The Tint

Revisiting the "botanical nursery"

I've talked so much about how great botanicals like leaves, seed pods, etc. are for aesthetics and creating optimal environmental conditions for a variety of fishes over the past couple of years, and only really touched briefly on the concept of incorporating them in tanks for rearing of fry.

I really like the idea of a botanical-influenced "nursery" tank for blackwater fishes for a number of reasons:

First, as we've discussed many times, the humic substances and other compounds associated with leaves and other botanicals, when released into the water, are known to have beneficial health impact on fishes. The potential for antimicrobial and antifungal effects is documented by science and is quite real. Wouldn't this be something worth investigating from our unique angle?

I think so!

Additionally, rearing young fishes in the type of environmental conditions under which they will spend the rest of their lives makes a lot of sense. Having to acclimate young fishes into unfamiliar/different conditions, however beneficial they might be, still can be stressful to them.

Why not be consistent from day one?

Finally-and this is the aspect we're going to focus on the most here- the breakdown and decomposition of various botanical materials provides a very natural supplemental source of food for young fishes, both directly (as in the case of fishes such as xyliphorous catfishes, etc., and indirectly, as they graze on algal growth, biofilms, fungi, and small crustaceans which inhabit the botanical "bed" in the aquarium.

Now, this is pretty interesting stuff to me. Everyone has their own style of fry rearing. Some hobbyists like bare bottom tanks, some prefer densely planted tanks, etc. I'm proposing the idea of rearing young fishes in a botanical-style blackwater aquarium with leaves, some seed pods, and maybe some plants as well. The physically and "functionally" mimic, at least to some extent, the habitats in which many young fishes grow up in.

My thinking is that decomposing leaves will not only provide material for the fishes to feed on and among, they will provide a natural "shelter" for them as well, potentially eliminating or reducing stresses. In nature, many fry which do not receive parental care tend to hide in the leaves or other biocover in their environment, and providing such natural conditions will certainly accommodate this behavior.

Decomposing leaves can stimulate a certain amount of microbial growth, with infusoria and even forms of bacteria becoming potential food sources for fry. I've read a few studies where phototrophic bacteria were added to the diet of larval fishes, producing measurably higher growth rates. Now, I'm not suggesting that your fry will gorge on beneficial bacteria "cultured" in situ in your blackwater nursery and grow exponentially faster. However, I am suggesting that it might provide some beneficial supplemental nutrition at no cost to you!

And it's the same with that beloved aquarium "catch all" of infusoria. These time-honored organisms are likely to arise whenever plant matter decomposes in water, and in an aquarium with significant leaves and such, there is likely a higher population density  of these ubiquitous organisms available to the young fishes.

Now, I'm not fooling myself into believing that a large bed of decomposing leaves and botanicals in your aquarium will satisfy the total nutritional needs of a batch of characins, but it might provide the support for some supplemental feeding!

I'd take the concept even a bit further by "seeding" the tank with some Daphnia and perhaps some of the other commonly available live freshwater crustaceans, and letting them do their thing before the fry arrive. This way, you've got sort of the makings a little bit of a "food web" going on- the small crustaceans helping to feed off of some of the available nutrients and lower life forms, and the fish at the top of it all. 

Now, granted, I'm romancing this and perhaps even over-simplifying it a bit. However, I think that there is a compelling case to be made for creating a rearing tank that supports a biologically  diverse set of inhabitants for food sources.

The basis of it all would be leaves and some of the botanicals which seem to do a better job at recruiting biofilms- the "harder shelled" stuff, like "Save Pods", "Jungle Pods", Coco Curls", etc...I think these would be interesting items to include in a "nursery tank." And of course, they provide shelter and foraging areas and impart some tannins into the water...the usual stuff.

Just another one of those ideas that would be fun to experiment with. Certainly not the "ultimate" fry rearing system...but I think one worth experimenting with!

Stay creative. Stay curious. Stay adventurous. Stay diligent. Stay excited...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Rethinking aquascaping from the bottom up...a few (disorganized) thoughts...

For some reason, I've been on this real "kick" about natural waterways, and how the water actually gets into them, and what characteristics impact the aquatic habitats we love to replicate. I think this is so incredibly important...As aquarists, we spend a ridiculous amount of time studying aquascaping technique from the standpoint of "ratios", "color utilization", perspectives, etc...However, from what I can tell, comparatively little time is spent attempting to understand how and why the natural habitats evolve and function, and how we can utilize this information in our 'scapes.

Ouch..

Yeah, we talk so much in the hobby about aquascaping, creating very unique aquarium displays, and utilizing all sorts of materials to achieve that goal. We talk about seemingly every little aspect of the craft...like selecting and arranging the perfect rocks to create harmony and to satisfy "design principles." Okay, I get it. Well, I get it, but I am curious as to why we don't look at the way NATURE arranges rocks, plants, underwater features. Is nature somehow not inspiring enough? I say it tongue firmly in cheek, but honestly, I'm always a bit surprised by what most of the aquarium world's definition of a "natural-looking" aquarium" is.

And since I have a website, internet bandwidth, and a healthy interest in the arcane...let's talk about it!

Now, before I begin my little "stream of consciousness" review, let me clarify: Every time I suggest that we've "over-indexed" on the "art" side of aquascaping, I get roundly trashed by one or two readers, who love to remind me that not everyone thinks that "decomposing leaves and plant parts" (from an actual response) are great aquascaping. Look, I"m NOT suggesting that at all. I'm not shrugging off the worldwide talent here. What I am suggesting is that, in addition to our love of great design, we take a good, hard, serious look at real-deal natural aquatic habitats and take a few more cues from them than we seem to be. And yes, I am NOT heaping the biotope crowd in this generalization. They really get this idea!

