Tabla de contenidos para August 2025 en Practical Fishkeeping

THIS IS A super exciting issue, as it is the launch of this year's Readers’ Poll. It is my first as Editor, as I hadn't joined in time for the voting process last year. While I am sure you'll all be rushing to page 68 to find out more about voting, there is so much else in this issue too. We start with a tank you may recognise from the May issue. David's African biotope featured briefly in the BAC results as it won the Africa category, and we wanted to know more about this wonderful tank. Tetras have a strong presence too, with Tai introducing a trio of Aphyocharax, while Gabor investigates the sailfins. Plus, as we are well into the summer now, you may have been out shopping…

IT HAS BEEN my longstanding dream to keep miniature versions of aquatic giants in my aquariums. I'm pretty sure that many of you wouldn't mind having a pygmy white shark or a dwarf killer whale (had they existed) in your lounge. I have lots of fish species on my “what if” wish-list – one of them being the beautiful golden dorado (Salminus brasiliensis). I love its golden colour and that impressive jawline, but I could never (and wouldn't either) squeeze a metre long fish into my tank. During my recent trip, however, I found a great “substitute”: Crenuchus spilurus. It has similar colour and head shape. But (the first but of the many to come) the sailfin tetra is more than just a “dorado” lookalike. It's a very unique fish…

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. GEORGE FARMER George is a world renowned aquascaper, photographer and author. 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. TROPICAL Which cichlids can I add? I'd like…

Without you, and your all-important votes, there would not be a Readers’ Poll! So, by way of a thank you, we automatically put your details into a prize draw. This year, Pettex Aquatics – a trusted name with a fresh look – are delighted to support Practical Fishkeeping's Readers’ Poll by offering five lucky winners the chance to win a 10kg bag of Pettex Aquatics General Purpose Mixed Sticks, worth £40 (RRP)* each! This is a comprehensive pond feed, with a highly digestible and balanced formula ensuring that your wet pets have the healthy diet they need. It provides a balanced range of proteins, fibre, vitamins and trace elements which will satisfy all your fish's nutritional requirements, together with spirulina for colour enhancement. These sticks have a prolonged floating period…

WHILE WE ALL share one common hobby, fishkeeping, there is another that many fishkeepers appear to enjoy partaking in. Growing house plants. I am no different; I have numerous pots and propagation jars dotted around the house. I even share small plants and cuttings with my family and friends in the same way aquarist do with aquarium plant trimmings and coral frags. It is easy to see why so many of us enjoy both hobbies. With house plants you get to enjoy caring for another living thing, and you get to bring part of nature into your home, exactly like an aquarium. Plus, both hobbies are relaxing – at least they are when nothing goes wrong – and if you don't have a suitable electric socket near that empty space…

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 Tank of the Month 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  TANK OF THE MONTH - THOMAS HASTY This is our main tank…

RETAILER OF THE YEAR Big or small, chain or standalone, all we want is for you to tell us the single best store you know of. ONLINE RETAILER OF THE YEAR This doesn't have to be ‘only’ an online store, but any store with a website you can buy from. INDEPENDENT RETAILER OF THE YEAR Specifically, we're asking you about your favourite store that isn't part of a larger chain. We like to let the little (and often not so little) guys shine. MARINE FISH RETAILER OF THE YEAR Who would be your go to for saltwater fish (not corals) in the UK? CORAL RETAILER OF THE YEAR Who would be your go to for saltwater corals (not fish) in the UK? ODDBALL RETAILER OF THE YEAR Everything freshwater and…

Air pumps may not get your heart racing with excitement but they are a critical piece of aquarium kit. They become especially important during hot weather when the water in our aquariums hold less dissolved oxygen. The extra surface area provided by the bubbles and increased surface agitation and circulation help to ensure carbon dioxide can diffuse out and oxygen can diffuse into the water. In early spring, I noticed Interpet announced a new air pump, the Oxy Flow, and now summer is here I thought it was about time to get one to try out and see if it ticks all the boxes that you'd want from an air pump. The Oxy Flows are available in 3 sizes, the small provides 60 lph, the medium 140 lph and the…

Urchin clingfish are shy and slow feeders which can be easily outcompeted, so choose tank mates wisely. Here are five options we think could work well should you plan to keep them. However, many of these fish will also graze on the naturally occurring foods found on live rock that would help to sustain your clingfish. With this in mind, be sure to supplement this by culturing your own live foods, for example copepods, until all individuals are readily taking frozen or prepared foods. This may never occur though so be prepared to culture live food indefinitely. FACTFILE BLUE STRIPED PIPEFISH Scientific name: Doryrhamphus excisus. Size: up to 7cm (2.8”). Origin: Indian and Pacific oceans. Tank size: 60x45x45cm (24x18x18”). Temperament: Reef safe but the slow swimming style means they are vulnerable…

LAST YEAR, I joined the PFK team just as we were getting ready to announce the winners of the 2024 Readers’ poll. It was a great privilege to be involved and to write the results pages for the magazine given how I always used to look forward to this feature every year prior. However, this year I am here for the voting stage too which is a real treat. Every year, we, at PFK, host the highly anticipated Readers’ Poll as a way to give you, the aquarium-shopping public, a clear voice on who you think has excelled in the last 12 months, or perhaps a store that has been consistently great for many years. For the shops, receiving an award in any, or several, of the multiple categories is…

As the voting begins for 2025, let's remind ourselves of the top 40 stores from last year. Will we see any new names break into this exclusive list this year? We cannot wait to find out! Aquarium Gardens The Aquatic Store Aquatic World Byrkley Aquatics Charterhouse Aquatics Ely Aquatics & Reptiles Ely Exotics Emperor Tropicals Finest Aquatics Fish House Aquatics Fish Planet Fishcave Aquatics FishCove Aquatics Fishkeeper Aberdeen Fishkeeper Inverness Fishkeeper Southwest Friends in Soggy Homes Fur & Fins Horizon Aquatics Kings Aquatics Lanchester Aquatics Little Fish Aquatics Maidenhead Aquatics Ashford Maidenhead Aquatics Carlisle Maidenhead Aquatics Chesterfield Maidenhead Aquatics Grantham Maidenhead Aquatics Lincoln Maidenhead Aquatics Sheffield Maidenhead Aquatics Trowell Maidenhead Aquatics Truro Maidenhead Aquatics Wigan Maidenhead Aquatics Wilton Pier Aquatics Premier Aquatics Scope Aquatics Trimar Aquaria and Reptiles Tropical Supplies…