Flora & Fauna

Closely related to the White Cloud Mountain Minnow but with more vivid colouring — bright red stripe and neon fins. Smaller and more delicate. Excellent for cool, planted nano tanks.

The von Rio tetra, also called the flame tetra, is one of the first tropical fish ever imported to Europe. The rear body and fins of males glow a vivid red-orange, resembling flames. Despite being over 100 years in the hobby it remains a charming, underrated choice. It is extremely hardy and tolerates a wide range of water conditions.

A slender, delicate stem plant with fine, needle-like opposite leaves. Under high light and CO2 it develops vivid orange-red colouring that makes it a stunning accent in Dutch and Nature Aquarium layouts. It is sensitive to low light and nutrient deficiencies, which quickly cause yellowing.

Water lettuce is a floating rosette plant with velvety, pale green leaves and a substantial root system. It provides excellent shade, nutrient export, and shelter for surface-shy fish. It grows rapidly in bright conditions and may become invasive outdoors.

Remarkable bright green net-like colonies — a tessellated honeycomb of cells visible to the naked eye. Beautiful under a microscope but a serious nuisance in garden ponds. Thrives in warm, nutrient-rich water. Manual removal is the primary method as few animals eat it effectively.

Water Sprite is a versatile aquatic fern that can be grown both floating and rooted. The finely dissected, lacy fronds give it a delicate, feathery appearance. Floating specimens develop broader, more deeply lobed leaves and provide excellent surface cover and fry refuge. A classic, beginner-friendly plant that grows vigorously.

Stunning cold-water stem plant with whorls of feathery leaves. One of the most beautiful temperate aquarium plants. Challenging to keep in tropical tanks — prefers cool, clear, well-oxygenated water.

Famous for its deeply pinnate, fern-like leaves that look remarkably intricate yet require almost no effort. A true beginner's showpiece — grows rapidly, outcompetes algae, and can be planted or left floating. Leaf shape changes dramatically depending on light intensity.

Water wisteria is a fast-growing stem plant with deeply lobed, feathery leaves that vary in form depending on light intensity. It is an excellent nutrient sponge that helps control algae in new setups. Cuttings root readily and it adapts to a wide range of water parameters.

One of the finest-leaved carpet plants in existence — creates an almost moss-like lawn of tiny round leaves. Extremely challenging; requires CO2, very high light, and excellent nutrient control. The pinnacle of carpeting plants.

A bulb plant with long, bright green leaves that have distinctly wavy, crinkled margins. One of the easiest Aponogeton species to keep, tolerating low light without CO2 injection. It goes through natural growth and dormancy cycles — if leaves die back, leave the bulb and it will re-sprout. An excellent low-maintenance background plant.

Long, eel-like loach said to predict weather changes by becoming hyperactive before storms. Extremely hardy and cold-tolerant. Peaceful, playful, and full of personality.

Weeping Moss is prized for the elegant downward-drooping habit of its fine fronds, which cascade gracefully off driftwood and rocks like a willow tree in miniature. This weeping growth pattern is most pronounced in moderate flow and makes it one of the most aesthetically distinct mosses for aquascaping. It is slightly slower growing than Java Moss but creates a more refined, delicate textural effect.

Also known as the two saddle corydoras, C. weitzmani has two prominent dark saddle markings across the upper body plus a dark band through the eye. Males develop a striking elongated dorsal fin ray. A rewarding species for the dedicated corydoras keeper who can provide soft, cool water conditions.

Slender, armoured catfish with a long whip-like tail. Excellent algae grazer that clings to wood and glass. Peaceful and relatively easy to keep. Males guard the eggs.

Once thought to be extinct in the wild, the white cloud mountain minnow is a cold-tolerant fish that thrives at room temperature without a heater. It has a subtle but attractive iridescent stripe and pairs well with pond-style or unheated aquariums.

Delicate, feathery pink-to-red stem plant. One of the most visually striking rotala species. Demanding — needs high light, CO2 injection, and pristine water to colour up.