While the latest aquascaping contest designs are undeniably gorgeous and require obscene talent, it's hard to argue with the "designer" (Nature) who's been doing it better for longer. We've been 'scaping tanks for like 100 years...Nature's been creating aquatic habitats for..oh, I dunno...eons- so I suggest that, perhaps, we should just take a closer look once in a while. Some pretty good ideas there!

That's all. 

One of the things that I always find a bit interesting in our aquascaping is that many of us just sort of seem to apply little thought to the substrate of our aquariums. I mean, if you're a planted aquarium geek, you'll spend a huge amount of time creating an "active" bottom, composed of varying fertilizers, aquatic sands, etc. However, the majority of us tend to find a substrate that looks cool to us, wash it, and throw it on the bottom. Done.

Now, we can give credit to those "competition" 'scapers here. Many will play with the contours a bit as they arrange rock (I'm thinking about the Iwagumi crowd), sloping it from the back and sides. This is very cool, surprisingly natural, and really opens things up in a 'scape...Hats off to them! Contours and variations in the bottom are hugely important and very natural! I saw this in action with my friend Luis Navarro last week...the attention to detail he paid to the bottom contours was amazing!

Sadly, however, it seems that very little attention is paid by the vast majority of hobbyists to the bottom of streams and rivers as it appears in nature, and how they "works" with the entire environment. I admit, I've been kind of guilty of this, and it's only been recently that I really gave more than a passing thought to what goes on "down there" in nature, especially in streams and rivers. It's a lot more interesting, when you examine the subject more closely- especially from the perspective of how these structures came to be, and what implications they have for fish populations...cool stuff.

Stream and river bottom composition is affected by things like regional weather, current, geology, the surrounding dry lands, and a host of other factors- all of which could make planning your next aquarium even more interesting if you take them into consideration!

We've touched on these in some recent posts, and we'll definitely dive deeper in upcoming blogs. There's more to this tank just the accumulation of leaves and such. It's pretty interesting...

If we focus on streams, which are one my personal areas of interest, it's important to note that the volume of water entering the stream, helps in part determine the amount and size of sediment particles that can be carried along, and thus comprise the substrate and it's contours.

The composition of bottom materials and the depth of the channel are always changing in response to the flow in a given stream, affecting the composition and ecology in many ways.

Permanent streams will often have different volume and material composition (usually finely-packed sands and gravels, with lots of smooth stones) than more intermittent streams, which are the result of inundation caused by rain, etc., or even  so-called "ephemeral" streams, which typically occur only immediately after rain events (which means they usually don't have fish in them unless they are washed into them from more permanent watercourses). The latter two stream types are typically more affected by leaves, botanical debris, branches, and other materials. Like the igarapes ("canoe ways") of Brazil...little channels and rivulets which come and go with the seasonal rains. And then, there's those flooded Igapo forests we obsess over.

In the overall Amazon region (you knew I was sort of headed back that way, right?), it sort of works both ways, with the rivers influencing the surrounding land...and then the land "giving" some of the materials back to the rivers...the extensive lowland areas bordering the river and its tributaries, known as varzeas (“floodplains”), are subject to annual flooding, which helps foster enrichment of the aquatic environment. Although many streams derive their food base from leaves and organic matter, there is a lot of other material present that contributes to its structure. Think along those lines when scheming your next aquarium. Ask yourself what factors would contribute to the bottom composition of the area you're taking inspiration from.

You'll see a variety of bottom compositions in Amazonian and other streams, ranging from the aforementioned leaves and detritus in stream margins, to sand and silt over "cobbles", to boulders covered in algae, to fine patch gravels, and even just silt.

You might even say that rivers and streams act like nature's "sediment sorting machines", as they move debris, geologic materials, and botanicals along their courses. And along the way, varying ecological communities are assembled, with all sorts of different fishes being attracted to different niches.

Interestingly, in streams, the primary producers of the food webs that attract our fishes are algae and diatoms, which are typically found on rocks and wood wherever light and nutrients create optimum conditions for their growth. Organic material that enters streams via leaf fall is acted upon by fungi and small organisms, which help break it down. It is probably no surprise, then, that bacteria (especially in biofilms!) and fungi are the initial consumers of the organic materials that accumulate on the bottom. Like, the stuff many of us loathe. These, in turn, are extremely vital to fishes as a food source. Hence, one of the things I love so much about utilizing a leaf litter bed as a big part of your substrate composition in an aquarium! Of course, we talk about that all the time, right?

(Oh, by the way- Cory Hopkins' leaf litter tank proves that you CAN have both high design and natural form/function!)

Streams which flow over stony, open bottoms, free from natural obstacles like tree trunks and such, tend to develop a rich algal turf on their surfaces.

While not something a lot of hobbyists like to see in their tanks (with the exception of Mbuna guys and weirdos like me), algae-covered stones and rocks are entirely natural and appropriate for the bottom of many aquariums! (enter a tank with THAT in the next international aquascaping contest and watch the ensuing judge "freak-out" it causes! ) Grazing fishes, of course, will feed extensively on or among these algal films, and would be logical choices for a stony-bottom-themed aquarium. When we think about the way natural fish communities are assembled in rivers and streams, it's almost always as a result of adaptations to the physical environment and food sources.

Now, not everyone wants to have algae-covered stones or a mass of decomposing leaves on the bottom of their aquarium.  I totally get THAT! However, I think that considering the role that these materials play in the composition of streams and the lives of the fishes which inhabit them is important, and entirely consistent  with our goal of creating the most natural, effective aquariums for the animals which we keep. As a hobbyist, you can employ elements of these natural systems in a variety of aquariums, using any number of readily-available materials to do the job.

