, with some individuals making gobies the cornerstone of their hobby. Unfortunately, too often they are simply purchased and added to what I will refer to as a “standard” tropical freshwater aquarium, and often do not survive for much beyond a few months, or perhaps longer, but certainly in far from ideal conditions…

I WOULD IMAGINE THAT in every aquatic store you have visited you were greeted by at least one tank of angelfish coming to the glass seeking food. These fish, of the genus Pterophyllum, have been a staple in the hobby for a long time and I don’t see this changing any time soon. They entered the trade in the early 1900s and quickly gained admirers, due to their unusual body shape and elegant finnage, even though they had a hefty price and reputation for being difficult to keep at the time. The latter of these points is somewhat irrelevant now as our understanding of their husbandry is far more enhanced; how could we have provided a fish with what they need to thrive if we did not know what those…

Email: questions@practicalfishkeeping.co.uk WIN! Our Question of the Month letter will receive a Tetra goodie bundle worth up to £100* THE EXPERTS DR PETER BURGESS Peter is our disease expert. Send questions his way if you have pathogen problems. BOB MEHEN Bob is a master of fishkeeping general knowledge and community tanks. JEREMY GAY Jeremy is more than adept when it comes to cichlids, goldfish and marine species. JORDAN STIRRAT Aquascaping prodigy Jordan is the man to go to for all your planting issues. MAX PEDLEY Max is like a living, breathing search engine. Cichlids are his speciality. NEALE MONKS Neale is the man for your technical queries. He loves brackish fish, too. TAI STRIETMAN Freshwater biologist Tai has studied habitats all around the world and is our biotope expert. MARINE…