Flora & Fauna

One of the first tropical fish kept in Europe — records date to the 1860s. Stunning blue-and-red banding with flowing fins. Tolerates cold water well. Aggressive toward other males.

Parkinson's rainbowfish is a large, spectacular species with males displaying a golden-yellow to orange anterior transitioning into a blue-grey posterior, with vivid yellow fins edged in black. One of the most colourful and striking of all rainbowfish. It is a hardy, active species best kept in a long, spacious aquarium.

Parrot's Feather is a fast-growing, feathery stem plant with blue-green whorled leaves. It grows both submerged and emersed. Excellent for ponds and unheated tanks. Grows vigorously without CO2, absorbing nutrients rapidly and helping suppress algae. In warm tanks it may require pruning weekly to keep it manageable.

World's smallest puffer fish at just 1 inch. Full of personality and intelligence. Fin nipper — best kept in a species-only tank or with fast, short-finned tankmates.

Gem-like small fish with iridescent blue, red, and yellow markings and an eyespot on the tail. One of the most beautiful small freshwater fish. Easy to breed in caves.

Peacock Moss derives its name from the fan-like, layered fronds that resemble peacock feathers. It grows as dense, overlapping layers of triangular, feathery growth. One of the most attractive aquatic mosses for detail work on rock and wood in aquascaping. Hardy and adaptable, doing well in a wide range of conditions.

Pearl danios have an iridescent, pearlescent sheen with subtle pink-orange highlights along the flanks. They are extremely hardy, cold-tolerant, and make excellent dither fish for livebearers and other community species. Fast and peaceful.

The pearl gourami is one of the most elegant community fish, adorned with a pearlescent spotted pattern and a dark lateral stripe. It is a labyrinth fish that breathes surface air, so a tight-fitting lid is recommended. Males can be mildly aggressive toward each other, but generally coexist peacefully in larger tanks.

A flat, ribbon-like liverwort with a deep green, glossy surface that forms dense, spreading sheets on hardscape or the substrate. It is not a true moss but is widely sold and used as one. Particularly popular in shrimp and nano tanks — the flat, broad fronds create excellent grazing and hiding surfaces for dwarf shrimp. Grows slowly and does not need attachment, but its dense structure means it can smother smaller plants if left unchecked.

The penguin tetra is immediately recognised by its bold black stripe that runs down the lower body and into the lower caudal lobe — and by the unique way it holds its body at a nose-up angle while swimming. This head-up posture gives schools a distinctive, elegant appearance. A hardy, peaceful fish that suits most community setups.

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.

Translucent shrimp with red stripes. Famous for eating Aiptasia pest anemones. An essential pest controller for reef tanks.

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.

Famous for its symbiosis with watchman gobies — the shrimp digs a burrow and the goby guards the entrance. Pairs perfectly with Yellow Watchman or Randall's Pistol Goby. Produces a loud snapping sound.

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.

Pulsing xenia is one of the most fascinating soft corals, rhythmically opening and closing its feathery polyps in a hypnotic pulse. It grows rapidly and can spread across rockwork quickly, so placement should be deliberate. Thrives in stable reef conditions.

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.

Violet to deep purple Neocaridina — one of the newer and rarer colour morphs. Striking against light sand or bright green moss. Colour intensity varies with diet and water quality.

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.

Ramshorn snails are named for their distinctive flat, coiled shell. They are efficient algae eaters and detritivores in planted tanks. While they can reproduce rapidly, populations are easily managed by removing egg clusters or reducing feeding. Some aquarists deliberately cultivate them as a food source for puffers.

Bushy red-to-burgundy macroalgae prized as live food for herbivorous fish — tangs, rabbitfish, and urchins graze on it enthusiastically. Also an excellent nutrient exporter in refugia. Tumbles well under flow and tolerates a wide range of conditions.

Striking nerite with vivid red-orange shell bearing black racing stripes. Among the most attractive freshwater snails. Vigorous algae grazer. Cannot breed in freshwater, keeping populations controlled.

A floating liverwort made famous by Takashi Amano, who pioneered the technique of tying Riccia to rocks and driftwood using hairnets to create lush, bright green carpet-like surfaces. Left floating, it forms a thick mat at the water surface that provides excellent cover for fry and shrimp. When submerged and attached, it releases oxygen bubbles in a process called pearling, creating a spectacular visual effect. It is not a true moss but behaves similarly and is essential in the competition aquascaping world.

Colourful mushroom coral covered in bumpy vesicles in shades of green, orange, and blue. Slower-growing than regular mushrooms. Hardy and great for beginners.

The Indo-Pacific cousin of Ricordea florida — single-polyp mushroom with vivid nodular texture. Some of the most wildly colourful colourations in the hobby: electric blue, neon orange, purple, and multicolour. Highly collectible.

Rili Shrimp are a selectively bred Neocaridina davidi morph characterised by a two-tone pattern — a coloured head and tail section (typically red, orange, or blue) separated by a transparent or translucent mid-body section. This 'broken' coloration pattern is unique among neocaridina morphs and makes them visually striking in planted tanks. Care and breeding requirements are identical to standard red cherry shrimp.

A stunning variegated cultivar of H. polysperma with white to pink venation against a light green or pinkish leaf. The coloration intensifies under bright light. Despite its exotic appearance it is just as easy as the parent species and grows quickly. Invasive in outdoor ponds in some US states.

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.

Rotala Indica is an easy-going stem plant with small, oval leaves that display a pleasing pink to light-red coloration on their undersides even under moderate light — making it one of the few rotala species that beginners can achieve colour from without high-intensity lighting. It grows upright with a delicate, feathery texture and is often used as a softer alternative to R. rotundifolia in low-tech setups.

A delicate stem plant with small, narrow leaves that form feathery, bright green whorls. Under high light and CO2 it develops a slight pinkish tint at the growing tips. It grows vigorously and is a great mid-to-background filler, tolerating a wide range of conditions better than most Rotala species.

Rotala sp. 'Green' is a popular, fast-growing, bright green stem plant with small, oval leaves. Unlike the pinkish tones of R. rotundifolia, it stays consistently lime-green even under high light, providing excellent contrast with red-leaved plants. Undemanding and fast, it is a reliable background filler for any planted tank.