The Tint

August 21, 2016

One fish, two fish..er...just one fish?

Oh, we love to play those "what if" games as hobbyists, huh? You know, "What if you had a million dollars and access to any fish you wanted...what kind of dream fish room would you build?" Blah, blah, blah...stuff like that. We love the hypothetical. And I know from time to time, I've posed that classic Facebook fish poll: "If you could only keep one fish, what would it be?"

(Yeah. I'm not proud of it. Just admitting that I've asked it.)

But it did get me thinking about the idea of keeping one fish. Well, not the way you think. I mean, think about this: What if every hobbyist, in addition to keeping their usual menagerie of fishes, took it upon him or herself to dedicate some tank space and resources to maintaining one species of fish that he or she truly loves, and which doesn't have a high degree of hobby representation, for whatever reason?

You know, like that one species of obscure Apistogramma that is amazing, but has a reputation for being touchy? Or that one wild Betta species that is maybe not the sexiest looking thing, but comes from a habitat which is threatened, and may not be around in the wild much longer?

The Hatchetfish which would be awesome if it was just more hardy? You know, that sort of thing. Fishes that would benefit the hobby- and vice versa- from some love. Imagine you as a hobbyist really making the effort to learn everything possible about that one fish; it's needs, it's habits, it's breeding secrets. And really going all-out with it to give it the best possible care and dedication. Being an "expert"- you know, someone who "knows more and more about less and less", as they say.

Hmm..

Now I'm sure that a lot of you are already doing this. And I commend you for it. In fact, I know you are, as I just wrote a pice the other day talking about how cool you wild livebearer guys and gals are...But I'm thinking about it in a broader sense, kind of like the Breeders Award Programs we have at many clubs, except maybe no "reward" or glory, other than the knowledge of knowing you're doing something special for that one fish, and the satisfaction of sharing your findings with others. I just think it would be cool. And of course, there are tons of people who breed, say, fancy guppies, or Angels, or whatever. Duh. That's not what I'm getting at... Allow me to digress.

I remember when I was a kid, I was obsessed with the Black Ghost Knifefish, Apteronotus albifrons. I loved everything about it..I was completely taken by it. I learned as much as I could (this was just before the internet really took off, mind you- so it was all about magazines, books, and word-of-mouth from other hobbyists) about this unusual fish: The lore, the collection story (which we'll definitely touch on in a future piece!), its habitat, etc. As much as the fish was popular in the hobby- not much was known about it. It wasn't yet bred in captivity, and there was simply a lot to learn.

I thought it would be awesome to be "the guy" who figured out how to breed the fish...not just breed it, but to MASTER it! My mind ran off (as teenage kids' minds often do) and I imagined that I was SO good at breeding this fish that I had even created different "strains" of it- like the "Red Ghost", "Purple Ghost", etc.

Yeah. Okay. Earth to Scott...come back.

Now, my flight of fantasy was kind of absurd, although my heart was in the right place. I mean, it was a $20 plus fish back then, which was a lot of money to a kid. it needed a large tank. They were not all that common, either. Not he best choice, really. But I tried. I did keep a couple of specimens, learned what I could, Created a sort of "biotope" of tangled Azalea roots for them to swim in...dim lighting conditions (a single, low wattage fluorescent back then), and- I know you'll never believe THIS- blackwater!

I never did succeed in breading the fish, of course. However, I learned a LOT about it. The fishes I had lived for many years (through college, in fact, before I gave them away because I didn't have the space). I sort of considered myself an "armchair expert" on it. All because I was an obsessed fish geek who devoted some extra resources to this fish and it studied it. That idea; that feeling -never left me.

So many fishes out there to try this with. Obsessing...

We all do this to some extent. The idea of dedicating ourselves to one species has driven a lot of hobbyists; created a lot of multi-tank fish rooms!

Yet, I can't help but wonder how cool it would be for the hobby, the fish, and the environments from which they came if we all-each one of us- made the personal vow to obsess over one species. Like kind of a "right of passage" to being a fish geek. Something you just do.

One fish...not at the exclusion of all the others you love, of course. But, one fish that gets a bit of extra TLC and attention- for the advancement of the hobby, and the protection of the species...

What would your species be?

Simple idea for an early Sunday morning here in Los Angeles.

Stay focused. Stay obsessed. Stay geeky.

Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

August 20, 2016

0 comments

Making the next "mental stretch"

Are you getting a bit more comfortable with the whole "botanical" thing? Starting to understand the dynamics of a botanical-influenced system, with its litany of decomposing leaves, occasional biofilms, algae, and brown water?

