Flora & Fauna

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.