The Tint

Heading further into the niches...

I remember back in Tannin's "pre-startup" days, when I'd listen to all sorts of podcasts and watch videos of entrepreneurial "experts" talking about any number of business-related subjects, as I'd attempt to glean any kernel of knowledge from the seemingly inexhaustible supply of vapid, regurgitated information out there.

I recall one particular "expert" espousing the benefits of "niche markets" in a most cheesy way, with the comical affirmation that, "The riches are in the niches!" (obviously, the "riches" he referred to don't seem apply to aquarium vendors, lol)

This of course made me laugh, because- well- I built a business around "twigs and nuts" and dark brown water- can't get much more niche-y than that! I filed the ridiculous jingle in my head, only to have it pop up recently in a totally different context: The idea of creating "niche micro-habitats" within our aquariums.

As someone who's kept so-called "community tanks" forever, I can certainly appreciate the challenge and the allure of keeping multiple fish species together in one aquarium. And I know most of you can, too. It's interesting to me that in the last decade or so, the hobby concept of a "community aquarium" has sort of evolved from, "A collection of different kinds of cool fishes I like from all over the world, living in one tank"- you know, a "buffet" of fishy favorites, to more of a "curated" collection of fishes that might be found in the same general habitat and location...or even in the exact location...or more specific than that!

I think the shift really started with the rise in popularity of African Rift Lake cichlids. I mean, sure you could keep fishes from different lakes together, but when we collectively learned that each lake not only harbors different fish species, but offers unique environmental parameters and niches that the resident fishes have evolved to live in (like Lake Tanganyikan shell-dwellers, for example), it became more obvious that some degree of specialization was required.

And then we began in earnest to keep other species, like Rainbowfishes and killifishes, which had distinct genetic "races" or populations from various locales that would hybridize if mixed, throwing the already muddled taxonomy and genetics of these fishes into an even greater morass of confusion.

 And then there were the Apistogramma...Yeah, the South American "version" of  African killies...Just plain trouble, from a speciation standpoint, if you mixed males and female of different varieties in the same tank.

Sure, there are like a thousand more examples we could beat the shit out of to make our case, but I think you're getting the idea: Our idea of a "community tank" has sort of evolved with our knowledge of fishes- and I think that's a good thing.

Nowadays, you have "South American"-themed community tanks, "Asian"-themed community tanks, etc. What's most profound about this shift, in my humble opinion, is that it's enabled us to study more closely- and replicate more closely- the unique environments from which our fave fishes hail.

And this is where my interest comes in...

It's entirely realistic, comfortable, and simply "normal" for many of the fishes we play with in aquariums to be kept in close quarters with other species. In one field study of forest streams in the Rio Negro in Brazil (you knew I'd had back there, right?), it was noted that there were up to 20 different species present, all living in close proximity to each other, within distinct niches within the habitat. The population density was an astounding 100 individuals per cubic meter!

That's a lot of fishes! 

And the takeaway here isn't that you should pack the hell out of your community tank because some stream in the jungle has a lot of fishes living in a small area of space.

No.

The real takeaway is the fact that the study indicated a significant number of species in that relatively small space, living in different niches within the habitat!

This is where things get interesting, in my opinion, because even in my beloved blackwater streams, you have multiple niches in which fishes live their entire lives, obtain nutrition, protection, and spawning locations.

The implications for our botanical-style aquariums are manifold...

I mean, already I've received dozens of pics from hobbyists worldwide showing their Apistogramma or Nannochromis, for example, spawning in "Jungle Pods" or "Savu Pods."

We've seen Plecos and other catfishes inhabiting and interacting with all sorts of botanical materials, much like they do in the wild.

We've seen fishes like Badis, loaches, even wild Betta species living under a canopy of leaves and other botanicals. A variety of fishes living in all sorts of little niches within the botanical scape.

This is very cool. This is profound.

The fishes are "sorting things out for themselves" and inhabiting the little niches that they would in the wild. We have great information about these environments, photos of the "configuration" they contain, and detailed studies on populations inhabiting these niches.

And we now have the availability of all of these cool leaves and botanical items, and are understanding the overall chemical and structural makeup of these habitats like never before!

We're creating aquariums that deliberately foster the development of niches.

I've spoken with hobbyists attempting to create deep leaf litter beds for specialized catfishes and so-called "Darter Characins", and tanks with varied, rich substrate composition to accommodate loaches, etc.  

You should see how detailed and specific the requests for materials to be curated for some customer's "Enigma Packs" are! Like, we have to really research them sometimes! 

Super cool!

And more exciting, we're developing more modern interpretations of the "community aquarium", deliberately layering, populating, and optimizing several microhabitats within the same tank. 

What understandings will we gain by creating these deliberate configurations within our aquariums? What successes will we have with previously temperamental fishes? What reproductive secrets will we unlock, all by providing more faithful representations of the communities and micro niches from which they come?

In today's hobby, it's no longer "good enough" for many specialty fish enthusiasts to simply toss in a PVC pipe section for a "cave", or a "Texas Holy Rock" as a hiding or spawning locale for that Pleco or cichlid. For the first time, we are seeing our customers request botanical materials from specific geographical regions- not to satisfy a judge in some snobby aquascaping contest-but to determine  if there are advantages for our fishes that may be gained by using the actual materials that are found in a specific region!

For many, the idea of replicating more realistically the environmental niches that these fishes inhabit in the wild is more compelling, fascinating, and proving to possibly be more successful. 

We're at a very special time in the aquatic hobby.

A time when information, technology, technique, communication, and creativity are all intersecting, equipping us with all of the tools- both metaphorically and physically-that we need to create aquariums that may surpass anything we've done in the past, in both form and function.