Finding that you actually LIKE it?

Cool, sounds like you've made that "mental shift" I'm always blabbing on about here! You've probably also developed an appreciation for periodically "refreshing" your aquascape as you add new botanicals and leaves to replace those that have broken down. The understanding that a blackwater, "New Botanical-style" aquarium is a dynamic, ever-changing system is the next "mental stretch" we have to make as we get used to playing with these types of systems over the long haul.

Just as in nature, over time, leaves and botanical materials break down, switch location, and change in color, appearance, and texture. This is the inevitable course of biological materials under water.

I remember reading in a book or article years ago, a passage that said something to the effect that, "...as soon as we set our aquarium up, the careful environment we created begins to deteriorate.." I always thought it was such a negative viewpoint. And, in light of my experience with botanical-influenced aquarium, I'm inclined to say something like, "...from the minute we set up our aquariums, the careful environment that we have constructed begins to...evolve."

And we, as aquarists, have to learn to understand and appreciate this. We have to embrace the change, the evolution of our aquariums...we must understand that our carefully-created hardscape will not look at all like it did when we first set it up a few months back. It will evolve naturally and beautifully, if we allow it to do so.

And we can use this to our advantage, actually. What do I mean? Well, think about this. In nature, there are different densities of materials in the water at different times of the year (i.e.; the dry season or rainy season), and thus, the underwater landscape will look different seasonally.

So, we can actually create a seasonal look to our tank, refreshing the botanicals and leaves from time to time- adding more significant numbers of materials, as opposed to just "topping off" the ones that have broken down.

Or, we can change the composition of the scape, increasing the ratio of leaves to other botanicals, for example, which creates a new look- a new aesthetic balance. And evolving, dynamic, aquascape.

We could experiment with things like adding plants, which creates an entirely new aesthetic touch in our botanical hardscape.

In the aquarium, like in nature, the changes to the physical environment will influence the behavior of the inhabitants. Loss of hiding or foraging areas in one part of the aquarium will compel your fishes to fin other locales within the system to utilize. Again, just like in nature.

Obviosuly, an aquarium is not the natural environment. It is, however, a microcosm- a snapshot, facsimile, or replication of the natural environment, and is subject to the laws of nature. Sure, we can manipulate, enhance, and "assist" nature in our aquariums. And we can certainly, and most easily embrace it, marveling at the "edits" that nature does in our aquariums, as it his done for eons in the lakes, streams, and rivers of the world.

Embrace the change. Enjoy nature at work. Assist, enjoy, and work with nature in your aquarium, and you'll develop an even greater appreciation for the beauty of the natural world, and have a lot more fun doing so!

Stay engaged. Stay attuned. Stay observant. Stay creative.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquaitcs

P.S- Thanks to Luis Navarro, James Sheen, Tai Streitman, and Andrew Kieffer for their awesome pics in this piece!

August 18, 2016

1 comment

Among the pretty leaves...

After following us for the better part of a year now, you're probably acutely aware that we're really into leaf litter biotopes, and creating aquariums that replicate this unique habitat. And of course, when you're creating such a habitat in your aquarium, it makes sense that you'd want to give a lot of thought to the fishes which will reside there! I mean, the obvious question here is, "What fishes are suitable/appropriate for a leaf litter biotope-type aquarium?"

A great question; happy you asked!

First off, a quick review. As you recall, leaf litter beds are found throughout tropical rivers,s teams, and other watercourses around the world, from South America, to Asia, and Africa, to name just a few regions. They are remarkably productive habitats, because they offer not only shelter for their inhabitants, but food items, an area to reproduce, and function as a "nursery" of sorts for larval fishes to shelter and feed in. They are among the most productive environments in the wild.

In the case of South American, litter beds, you're likely to find many species of fishes, distributed among a dozen or more types. You're likely to find Catfishes, characins, and cichlids, just to name a few. Today, we'll focus on South America, and look at a few fishes that you might not have previously considered for your leaf litter aquarium! If you're a SE Asia or African fan- not to worry- we'll touch on those soon in a different installments!

Some of the more interesting fishes in South American leaf litter beds are the so-called "Darter Tetras" from the subgroup Characidiinae, which has over 70 species. These fishes are fairly abundant in nature, yet don't find their way into the trade all that often. When they do, you should jump at the opportunity to snap these fishes up! Why aren't they more common? Well, for one thing, they're little fishes that tend to hop along the bottom and hide amongst the leaves. And they tend to take on rather cryptic color patterns to blend in with their surroundings. So, yeah- probably not the first fish the collector is likely to go after...I bet that most of them are "by catch" in the hunt for more popular, economically rewarding species.