I hope you enjoyed this incredibly brief, wildly superficial collection of thoughts on the natural stream substrates and how they can impact our aquascaping decisions.  And I hope that you've taken it in the spirit in which it was intended: To get us to look just a bit more at nature for inspiration, and to ask ourselves the "hows and whys" when considering the natural habitats and replicating them in our tanks.

Mostly, I hope they inspire you to do some further research of your own, and to incorporate your findings from the natural world into your next aquarium design. We have literally an entire planet of amazing habitats from which to draw inspiration, which, in my opinion, is far more interesting and inspiring than "last month's 'Tank of The Month' winner." Then again, I'm a guy whose idea of a cool aquascape involves brown water, decaying leaves, and piles of seed pods..so, yeah...

Until next time...do the research. Look to nature.

Stay inspired. Stay excited. Stay curious. Stay creative. Stay passionate.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

(Special THANKS! to David Sobry and Mike Tuccinardi for their incredible pics used extensively in this piece!)

What really makes those catappa leaves tick?

So, pretty much everywhere I go, people who are unfamiliar with our geeky little botanical world and it’s tricks and crazy ideas are generally asking me why Catappa leaves seem to have some sort of “lock” on the collective consciousness of people who swear by them. Is it some weird, cult-lied devotion? Some crazy anecdotal ideas that ended up getting twisted and warped into some yarn that they contain magical powers? Well, if you read some blogs and articles in the some corners of the aquarium world, you’d be inclined to think this!

There’s a lot of claims attributed to these leaves, and it’s often hard to sort through all of the hyperbole and find the potentially true facts that might be of interest and value to us as aquarists. The last thing I want to do is get caught up in touting all sorts of unsubstantiated claims about these leaves and the substances they contain, so I did my best to ferret out just what the ”real deal" is here! None of this is the definitive word on the subject, but it was helpful for me to at least try to extract some practical information out of the many claims about these leaves.

I figured I’d delve just a little bit deeper into the whole lore of Catappa benefits, and give a little summary of some of the beneficial compounds which are contained in them, and what they might do for fishes, based on the scientific research I could find. Now, I'm no scientist as you know, and some of the terminology we’ll use still sounds a bit “fancy”- perhaps even vague, but I tried my best to “translate” some of the really “hardcore” scientific jargon into some stuff that is decipherable to us mortals!  

For many years, Betta breeders and other enthusiasts in Southeast Asia added catappa leaves to the tanks and containers that held their fishes, and noticed a lot of positives…Those who actually fought their fishes seemed to feel that, when kept in water into which catappa had been steeped, their fishes recovered more quickly from their injuries. Those who simply kept fishes (not for “blood sport”) noticed increased overall vigor, appetite, and health among their fishes. 

 Now, this makes a lot of sense, right? I mean, the natural habitats of many of the fishes of Southeast Asia are blackwater, botanical-influenced waters, rich with tannin from decomposing vegetation and naturally occurring peat. We’ve talked a lot about the benefits of “humic substances” for fish health, and, not surprisingly, there has actually been a fair amount of scholarly research into this area, mainly in the area of food fish production…and much of it points to the fact that many of the humic substances and compounds which benefit fishes are found in…surprise! Catappa!

The bark and particularly, the leaves of the Indian Almond tree- contain a host of interesting chemicals that may provide direct health benefits for tropical fishes. The leaves themselves contain several flavonoids, like kaempferol and quercetin, a number of tannins, like punicalin and punicalagin, as well as a suite of saponins and phytosterols. Extracts of T. catappa have shown some effectiveness against some bacteria, specifically, Plasmodium, and some parasites as well. 

As we all know by now, when Indian Almond leaves are immersed in water, the tannins and humic substances are released, which can lower the pH of the water if their is minimal general hardness. The tannins are what visually tint the water to that beautiful brownish color which we devotedly call “blackwater.”

It has even been theorized that the tannins in Catappa leaves are able to reduce the toxicity of heavy metals in aquarium water, essentially binding them up or chelating them- if true, a most interesting benefit for the urban fish keeper, I might add! I think that’s a pretty big supposition, but I suppose it’s possible that it can be true, right? At this point, you’re probably thinking, ”Okay, Scott. All of that stuff sounds very scholarly, but what exactly are those things and what can they do for my fishes?”

 Just what DOES make these leaves tick?

Well, lets start with the flavonoids. Flavonoids have been shown by science to have direct and synergistic antibacterial activity (with antibiotics) and the ability to suppress bacterial virulence factors in a number of research studies. They may also act as chemical "messengers", physiological regulators, and "cell cycle inhibitors", which bodes well for their use as a prophylactic of sorts. Kaempferol, a noted flavonoid,  is thought to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Could this be why Betta fanciers used them for so many years after fighting their fishes?

Catappa leaves also contain substances known as  Saponins, which can be used to enhance penetration of macromolecules, like proteins, into cell membranes. Some are used in vaccines to help stimulate immune responses, so you can imagine some potential benefits here as well, right? Yeah. possibly?

Phytosterols are interesting for their alleged capacity to reduce cholesterol in humans, but the benefits are probably non-existent for fishes, especially as it pertains to Catappa leaves in the aquarium! I mention them in this piece merely because fishy authors touting the benefits of Catappa leaves love to throw them out there for reasons I cannot grasp! Maybe it just sounds good. Don't know...

Punicalagins act as antioxidants and are the major component responsible for the antioxidant health benefits of fruits, such as pomegranates (You know, the "wonderful," yet really messy fruit that I always hated as a kid...). They are water soluble and have high bioavailability, so it is quite possible that they are of some benefit to fishes!