By studying and sharing information and experiences about the unique niche habitats that many of our fishes come from, we're accelerating the pace of these breakthroughs and discoveries, and maybe- just maybe- further reducing our reliance on wild-collection of some species from their fragile ecosystems, preserving them for future generations to enjoy.

Yeah, there are niches...and then there are NICHES. Find yours. Learn about it. and share the knowledge.

Stay creative. Stay innovative. Stay enthused. Stay resourceful. Stay impactful...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics.

The intersection of soil, water...and fishes

We had a really interesting discussions on Facebook and elsewhere within the blackwater community, and I must say, they've been incredibly enlightening and inspiring!  

One of the subjects we've talked about before is the idea of utilizing more natural substrate materials, like clays and such, as opposed to more traditional gravels and sands. I often ponder which types would be interesting to use with botanicals to create rich and productive aquatic environments.

I've been playing with a lot of "mud" and "mucky" substrate materials (including decomposing leaves, of course) while sprouting mangroves for my brackish water tank, and it renewed my interest in this topic! I think there is a lot to contemplate.

It got me thinking, not only about the types of substrates that make sense to experiment with, but thinking about the interactions between land and water that occur all over the world- stuff we don't think all that much about as hobbyists; stuff that has profound influence on our fishes, however!

In regards to the substrate materials themselves, I'm fascinated by the different types of soils or substrate materials which occur in blackwater systems and their clearwater counterparts, and how they influence the aquatic environment. Keep in mind that many of the habitats we obsess over, like Amazonian "igapos" and "igarapes" are seasonally-inundated forest-floor features, so it goes without saying that the terrestrial soil composition and associated biomass have significant influence on the aquatic environments that emerge during the wet season.

In general, blackwaters originate from sandy soils. High concentrations of humic acids in the water are thought to occur in drainages with what scientists call "podzol" sandy soils. "Podzol" is a soil classification which describes  an infertile acidic soil having an "ashlike" subsurface layer from which minerals have been leached. That last part is interesting, and helps explain in part the absence of minerals in blackwater. And more than one hobbyist I know has played with the concept of "dirted" planted tanks, using terrestrial soils...hmmm.

Also interesting to note is that fact that soluble humic acids are adsorbed by clay minerals in what are known as "oxisol" soils, resulting in clear waters."Oxisol" soils are often classified as "laterite" soils, which some who grow plants are familiar with, known for their richness in iron and aluminum oxides. I'm no chemist, or even a planted tank geek..but aren't those important elements for aquatic plants? 

Yeah.

Interesting.

In "iagapos "(those seasonally flooded forest areas which lead to blackwater environments), the soils are conducive to good terrestrial plant growth. Interestingly, seed dispersal by fish (a process known technically as "ichthyochory") is thought to play an important role in the maintenance of the diversity of trees in these seasonally inundated forests along the main rivers of the Amazon. 

Thus, aquatic life influences the land! 

Yeah...

Fishes which consume matter found in the substrate (detritivores) and other materials in the substrate (omnivores) also play a fundamental role in the transportation of organic carbon, which is a source of energy for downstream fish communities. Through their foraging activities, these fishes enhance the "downstream transport" and processing of organic material and ensure the proper functioning of the aquatic system and its biological community.

They literally help "maintain" the aquatic environment!

Interesting role for fishes, isn't it? What can we learn from them and their impact on the aquatic environment? Is any of their activity relevant to aquariums?

The whole picture here is kind of interesting to me. Now, granted, it's early in the morning here in L.A., and I might have had a glass or two of wine last night when I started writing some of this stuff down, but I think there is a lot of potentially useful stuff to absorb here!

I mean, we have the terrestrial environment influencing the aquatic environment, and fishes that live in the aquatic environment influencing the terrestrial environment! This is really complicated stuff- and interesting! And the idea that terrestrial environments and materials influence aquatic ones- and vice-versa- is compelling and could be an interesting area to contemplate for us hobbyists! 

It already is, to some extent, as the whole idea of utilizing botanicals (from terrestrial sources) in our aquariums encompasses these processes.

And speaking of terrestrial influences on our fishes- this is kind of interesting:

Many fish species take food from what are known as "allochthonous sources" (i.e. food originating from sources outside the aquatic habitat), such as insects, other invertebrates, and plant parts that fall from the nearby trees.

Like, remember Pacu chowing on fruits that fall in the water? I've even seen pics of Arowanna leaping out of the water to pluck a frog off of a branch! And gut-content analysis of many fishes in these flooded forest areas demonstrates that terrestrial insects form a huge part of the diet of many fishes.

Yeah, terrestrial insects are a very important. In fact, a study of some Hemmigramus species indicated that a whopping 96% of their stomach contents were terrestrial insects, mainly...ants!  

This is actually not surprising, when you think about it, because ants are ridiculously abundant in tropical forests, and in particular in the central Amazon basin, where scientific surveys have estimated that they may constitute as much as three-quarters of the biomass of the soil fauna!

Yuck!!!

In addition to providing a potentially rich source of energy for Characins and other fishes, ants tend to become vulnerable to predation once in the water, so they are "easy pickings" for tetras! The predominance of ants in the wild diets of Hemmigramus, Hypessobrycon, and other tetras may also indicate that these species feed naturally on the surface of the water, given that these insects tend to float and flail away on the surface after falling into the water.

So, a possible takeaway here is that live ants, those pesky nuisances we all revile- might just prove to be one of the easiest-to-provide, most natural food sources for our small fishes. This is really interesting to me. Like, I'm thinking of grabbing one of those "Ant Farm" kits you get when you're a kid, and using it as a live food culture, lol!

(Hey, this is the kind of stuff real fish geeks do, right?)