One of the endearing features about these fishes is that, unlike other characins, they are bottom-dwelling fishes which tend to hop around on the bottom of the aquarium. Some species, like the little "Green Darter Tetra", Ammocryptocharax elegans, like to cling to leaves or aquatic plants, and will camouflage themselves by taking on the coloration of the plants or leaves.

They're little "ambush predators" (scary if you're a small crustacean or aquatic insect- laughable to almost anything else!), and play their role well! The other "common" darter Tetra in the trade that you should watch out for is Elachocharax pulcher, a species that seems to hang out just below the litter surface where the leaves are not so old and decomposed, hiding in the little "interstitial cavities" created by the litter. It's also a petite little predator, and, like the Green Darter, feeds on small crustaceans (like Daphnia, Cyclops, etc.) and insects.

Of course, those of us who love cichlids would not be disappointed when looking for suitable specimens for our litter-bed themed aquariums. The genus Apistogramma offers some beautiful, and fairly popular fish that would be perfect! One of the more common Apistos found in leaf litter surveys I've read seems to be Apistogramma cf. regani, a beautiful and interesting little fish. The reality is that many species of Apistos are suitable for leaf litter-themed aquariums. In nature, they are often found in groups, and if your aquarium is large enough, this would be a very cool way to keep them! Try a group of your faves!

And of course, you could always incorporate a catfish! Among the more unusual, yet perfectly suited ones for such a setup would be Amblydoras nauticus, the "Marbled Raphael Catfish." This species is a nocturnal scavenger, is easy to keep, and makes a near perfect community tank fish. They get along well with just about any fishes we're bound to keep, and eat like little pigs!

If you're looking for something a bit more familiar-looking- a fish you can actually see more often- then you'd be hard-pressed to find a more appropriate candidate than a Pyrrulina species! These little characins are closely related to the "Splash Tetras" (Copeina and Copella species), with a few minor anatomical differences. They are surprisingly colorful, interesting, and easy to keep fishes that fill a similar role and niche in the leaf litter zones as the better-known (in the aquarium world, at least) Pencilfishes.

Obviously, there are many other fishes that call the leaf litter beds home, but these are just a few of the interesting choices that you may not have considered when deciding to play with this type of aquarium. With a little creative license, yo can utilize an interesting mix of fishes to really make your leaf litter aquarium come alive! And far be it from me to stop you from mixing in a few Southeast Asian or African leaf litter bed dwellers for fun and interest! We'll cover some choices from those regions in upcoming blogs!

In the mean time, look beyond the common, and you'll find some really cool choices that you might not have previously considered!

Enjoy the process...enjoy the fishes!

And Stay Wet!

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

August 17, 2016

0 comments

The masses are...important.

Today's little rant is dedicated to the many, many dedicated mend and women who work in the aquatics industry at every level..and to the hobbyists and non-hobbyists alike home they serve.

A lot of people wonder what it's like to work in the aquatics industry. Of course, my quick and dirty answer would be, 'It's awesome!"

Now, having partnered in one aquatics company (Unique Corals) and founded another in Tannin Aquatics, as well as working in several other aquatics-related businesses over the years, I can look back and sort of "analyze" the whole thing. Today, I'm fortunate enough to be dealing with engaged, dedicated hobbyists, such as yourself. You "get it."

It wasn't always this way...working in the past years with people who, although they liked fishes, really were not about the hobby. Those of you who work at an LFS understand this right away! You have to make this sort of mental adjustment to the fact that, as a hobbyist, you tend to view things differently, right? It's not as easy as one might think.

As a die-hard aquarium hobbyist, you tend to get a bit jaded- hardened, perhaps, to the foibles of the casual "aquarium keeper." Noticed I said "aquarium keeper"- because not everyone who has an aquarium in his/her home is a hobbyist! In fact, a surprisingly large number of people who keep an aquarium simply enjoy their tank as a display of “kinetic art”, and view it as little more than a piece of furniture- the way you and I might view a chair or table. As a hardcore hobbyist, I remember how it was a bit difficult to accept this point of view, yet the reality is that if you work in the industry, you need to accept the fact that people have all kinds of reasons to have a home aquarium. It's not our job to pass judgement.

It IS our job to offer counsel and guidance, however.