I found a cool study conducted by fisheries researchers in Thailand on Tilapia, which concluded that Catappa extract was useful at eradicating the nasty exoparasite, Trichodina, and the growth of a couple of strains of Aeromonas hydrophila was also inhibited by dosing Catappa leaf extract! In addition, this solution was shown to reduce the fungal infection in Tilapia eggs.  For reference, here is the study:

(Chitmanat, C., Tongdonmuan, K., Khanom, P., Pachontis, P. and Nunsong, W. (2005). Antiparasitic, Antibacterial, and Antifungal activities Derived from a Terminalia catappa solution against some Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Pathogens. Acta Hortic. 678, 179-182 DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2005.678.25)

So, sure, like so many other aquarium-related matters, there are some possible "side stories" to use of Catappa leaves in our tanks. And benefits that are known and perhaps not yet studied. We do know that there are some well-studied positives that can be achieved by using them in the aquarium. Much is still anecdotal for aquarium use- a "forced fit" based on the known benefits of these compounds for human health...And much remains to be discovered about their benefits for aquatic use.

I think that the use of Catappa leaves in the aquarium will continue to be a practice that we should study. And, regardless of how you choose to employ Catappa leaves and other botanicals in your quest for a "blackwater" aquarium, it's important to take a cautious, responsible, well-informed approach. We'll keep doing our best to disseminate as much information as we can about the materials we offer. Knowledge is a key to success and stability in all areas of the aquarium hobby, and you should arm yourself with as much information as possible, for the benefit of all of the fishes under your care. 

Stay curious. Stay open-minded. Stay skeptical. Stay engaged.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Inspiration from above the waterline...

I was lucky enough to be speaking at a great event yesterday in Omaha, Nebraska, at the Nebraska Aquatic Supply Anniversary weekend sale. Along with Luis Navarro of Aquarium Design Group, and Mark ("Mr. Saltwater Tank") Calhahan, I was able to check out this awesome store, one of the premier brick and mortar shops in the U.S. midwest. What's cool about NAS, is that, like many stores, they also carry a selection of reptiles and amphibians. 

Now, I'll be the first to admit that I don't currently have any ambitions about keeping these animals. However,  I think, like with so many other hobby areas, that we as fish geeks can learn a lot of things from them. Aquatic "cross training" is super cool and very useful. And I do find myself drawn to these unique habitats that talented hobbyists create.

Specifically, I’m fascinated by how they work their enclosures, with substrate and background materials that work well in damp, humid environments. With interesting use of soils, plants, leaf litter,  and cork bark, “amphib” hobbyists do some amazing work. I am blown away daily from the amazing work of Paulie Dema with his New York-based business, Vivariums in The Mist. I encourage you to check out his website and gallery. There is so much inspiration there, I think that we as fish geeks can really learn a few tricks!

Leaves, in a "semi-composted" state are valued by vivarium enthusiasts, because they are important in helping to "jump start" the microfauna and beneficial bacteria and fungi populations i the substrate  These are intended to create what vivarium people call a "biologically active" substrate that will help break down and process the resident animals’ waste products and sustain  a healthy, long-term viable environment. And of course, with all of those leaves and such in a partially-composed state, they'll provide valuable organic material and nutrients for plants, which are a key part of the display. And of course, the resident animals benefit too!

"Recipes" for biologically active vivarium substrates include stuff like coconut husks, leaves, wood chips, sand, and even terrestrial or aquatic plant soils. A varied mix that provides numerous benefits for the resident animals...Interested yet? Yeah, I am! How can we incorporate these ideas into our blackwater, botanical-style aquariums and paludariums?

The reason I think we need to pay attention to the work done by vivarium people is that they are embracing many of the concepts that we talk about: Use of botanical materials, dealing with nutrient utilization, durability, and wet/dry habitats. When you here me go on and on about the Igapo flooded forests, I can’t help but think that there is something that we can learn from seeing how these talented enthusiasts work their magic.

And who knows...you might just fall in love with herps and end up with yet another hobby! Stranger stuff has happened, right?

Stay enthusiastic. Stay excited. Stay inspired!

And Stay Wet. (or even just moist!)

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Something to think about!

More "toys in the sandbox?"

Something hit me the other day.

Not exactly groundbreaking, earth-shattering, or otherwise world-changing...

It seems to me that many of the tanks I see in which the aquarist keeps "monster-sized" fishes seem to be more "purpose-scaped" aquariums...systems which, although attractive, seem to be distend more for practicality than aesthetics.

Now, I'm aware that there are some needs, when keeping some of these tank-busting fishes, which need to be addressed. Some huge cichlids, for example, will simply level everything, making plants almost impossible. Yet, I have this feeling that you could still do some things to create a more realistic aquarium, even one using botanicals.

Sure, a fish that digs and does stuff about on the substrate is probably not a ideal candidate for keeping in a tank filled with leaves, right? Well, think about it. Why not? I mean, sure, there going to just shift and dig and move substrate and such about- just like they do in the wild. So, a carefully conceived botanical-substrate or hardscape is going to be torn asunder and become a random aggregation of stuff...which, in my opinion, is pretty cool, actually.

I mean, most of these big cichlids, knife fishes, etc. don't "eat" these materials (okay, maybe some Pacu and such might "sample" them), but they will perhaps bury them, redistribute them, and, well- how do we put it delicately- "poop" in them.

And a bed of leaves mixed with sand, if they get redistributed and even partially buried is still a bed of leaves mixed with sand, right?

Okay. So...?

A siphon works the same in a tank with big fishes and a substrate full of botanical materials as it does in a tank filled with #3 gravel, right? Uneaten food, detritus, fish waste, etc. can be removed- with a bit more effort, perhaps...Perhaps starting out with juveniles of these brutes will bring out less "destructive" behaviors when maintained in these types of environments?

Something to think about, I suppose?