In all seriousness, this brief and admittedly very superficial look at the complex relationship between terrestrial and aquatic environments is another area that we could put a lot more "hands-on" research into as hobbyists, particularly those of us who are fascinated by botanical/blackwater habitats. It might just be another case where the answers to some of our questions and problems are literally right in front of our eyes, and we simply have to look at the world around us in proper context, thinking way outside the box. 

It's fascinating to contemplate the things that happen where soil, water, and fishes meet...

Damn, this shit's cool!

Lots to learn. Lots to think about. A lot to experiment with!

Stay open minded. Stay curious. Stay engaged. 

Stay Wet. (and dry, apparently!)

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Among the reeds and grasses...

We talk about a lot of different types of habitats and ecological niches here at Tannin, and an idea occasionally pops into my head that I may not have really thought much of before...and of course, when I think about stuff like that, I get pretty excited.

I was looking at some pictures of a Southeast Asian "peat swamp" the other day, and I noticed some of the plant growth along the shoreline. I was particularly fascinated by the tangles of what, our want of a better word, appeared to be "reeds." I saw these plants extending into the water in massive thickets...and of course, I thought to myself, "I'll bet a ton of fishes live among those! I'll bet that would make a cool aquarium feature, too"

And it turns out, I'm right! (well, about the "tons of fish living there" part, at least!)

The term "reed" is pretty broad, and refers to tall, grass-like plants which inhabit wetlands around the world. Now, wetlands in and of themselves are interesting habitats, and include such obsession-inducing ecological niches as mangrove swamps, varzea, and bogs! Wetlands may be saturated with water either seasonally or permanently, and  are home to aquatics AND terrestrial plants. They are among the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems- and as such, are a really fascinating subject for our aquarium work, right?

The water chemistry of wetland habitats is dependent upon the source of the water and the geological material which it flows through, such as the aforementioned peat swamps, bogs, or mangrove swamps. The soils support biological activity and diversity within the aquatic ecosystem, and provide not only a literal "foundation" for plant growth, but a zone in which various microorganisms, insects, and other life forms thrive, forming the basis of a food chain.

As mentioned previously, many are inundated year-round, although some wetlands are ephemeral in nature, such as the varzea in South America, or even some of those temporary pools you find in the plains of Africa, which are home to some of our favorite annual killifishes, such as Nothobranchius!

 So, if you're thinking what I'm thinking...and I know that you are- the fact is, there are numerous ways to replicate these types of environments in the aquarium!

You can opt to construct something as faithful to the real thing as possible, really trying to be biologically correct- or you could go for something inspired by these habitats.

I think I'm playing with something like that in my "finally-about-to-get-underway" brackish water mangrove thicket tank...Mangroves are really great plants to play with in such an aquarium, and I've been sprouting some propagules just for this purpose!

And of course, there are those peat swamps from Southeast Asia, which are a very interesting and distinct ecological niche. With a little research, and use of the right plants and materials, faithful recreations of these habitats are totally achievable!

And then, you have regions in South America, such as the Pantanal, in which many grasses and other plants create a very unique habitat.

(Photo by Alicia You, used under CC BY-SA 3.0)

Being the aquarium-related geek that I am, I felt it would be important to source materials which would work to help create the "reeds and grasses" associated with these habitats.

When this bug hit a couple of months back, I hit up a few of my favorite suppliers in Southeast Asia to see if they had any materials which would be useful for this type of aquarium...And of course, they came through with some interesting stuff! One of the materials which we're currently testing, are Lotus stems!

These are really quite lightweight, and probably not the most long-term durable materials to use in an aquatic situation, but they are authentic! We'll see how well they hold up under submersion for a bit longer before releasing them for sale...

The other possibility is to incorporate bamboo sticks into your aquascape. These have been used before, and are definitely an authentic component of these habitats. Bamboo has been used for many years in aquariums in a variety of aquascaping applications.

(Image by flr0002, used under GFDL 1.2)

And of course, we have other types of stems and "reed-like" elements you could use to help recreate this habitat, stuff like Coco Palm stems, which may be used in a "vertical" format. Now, these are not reeds and grasses, of course, but they could evoke the feeling of this niche.

I am fascinated by the possibilities of sourcing riparian plants and grasses, including reeds and other flora, which could help recreate the function and form of these habitats. 

Plants such as Spartina and other grasses would be amazing in an aquarium setting, if you could source them and work with them in rich aquatic soils...

Yes, we are literally teasing you with the thought of playing with these habitats, and have provided scant details here- simply because we haven't played with this stuff that much ourselves just yet! However, I think that with all of the materials and new experiments starting to emerge, as well as a strong interest in Estuary by Tannin stuff, we're going to see a lot of cool stuff happening! 

So, don[t be afraid to poke around the reeds and grasses of the world for a little aquatic inspiration!

Stay creative. Stay resourceful. Stay experimental. Stay excited...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Your chance to design Tannin's next botanical variety pack is here!

Ahh, a CONTEST! 

Something I admit we sort of...well, suck at administering. I'm not sure why...I think it's because I love to run headlong into stuff without thinking through each and every angle...the true "move fast and break things" mindset, I suppose.

But they're so FUN!

This time, we decided it would be awesome for our community to take part in designing a new botanical variety pack, and based on the "feelers" we put out, we think it will be a lot of fun for everyone!

It's not as easy as you might think, but the possibilities are endless! 

Now, whenever you have contests, there are always lots of questions, concerns, and ideas floated around on how to improve them...And like everything we do, we love to "evolve" our contests, too- and see how they go. If you have some ideas to make this one better, let us know!

So, here are the official rules of entry:

It's YOUR TURN to design Tannin's next botanical variety pack!!! Use your knowledge of our aquatic botanicals and your experience at creating awesome aquariums, and conceive your dream pack, to be offered in our collection this Spring!!!

