Flora & Fauna

A blue-green or red-brown slime that coats the substrate, plants, and glass with a slimy, foul-smelling mat. Technically a bacterium, not true algae. Caused by low nitrates, poor flow, and organic waste. Responds to a 3-day blackout combined with the antibiotic erythromycin or hydrogen peroxide treatment.

Red, purple, or dark blue-green slime mats that smother the sandbed and rockwork with a slimy, oxygen-depleting film. Technically a bacterium. Caused by low nitrates, poor flow, and high dissolved organics. A 3-day blackout, hydrogen peroxide spot-treatment, and improved flow usually break the cycle.

Annual killifish with extraordinary colours — electric blue body with vivid red markings. Short-lived (under 1 year) but spectacular. Eggs are buried in peat and dry-stored.

Blyxa Japonica is an elegant plant that produces rosettes of narrow, grass-like leaves with a slightly golden-green hue. It does not spread by runners but instead produces daughter plants around the mother. Under good light and CO2 it takes on olive-golden tones that complement red and green stem plants beautifully. A staple in Nature Aquarium style.

One of the most colourful freshwater fish, the boesemani rainbowfish sports a vivid split colouration — bright blue-purple on the front half and yellow-orange on the rear. Males colour up fully in well-maintained tanks with varied diet and good water quality.

The Bolivian Ram is a hardier, more forgiving alternative to the German Blue Ram, tolerating a wider temperature range and less pristine water conditions without sacrificing its attractive appearance. It displays a golden-tan body, red-tipped fins, and an elongated dorsal fin with black and yellow banding. Pairs form monogamous bonds and exhibit fascinating parental care when breeding, making them rewarding to keep.

Popular carpet plant forming a dense lawn of short, narrow blades. Grows slowly without CO2 but rewards patience. Spreads via runners — plant individual blades 1cm apart for the fastest carpet.

The bristlenose pleco is the most commonly kept plecostomus in the hobby thanks to its manageable adult size. Males develop characteristic bushy tentacles on the snout used in mate selection. An excellent algae grazer, it should also receive supplemental feeding with blanched vegetables and sinking wafers.

Echinodorus Bleheri, the Broad-Leaf Amazon Sword, is the quintessential large background plant of the freshwater aquarium. It produces broad, bright-green lanceolate leaves that can reach 50 cm, creating a dramatic focal point in larger tanks. It is a heavy root feeder and benefits greatly from nutrient-rich substrate or regular root tab fertilisation.

The bronze corydoras is one of the most widely kept bottom-dwellers in the hobby. Its metallic bronze-green flanks and peaceful temperament make it a staple of community tanks. Like all corydoras it requires fine sand to protect its sensitive barbels and prefers groups of six or more.

Betta macrostoma, the Brunei Beauty, is widely considered the most beautiful wild betta species — males display deep orange-red bodies, black-bordered fins, and a striking bicolour pattern. It is a large, powerful mouthbrooder endemic to cool, clear streams in Brunei and Sarawak and is critically endangered in the wild. Keeping it successfully demands expert-level water quality management, cool temperatures, and near-perfect breeding conditions.

Feathery, fern-like dark green algae that is notoriously difficult to eliminate — one of the most persistent reef tank nuisances. Resistant to most herbivores. Best controlled by raising magnesium to 1500–1800 ppm for 2–4 weeks (magnesium treatment). Sea hares will consume it but are not a permanent solution.

Iridescent green spheres that appear harmless in small numbers but rapidly colonise rock if left unchecked. Emerald crabs are the most effective biological control. Do not pop bubbles — they release spores and worsen the outbreak. Manual removal requires extracting the entire holdfast; even fragments regrow.

Bubble coral is a distinctive LPS coral whose fleshy, bubble-like vesicles inflate during the day to maximise light capture and deflate at night to reveal feeding tentacles. It is a vigorous feeder and responds well to regular target feeding. Its delicate inflated tissue can be punctured by sharp rockwork, so placement must be considered carefully.

A round-leaved Bucephalandra variety named for its broad, almost circular apple-green leaves with a softly ruffled margin. New growth often emerges with reddish or pinkish tones before settling to a bright green, adding seasonal colour variation. One of the more recognisable Buces due to its distinctive leaf shape. Works beautifully attached to smooth stones in a Nature aquarium layout.

Bucephalandra Brownie Ghost is among the most coveted collector buce varieties, producing small, dark leaves with a striking purple-silver sheen that shifts with viewing angle. It is rarer and commands higher prices than common buce varieties, and is slightly more sensitive to water quality and flow. CO2 injection and soft, slightly acidic water bring out the full iridescent coloration.

A sought-after Bucephalandra variety with small, elliptic leaves that shimmer between dark purple-green and metallic blue-green depending on lighting angle. Like all Bucephalandras it attaches to rock and driftwood and grows very slowly. Iridescent spots on the leaves catch light beautifully in high-spec setups.

One of the larger Bucephalandra varieties, producing broad, dark green to nearly black leaves with subtle blue-purple iridescence along the margins. The name reflects its size relative to most Buces. Its bold, wide leaves create strong contrast in a scape when positioned alongside finer-leaved plants. Attaches readily to driftwood and rock with superglue gel.

Bucephalandra Kedagang is one of the most popular buce varieties, featuring rounded to elliptic dark-green leaves with a distinctive blue-green iridescent shimmer visible under good lighting. Like all bucephalandra it is endemic to Borneo, growing on rocky stream beds, and must be attached to hardscape rather than buried in substrate. Growth is slow but it is surprisingly tolerant once established.

Bucephalandra Mini Catherine is a miniature buce cultivar with tiny, elongated leaves typically under 2 cm, making it ideal for nano aquascapes and detailed foreground hardscape work. Its leaves display a subtle dark-green to blue-green iridescence. Extremely slow growing, a single plant can take many months to form a small cluster, which only adds to its collector appeal.

One of the first formally described Bucephalandra species, with elongated, slightly undulating dark green to brownish-green leaves that display a purple-blue iridescence in good light. A classic in the Buce world and widely considered a reference variety. Slightly larger than many hobbyist Buces and forms attractive clumps over time. Excellent for attaching to larger driftwood branches.

The smallest Bucephalandra species, producing tiny lance-shaped leaves 1–3 cm long with an intense metallic blue iridescence. It creeps slowly along rock surfaces and is ideal for detailed foreground work in nano tanks. The compact growth and iridescent leaves make it one of the most visually interesting foreground plants available. Does well in low-tech setups once acclimated.

One of the most popular Bucephalandra varieties, known for its oval to elliptical dark green leaves with a striking blue-green iridescent shimmer when light catches the leaf surface. Slower growing than many stem plants but extremely durable once established. Like all Buces, it must be attached to hardscape — burying the rhizome will cause rot. A must-have for collectors of rare epiphytes.

Wavy Green is one of the more distinctive Bucephalandra varieties, with small to medium leaves that have notably undulated, wavy margins. The bright green foliage with subtle white iridescent spotting makes it a prized accent plant attached to hardscape. Extremely hardy and forgiving once established.

Tough, active tetra with red-tipped fins. Tolerates cooler water down to 18°C. Known to nip fins and eat plants. Best in a species tank or with similarly robust fish.

Tiny, striking goby with bold black-and-yellow bands. Prefers slightly brackish water. Bottom-dwelling and territorial — needs caves and live/frozen food as it rarely accepts dry food.

Tiny, striking black and yellow banded snail. Buries in sand and hunts detritus and small worms — a useful sandbed cleaner. Larger specimens have been known to eat small sleeping fish, so use with caution.

Cabomba is a feathery, fan-like stem plant that creates a delicate texture in the background. It grows quickly under moderate to high light and provides excellent cover for small fish and fry. Best suited to tanks without very strong flow.

Red and white striped with a distinctly humped back and movable rostrum. Often sold as a decorative marine shrimp; groups create beautiful colour in aquariums. Nocturnal — more active after lights out.

Candy Cane Coral (also called Trumpet Coral) is a hardy LPS coral with distinctly separate, trumpet-shaped corallites in green, teal, or cream coloration — often with contrasting stripe or dot patterns reminiscent of candy canes. It is one of the most forgiving LPS corals for new reef keepers, tolerating a wider range of light and flow conditions than most Euphyllia species. New heads bud readily with regular target feeding.

Elegant killifish with a lyretail caudal fin in shades of orange, red, and yellow. One of the gentlest killifish — works well in community tanks with small peaceful fish.

Dark grey-to-black rili pattern with a transparent midsection. The monochrome equivalent of the popular red and orange rili variants. Intriguing patterning and fully Neocaridina-hardy.

Often confused with the neon tetra, the cardinal tetra has a longer red stripe extending the full length of the body. It prefers soft, acidic blackwater conditions and looks stunning in large schools against dark substrate and dense planting.

Caridina babaulti is a colourful Indian dwarf shrimp available in green, blue, yellow, and striped colour forms, all sharing the same species identity. It occupies an interesting middle ground between the hardy Neocaridina and the demanding Caridina cantonensis, preferring moderately soft, slightly acidic water but tolerating a broader range than bee shrimp. Active and personable, it is an excellent choice for intermediate shrimp keepers wanting more colour variety.

Fast-growing macroalgae with flat, oval blades on creeping runners. Excellent nutrient export and refugium algae. Can go 'sexual' under stress — turning milky white and releasing gametes, causing a tank crash. Keep under 24h light or harvest regularly to prevent this. Widely available and very effective.