Flora & Fauna

Mini Pellia is a small liverwort that grows as a low, spreading cushion of dark green, branching thallus. It attaches readily to rock and wood and is prized for its dense, velvety texture in Nature Aquarium compositions. Slower growing and more demanding than Java Moss, it prefers cooler, well-oxygenated water with CO2.

Mollies are versatile livebearers available in many colour forms including black, dalmatian, and balloon. They are adaptable to a wide range of conditions including brackish water. Females give birth to live young and breed prolifically in captivity.

A classic beginner stem plant with thick, succulent-looking round leaves arranged in opposite pairs along stiff stems. Growth is slow to moderate, making it easy to maintain shape. It adapts to a wide range of conditions and does not need CO2 to thrive, making it one of the most versatile aquatic plants available.

Monte carlo produces small, round leaves on creeping stems and is widely used as a foreground carpet alternative to hairgrass. It requires moderate to high light and CO2 injection to spread horizontally rather than growing upward. Its bright green colour adds a vivid pop to Nature Aquarium-style aquascapes.

Montipora is a diverse SPS coral genus second only to Acropora in species diversity, available in plating, branching, and encrusting growth forms in a wide array of colours. It is considered the entry-level SPS coral, more forgiving than Acropora but still demanding stable water parameters, high light, and good flow. Plating Montipora varieties are particularly popular for adding mid-level horizontal structure and bold colour to reef aquariums.

Elegant silver gourami with a subtle moonlit sheen and orange-red ventral fins. One of the most peaceful and graceful labyrinth fish. Works beautifully in a tall, well-planted aquarium.

One of the smallest schooling fish in the hobby at just 0.8 inches. Deep red body with a black lateral spot. Thrives in blackwater planted nano tanks. Looks extraordinary in groups of 20+ against green plants.

Mosquitofish are exceptionally hardy, adaptable livebearers that have been deliberately introduced worldwide for mosquito larvae control. They consume prodigious quantities of surface larvae and can survive conditions — extreme heat, cold, salinity, low oxygen — lethal to most aquarium fish. Note that they are aggressive fin nippers and should not be housed with fancy-finned fish; they are best suited to utility or outdoor pond use rather than display aquariums.

Extraordinary amphibious goby that spends most of its time out of water, breathing through moist skin and skipping across mud. Requires a paludarium (half water, half land) setup.

Mushroom corals (discosoma) are flat, fleshy soft corals available in a huge range of colours including green, blue, red, and metallic. They are excellent beginner corals, requiring low to medium light and tolerating nutrient-rich water better than SPS corals.

Mystery snails are large, attractive freshwater snails that come in a range of shell colours from gold to blue-grey. They are peaceful algae grazers and scavengers that will clean up uneaten food and detritus. They have a trap door (operculum) that allows them to seal the shell, surviving brief periods out of water.

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.

Narrow, willowy leaves give this variant a graceful, feathery appearance unlike its broad-leafed relatives. Great for creating visual contrast alongside wider-leaved plants. Just as hardy as the parent species.

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.

Small sand-dwelling scavenger that buries itself and erupts from the substrate to feed on meaty detritus. Excellent sand bed aerator and clean-up crew staple.

Eleocharis Acicularis, Needle Hairgrass, produces extremely fine, hair-like leaves that are noticeably thinner and longer than the closely related E. parvula, creating a delicate, windswept grass carpet effect. It requires good light and CO2 to spread vigorously via runners; without injection it grows slowly and sparsely. Regular trimming keeps the carpet dense and lush.

Needle Leaf Java Fern produces extremely narrow, grass-like fronds that are distinctly different from standard Java Fern. The slender leaves create a delicate, airy texture that contrasts beautifully with broad-leaved plants. It shares the same hardy, low-light, epiphytic growth habit of regular Java Fern — easy to grow attached to rock or wood.

Ludwigia Arcuata is a fine-leaved stem plant with narrow, needle-like leaves that turn deep red to orange-red under high light and iron-rich dosing, contrasting beautifully with broader-leaved green plants. It requires more light and nutrients than L. repens to achieve its signature colour. Frequent trimming promotes bushy side-shoot growth and prevents the lower stem from going bare.

Tiny, elegant calcified algae with a barrel-shaped body ringed with white calcium bands at the tip. Short-lived (weeks to months) but reproduces readily in stable reef tanks. An interesting hitchhiker and occasional deliberate addition. Fish tend to leave it alone due to calcification.

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.

Tiny electric-blue-striped goby renowned as a cleaner fish — will pick parasites from larger tank mates. Ideal for nano reefs. The Caribbean's answer to the cleaner wrasse.

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.

The neon rainbowfish is the smallest and most popular of the Melanotaenia rainbowfish. Males display vivid neon-blue bodies with striking red fins. A large school in a planted tank is a spectacular sight. Peaceful and easy to breed.

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.

One of the most popular aquarium fish, the neon tetra is recognised by its vivid iridescent blue stripe and red tail. It thrives in schools of six or more in soft, slightly acidic water with dense planting. Peaceful and hardy once acclimated, making it ideal for community tanks.

Incredibly vivid lime-yellow nano fish with neon intensity that rivals neon tetras. Peaceful, active schooler. Looks stunning in large groups in a Nature-style aquascape. One of the best nano fish available.

Nerite snails are among the best algae-eating invertebrates available, consuming green spot algae, diatoms, and film algae from glass, rocks, and plant leaves. They cannot reproduce in freshwater, so populations remain controlled. They may attempt to escape, so a tight-fitting lid is advisable.

A striking stem plant with relatively large, broadly oval leaves that take on vivid orange-red tones under high light. The thick stems give it its species name (crassicaulis = thick-stemmed). It requires good light, CO2, and regular fertilisation but rewards with some of the most vivid colouration of any aquatic stem plant.

Nijssen's corydoras, sometimes called the panda cory's wilder cousin, has a bold pattern of large dark patches on a pale pink-white body with a distinctive black band through the eye. It is a stunning and sought-after species that requires soft, acidic water and a pristine, densely planted aquarium.

Tiny schooling fish with luminous iridescent blue eyes that catch the light beautifully. Excellent for nano planted tanks. Peaceful and undemanding. Looks spectacular in groups of 20+.

Taiwan Nymphoides produces attractive round-to-heart-shaped leaves with reddish-brown mottling on the underside. It spreads by runners and can be kept compact with regular trimming. Unlike surface-growing Nymphoides, it stays submerged in good lighting. A distinctive mid-ground to background plant with a bold, pond-like aesthetic.

The iconic clownfish made famous by Finding Nemo. Hardy, peaceful, and symbiotic with anemones. Excellent beginner saltwater fish.

Unique plant with long, thin tentacle-like leaves arranged in whorls. Fast-growing, forgiving, and adaptable. Excellent hiding place for fry and shrimp.

Males develop a striking iridescent red flame along the flanks. Hardy and adaptable — one of the most underrated aquascaping barbs. Groups create a stunning display of colour in midwater.