THE PRIZES: The pack you design, as well as a $75 Tannin gift card (good towards anything on our site!) and a coveted Tannin unisex washed canvas cap!

Here are the official guidelines for your entries:

Questions, answers, and ideas on the botanical frontier...

Every once in a while, we'll receive questions from our community, or from aquarists interested in the blackwater, botanical-style aquarium arena, about a variety of topics which we think would be of interest to a lot of people. 

Today, we're answering a couple of good ones, which are sort of "big picture", and might offer some good basis for future research and conversation. They're certainly not the last word on these topics, but I think they might sort of function as "position statements" we can build upon.

Q- You place a lot of emphasis on the stuff on the bottom of the aquarium. How does this differ from "active susbstrates" for planted tanks, and are there other benefits for aquariums that you can gain by using botanicals as the substrate?

A- I think one of the most "liberating" things we've seen in the blackwater, botanical-style aquarium "sector" is our "style" of utilizing the bottom itself  to become a feature aesthetic point in our aquariums.

In other words, the bottom itself becomes a big part of the aesthetic focus of the aquarium, with the botanicals placed upon the substrate- or, in some cases, becoming the substrate! Much like in nature, the materials that we place on the bottom of the aquarium will become an active, integral part of the ecosystem.

This is a big aesthetic shift in the hobby, but it goes beyond that. I mean, sure, we've done hardscapes before, with wood and stones dominating the 'scape. However, our tanks have placed far more emphasis on the "functional" aspects of the botanical materials we use. They've become not only physical places for fishes to hide and forage among- they've become an integral part of the entire closed aquarium ecosystem itself, helping influence water parameters, foster growth of fungi and microorganisms, and just maybe- some form of nutrient export/denitrification (although that last part is still a bit speculative).

It's certainly no stretch to call our use of botanicals as a form of "active substrate", much like the use of clays, mineral additives, soils, etc. in planted aquariums. Although our emphasis is on creating specific water conditions, fostering the growth of microorganisms and fungi, as well as creating unique aesthetics, versus the "more traditional" substrate materials fostering conditions specifically for plant growth. We've talked about "functional aesthetics" created by botanicals in the aquarium, the potential for additional biological support/filtration (and potentially even denitrification), and it's a big, BIG topic, with lots more to be explored,  discovered and deployed in our aquarium.

Q- Can you have "too much" tannins in your aquarium?

A- That's a tough question to answer. I mean, you can always have "too much" of anything, especially in the confines of a closed-system aquarium. Now, botanicals (leaves, seed pods, etc.) can release significant amounts of tannins and humic substances into the water (as they do in nature). Humic substances are documented by science to positively influence the health of fishes. Tannins will influence the the visual tint of the water, as well as the pH to some extent.

Obviously, having a lot of decomposing botanical material in a closed system impacts the nutrient load, can influence the pH (in a soft-water environment), and overall nutrient load. That being said, if you're on top of your water parameters (via regular testing and observation), managing a blackwater, botanical-style aquarium, even with a lower pH, is not that difficult.

You need to understand the relationship between the materials present in the system and the closed environment. I believe that there is a lot to learn about the microorganisms and other fauna (like fungi) which are present in botanical-influenced systems, as we've discussed many time here.

So, yeah, I suppose "too much" tannins could drive down the pH to rather low levels, creating a dynamic that requires more "situational awareness" of what's going on in your tank. You'll need to observe and test more often- no different than any other type of system.

In the end, we have accomplished quite a bit in the years in which the "New Botanical" movement has taken off- building upon decades of previous experience and experimentation in this arena. And the future...although somewhat tinted- is really bright!

Thanks for making the future happen!

Stay experimental. Stay excited. Stay creative. Stay diligent. Stay objective. 

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

The "acclimation evolution..."

Ever notice how some techniques in aquarium keeping have evolved signficantly over the years? Although the basic goals of our evolving techniques usually remain the same, the nuances and ideas behind them evolve as new knowledge becomes available.

Some of the best examples of the idea of "evolved technique" are the approaches that we has hobbyists and industry types take to acclimating newly-received fishes to our aquariums. The idea has always been essentially the same: Get the newly-received fishes out of their shipping bags and acclimated to your aquarium conditions as quickly and stress-free as possible.

Duh.

However, the approaches that we have used have evolved significantly from the "floating bag" technique of the 1960's, which was THE defect way to acclimate fishes at the hobby level for many years.

For the longest time, I was a "drip acclimation" kind of guy.

When I'd receive new fishes and inverts, it was all about floating the fish bag to equalize temperature, opening the bag, and dripping water from my quarantine tank over the course of 2 or 3 hours before ultimately removing the fish from the bag, discarding the water, and placing the fish in my quarantine tank. I still like it when bringing in fishes from friends or the LFS, with "time in bags" for the fishes of less than an hour.

Then, I was really into the "bucket acclimation" thing for years.

You  know, opening up the bag, dumping like  25% of the water in the bag out, then replacing with na equal amount of water from my quarantine tank... waiting like another 10-15 minutes and dumping half of the water in the bag, and replacing it with water from my quarantine tank again, then waiting another 10 minutes and netting the fish out and placing them in the quarantine tank, discarding the water in the bag.

About the only thing I have never varied is the use of a quarantine tank. It's a small investment that simply makes tons of sense. It's been re-hased so many times here and elsewhere that it's not necessary for me to talk about it again, but suffice it to say, it's a damn good idea to have one.

Lately, with fishes I receive via express services or mail, which might have been in the bag a day or two (or more), I've been embracing the "get them the hell out of the shipping bag ASAP" technique. Yeah, what we used to jokingly call "crash acclimation!" This sort of technique has been advocated for some time by Rachel O'Leary, whom I hold in very high regard as someone who's handled thousands of fishes which arrived after long journeys, and really "gets it" when it comes to their needs.

It makes a lot of sense.

The theory is that typically, the water in the shipping bag is a bit cooler than what you'll be using in your aquarium, and the metabolic rate of the fishes in the bag has dropped a bit during transit. Even thought they're essentially swimming in a bag of their own metabolic wastes, it's largely non-toxic, because the low pH in the bag keeps ammonia in the less toxic form of ammonium.

When we start floating the bag in a tank with water of a warmer temperature, the fishes' metabolism increases significantly, thus making them produce more CO2 and metabolic waste...Then, when you open the bag, the increase in oxygen increases thee pH significantly, converting the previously non-toxic ammonium into ammonia, which is, of course, decidedly toxic to fishes! And of course, the longer the fishes are in this opened bag of shipping water, the longer they are exposed to the "burning" of ammonia, causing a lot of stress at the least, and potentially fatal results at worst.

So, the idea is to open the bag, get some water conditioner( like Novaqua or Prime) in the bag (a few drops) to detoxify the ammonia. From there, I will usually just get the fish into the quarantine right away, the theory being that it's less stressful on the fish to acclimate to new water conditions quickly than it is to remain in a bag with increasing ammonia levels.

"The lesser of two evils", as they say!

I've personally never lost a fish from this process- and I receive a lot of fishes via express services and mail.

Of course, from this point, once you've detoxified the ammonia, you can certainly use drip acclimation or the good old "bucket method" and go from there if you want. With delicate fishes, or fishes from special water conditions, it can be sort of a toss up. Ask 5 hobbyists, you're likely to receive 5 different answers!

All of these techniques work.

However, it's situation specific, and you need to be able to utilize the technique that makes most sense in your specific situation, evaluating the pros, cons, and potential risks of each.

We used to do a low pH acclimation for newly received marine fishes at Unique Corals- a sort of "hack", which allowed for more trouble-free drip acclimation, keeping the ammonia bound up as ammonium as long as possible, while still "refreshing" the water in the shipping bags.  Of course, then you'd eventually expose the fishes to a "normal" pH once they are added to their holding tanks, creating some form of stress. However, the idea is that the stress of acclimating to different pH is far less damaging than leaving them in a bag of their own metabolic wastes and ammonia.

Is there a "perfect" acclimation solution?

Likely not.

They all involve SOME form of risk and potential challenge/stress to the fishes involved. It's part of the game. And there are all sorts of variations and twists and turns with each technique, too. And advocates and detractors of each. Yet, one of the things I've found over the years is that it makes sense to be both flexible and calm when acclimating fishes. It's a fun time, and shouldn't create excess anxiety or stress for you- or for the fishes, when possible. Adaptability to the situation at hand is only one aspect of being a good "acclimator!"

And seeing the evolution of acclimation technique over the years has reminded me that we should always remember that there are many approaches to the same problem, and that we have greater knowledge of the effects of shipping stress and how to combat them than ever before.

And no doubt, they will continue to evolve, as we continue to work with more scarce and demanding fishes from more specialized habitats and ecological niches.

Be open-minded to different aquarium techniques of all sorts; see the logic behind them. And never be too close-minded to changes or tactics that tilt the odds in favor of your fishes...Employ variations and nuances from a variety of approaches, particularly when they create greater probabilities of good outcomes! 

Stay open-minded. Stay educated. Stay innovative. Stay flexible.

And Stay Wet.

(Oh, and buy your fishes from Tannin Live!)  :)

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquaitcs  

Staying with it..."Pressing Pause."

For a whole lot of reasons, I'll NVER be one of those aquascaping guys who you see on Facebook and Instagram, churning out amazing scape after amazing scape, seemingly at a breakneck pace. Like, I have no idea how these guys do it. I mean, I know a lot of these designs take time, but it seems like some of them can go from idea to world-class finished product in just a few weeks.

This simply doesn't comport with me. (the pacing...and ESPECIALLY., the "world class" part!)

Maybe it's something that just goes on in my world:

When I conceive an aquarium, like everyone else, I have that "ideation phase", where the initial idea hits and you sort of "flesh it out"- a time when you really visualize the "end game", right? And then, you begin executing...patiently assemblying the tank and its aquascape. 

And that's when it gets sort of "interesting" with me...

Like, my tank usually starts with a flourish, and lots of big ideas...and then it sort of..."plateaus." Like, I go into this sort of "holding pattern" for a while. I mean, the tank looks good- it's just not yet completely at the level I imagined it...

Maybe it's a sort of subconscious thing, where I mentally will "press pause" and evaluate, experience the tank for a while. You know, seeing how it looks, operates, reacts to maintenance, fish additions, etc. It's almost like a little hiatus where I just let the tank run in.

And inevitably, I'll look at the tank one day, and my mind tells me, "Now." And I'll start on "V2.0", when I add the finishing touches and take the design to where I imagined it would be. It's almost like a sort of "tank makeover", even though it's really the evolution  of the tank into what it was supposed to be. Like, a big push to the finish, or whatever (Is a tank ever "finished?" Not really...)

I suppose it's a good thing...to sort of evolve the tank slowly and "half-finished" for a while, evaluating it along the way.

Particularly with a blackwater, botanical-style aquarium, where nature is doing a lot of the work by breaking down your botanicals, tinting the water, recruiting biofilms and various algal growths...just making the tank more "established" in multiple ways.

Yeah, I believe it's is simply part of my personal "process" in building a tank. I have a very specific aesthetic I like, and a feel I want out of my tanks...and I suppose it can't happen overnight. Rather, I need the "gravity assist" from nature...that tinted water, decomposition and such, which you just can't get in a couple of weeks. 