I can't help but wonder, for example, how some of these large cichlids with a reputation for being a bit well- "messy", would look in a large tank filled with lots of leaves, harder botanicals (like the bigger seed pods- "Ra Cama", "Monkey Pots", Sapuccaio Pods, "Jungle Pods", etc. and some wood. Now, granted, it's important to stay your target fish and make sure it comes from an environment that has analogs to some of these materials present- but wouldn't it be interesting to see how they act in a captive habitat more similar to the one they evolved in? 

I know I skirt the dangerous boundary of "making sweeping generalities" with this assertion and the basic premise of this post, but it just seems to me that many, many of the tanks I've seen which house big, gnarly fishes seem to be conceived and operated from a mindset that "The fish is going to "wreck" the 'scape, so best to just through in a few big pieces of wood and rock and call it a day." Now, I totally get that, but I simply can't help but wonder why it would hurt to try to create a botanical-style blackwater aquarium for larger fishes which come from similar habitats.

Knifefish, Arrowana, Puffers, Tiger Fish, etc., etc.

Sure, they'll move stuff, rip some things up, and generally throw any "planned" botanical scape into complete, random  disarray...but wouldn't that be ...cool? And wouldn't the "psychological" benefits of this type of activity- this "big old sandbox"- be that much more stimulating for the fish, perhaps even calming, or spurring more natural behaviors? And would a tank in which all of this materials was redistributed, buried, and otherwise moved about be kind of cool? Perhaps a bit more challenging to siphon debris from (or NOT!), but cool, nonetheless.

Obviously, I don't claim to have all of the answers. Hell, I don't even like keeping monster-sized fishes. But I do like creating unique habitats for all sorts of fishes, and just can't help but wonder...

Would love to see and hear from those of you who have cast aside the usual 'cautions" and conventional thinking and just went for it in this area. Was it really a disaster to keep clean and chemically stable...or was it just a disheveled tank that ran okay, despite the "redecorating" of the big fish who resided there?

Just something that popped into my head this morning.

Catch you soon.

Stay adventurous. Stay challenged. Stay brave. Stay curious. Stay creative.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Banging on the "bucket list..."

As fish geeks, we pretty much all have that “bucket list” of things we want to do with our hobby. Some of us have less lofty goals…you know, stuff we’ve intended to do but just haven’t gotten around to it. Going to The Amazon to collect your own Diamond Rays, breeding the African Butterflyfish...cool stuff.

You must have a bunch of stuff like that, right?

I know I certainly do!

In a lifetime of aquarium keeping, I still have dozens of things that I want to do…when I get around to it. In fact, the scary thing is that there is this sort of “inverse” law going on…The longer I’ve been in the hobby, the larger my list of things I want to do but haven’t yet grows! Please tell me that I’m not the only one who this has happened to?

Yeah, okay, whatever…I’m still trying to get to that list…I mean, I have like hundreds of diverse things I want to do, some dating back to my teenage years, or even earlier! That’s one of the cool things about spending a lifetime in the hobby- you get to be exposed to lots of ideas over a very long time span…good for the imagination- but a huge a strain on the budget and your free time!

And the list is really extensive, running the gamut from freshwater to saltwater dream tanks, experimental systems, biotopes, breeding schemes, plumbing setups, etc. The expansiveness of the list is only matched by the amount of fish-related crap I’ve accumulated over the decades in my garage…We all have “that closet” or place in the garage dedicated to THAT stuff, so don’t get me started…

So, I figured that if I’d come clean and list a bunch of stuff from my lifetime aquarium keeping “to-do” list, it might inspire some of YOU to jump on yours!

Anyways, here are just a few real gems from my list, which I actually keep in a little notebook I’ve had since high school…sort of geeky, I know, but still.. In no particular order:

*Large, seasonally-depth-changing Amazonian Igarape biotope aquarium, with Tetras, Knifefish, Discus, and Altum Angels (okay, so what if the Angels and Discus don't really go there...But it IS a fantasy tank, right?  Apparently I failed to think that one through all those years back!)




*Black sand monospecific reef aquarium covered with contrasting bright Pink Pocillopora damicornus (that’s not such a bad one, huh?)

*Super shallow look-down tank with a bottom comprised only of Ricordea or so-called "Bounce" Mushroom corals (I think it would cost most of my annual income to complete this project, however)

*Intertidal Brackish water biotope, with Scats, Monos, Puffers, and Pipefish (I mean, who HASN’t had this fantasy before, right? LOL)...okay, I"m actually working on a variation of this one!

*Marine Paludarium (look up this term if you don’t know what it is…I know you do by now!) designed to replicate a Palau “Coral Island”, complete with terrestrial tropical plants topside and lush corals underneath. (If you know me, you know I’ve been talking about this stupid idea for years- I should just do it already!)




*Shallow wide aquarium dedicated to only blennies and gobies (I dedicate this one to my friend Dave, the man who pretty much invented the concept of keeping dozens of what he calls “doinker” fish.. in a huge tank)

(Nice pic by Ted Judy, who gives me all sorts of crazy ideas!)

*Saltwater bare bottom “hardscape” with only Tonga branch rock and 20 assorted Damselfish (okay, so it’s really just an ill-fated FOWLR tank, right? Let a guy dream a bit, okay? I actually did something like this in the 1990’s, starting out with two dozen assorted damsels and ended up with just one big ugly Domino Damsel- ironically the ONLY Domino I had- as the “survivor.” What an awful “Lord of The Flies” type of experiment, right? Perhaps next time with Chromis?)