One of the smallest and most versatile cryptocorynes — stays compact even in high light. Deep green, slightly wavy leaves. Perfect low-maintenance foreground or midground plant that spreads via runners.

Long, willow-shaped leaves up to 15 cm in length give this species a softer, more natural look compared to other Hygrophilas. The leaves are pale green and narrow, creating a flowing appearance in flow or current. One of the taller background choices in the genus.

Willow Moss is a native cold-water aquatic moss with delicate, overlapping dark green leaves on branching stems. It prefers cooler water and good flow, making it excellent for coldwater and temperate setups with goldfish, temperate plants, or in nature biotopes. It attaches to rocks and wood and creates a natural, stream-like texture.

Betta coccina, the Wine Red Betta, is a small wild betta from blackwater peat swamps with an intense crimson-red body accented by a single iridescent blue-green spot on the flank. A paternal mouthbrooder, it is far less aggressive than B. splendens and can sometimes be maintained in pairs or small groups in very heavily planted species tanks. It demands soft, highly acidic water mimicking its blackwater habitat.

Deep maroon-red Caridina with little to no white markings. A striking colour mutation of the Crystal Red lineage. Requires the same demanding soft, acidic water parameters as other high-grade Caridina.

The X-ray tetra (also called the pristella tetra) has a nearly transparent body through which the spine and organs are clearly visible — hence the name. Its dorsal and anal fins are boldly banded in black, white, and yellow. It is an extraordinarily adaptable species that tolerates both soft acidic and hard alkaline water, making it one of the hardiest tetras available.

Yellow Neocaridina (also known as Yellow Sakura or Banana Shrimp) are a selectively bred morph of Neocaridina davidi displaying a clean, uniform lemon-yellow to deep golden colouration. They are equally hardy and prolific as red cherry shrimp, making them ideal for beginners seeking a splash of warm colour in planted tanks. Against dark aquasoil substrates and green plants the yellow stands out vividly.

Brilliant solid yellow tang from Hawaiian reefs. A staple of the reef aquarium hobby. Excellent algae grazer and generally peaceful.

Vibrant yellow with blue spots, best known for its mutualistic relationship with pistol shrimp — the shrimp digs and maintains a shared burrow while the goby stands guard. A staple of any reef tank.

The yoyo loach gets its name from the Y-O-Y-O pattern visible on juveniles. Active, social, and entertaining, it is one of the most popular loaches in the hobby. An excellent snail hunter that becomes bolder and more colourful with age.

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.

Zebra danios are robust, active schooling fish characterised by horizontal blue and silver stripes. They are among the most beginner-friendly species available, tolerating a wider range of water conditions than most tropical fish. Their bold, zippy behaviour makes them excellent dither fish to reduce the shyness of more reclusive tankmates.

The zebra loach has bold, narrow vertical stripes across its body. Smaller and more peaceful than many other botia loaches, it is suitable for community tanks and remains manageable in size. Like all loaches it is social and needs companions.

The Zebra Nerite Snail is the most recognisable nerite variety, with a distinctly striped shell of alternating black and yellow bands that closely resembles a zebra's coat. Like all nerites it is an outstanding algae grazer — consuming green spot algae, diatoms, and film algae from glass, plants, and rockwork — and cannot reproduce in freshwater, keeping populations controlled. Hard water is essential for maintaining healthy shell integrity.

The zebra pleco is one of the most sought-after pleco species, with bold black and white striping. It is a carnivorous cave-dweller from the Xingu River, which is threatened in the wild. It requires warm, well-oxygenated water and protein-rich foods.

Zoanthids (zoas) are colonial soft corals that form mats of individual polyps in an extraordinary range of colours and patterns, making them highly collectible. They are among the hardiest corals for beginner reef keepers and grow rapidly under good conditions. Some zoa morphs contain palytoxin; always wear gloves when handling.