So, does that mean that I now look down on anyone who has an aquarium and is not a hobbyist? Does everyone have to be a multi-tank, live-worms-in-the-freezer fish geek? Of course not! What it does mean is that you and I- the industry professionals and hardcore hobbyists- have a responsibility to let these people know that they are purchasing animals which represent and absolutely precious resource, and that they should really appreciate the wonders of nature that they are now keeping in the comfort of their own home or office. Getting everyday people excited about the hobby, the science, and the art of aquariums is challenging and rewarding. It’s good “PR” for the trade/hobby, too. And that’s a mission we can all take part in!

Sure, like many of you who work in the trade, I've certainly had to bite my lip on a number of occasions over the years, like the time when I managed an aquarium design firm, when a non-hobbyist customer insisted that the stocking plan for their 75 gallon aquarium had to incorporate at least “a dozen of those blue fishes from Finding Nemo” (ie; the Blue or “Hippo” Tang). Arghh. And I remember distinctly at least two or three requests to create saltwater aquariums with some “coral plants” (don't start me...) and get the whole thing fully stocked “before the holiday party”. And sharks. Always sharks...

Now granted, everyone who is a non-hobbyist is not necessarily this ignorant- with more money than common sense, but you do have to temper your responses sometimes. I’ve learned that you can give the customer what he or she wants without having to compromise your personal ethics and sense of responsibility to the animals. Fish are not just “merchandise” to many of us, and we need to let the customer know this. As in so many endeavors, empathy and communication go a long way. Take the time to share your enthusiasm with an aquarium keeper now and then and see where it goes!

Sure, you'll deal with the occasional person who simply won't see things your way, and you'll have to make the moral/business choice about dealing with this person or "letting them go..."

However, on occasion...just often enough- you'll ignite some child-like excitement in a "non-believer" and end up creating a genuine, fully-dedicated, lifelong aquarium hobbyist!

Those of us in the aquarium industry do have a really interesting job: We’re charged with helping people enjoy that which they already love, and educating those who don’t understand about the responsibility that goes along with what they are doing. The benefactors of this work are the animals that we cherish, and the hobby/industry as a whole. If we do our jobs well, we can help preach the twin merits of responsibility and appreciation for the wonders of nature in a very subtle, non-preachy manner. The many vendors, local fish store employees, and industry people you might know are doing this every day.

I can think of a lot more mundane and less enjoyable ways to earn a living!

And, you’d think that dealing with this kind of stuff every day would burn you out after a time. I don’t know about that! I actually think that my involvement in the industry has given me an even greater urge to lead by example, to practice the hobby at a level that helps inspire others, pushes the envelope, and advances the sate of the art.

That's what lead to the founding of Tannin Aquatics. And it will lead to the establishment of many other interesting and dynamic aquarium-related businesses by dedicated fish people worldwide.

To my fellow industry people, I congratulate you for doing what you already do so well, and I challenge you to continue to push yourselves even harder to excite those who we serve. To the dedicated hobbyists out there, you know the mission already. In a very tangible way, we can all help nurture the hobby onto a path that will benefit both the animals and the trade for decades to come.

So, to those of you who are already in this industry- and to those of you yet to take the plunge...

Stay bold. Stay innovative. Stay compassionate.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

August 16, 2016

0 comments

The long road...

Having set up more than aquarium systems in my time, I never seem to be surprised at my true hobbyist impatience! Let’s face it—once we get the plumbing done, the lighting tweaked, leaks sealed, and aquascaping set, we’re absolutely hell-bent on getting some fishes in there! I mean—we’ve waited so long for “first water” in the tank that it’s time to enjoy the fruits of our labor. We need to get the fishes in there right away…even just a few.

Right?

Well, stop and think about this for a minute. Would you like to move into a house, which didn’t have a refrigerator or pantry stocked with at least some food? I wouldn’t, for sure. Unlike humans, fishes seem to have not lost their genetic programming for grazing and hunting for food (although some days I wonder about this myself...). Let’s face it—most of the waking hours of aquatic animals are devoted to acquiring food and reproducing (hmm…not a bad lifestyle, actually, huh?). Even our captive animals, spoiled by frozen and freeze-dried foods, could benefit from having some natural food sources to hunt and graze for.

I've kicked this idea around a lot over the years...time for you to kick it and tell me if it's a completely dumb idea or not: Couldn't we provide for our animals’ needs by supplementing their prepared diet with some “pre-stocked” natural foods in their new home? Now, I’m not talking about tossing in a few frozen brine shrimp hours before the first fishes go in the tank—I’m talking about a deliberate, systematic attempt to cultivate some living food sources within the system before a fish ever hits the water! Imagine a “new” aquarium system offering numerous foraging opportunities for it’s new inhabitants!