*The “Expedition to Easter Island.” The mission: Collect the ugly but uber cool Easter Island Pygmy Angelfish, Centropyge hotumatua…Why? Just because. Well, if you know me, you understand the obsession I have had with this fish. This absurd one actually had some legs to it, when Centropyge geek John Coppolino and I, apparently emboldened with too many gin and tonics or whatever, actually talked nose to nose about it in the lobby of a hotel during a MACNA some years back, literally for “like 4 hours straight..”(according to my then girlfriend.) Hmm. We got to the point of whipping out Iphones to look into airline prices, etc, before I finally came to my senses and opted to buy a house instead. Ah…still on my bucket list, nonetheless. I mean, EASTER FRIGGIN' ISLAND! Yeah.

"Can't get you out of my head." Centropyge hotumatua, photo by Leonard Ho.


*Seahorse and Pipefish Seagrass Biotope- Yeah, I actually started this one…Got the seagrass part going. Just never got around to getting the Seahorses. Did get some Pipefish…It was probably just a bit too ambitious for my 40x40x22 cube…I KNOW I could have completed it if I tried it with a smaller aquarium. Yup!



I'm still scheming...came close. Oh, so close...

*Fancy guppy breeding system- Um hmm- the full-blown dream scheme, complete with like 10-20 tanks, water sprite, and the ambition to show up the stodgy, arrogant old school breeders who dominated the show circuit back in the 1980’s. (Alas, I was a teenager, with bigger dreams than budget- and there were only so many tanks I could stuff in that bedroom of mine…Sigh. One day. One day.

(Weird side note...I co-owned a 5,000 square foot warehouse with like 15,000 US gallons of water, and STILL never did this...urghh!)



I just needed a bigger bedroom...sigh.

*Royal Gramma tank- So, how many reefers actually dream about this stuff? I do. Ever since a dive trip that took me to Belize, Roatan, and Grand Cayman, were I saw whole harems of these "beginner's fishes" living together in caves, I’ve had the urge to recreate something like that…Like 20 specimens, a rock overhang, Halimeda macro algae .maybe some gorgonians and a Hamlet, Blackcap Basslett or two as well..Complete with a colorful palette of maroalgae…(Maybe someday)

Well, there you have like 1/25th of my “Things I’m gonna do but haven’t yet” list. Every fish geek has one- or should have one, IMHO. Because without dreams, goals, and “one day I’m gonnas,” life can get kind of dull. Yes, live in the moment, but keep your dreams in front of you…There is so much out there to tackle in the aquarium hobby. Some of it is still the stuff of fantasy (yah, the swim-through Eagle Ray touch tank is a bit…ambitious), yet many of our dreams are easily attainable. Some are downright practical (“Someday I’m going to rearrange my sump so that I can actually change the reactor media without tearing apart the entire sump…’)

So, to borrow the phrase, “Just do it.” Or, just “try to do it..” Whatever. Have dreams. Build fantasy tanks, if only in your head…But don’t ever fail to write them down..take notes…discuss them with other fish geeks. The hard truth is that you may never actually get to some of them…Or, you may get to all of them. Regardless, just having ideas and working them into your current reality is pretty satisfying. It can benefit your reef, your animals, the hobby- and your spirit!

Let's hear some of your "I'm gonna get to" ideas.. Inspire others- or yourself!

So, dream the dream, live the reality, and make things happen. Stay ambitious. Stay creative.

And Stay Wet.

Oh, and buy some more botanicals from us, ‘cause we have some killer stuff right now! (Shameless capitalist plug…)

Catch you soon...getting on a plane to give a talk in Nebraska. Hope to have some cool pics and such to share throughout the weekend!

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

A brief intro into optimizing your fish population in the botanical-style, blackwater aquarium...

Part one of a periodic series on "functionally modeling" our aquariums on natural ecological niches...

One of the things I love about creating a dynamic blackwater, botanical-style aquarium is how you can really "optimize" it on many levels- aesthetically, functionally, and biologically. And the most interesting part of the "biological" side is...how you populate it with fishes, right?

Yeah, for many of us...although I confess that I do have a certain fascination with adding worms and crustaceans and such (as do some of YOU, I know!), which we've talked about before and no doubt, will again.

And the neat thing about the leaf-litter-dominated habitats, like the seasonally-flooded igapos, which we love so much is that surprisingly, these habitats host a variety of fishes living within and upon the allochthonous input from the forest. Within submerged litter banks, a diverse group of fishes forming surprisingly dense local populations has been found by researchers. And the population of these areas is often sequential, depending upon the appearance of available food sources.

How can this information be utilized in our aquarium efforts?

Well, it all starts with food. Rather, the type of food and how it occurs and where it's found...

What fishes are you likely to find in these newly inundated areas? Well, research suggests a fair amount of "the usual suspects", like Elachocharax or Characidium species ("Darter Tetras"), which are prime residents of these beds. And of course, other characins as well, drawn to the abundant food sources (the aforementioned Chironomids and such).

Quite simply, fishes "follow the food", and will populate and reproduce wherever the food is most easily accessible and abundant.

If we were really trying to recreate a naturally-occurring igapo-type system, it would make sense to initially stock the aquarium with small characins, like the Darters, Pyrrhulina, and Pencilfishes which seem "first to market" in these areas. 

Later, other opportunistic fishes, such as Rivulus, will take advantage of the abundant insect life near the surface of these inundated areas of the forest, further diversifying the fish population.

And ultimately, you'll see the Apistogramma and other small cichlids move into the neighborhood, exploiting more available food as the leaf litter begins to break down and support more and more insect larvae and such. 

And of course, as water levels remain higher, a wider variety of fishes, ranging from Amblydorus catfishes to Kinfefishes, start moving into the neighborhood. 

And ultimately, you'll even find true piscivores, like the Amazon Leaf Fish (Monocirrhus), taking advantage of the abundance of small fishes which form the bulk of their diets.

