Flora & Fauna

Tiny, peaceful fish from Japanese rice paddies. Extremely cold-tolerant — one of the few fish that can be kept outdoors year-round in temperate climates. Egg-hanger that's easy to breed.

The Japanese Trapdoor Snail is a large, attractive freshwater snail with a smooth, olive-green to dark-brown rounded shell and a distinctive calcareous operculum (trapdoor) that seals the shell opening when the snail retreats. It is a peaceful, slow-moving scavenger and algae grazer well suited to ponds and large aquariums. Unlike mystery snails, it is livebearing and gives birth to miniature snails without an egg-laying stage.

Java fern is one of the most forgiving aquatic plants, thriving under low light without CO2 injection. It must be attached to hardscape rather than planted in substrate, as burying the rhizome will cause it to rot. New plantlets emerge from the edges of mature leaves, making propagation effortless.

Java Fern Narrow Leaf is a cultivar of the standard Java Fern with significantly narrower, lance-shaped leaves that create a finer, more graceful texture in aquascapes. It reaches 20–30 cm in height and works beautifully as a midground plant where a more delicate silhouette is desired. Care is identical to regular Java Fern — attach to hardscape, never bury the rhizome, and it will grow steadily under low to medium light.

Java Fern Windelov is a distinctive cultivar with finely branched, feathery leaf tips that give it a lacy, coral-like appearance unlike any other aquatic plant. Named after Tropica founder Holger Windelov, it is a classic of the hobby. The ornate leaf structure adds exceptional texture to midground hardscape and is particularly striking when highlighted from above. Care is identical to standard Java Fern.

Java moss is an incredibly versatile moss that can be tied to driftwood, rocks, or left free-floating. It provides excellent cover for fry and shrimp and serves as a natural grazing surface. It tolerates a very wide range of conditions and requires no CO2 or specialised fertilisation.

Elegant Tanganyikan cichlid with black-and-white chequered markings. Pairs for life and is a devoted parent. Relatively peaceful and a great entry point into Tanganyikan cichlids.

The julii corydoras is often confused with the false julii (C. trilineatus) which is more commonly sold. True julii have spots that do not connect into lines. Both are charming, peaceful schooling fish suited to planted community tanks with fine substrate.

Soft coral that grows into a branching tree shape. Prolific grower and propagator — commonly frags itself. Peaceful but its natural chemicals can inhibit nearby coral growth.

Premium Caridina with heavy, mostly black patterning and bold white patches. More black than a standard Crystal Black Shrimp. Requires very soft, acidic water. Prized by serious shrimp breeders.

Famous for its lip-locking 'kissing' behaviour — actually a dominance display. Pink or green form available. A voracious algae grazer that also strips soft plants. Grows large.

The kitty tetra is a relatively new species to the aquarium trade with a beautiful rosy-pink body and striking red and black finnage. It is closely related to the rosy tetra and shares its peaceful temperament. A charming choice for soft-water planted community tanks, where its delicate colouration glows under warm lighting.

A captive-bred colour morph with a bold red-orange, white, and black marbled pattern reminiscent of koi pond fish. Each individual is uniquely marked. Hardy and one of the most popular angelfish varieties in the hobby. Same care requirements as other P. scalare varieties.

Brown tang covered with fine yellow-orange spots. Excellent detritivore and algae grazer. More peaceful and compact than most tangs. Great reef fish.

A dwarf, slow-growing variant that stays short and bushy — typically under 15 cm — making it suitable for the midground of small to medium tanks. Leaves are wider and rounder than the standard form. Reliable and low-maintenance.

The Kribensis is an attractive, personable West African dwarf cichlid from Nigerian coastal rivers and one of the most beginner-accessible cichlids available. Both sexes are colourful — females develop a bright cherry-red belly when in breeding condition. Pairs form strong bonds and jointly guard fry in caves, making them fascinating to observe. They are tolerant of a wide range of water conditions and generally peaceful outside of breeding territory.

The Kuhli Loach is an eel-like, nocturnal loach from Southeast Asia with alternating yellow-orange and dark-brown banding. It wriggles through substrate and around plant roots searching for food, making it a fascinating and useful bottom-level scavenger. Kuhli Loaches are social and do best in groups of five or more; lone individuals are shy and rarely seen. Fine sand is essential to protect their sensitive underbellies.

The Lake Kutubu rainbowfish is one of the most intensely coloured species in the genus. Males develop a vivid turquoise-blue upper body that grades to silver-yellow on the lower flanks. It is a robust, active fish suited to larger planted or Dutch-style aquariums. The intense colouration only develops fully in mature males in well-maintained water.

Lake Tebera rainbowfish is a medium-sized species with males displaying a yellow-gold body with a reddish-orange upper flank and vivid red fins. It is a hardy, colourful rainbowfish that is easy to breed and well suited to community tanks with other peaceful species. Its bright colouration intensifies significantly during spawning courtship.

The lambchop rasbora has a slimmer body than the harlequin rasbora with a characteristically narrow, wedge-shaped black mark on the rear half. Peaceful and undemanding, it is ideal for nano planted tanks and pairs beautifully with shrimp.

The laser corydoras (orange laser or green laser depending on the variant) has a striking iridescent stripe running the length of the body. These undescribed species are highly sought after by corydoras enthusiasts and require soft, warm water.

Bushy, branching red-to-purple macroalgae with cylindrical, succulent-looking branches. Common in intertidal zones worldwide. Used as a food source by certain nudibranchs and sea hares. Adds colour to refugia and is a moderate nutrient exporter. More compact and ornamental than Gracilaria.

The go-to algae control fish for reef tanks — relentlessly grazes film algae and hair algae off rocks and glass. Camouflaged brown-grey with warty skin and charismatic perching behaviour.

One of the smallest vertebrates in the world — females reach just 1.5 inches. A fascinating livebearer from the USA that thrives in cool, planted nano tanks. Ideal for a species setup.

Leather corals (toadstool corals) are large, robust soft corals with a mushroom-like form. They are extremely hardy and grow quickly, making them popular with beginners. They periodically shed a waxy coating and close up temporarily — this is normal behaviour.

Bacopa caroliniana is a robust, easy-going stem plant with rounded, fleshy leaves arranged in whorls along upright stems. Under high light the leaves develop a golden to pale-pink tinge; under low light they remain mid-green. It has a distinctive lemon scent when leaves are crushed. A reliable background or mid-background plant for community tanks and an excellent beginner stem plant that tolerates a wide range of conditions.

Brilliant yellow Tanganyikan cichlid that lives in rocky crevices. Curious and bold but aggressive toward its own kind. Stunning in a rock-heavy Tanganyika biotope.

The lemon tetra is a classic, elegant fish with a translucent lemon-yellow body, vivid yellow dorsal and anal fins edged in black, and striking red eyes. It is a hardy, peaceful schooling fish that has been in the hobby for decades. The intensity of yellow colouration deepens considerably under warm, high-quality lighting in a planted tank.

The smallest and rarest Pterophyllum species. Distinguishable from P. scalare by its more elongated body, a distinctive black spot on the dorsal base, and an absence of the pre-dorsal notch. Rarely available in the trade and best kept by experienced keepers. Requires soft, acidic conditions similar to the altum.

Compact rosette plant with spoon-shaped leaves — green on top, vivid purple underneath. One of the most striking two-tone aquascaping plants. Very adaptable and slow-growing. Excellent as a midground accent.

Large, fleshy-polyped LPS with smooth round corallites and vivid colouration. Extremely hardy and popular in mixed reef tanks. Inflates dramatically after lights-out to capture food. Accepts a wide range of conditions.

Instantly recognisable by its elongated snout and white body with red grid pattern. Perches in gorgonian sea fans and black coral, propping itself on its fins. Bold and long-lived in captivity.