Hardly novel form the standpoint that there are always some small life forms present in even a new aquarium, such as the odd paramecium, copepod...whatever that "hitchhikes" in on a rock or plant or filter media. However, the idea of really kicking it up a notch and deliberately adding some additional potential food sources before adding fishes seems kind of cool to me!

Now, from a practical standpoint- it seems easy enough, right?

“C’mon, Scott. You’re crazy! First, you preach about decomposing leaves and biofilms...now you're talking about leaving a newly -set-up aquarium fallow...It could take a month or more to accomplish this. I’ve just spent lots of cash and time setting up this tank and you want me to keep this tank devoid of fishes while the my reproduce?”

Okay, you made a good argument! That’s what I would say too! Remember, mental shifts are cool...I'm just asking you to consider this. It is a bit...well, different.

Yet, in my last two aquariums, this is exactly what I did. In particular, our office tank, which yo see a lot of on these pages, got this very "treatment." I rationalized this by acknowledging that I would be stocking these tanks with wild fishes that do like to forge, such as headstanders, catfishes, dwarf cichlids, and later on, Sailfin Tetras and other characins. I felt it would be cool to give their homes a little "culinary kick start."

Since they were botanical-influenced tanks, with a lot of deliberate use of leaf litter, seed pods, and wood, it was pretty easy to do. I just let the leaves settle in, soften, and start to break down just a bit. Then, I added some live Daphnia cultures, as well as Cyclops, along with a few Black Worms tossed in the substrate (Okay, the worms were a feeble gesture, but it was an experiment, right). I eventually sourced some live Gammarus ("Scuds", as hobbyists call them..), which seemed to do well in the leaf litter!

I let the tank sit empty of fishes for almost a month..Just tossed in some food here and there. I did stock the tank with some "Amano Shrimp" and other Neocaridina shrimp to help break down some of the leaves a bit, which they did.

The Daphnia, free from fishy predators, started to reach a fairly noticeable population, believe it or not. I would see them in the afternoon swarming near one side of the tank when sunlight hit it. The Gammarus could be seen crawling and flitting about the leaf litter, apparently doing what came natural to them...eating and reproducing. If you read up on them, you'll note that decomposing leaves are a recommended means of culturing them..

Sweet. I had a ton of decomposing leaves, right?

And you know what? I was keeping finicky Headstanders, and some wild Iguanodectes spilurus in the tank from pretty early on in the tank's life, with no losses, and fsurprisingly at and happy fishes actively foraging for natural food sources among the leaf litter between regular feedings. And I’m no genius, trust me. I don’t have half the skills many of you do- but I have succeeded with many delicate “hard-to-feed” fishes over my hobby “career.” Delicate fishes require careful handling, regardless of who the aquarist is. Why not utilize a simple technique to give these animals every advantage possible? It works in reefs, African cichlid tanks, and good old-fashioned community systems, too.

How do you do it? Just like I did. . Once you’ve got the system set up, you simply start adding cultures of Daphnia, Gammarus, etc., along with other micro/macro fauna your research tells you are healthy, disease-free, and edible.

And of course, you can always toss in an old algae-coated piece of wood, a rock, or other decoration from a healthy, established tank to help things along, too. In fact, for herbivores, having at least a few pieces of rock or wood in the aquarium upon which they can forage natural from day on in your system is not a bad idea at all, right?

Wait a minimum of three weeks—and even up to a month or more- if you can stand it, and you will have an amazing population of micro and macro fauna upon which your fishes can forage between feedings. Having a “pre-stocked” system helps reduce a considerable amount of stress for new inhabitants, particularly for those fishes that have reputations as “delicate” feeders, especially wild fishes that have a tough time acclimating to prepared food. The idea works great for fry rearing tanks, too...

You can run the lights on a regular cycle or you could be more economical and just run them a few hours a day until you start stocking with fishes and plants. You can lightly “feed” the tank with foods like pellets, flakes or freeze-dried foods once in a while.

Break out the flashlight and the magnifier some evening and check out the action! After a couple of weeks, you’ll see a remarkably large population of creatures crawling about, free from fishy predators, foraging on algae and detritus, and happily reproducing in your tank. It's pretty cool!