Monocirrhus polyacanthus (image by Daiju Azuma, used under CC BY-SA 2.5)

The complexity of the fish population in these seasonally-inundated habitats evolves along with the food sources, forming an ever-changing habitat with a surprisingly dynamic diversity.

By studying the natural "habitation sequence" and the reasons why the population changes, we can create interesting and very dynamic stocking sequences for our aquariums that seek to replicate this amazing habitat! Cory Hopkins' amazing tank, which we've featured a lot lately, bears a striking resemblance to the recently-inundated igapo forest floor, and is a great example of an aquarium which can serve as an aesthetic and functional representation of this niche.

Managing the population of fishes along the lines discussed above in an aquarium such as Cory's would be a fascinating first step in better understanding the benefits of the concept of "fish stocking optimization!"

So much more to discover, define, and discuss on this subject!

Stay engaged. Stay excited. Stay observant. Stay creative.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Moderating the "need for speed..."

I've touched on versions of this subject before, but I keep coming back to it.

I am frequently approached by hobbyists who, in their zeal to get a cool blackwater, botanical-style tank up and running, are always looking for some shortcut that will help them get a more "finished look" and tint more quickly. This always makes me cringe just a bit, because I think it's a direct by-product of our 24/7/365 social media cycle of sharing all of the cool stuff we're doing. We see the finished products.

We see those shots of natural habitats, and we want so badly to replicate them in our own tanks.

Now, there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to go "all-in" and to see the fruits of your labors as soon as feasible, but it's quite another to try to "hack" the process to speed things along.

Don't get me wrong. You can utilize botanical materials (specifically, certain leaves, like Magnolia and Catappa, and botanicals like Coco Curls, Rio Fruta, and Ceu Fruta) which release a large amount of color-producing tannins quickly. However, to achieve a stable, long-lasting display, you need to give the botanicals time to break down, soften, and decompose. All botanical items do this at a pace that is unique to them and their composition and structure, and sure, we can hasten the process a bit by boiling, but the real "magic" is done by nature over time.

You can't really push this too hard too fast, by throwing in larger and larger quantities of materials, because the impact on your tank, biologically and chemically, may be problematic- especially if you already have fishes living there. All of that dissolved organic material needs to be acted upon by life forms such as bacteria, etc. And those populations do not reach sufficient levels to make a meaningful "headway" in this process overnight. It takes a while. 

If you have a tankful of fishes, pushing too hard too fast can lead to pH swings, oxygen depletion/CO2 buildup, and the potential for other nasty things which would place fishes in jeopardy. 

Go slowly. Establish a regular pace, adding materials gradually, assessing along the way the impact of your additions. Sure, you might see the water tint after the first 24 hours...or not. This is only one indicator that things are "happening." And you should really evaluate and assess on say, a weekly basis, to see how you system is doing. Check basic water parameters and note deviations of changes. "Trend spotting", in this instance, is potentially life saving.

Most important, don't lock yourself into some sort of timetable for achieving a certain look or environmental conditions. I get it, you might be gunning for a contest deadline, a club event, etc., but as we've said so many times before, nature dictates the pace. Rather than be frustrated that your tank is not at some arbitrary "benchmark" by a specific date, enjoy it for where it's at. Savor the changes, the aesthetics, the function. Enjoy the process.

The "need for speed" is something that we shouldn't let influence our tank management decisions, especially when dealing with systems which involve natural processes. Let's celebrate the slowness- the patience it takes to achieve a lasting successful system.

I'd like to see more shots from our community of tanks just getting under way, of tanks in the "midst" of their "evolution"- documenting the changes, challenges, struggles, and victories along the way. Those "blank canvas" shots are just as inspiring as the "finished product" shots we share so much, because we can all relate to them so much. We need to celebrate that journey more. It's a huge part of the appeal of the blackwater, botanical-style aquarium, in my opinion.

Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.

Stay focused. Stay attentive. Stay engaged. Stay patient.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics  

Leaving safe harbor...

I had a conversation not too long ago with a customer of mine who is doing some experimenting with a non-photosynthetic gorgonian (a maricultured "Blueberry" Gorgonian) that he obtained, and it was one of those typical "aquarium bro" conversations. We talked about the challenges involved, and various ideas to feed the animal without polluting the system, etc. What was really cool about the conversation was that we were talking about doing something that, until really recently, would get you a lot of criticism from fellow reefers for even thinking about it. They would tell you that it was "irresponsible" to purchase and attempt to keep an animal that required specialized, intensive feeding, and that they belong left on the reefs. 

And they wouldn't be too far off, either.

However,  what was even cooler was the "qualifier" that my customer slipped in at the outset acknowledging that this was a challenging and different avenue, and that he was fully aware of the ethical considerations about trying to keep an animal that has a reputation for touchiness. Further, he was very careful to only purchase an animal that was maricultured, which was a pretty cool thing.

Think about it. Hey was taking on what had been long viewed as controversial, but was at least taking the most responsible type of approach, utilizing a maricultured specimen. It walks a fien line, still, but...

This is an example of the kind of "self policing" that we do as hobbyists. It's a bit different than in years past, when you'd simply be pounded from all sides for even considering trying something a bit out of the norm. In this more "enlightened" era of aquarium keeping, we're encouraging responsible experimentation, and we as hobbyists seem to be going into these types of new adventures with full consideration of the ethical and ecological impact of our work.

Granted, there are still many "taboo" things in the hobby that we dutifully avoid (like keeping deadly venomous animals in open top aquariums, or buying extra large breeder-size wild Altum Angelfishes, Rays, Sharks, etc.), but the fact is, we are trying different approaches and different ideas all the time now in a much more open-minded environment.  Responsible experimentation is encouraged.

Skepticism is vital. However, it's one thing to discuss potentially important issues about hobby topics, but it's quite another to discourage people from exploring the real benefits for themselves. Those attempting to split hairs on every issue of every new product, idea, or technique that comes along are missing the point of the hobby, IMHO.

We have amazing companies and hobbyists offering captive bred fishes that have never been in the hobby before, such as new varieties of Plecos, Apistos, and even wild Bettas. Livestock vendors tell me that customers are now are asking for pairs or groups of these rare fishes because they want to see if they can breed them...I mean, this is a quantum shift in the hobbyist mindset of decades past when just KEEPING a specimen of some of these fishes was cool!

I know more than one hobbyist who has a basement fish and plant propagation system that rivals those of some smaller professional vendors. Hobbyists are doing real propagation work with the intent of not just making a few bucks off of their hobby, but to FURTHER it by trying new techniques, different species, and new equipment to do the job. they're really going for it!

For the first time, we have super high-tech controllable DC water pumps that provide precise control for all sorts of applications. Electronic controllers that can create simulated weather patterns in lighting and water movement offer environmental simulation possibilities that could only have been dreamed of before!  Efficient, reliable alternatives exist for hobbyists to make almost any of their dream tank ideas work. Sure, not all of them are inexpensive, but the technology is there. More important, the thought process is there! Almost anything is possible!

In other words, hobbyists no longer speak in hushed whispers about creating some cool display system like they might have in the past. Sure, there will always be a few people that love to be "buzz kill" out there, but the majority of hobbyists, skeptical though they might be, seem to be rational, forward-thinking people who love the idea of pushing the hobby forward. As a group, we don't like unsubstantiated claims and vaguely-defined products with seemingly larger-than-life "benefits", but we DO like the ability to experiment and differentiate between what's real and what's hype. The truth seems to sort itself out more quickly these days. Products that make bold claims and assertions without the proof don't last long. Hobbyists are too smart, too resourceful, and thanks to the Internet- too communicative- to allow garbage products and ideas to linger long. It's an exciting era of "new responsibility' for manufacturers, vendors, and hobbyists alike.

We've come a long way in just a few decades, and the best is yet to come.

So if you have a dream, chances are there's an idea, product or person out there to help you achieve it! Don't keep the dream to yourself...share it with the world, discuss it...experiment. Don't be afraid to experiment responsibly. That's how we move forward. Forever forward.

Go for it.

I can't help but close with the motivating words of some unknown author (often erroneously attributed to Mark Twain) that sum it up best:

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

And, until next time...


Stay Wet

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

The appeal of chocolate...Gouramis, that is!

Of all of the fishes we keep in our blackwater aquariums, perhaps some of the most alluring, yet somewhat under-appreciated, are the Gouramis.

With over 130 species, four sub-families, and well over a dozen genera, the gouramis are a pretty broad family, part of the Osphronemidae, which includes the ridiculously popular Bettas.

Of particular interest to me of late has been the so-called Chocolate Gourami (Sphaerichthys osphromenoides). I love this species not only because of it's relatively small size- I love it because of it's subtle, "tan on brown" coloration, relatively passive demeanor, and their perfect appropriateness for a blackwater, botanical-style aquarium.

This fish has a fairly wide range, but is well-known to come from Malaysian state of Sarawak and Indonesian province of West Kalimantan (Kalimantan Barat). They tend to be found in highly acidic, blackwater habitats, such as the endangered peat swamps and blackwater streams in rain forests. 

(Peat swamp forest by Jeremiah Harris- used under CC BY-SA 3.0)

The swamps are particularly interesting to me, because they are associated with the rainforest floor and all of the botanical materials which accumulate there!

The accumulating peat in these swamps can be many feet deep, and the water layer above it can have a ph as low as 4- or less! The forest floors, much like those in South America, are seasonally inundated with the water, of course taking on that dark brown tannin-stained color that we're all fairly familiar with around here!

This obviously lends them to being replicated in some unique aquarium presentations, doesn't it?

And of course, we can replicate this habitat quite effectively with a mix of interesting botanicals, leaves, relatively dim lighting, and some appropriate aquatic plants! Tai Strietman's new aquarium (which we're going to feature soon in our "Inspiration" section!) was inspired by the environment of these unique fish and the others that inhabit this habitat.

These little gouramis, although not known to be specifically "gregarious" in nature, are interesting when kept in groups, displaying unique behavior and color. And they like relatively warm water, too! Like 75-82°F./24-28ºC- so you need to keep this in mind when selecting tank mates for them!

I think a nice mix of botanical on the substrate, with particular emphasis towards leaves and smaller palm-oriented materials, will really create a unique look for your aquarium!

We're really liking materials like "Cutch Tree Bark" and "Fundo Tropical", which can be mixed into the substrate to similar the spongy, peat-bottomed habitats of the Chocolate Gourami!

When skillfully blended with a mixture of plants and careful illumination, a unique biotope-style system can be created, including fishes like Rasbora and such, to compliment the shy, yet endearing gouramis.

This habitat might be a really good choice for replicating with a blackwater palladium, with shallow water, a densely planted "shoreline", and interesting diversity of botanical materials!

As we've learned with so many fishes in our blackwater journeys, providing them with specialized habitats designed to meet their unique needs generally seems to lead to better long-term outcomes than when we "force-fit" them into conditions that suit our own needs!

The endearing Chocolate Gourami is no different, and we've love to see more hobbyists working with these wonderful, often described as "touchy" fish under the proper conditions! What secrets will we unlock about this fish when we keep pushing in this direction? It gets me excited pondering the possibilities!

Yes, there is most definitely something appealing about Chocolate!

Stay adventurous. Stay intrigued. Stay Excited...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics