Flora & Fauna

Rare and stunning — white with bold yellow-outlined spots and red-tipped fins. A cryptic wrasse that stays hidden in the rockwork. Highly sought-after collector fish that commands a premium.

Narcissus corydoras is a large, long-snouted species with a pale body and subtle spot patterning. It belongs to the long-nosed group of corydoras and commands premium prices among collectors. It prefers soft, acidic water and cooler temperatures.

Elegant tang with a characteristic orange-tipped rostrum, blue-trimmed fins, and long tail streamers in mature males. A graceful, active swimmer that needs a large tank. Excellent algae control.

Males develop a stunning neon blue sheen. Grazes biofilm from rock surfaces in fast-flowing streams. Needs strong flow, high oxygen, and a mature tank with algae growth to thrive.

Microdevario kubotai, the Neon Green Rasbora, is a tiny danionin from Thailand and Myanmar that glows with electric lime-green to yellow-green iridescence along its translucent body. At just 2–2.5 cm it ranks among the smallest vertebrates kept in aquariums. It needs soft to moderately hard, slightly acidic water and does best in large groups of 15+ where the collective shimmering effect is most visible against dark substrates and fine-leaved plants.

Sundadanio axelrodi, the Neon Rasbora (also called Axelrod's Rasbora), is a stunning nano fish from Borneo and Sumatra whose body radiates intense neon-blue to blue-green iridescence along its flanks. At just 2 cm it ranks among the smallest cyprinids, requiring soft blackwater conditions similar to its peat swamp habitat. Its striking colour and active schooling behaviour make it a prized centrepiece in nano planted aquariums.

The otocinclus, or 'oto cat', is a diminutive algae-eating catfish prized for keeping plant leaves spotless without disturbing the aquascape. It requires a mature, well-established tank with existing algae film as a primary food source. Keep in groups of five or more as they are social fish that suffer in isolation.

Betta imbellis is aptly named — unlike the highly aggressive Betta splendens, this species is notably peaceful toward conspecifics and can sometimes be kept in pairs or even small groups in heavily planted, well-structured tanks. Males display subtle but attractive blue-green iridescent scales and red fin edging. It prefers very soft, peat-filtered water replicating its native blackwater rice paddy habitat in Malaysia.

Peacock cichlids are among the most colourful freshwater fish, with males displaying brilliant blues, yellows, and reds. They are relatively peaceful for cichlids and suited to species tanks or Malawi community setups with similar temperament fish.

A captive-bred variety expressing the pearlscale gene, which causes each scale to have a raised, pearlescent centre giving the fish a textured, almost jewelled appearance. Often combined with other colour genes (gold, marble, koi) to produce striking show specimens.

Endearing and personable puffer with large eyes and a round body covered in spines. Will eat inverts — FOWLR only. Develops a real personality and recognises its keeper.

Deep violet-purple with a bright yellow tail — one of the most desired tang species. A Red Sea endemic, now tank-raised. Aggressive toward other tangs so introduce with care.

Striking loach with bold reticulated patterning and a flattened body adapted for fast-flowing streams. Needs high oxygen, strong flow, and cool water. A showstopper in a hillstream biotope.

Prehistoric-looking eel-like fish with a series of dorsal finlets. Peaceful with fish too large to swallow. Nocturnal. Can breathe air and will escape through any gap.

Royal plecos have striking dark striping on a grey-brown body and spoon-shaped teeth adapted for rasping wood. Driftwood is an essential part of their diet and tank décor. They grow large and require spacious tanks with powerful filtration.

Named for its distinctive red nose and black-and-white striped tail, the rummy nose tetra is a stunning schooling fish that forms tight, coordinated shoals. It is more sensitive to water quality than the neon tetra and requires soft, warm, acidic conditions to look and behave at its best. The intensity of the red colouration serves as a reliable water quality indicator.

Vividly coloured medium cichlid with yellow and turquoise markings. Aggressive, especially when breeding. Hardy and tolerant of a range of water conditions.

Graceful, slender fish with a translucent body and vivid red snout and tail on males. Endemic to Inle Lake — prefers cooler, harder water than most aquascaping fish. Stunning in large groups.

Jewel of nano tanks — males are deep red with vivid blue-edged scales. Only 0.8 inches. Refuses dry food for most keepers; needs live or frozen micro prey. Worth every effort.

Ancient, armour-plated fish that walks along the bottom on its fins. Breathes air using a primitive lung. Peaceful with fish too large to swallow. Fascinating species.

The classic wild-type angelfish with a silver body and bold black vertical bars. Its triangular profile and long trailing fins make it a centrepiece fish. Prefers tall tanks with vertical driftwood or broad-leaf plants that mimic Amazonian floodplains. Semi-aggressive during spawning but generally peaceful with similarly sized tank mates.

Unique keel-shaped body adapted for surface dwelling. Can leap out of water to escape predators — a tight lid is essential. Prefers surface insects and small live food.

Betta channoides, the Snakehead Betta, is a mouthbrooding wild betta from East Kalimantan, Indonesia, named for the slightly flattened, elongated head profile reminiscent of snakehead fish. Males and females display striking orange-red coloration with dark scale edges. Like other mouthbrooders it is less belligerent than bubble-nesters, and well-conditioned pairs can coexist in adequately sized planted tanks.

Spectacular black-and-white patterned eel. One of the most reef-compatible morays as it eats crustaceans rather than fish. Needs a very secure lid.

Betta albimarginata, the Strawberry Betta, is a small mouthbrooding wild betta from Borneo distinguished by its deep red body, white-edged fins, and the characteristic white lip border that gives it its species name. Males incubate eggs orally and are typically less aggressive than bubble-nesting bettas. They do best in densely planted species tanks or carefully managed community setups with non-nippy tankmates.

Compact, boldly marked loach with dark bands on a tan body. More territorial than other loaches — keep with fish that can hold their own. Active and entertaining to watch.

Large cichlid that sifts sand through its gills for food particles. Peaceful despite its size. Needs a deep sand bed and pristine water quality.

Striking livebearer with vivid red, black, and yellow patterning on males. More delicate than standard guppies and prefers brackish to soft freshwater conditions.

The threadfin rainbowfish is a delicate, striking fish with males displaying long, flowing finnage tipped in vivid colour. It is a micro-predator that requires calm water and very small live or frozen foods. Best kept in species tanks or with the smallest, gentlest tankmates.

Elegant pencilfish with three distinct horizontal stripes and vivid red markings on the fins. Peaceful and slow-moving — ideal for low-flow planted tanks. Best in groups of 8+.

Stunning apisto with brilliant iridescent blue and red markings. Males are notably elongated and display vivid colour during spawning. Peaceful for a cichlid and works well in planted community tanks.

Cool-water dwarf cichlid with a yellow body and blue iridescence. Cooler temperature preference than most apistos. Peaceful and excellent for planted tanks.

A captive-bred variety with dramatically elongated, veil-like fins on the dorsal, anal, and caudal fins. The flowing fins are visually stunning but more delicate — avoid housing with fin-nipping species. The veil gene can be combined with any colour morph (silver, koi, marble, etc.).

Striking Malawi hap with a giraffe-spotted pattern. Males develop a vivid blue head. A crafty ambush predator that lies still pretending to be dead to lure prey. Best with other large Malawi haps.

A captive-bred morph with additional vertical black stripes beyond the standard three, creating a more densely barred zebra-like pattern. A popular show variety that stands out in species-specific or South American biotope scapes.