Practical Fishkeeping January 2025

WITH THE UK firmly into the winter months, there is no better time to shelter indoors and mess around with your fish tanks, or perhaps read an aquatic magazine… As you have clearly chosen the latter, we start the year off with some fantastic topics for you to enjoy! With plenty of aquascaping content from the IAPLC results to a George Farmer Iwagumi, the marine side features heavily with a look at the photogenic aquatic hawks and the stunning and popular torch corals and of course we have plenty of freshwater biotope content too. Now it is time to pop the kettle on and sit down with a nice hot drink and plunge yourself into the aquatic world. Stay in touch Email us at editorial@practicalfishkeeping.co.uk Watch us on youtube.com/user/practicalfishkeeping Follow us at…

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 - CARL TRUBSHAW My tank is…

THE WORD IWAGUMI (岩組) roughly translates from Japanese meaning “stone arrangement” or “rock formation”. It has its roots in traditional Japanese gardening where stones are used to symbolise natural elements and concepts. They are very carefully selected and arranged to convey a sense of balance, harmony, and peace and can be viewed as metaphors for mountains, islands and other landscape scenes. This practice follows the principles of Wabi-Sabi, which is the art of finding value and beauty in imperfections and simplicity. Stones are usually positioned in odd numbers, the simplest of which is known as Sanzon-Iwagumi which features three stones. Odd numbers are less likely to create symmetry, something that is not so visually harmonious. It's the intrinsic relationship between these stones and their surroundings that create the overall sense…

WHEN IT COMES to charisma and character in the marine world, the reef-dwelling hawkfish have few rivals. Having spent numerous days snorkelling and diving throughout the Red Sea, I'm hard pushed to think of a time where I wasn't accompanied by one of these inquisitive little fish. Hailing from the Cirrhitidae family, their curious nature means that rather than flee into a rocky recess when approached, they dart to a nearby coral outcrop and sit perched, sizing you up. This relaxed disposition, and an almost willingness to pose for the camera, in conjunction with their vivid, photogenic appearance, makes them a firm favourite for even the most amateur of underwater photographers. Aquarists or divers only need to spend a few minutes in the company of these fish to ascertain how…

THOSE WHO LISTEN to me speak of my passions, will soon learn that the Pantanal wetlands of South America is a place which occupies a large space in my heart. Spanning a swathe of Brazil, a good section of Paraguay and a sliver of Bolivia, this fascinating biome is home to many fishes encountered in the aquarium trade. One of them, the serpae tetra (Megalamphodus eques) is so ubiquitous within the hobby that a large number of aquarists consider it somewhat of an ‘also ran’. For me however, it remains one of the loveliest of fishes. Even after years of keeping them in aquaria and observing them in the wild, I continue to be captivated by their stunning scarlet colour, their roguish nature and their often-overlooked simple charm. I thought…

STEP 1: A sufficient amount of soil is added for a depth of about 6cm at the rear of the tank, which will cater to the roots of the lily. STEP 2: The soil is smoothed out and sculpted so it is deeper at the back than the front. STEP 3: The wood is added just off centre to provide cover for the fishes and a focal point within the display. STEP 4: The Litorella uniflora are planted at each end of the tank, slightly denser on the right than the left so as to give a tapering sensation and a triangular layout. STEP 5: The Nymphaea is planted off centre at the rear, so its leaves will spread out but not block too much light for the Litorella. STEP…