Maybe I am an unwitting adherent to the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, as proffered by the late Takashi Amano. You know- the mind set which embraces the transient and ephemeral nature of things, particularly in the living world, and takes joy in the process. Like, the way undergrowth slowly encroaches a fallen tree in a forest, or the way weeds gradually take over a garden...The whole "Life After Humans" kind of vibe, right?

It's oddly satisfying, and completely within my personal mindset. I've learned to sort of "get out of my own way" and let the process happen at it's own space...

And to love it all.

Maybe the mindset that tells me to "press pause" and work at my pace with a "nature assist" isn't such a bad way to go for me!

Perhaps it is for you, too?

Stay patient. Stay engaged. Stay inspired...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Getting tangled...

Like all of you, I periodically "edit" my aquariums, to sort of bring them along with me to match up with my current mindset. I kind of enjoy this.

My home blackwater aquarium is no different.

The "theme", if you will, was to create a flooded forest floor- a "meander", if you will, where a few branches accumulated. I've ran it since November in a configuration that has essentially a few large pieces of mangrove root to simulate the larger branches, and an assortment of leaves and botanicals to create the "vibe" that I wanted.

I purposely left a lot of "negative space" in this tank to sort of give a sense of scale to the scape. However, the intention was to gradually evolve the tank to represent a sort of "matrix" of finer branches/roots, with less open space. I've talked about this idea before, and I've started doing this.

One of the things that inspires me to evolve my aquarium is looking at my current tank and seeing which "niches" within it would make a good "starring role." I am a huge fan of creating overhangs and nooks and crannies with wood pieces near the bottom of my aquarium. And, as I might have told you previously, I often ponder the idea of simply doing an aquarium entirely filled with wood and leaves...so very little in the way of "negative space" (areas not occupied by something) and an almost "reef-like" structure that would be perfect for all sorts of bottom-dwelling, or "near bottom-dwelling" fishes, like dwarf cichlids, loaches, Corydoras and other catfishes, Darter Tetras, etc.

I've always found this an interesting configuration for an aquarium, although my "prejudice" about having lots of open water space for shoaling fishes, like characins, Danios, etc. has wrongly prevented me from trying this.

Now, I've done this sort of thing in a marine tank before- I mean, this was THE WAY we did reef tanks in the 80's and well into the 90's...a "wall of rock"- because it was thought that you needed to use "x" pounds of live rock per gallon for "biofiltration"- and how else do you get 100 lbs of rock in a 50 gallon tank? Yeah.

However, I've long fantasized about doing such a "stack" of wood in a freshwater aquarium!

I remember just railing on such a configuration in reef tanks for years, simply because it was sort of "unimaginative" and a maintenance liability for a reef tank. However, for a freshwater system with a more "porous" structure of wood, I think that not only would it function fine, I know it will look cool. The idea of creating an entire community around such a niche is really cool. There are plenty of examples of this type of structure from nature.

The assembly and function of such a configuration operates much in the manner of any other botanical-oriented aquarium, with perhaps a little greater emphasis on creating structure from the wood to more closely replicate such systems as they appear in the wild; just a real tangle of wood, and accumulations of botanicals and decomposing leaves.

When assembled in conjunction with a nice aggregation of leaves, this configuration  provides a remarkably interesting aquarium with a different sort of aesthetic. 

Obviously, aquariums with dense aggregations of wood/roots have husbandry considerations, such as the need to keep a good flow rate through the "matrix", and the ability to access some of the "nooks and crannies" for routine maintenance tasks, like siphoning, replacing leaves/botanicals, etc.

Yet, I think with the proper equipment and husbandry practices in place, it's not really that difficult to sustain for an indefinite period of time. I mean, we did it with reef tanks for a decade, lol!

(My friend Mark Poletti created a masterful "dense matrix" of live coral in his reef tank...a definite "analog" to our wood-dominated FW hardscapes!)

I think another interesting aspect of a denser wood configuration is the potential to keep little groups of fishes, like my beloved Checkerboard cichlids, behaving naturally in the same tank. Now, I'm no cichlid expert, but I do have a certain love for keeping little "communities" of fishes like Checkerboards together.

I think it could work with fishes like Apistos, too...Even when they start to pair off. I mean, I've done it with notroriously aggressive marine fishes, like Pseudochromis. And from the interesting videos I've seen in the wild (like Ivan Mikolji's stuff!), where you see multiple breeding pairs in dense tangles of roots and wood, I can't help but attempt this at home!

I just started the process of adding more branches to this tank, and I'm already noticing some different social behaviors in my fishes...

So, yeah- perhaps the most interesting aspect of such an aquascaping configuration is to foster natural behaviors and spawning activities among the resident fishes. I would imagine that for "uncontrolled" breeding of many species, the dense wood/botanical matrix would create a very good environment for this. I've already seen very interesting behavior among my Eques Pencilfish (N. eques), which typically would hang in  a sort of loose aggregation just under the water surface in the more "open format" in my tank.

Now, since there is less of this "wide open" space just below the surface, I've noticed that the fish seem to choose their own spots among the wood tangles and sort of hang there- without any apparent desire to "cling together." 

Perhaps just a coincidence, but it's a distinct change.

Very interesting...

And my more active characins, like the Rummynoses, tend to be more "calm" and less "frantically" swimming with less negative space in the tank...they just appear more relaxed and just "comfortable" in a way that has been very different that what I've seen before.

I love the idea of a "community" aspect to such hardscape  configurations.

It is interesting to see lots of young fishes emerge from the wood matrix now and then, settling in and finding their own territories within the aquarium, creating a very realistic replication of the types of behaviors and activities which occur in natural ecological niches.

Yes, I totally know that the idea of "adding a lot of wood" to an aquarium is not some revolutionary aquascaping concept. However, I think the idea of looking at it within the context of creating/fostering an interesting platform for behavior, and configuring a functional representation of a unique ecological niche, as opposed to just some aesthetic variation, could yield some interesting results for those willing to play with the concept. 

With all of the interesting types of wood pieces available to hobbyists nowadays, and the ability to filter, administer good flow into the aquarium, and with the availability of a wide variety of fishes from speciality ecological niches, it has never been easier to play with ideas like this!

And it's always fun to "evolve" your existing aquariums. As we've discusses so many times, the very nature of a botanical-style blackwater aquarium lends itself to "evolving" your tank over time.

We'd love to see and hear about YOUR experiments with evolving your existing tanks, as well as your thoughts with this type of configuration; I'm sure there are a fair number of you who might have played with this already, and it's fun to see what you're up to!

Stay excited. Stay creative. Stay curious.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Scheming and executing...

It's pretty amazing to create aquariums or execute on aquarium concepts that have seldom, if ever been done before, isn't it?

Doing stuff a bit differently is in my DNA, I think...and definitely in Tannin's.

Someone asked me earlier in the week about how Tannin Aquatics came to be...I guess you'd say that the background ideas presented here are an integral part of our "creation story"...deeply rooted in the very essence of being a hardcore, practicing aquarium hobbyist, absolutely tied to the creative process. 

FACT:  Yup. You may not know this: I'm the ultimate aquarium designer/builder. 

Really.  :)

No, I'm being serious!

I know- it sounds a bit arrogant, but it's true.

I've tried crazy ideas no one has ever really executed.

Built tanks from concepts that most people haven't even played with: I've simulated underground cave systems for Astyanax mexicanus, vivarium-style tanks with tiny puddles of water and hollowed-out moist logs for keeping jumping Rivulus, deep Mangrove mud flats, temperate tide pools, Micronesian "rock islands', flooded South American grasslands, bubbling hot springs for the Devil's Hole Pupfish, etc.

Yeah, crazy-cool concept stuff. Next-level shit...

Built 'em all.

Okay, well, sort of.

Well, not really...I mean, I built 'em...

I've solved every plumbing issue, schemed out filtration systems, sourced components, made modifications to tanks...all of that stuff.

Well, sort of.

I mean, I "built" them in my head!

I guess it was Walt Disney's guys back in the 1950's that developed the idea of "imaginareeing"- coming up with crazy theoretical ideas and seeing if they could turn them into reality. It certainly brought some cool concepts into the the world..or at least, into Disneyland!

And free thinking outside of conventional boundaries is pretty cool, IMHO. I look at what some of you have accomplished-and executed- when freeing yourself from conventionality, and can't help but smile.

Yeah, I know that, by simply allowing myself to engage in some free-thinking, I've "designed" and "built" some insane stuff! 

And believe it or not, I did actually execute some of it over the years; sort of went through the design process and even some of the "proof-of-concept" in my mind, without spilling a drop of water, before heading down to the hardware store to buy all sorts of stuff. There is actually a certain "luxury" you can enjoy by doing this.

It may not be initially as satisfying as just going for it, but for those of us who might be somewhat "DIY-challenegd", actually "building the tank" in our minds helps us see the unforeseen challenges that we might encounter once we forge ahead.

Plus, it can help you fall asleep when you have a bout of insomnia, trust me!

I've had dozens of occasions when I thought of a complex, yet elegant way to execute something, only to find that there was a much easier way that was sort of "right in my face"- the downside to getting "hyper-innovative", I suppose!

I literally would have "reinvented the wheel" (and not always in a good way, either!) instead of embracing the better, existing solution!

I suspect every hobbyist does this to some extent, right?

I know the truly great aquascapers do it a lot: select and build aquariums in their mind, consciously or subconsciously, before they begin the actual work.

I mean, you kind of have to, right?

Are there any "seat of the pants" tank builders out there? I mean, those of you who just get a tank at the LFS or where ever, look around for stuff to put in it, and start building?

If you do, that's a whole different set of talents, and demonstrates a resolve that's pretty crazy! Not to mention, you've got a sense of spontaneity that's quite inspiring!

However, you are definitely square in the minority! 

One of the things I like best about what we did at Tannin is that we evolved out of me having to solve a sort of "pain point" in my design process: For a long time, it was hard to source, aggregate, and work with a lot of natural materials for many of the "alternative" aquarium projects I wanted to do. I literally spent months trying to source these things.

The company arose very organically out of my own desire to solve a problem that used to drive me crazy. I figured, if this stuff bothered me- it might just bother some other hobbyists who like to try out new ideas...and might also inspire a few others to play with this stuff a bit.

And I think we were right!

It's fun to take the roads less travelled- even more fun when you have the right stuff in your suitcase!

That's really what we're about: Helping you "pack correctly" for the journey!

And that's really fun to me, because it frees you up to do what you do best- execute on your cool ideas, and share them with our growing global "tint nation!" We started with blackwater, and as you can see, we're working with customers who play with vivariums, cichlid aquariums, fry rearing systems, and brackish...

"Estuary" arose out of a desire to solve some pain points for us, and gives us a chance to not only give some love to a sort of "neglected" segment of the aquarium hobby- the brackish water aquarium- it gives us the opportunity to properly equip brackish water enthusiasts with a different set of "tools" than they might have had previously- in one place...and therefore, the ability to apply some slightly different thinking and execution to the formerly "white and grey" popular concept of a brackish water aquarium habitat! 

And we'll keep bringing you new stuff each year..

I suppose the best thing about  "building" these "thought aquariums" is that you can sort of imagine the process, and visualize not only the finished product, but the potential issues you'll have along the way- without leaks, rock cave-ins, and dead fishes. You can think through the exotic...and even the mundane- all without needing a single towel...at least until it comes time to execute, that is!

Sure, eventually it does become time to pull the trigger, and when it does, you've at least had the chance to visualize some of the more obvious- and maybe a few less obvious- potential pitfalls of your design- perhaps encouraging "edits" before you even start the process! 

My biggest problem always has been the lack of time, aquarium space, and resources to pull off every crazy idea floating around in my mind. I suppose it definitely impacts many of you, too! That's why I've had these "build offs" in my head between competing concepts, in which the "winner" ends up being the one I built. Not the most satisfying thing- 'cause I want to build 'em all...but practicality reigns, right?

What ideas are floating around in that "dream fish room" in your head? And which ones will you bring to life soon?

Keep dreaming. Keep scheming. Keep "executing" on some of those crazy ideas...even if they're only "built" in the dark recesses of your imagination between 11:00PM and 6:00AM...At some point, you'll have the means and to make them reality. 

And we'll be here to help you pack your suitcase accordingly.

Pleasant journey.

Stay creative. Stay innovative. Stay passionate...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Exactly what our fishes need?

 I was talking not too long ago with a fellow hobbyist who's been trying all sorts of things to get a certain Loricarid to spawn. He's a very experienced aquarius and has bred many varieties of fishes...but for some reason, this one is just vexing to him! I suppose that's what makes this hobby so damn engaging, huh?

And of course, I was impressed by all of the efforts he's made to get these fish to spawn thus far...But I kept thinking that there must be something fundamental-something incredibly simple, yet important- that he was overlooking...

It's intriguing.

When I travel around the country on speaking engagements or whatever and have occasion to visit the fish rooms of some talented hobbyists, I never cease to be amazed at what we can do! We do an amazing job. And of course, being the thoughtful type, I always wonder if there is some way we can do it better....if there is some key thing we're missing that can help us do even better.

Now, I realize that most of us like to keep things controlled to a great extent- to be able to monitor the progress, see where exactly the fishes deposit their eggs, and to be able to remove the eggs and fry if/when needed.

Control.

I mean, we strive to create the water conditions (i.e.; temperature, pH, current, lighting, etc.) for our fishes to affect spawning, but we tend to utilize more "temporary" type, artificial-looking setups with equipment to actually facilitate egg-laying, fry rearing, etc.

Purely functional.

I often wonder what is wrong with the idea of a permanent setup- a setup in which the fishes are provided a natural setting, and left to their own devices to "do their thing..."

Now, I realize that a lot of hardcore, very experienced breeders will scoff at this- and probably rightly so. Giving up control when the goal is the reproduction of your fishes is not a good thing. Practicality becomes important- hence the employment of clay flowerpots, spawning cones, breeding traps, bare tanks to raise fry, etc.

Sure, to a fish, a cave is a cave, be it constructed of ceramic or if it's the inside of a hollowed-out seed pod. To the fish, it's a necessary place to spawn quietly and provide a defensible territory to protect the resulting fry. In all likelihood, they couldn't care less what it is made of, right? And to the serious or professional breeder, viable spawns are the game.

I get that.

I guess my personal approach to fish breeding has always been, "If it happens, great...If not, I want the fishes to have an environment that mimics the one they're found in naturally." And that works to a certain extent, but I can see how many hobbyists feel that it's certainly not the practical way to do systematic, controlled breeding. 

Yet, isn't their something wonderful (for those of us who are not hell-bent on controlling the time and place of our fish's spawnings) to check out your tank one night and see a small clutch of Apisto fry under the watchful eye of the mother in a "Jungle Pod" or whatever? Perhaps not as predictable or controllable as a more sterile breeding tank, but nonetheless, exciting!

And of course, to the serious breeder, it's just as exciting to see a bunch of wriggling fry in a PVC pipe section as it is to see them lurking about the litter bed in the display tank. I suppose it's all how you look at it.

No right or wrong answer.

The one thing that I think we can all agree with is the necessity and importance of providing optimum conditions for our potential spawning pairs. There seems to be no substitute for good food, clean water, and proper environment. Sure, there are a lot of factors beyond our control, but one thing we can truly impact is the environment in which our fishes are kept and conditioned.

On the other hand, we DO control the environment in which our fishes are kept- regardless of if the tank looks like the bottom of an Asian stream or a marble-filled 10-gallon, bare aquarium, right?

I just wonder...being a lover of the more natural-looking AND functioning aquarium, if this is a key approach to unlocking the spawning secrets of more "difficult-to-spawn" fishes. Not a "better spawning cone" or breeding trap, or more enriched brine shrimp. Rather, a wholistic approach featuring excellent food, optimum natural water conditions, and a physical environment reminiscent of the one they evolved in over millennia.

Won't the fishes "figure it all out?"

And, I wonder if fry-rearing tanks can- and should- be natural setups, too- even for serious breeders. You know, lots of plants, botanical cover, whatever...I mean, I KNOW that they can...I guess it's more of a question of if we want make the associated trade-offs? Sure, you'll give up some control, but I wonder if the result is healthier, more vigorous young fish?

It's not a new idea...or even a new theme here in our blog.

However, I think that, in our  intense effort to achieve the results we want, we occasionally will overlook something as seemingly basic as this. I certainly know that I have. And I think that our fishes will let us know, too...I mean, those "accidental" spawnings aren't really "accidental", right? They're an example of our fishes letting us know that what we've been providing them has been exactly what they needed. It's worth considering, huh?

Nature has a way. It's up to us to figure out what it is. Be it with a ceramic flower pot or pile of botanicals...

Maybe that is exactly what our fishes need?

Stay curious. Stay determined. Stay driven. Stay diligent. Stay creative...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics