Flora & Fauna

Peppered corydoras are popular bottom-dwelling catfish that sift through substrate in search of food. They are highly social and should be kept in groups of at least six. Fine sand substrate is essential to protect their sensitive barbels from abrasion.

Active, silver catfish with black spots and long barbels. Schools in the wild so keep in groups of 3+. A mid-water swimmer unlike most catfish. Will eat small fish that fit in its mouth.

Pale pink-orange with a single white dorsal stripe and cheek bar. One of the smallest and most peaceful clownfish — ideal for nano reef tanks alongside Magnificent Anemones.

The Plakat (from the Thai word for fighting fish) retains the shorter, rounder fin shape of wild Betta splendens, close to the original form before centuries of selective breeding. It is a more active, stronger swimmer than long-finned varieties and is less prone to fin damage and disease. Plakats are popular in Thailand, where fighting fish culture originated, and make excellent display fish in planted tanks.

Platies are cheerful, colourful livebearers available in a wide range of colour morphs. They are very beginner-friendly and tolerant of a broad range of water conditions, preferring slightly hard, alkaline water. Females give birth to live fry roughly every 28 days, so population management may be necessary.

A small, attractively marked corydoras covered in small dark spots over a pale body. C. polystictus is a peaceful, undemanding species that adapts well to a range of water conditions. It is an active forager and looks charming in a planted aquarium with a dark sand substrate that shows off its spotted pattern.

One of the most visually striking nano reef fish — white to yellow body fading into vivid purple-magenta. Peaceful and reef-safe; will jump, so a tight lid is essential.

One of the smallest corydoras species, pygmy corydoras are unusual in that they often swim in the midwater rather than staying on the bottom. They form tight shoals and look stunning in large groups in nano and planted aquariums.

Tiny orange-red rasbora with distinctive black spots. Often confused with Boraras brigittae but slightly larger and more orange. Perfect for blackwater nano scapes. Peaceful and undemanding.

Rosy barbs are large, hardy barbs with males turning a vivid pink-red during breeding. They are cold-tolerant, active, and peaceful in larger groups, though they may nip fins of long-finned fish. An excellent choice for cooler community aquariums.

The rosy tetra has a lovely soft pink to rosy body with a black and white dorsal fin and red-tipped fins that intensify with maturity and condition. Males develop a tall, flag-like dorsal fin. It is an elegant, peaceful fish that is slightly rarer in the hobby than it deserves to be, and looks beautiful in soft-water planted tanks.

Arguably the most striking Caribbean reef fish — front half vivid purple, rear half bright yellow. Hardy, peaceful, and reef-safe. Tends to hang upside-down under ledges mimicking its cave habitat.

One of the three 'dwarf' corydoras species, C. habrosus reaches just 3 cm and has a distinctive row of dark blotches along its flanks. It is more active in the midwater than most corydoras and is ideal for nano planted tanks. Groups of 10+ will show confident, exploratory behaviour and make excellent companions for small shrimp.

Schwartzi corydoras has a distinctive pattern of dark spots and a prominent black stripe through the eye. It is an active, peaceful schooling fish that spends most of its time foraging along the bottom. Well suited to soft, acidic planted tanks.

Slender, schooling dartfish with a distinctive forked tail and blue-grey body. Best kept in pairs or small groups; will share a burrow. Reef-safe and active in the mid-water column.

Elegant, understated tang ranging from brown to blue-grey with fine markings. Peaceful and hardy. Excellent algae grazer and reef-safe.

Serpae tetras are vivid red fish with a distinctive black comma-shaped shoulder mark. They are hardy and bold, but known to be fin-nippers especially in small groups — keep 10 or more to redirect aggression within the school.

Large, deep-bodied cichlid with a friendly temperament for its size. Comes in green, gold, and red colour variants. Often bonds strongly with its keeper and will hand-feed.

Tiny Tanganyikan cichlid that lives inside empty snail shells. Males are larger and guard a harem of shell-dwelling females. Perfect for a dedicated shell-dweller nano tank.

The Siamese Algae Eater is one of the few fish that will actively consume black beard algae (BBA), making it highly sought after by planted tank hobbyists. It is a streamlined, active fish with a distinctive black horizontal stripe from snout to tail. Unlike the similar-looking Flying Fox, it is a true algae specialist rather than just a grazer. Best kept singly or in groups; young fish are more active algae eaters than adults.

Large, disc-shaped silver fish that schools impressively in groups. Voracious herbivore — will demolish live plants. Best kept with hardy tankmates in a spacious aquarium.

The silvertip tetra gets its name from the bright white or silver tips on every fin, which flash attractively as the fish moves. Males have a warm orange-copper body colouration while females are more silvery. It is a very active, somewhat nippy species that is best kept in large schools of 10 or more to distribute any fin-nipping behaviour.

Similis corydoras is a small, attractively spotted species with a distinctive dark spot at the base of the tail fin. Peaceful and active, it mixes well with other calm community fish and is hardier than many of its relatives.

Active and colourful wrasse with six horizontal blue stripes. Pest controller — eats flatworms and small pests. Can be territorial with similar species.

The skunk corydoras has a distinctive arched black stripe running from snout to tail over a pale body, resembling a skunk's marking. It is a peaceful, active bottom-dweller that does well in soft, slightly acidic water with fine sand substrate.

Small, peaceful cichlid with iridescent blue-green scaling and an expression resembling a smile. One of the best cichlids for planted community tanks — rarely aggressive and plant-safe.

The Sparkling Gourami (Pygmy Gourami) is a tiny, jewel-like labyrinth fish barely 4 cm long whose body glitters with iridescent blue-green spots. It produces a distinctive chirping or croaking sound during spawning, which is audible outside the aquarium. Its diminutive size makes it perfect for nano tanks with fine-leaved plants; it should not be housed with boisterous or much larger tankmates.

The splendid rainbowfish is a large, hardy, and adaptable species that comes in several regional colour forms varying from blue-green to reddish-orange. Males develop a deep body profile and bold colouration. It is a robust, undemanding fish that tolerates a wide range of water conditions, making it popular with beginner rainbowfish keepers.

Tiny blue-eyed rainbowfish with yellow fins spotted with black. Gorgeous in groups in a heavily planted nano tank. Males display with raised fins in bright iridescent colours.

Sterbai corydoras are distinctive bottom-dwellers with a bold spotted pattern and bright orange pectoral fins. Unlike many corydoras they tolerate warmer water, making them suitable tankmates for discus and other warm-water species.

Armoured catfish with striking black-and-white stripes. Nocturnal and peaceful. Known to produce audible grunting sounds. Hardy and long-lived — can reach 20+ years.

The Swordtail is named for the dramatically elongated lower caudal fin lobe of males, which can equal or exceed body length and is used in courtship displays. Available in numerous cultivated colour forms including red, orange, green, and black, it is a hardy and active community fish. Males can become aggressive toward each other, so limit the ratio of males per tank or keep a single dominant male.

One of the most popular reef blennies — mottled tan with a characteristic black tail spot and expressive eyes. Grazes on algae and is generally reef-safe with corals. Full of personality.

Tiger barbs are energetic, striking fish with four vertical black stripes on a golden body. They are notorious fin-nippers when kept in small numbers, but large groups of 8 or more redirect aggression within the school and become safer community fish.

Bold, tomato-red with a single white cheek stripe. Hardy and beginner-friendly, closely related to the Ocellaris. Pairs readily with bubble-tip anemones in captivity.

Slightly more vibrant coloring than its ocellaris cousin. Pairs beautifully with Bubbletip or Magnificent anemones. Very popular reef fish.