Tabla de contenidos para December 2024 en Practical Fishkeeping

STEP-BY-STEP Brazilian biotope PERHAPS ONE OF the greatest joys of this hobby is surely the friends we make within it. Whether by meeting people at events, online, or while walking through aquatics stores, we find ourselves connected to others with a shared passion for fish, aquaria, and nature in general. One of my most fortuitous aquarium store visits was when I was nineteen, to my local Maidenhead Aquatics store near Cambridge. I'd been told by my mother that in the back of a garden centre was a “fish shop” and, although I was sceptical, I went on my bike to see. I'd just returned from a year living in Costa Rica and Brazil and was at that point getting back into the aquarium hobby, after a hiatus since I was…

Got a fishkeeping question? PFK's crack team of aquatics experts are on hand to answer whatever you need to know… Email: questions@practicalfishkeeping.co.uk WIN! Our Question of the Month letter will receive a Tetra goodie bundle worth up to £100* [TEMPERATE] Which catfish are best for cool water? I'm setting up a 180-litre aquarium with temperate fish. I'm going for Odessa and Cherry barbs and a couple of Panda Garra, but I'd also like some catfish. Which corys would be the best bet for a temperate set-up and are there any other catfish I would be able to keep? I'm installing a heater, set to 20°C. Is there anything else I need to bear in mind with a temperate set-up? The tank dimensions are 101 x 41 x 50cm deep. EILEEN…

TROPICAL Breeding FISH BREEDING IS in and of itself sometimes a contentious issue, in the same way it can be considered contentious in the world of dogs, cats, or indeed any other number of species that humans have chosen to bring into their environment. Whilst for some hobbyists and aquarists breeding has become a key part of their hobby, for others, it's something that either happens by accident, or is something that is worked on at a certain time, for a certain species. Even if this is just to tick a box and say that it's an experience you have had. However, breeding for the sake of breeding comes with its own set of problems, and there are things that should be considered before giving it a go yourself. Whilst…

STEP 1: The tank is cleaned and prepped, with the lights and light screen installed. STEP 2: The pieces of wood are added, cable tied to stones to ensure they don't float. STEP 3: Once all the wood is added, a deep layer of Nutribase is poured around the wood. STEP 4: A layer of aquarium sand is used to cover the Nutribase. STEP 5: The Philodendron is put into place behind the wood. STEP 6: The Epipremnum is added and secured with cable ties. STEP 7: The Helanthium is planted into the substrate using tweezers. STEP 8: The tank is filled, and botanicals are added. STEP 9: Tannin-stained water from the stewing of botanicals is added. STEP 10: The filter and heater are turned on and the tank is…

Those who have read my articles about the various fishkeeping-related trade shows I have attended know all too well that I absolutely love them (I originally meant just the trade shows, but I will get to those that are open to the general public as well). It's so good to be able to see dozens of freshly launched or lesser-known products all in one place and have an opportunity to touch and feel them, thinking about the potential they may hold. Having long conversations with the companies' reps about the development directions and plans of their brands - well, it just adds to the fun. The trade shows -- as the name suggests – are restricted for those involved in related businesses and – lucky for me – media is…

ORIGINATING FROM HUNGARY (near Transylvania) I had my fair share of vampire stories during my childhood. It was very spellbinding to hear tales about the blood sucking creatures of the night. Despite growing up, I still enjoy reading a good vampire book or watching related movies. That's why when I heard about vampire crabs, I immediately decided that I should keep them if I ever got the chance. I had to wait more than fifteen years for that opportunity, but my patience bore fruit in the end. Please read on for my vampire diaries. Who are they? It would be nice to begin this paragraph with a poetic description of some kind of a small vessel crashlanding in England during a thunderstorm and releasing a horde of tiny ten-legged vampires…

IT'S WELL-DOCUMENTED THAT fish choose to navigate through their chosen environment in a multitude of different ways. Piscine perambulators seek the respite of the substrate, with weedy scorpionfish (Rhinopias frondose) utilising their pelvic and pectoral fins to stroll about, handfish using their pectoral fins like, well, hands, while brackish-dwelling mudskippers traverse the silty sediment by 'crutching', a movement akin to skipping. Up in the water column, the aptly named, ambush-hunting crazy fish (Butis butis) will hover in a variety of upturned positions, waiting to strike, while the upside-down catfish (Synodontis nigriventris) spends 90% of its time inverted. Many free-swimming fish employ a standard propulsion technique - a horizontal stance in a forward direction. Termed Body-Caudal Fin (BCF) swimming, their anatomical design allows them to flex their bodies and generate undulatory…

CONSIDERING THE HUGE variety of marine fish available these days, you will rarely find a reef aquarium without a resident goby. They come in all shapes and sizes and many will earn their keep by performing a number of utilitarian functions in the aquarium. On top of that, gobies are very engaging fish with gregarious personalities which has cemented them as a firm favourite among reef keepers. Not only are many goby species perfect aquarium inhabitants they are among some the easiest marine fish to breed, so dust off that old spare 2-footer and let's get into it! This article will focus on the details of how to breed the stunning golden neon gobies (Elacatinus figaro) but this methodology can be used on many other species - such as the…

READERS' POLL THE YEAR SEEMS to have flown by, it feels like just the other month we were all finding out who had won the various categories in the Practical Fishkeeping's Readers Poll and who managed to make it into the top 40 shops. Somehow, it is that time of the year again and it is time to announce the results for 2024. There is always a wave of excitement when the results are released with both the hobbyists waiting to plan their next road trip to visit the top shops, and shop staff eagerly waiting to see if their hard work has paid off. We cannot wait to get out and visit as many as we can as well, because the top shops always leave us feeling inspired for…