Flora & Fauna

The celebes rainbowfish is a slender, elegant species with a translucent yellowish body, vivid blue-yellow finnage and elongated fin rays giving it a delicate, almost lacy appearance. It is an older hobby fish with a devoted following. It prefers moderately hard water and calm, well-oxygenated tanks with dense planting.

Discovered in Myanmar in 2006, the celestial pearl danio features a dark body scattered with gold spots and vivid red-orange fins. It prefers densely planted tanks with subdued lighting and thrives in groups where males display to one another.

Exquisite micro-cichlid with a chequered body pattern and lyre-shaped tail on males. Requires very soft, acidic blackwater conditions. Peaceful but demanding — rewarding for experienced aquascapers.

Male cherry barbs turn a vivid deep red when breeding-conditioned, making them one of the most colourful small barbs available. Unlike many barbs they are peaceful and non-nippy, suiting them to community planted tanks with other peaceful species.

One of the smallest aquarium fish, the chili rasbora glows brilliant red-orange in mature blackwater nano tanks. Best kept in groups of 15 or more to encourage confident schooling behaviour. Not suitable with large or boisterous tankmates.

Tiny surface-dwelling killifish with bold black-and-white horizontal bands and a vivid blue-tipped tail. Perfect for nano tanks. Surface skimmer that catches small live food.

Clown loaches are sociable, active fish with bold orange and black banding. They grow large over time and need spacious tanks with plenty of hiding spots. They are excellent snail hunters and enjoy digging in soft substrate.

The Clown Pleco is a small, attractively patterned plecostomus with bold yellow-and-black tiger-stripe markings on a compact 8–10 cm body, making it one of the most manageable pleco species for community tanks. Unlike most plecos it is primarily a wood eater (xylivore) and must have driftwood available to gnaw on. It is a cavity dweller that benefits from PVC pipes or hollow wood to use as territory.

Apistogramma cacatuoides is one of the most popular dwarf cichlids, named for the male's elaborate dorsal fin with extended first rays that resemble a cockatoo's crest. Males come in a variety of colour forms (double red, orange flash, triple red) but all share the bold territorial personality typical of apistogrammas. They breed readily in caves and the female alone guards the fry with fierce dedication.

The Colombian tetra, also known as the red and blue Colombian tetra, is a larger, striking tetra with brilliant blue iridescence on the upper body contrasting with vivid red fins. Males are larger and more intensely coloured. It is a boisterous species that may nip at long-finned tankmates, so it is best kept in large schools to diffuse aggression.

The common goldfish is one of the oldest domesticated fish, kept for over a thousand years. Hardy, cold-tolerant, and long-lived, it is best kept in ponds or large aquariums as it grows substantially. Single-tailed goldfish are active and fast.

The common pleco is one of the most recognisable aquarium fish, widely sold for algae control. It grows very large and requires a spacious tank as an adult. Despite its popularity it is often impulse-bought for tanks far too small to sustain it long-term.

The Congo tetra is a large, spectacular African tetra. Males develop long flowing fins with a central extension and display an iridescent sheen of blue, gold, and orange across the flanks. A schooling fish that looks magnificent in large planted tanks.

Black-and-white barred cichlid named for its prison uniform. Extraordinarily hardy and easy to breed — almost too easy. Fierce parents that will defend fry against much larger fish.

Deep blue body with orange-yellow sides and purple highlights. Hardiest of the dwarf angels. Generally reef-safe but may nip soft corals.

Arguably the most beautiful pencilfish — males blaze vivid red with iridescent blue and white accents. A staple of Amano-style planted tanks. Needs soft, acidic water and live food to colour up.

Corydoras Duplicareus is a striking species closely resembling C. adolfoi, sharing its orange dorsal blotch and black stripe through the eye, but distinguishable by a broader black flank stripe extending further toward the tail. It originates from the upper Rio Negro system in Brazil and appreciates soft, acidic, warm blackwater conditions. A sought-after species that commands higher prices than common cory varieties.

The Crowntail Betta features dramatically extended fin rays with webbing reduced to one-half or less of the ray length, creating the appearance of a spiky crown. This striking mutation originated in Jakarta in the 1990s and quickly became one of the most popular betta tail types. Males are bold and territorial; their long rays require careful attention to water quality and tank decor to prevent damage.

Stunning deep blue mbuna with pale blue stripes. Extremely aggressive despite its small size — requires a large colony (12+) to disperse aggression. Not for beginners.

The Diamond Tetra lives up to its name — under aquarium lighting the large, iridescent scales along its flanks flash with silver, gold, and green like faceted diamonds. Males develop impressive, elongated dorsal and anal fins as they mature. This Venezuelan species is undemanding and peaceful, making it an eye-catching alternative to more common tetras for medium-sized planted community tanks.

Discus are considered the 'king of the aquarium' for their spectacular circular shape and brilliant colours. They are demanding fish requiring pristine water, warm temperatures, and frequent water changes. Best kept in species tanks or with very peaceful, warm-water tankmates.

The dojo loach (weather loach) is a large, eel-like fish famous for becoming more active before changes in barometric pressure. It is extremely peaceful, cold-tolerant, and a hardy beginner fish. It burrows into substrate and requires a tight-fitting lid.

The Double Tail Betta carries a genetic mutation that splits the caudal fin into two distinct lobes, giving the appearance of two separate tails. This same mutation often also shortens the body and broadens the dorsal fin significantly. Double tails tend to be weaker swimmers than single-tail varieties and are more prone to swim bladder issues; careful feeding with high-quality food helps mitigate this.

One of the smallest loaches, the dwarf chain loach has a distinctive chain-link pattern and an endearingly playful personality. Unlike most loaches it is comfortable in the upper water column and is often seen resting on plant leaves. A prized nano loach.

The Dwarf Gourami is a compact labyrinth fish renowned for the male's spectacular flame-red and turquoise-blue diagonal stripes on a petite 5–6 cm body. It is a popular choice for smaller community tanks where larger gourami species would be impractical. Males can be mildly aggressive toward one another, so a single male per tank is usually advisable unless the aquarium is large and well planted.

The dwarf neon rainbowfish is one of the most popular rainbowfish in the hobby, combining a brilliant electric blue body with vivid red fins in males. At just 5–6 cm it is considerably smaller than most melanotaenia and suits medium-sized planted tanks. A large school in a well-planted aquarium under good lighting is a spectacular sight.

Tiny, boldly striped pencilfish with red-tipped fins. One of the most popular foreground fish in aquascaping — its small size makes it perfect for nano tanks and densely planted layouts.

The world's smallest pufferfish, the dwarf puffer is a freshwater species with enormous personality. They are intelligent, curious, and aggressive hunters of snails and worms. Best kept in species-specific tanks or with fast, robust tankmates.

Robust Australian rainbowfish with vivid red-orange flanks and iridescent scales. Very hardy and adaptable. A great community fish that colours up beautifully under good conditions.

Brilliant metallic blue cichlid that stays a manageable size. Peaceful for a cichlid and easily bred. One of the most striking freshwater fish available.

One of the most popular Malawi cichlids — vivid yellow with black fin trim. Relatively peaceful for a mbuna. Mouthbrooder. A great beginner African cichlid.

The elegant corydoras has a beautiful mosaic pattern of dark markings on a cream body, with males displaying vivid green iridescence on the upper body. A moderately active species that spends most of its time exploring the substrate. Peaceful and hardy, it is an excellent choice for planted community tanks.

The Elephant Ear or Dumbo Betta has extraordinarily large, ruffled pectoral fins resembling elephant ears. This genetic variant can occur in any tail-type betta and is bred specifically for the oversized pectoral fins rather than the caudal shape. The large pectorals are used for slow, graceful swimming and give the fish an unmistakable, dramatic appearance.