It takes a certain patience- and a certain leap of faith-to do this. I’ve been doing it for a while and I can tell you it works for me. If you like delicate or difficult-to-feed fishes, it’s a technique that could help you succeed where you’ve failed in the past. Trust me, I’ve been there. The point of this practice is to help develop—or I should say—to encourage the development of supplemental natural food sources in the system- before their populations can be devastated by your fishes. And like any idea, it deserves nuancing and refinement!

It’s not always easy to try something a little out of the ordinary, or a bit against the grain of popular practice, but I commend you for even thinking about the idea. At the very least, it may give you pause to how you stock your tank in the future, like "Herbivores first, micro predators last", or whatever thought you subscribe to. Allow your system to mature and develop at least some populations of fauna for these fishes to supplement their diets with. You’ll develop a whole new appreciation for how an aquarium evolves when you take this long, but very cool road.

Until next time.

Be adventurous. Be innovative. Stay skeptical. Stay engaged.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquaitcs

August 15, 2016

0 comments

It really IS all about you.

One of the things we've noticed since we started Tannin has been a surprising number of hobbyists around the world making that "mental shift" we speak of so often around here- accepting a different aesthetic and developing some practices which encourage the accumulation of tannins and the fostering of a more natural looking- and functioning- aquarium. I am so proud of the many hobbyists who have let some of the dogma surrounding what "everyone" thinks an aquarium should look like, and embraced our personal journeys of aquatic self-discovery.

I think my concept of a natural-inspired aquarium is different than the conventional hobby adopted concept of the hardcore "biotope aquarium", and it's important that you understand this. I think it's amazing to mimic some very specific environmental and regional aquatic features. It's a big change, and often near impossible to find materials from the exact environments we're attempting to replicate. Nonetheless, there are many amazing examples of fantastic biotope aquariums created by hobbyists around the world- and I salute them! Stunning achievements!

I have always enjoyed the idea of attempting to replicate a type of niche or create an aquarium "based upon or "inspired by" a specific region- like "Amazonia"- a ridiculously large and varied canvas, I know...but when taken in a broader, more "interpretive" sense, it creates a framework for a very enjoyable aquarium experience for us, and a great home for our fishes!

I think that we as hobbyists tend to get too caught up in some of the minutiae, which can detour us from the overall enjoyment of what we're doing. Now, if you're entering a biotope competition and represent your aquarium as an authentic "Rio Tarumahzino biotope", prepare for a "right beat down" from the judges if every item in the aquarium does not come from that area. It's just the way things are in the hobby/competition area, and far be it from me to criticize this. It's not what I myself am into, but it's important to a lot of people nonetheless.

However, if you're a hobbyist looking to create a cool aquarium that is reminiscent of, or representative of- a blackwater stream "in The Amazonian region", well, no worries. You can use whatever materials you'll adequately convey your interpretation of the area your modeling. It's no one's place to tell you how to create your aquarium. It's nobody's place to make you feel bad because the twig you are using in your home "Rio Xingu"-themed catfish tank didn't come from the Rio Xingu. That kind of ridiculous, rigid thinking has no place in our enjoyable hobby, IMHO.

Again, if you're entering into a contest and trying to pass off your system as an authentic biotope from specific area, you need to play by "their" rules and accept the inevitable criticisms. Just how it is. However, for your own enjoyment...it's completely up to you.

I suppose it seems odd that I'm even mentioning this.

However, I know a lot of people consider Tannin a company that "markets materials for biotope aquariums." And in the sense that we offer materials to help create representations of natural systems, we do. However, it's important to remember that the botanicals we offer come from all over the world, and may not necessarily hail from the region you're trying to replicate. So, if you want botanicals materials that represent the materials found in specific tropical streams, rivers, and lakes- we're your company! I've always felt that Tannin is a company that caters to hobbyists who wish to create aquatic displays that resemble various natural habitats. Simple as that. ( You see it in our product descriptions- "These pods resemble the ones found in..." Blah, blah, blah.) Oh, yeah, and we really are into offering materials that help you recreate blackwater environments! (generically, of course, so as not to upset the sensibilities of any purists out there!)

It's enough to make your head spin sometimes, isn't it? I've always been about taking a personal approach to what I do, and I think many hobbyists do. From time to time, that means talking about our values. The real point of this little discussion is to let you know that, with the ever-increasing attention on Tannin from a global audience- we won't abandon our core principles, ideas; our modus operandi. We're going to stay ""on point to continue to provide you with materials, supplies, and inspiration to help you create YOUR vision, playing by YOUR rules. No one else's.

It really is "all about you!"

That's it for today...Busy Monday..We're shipping a lot of orders, and getting really for some exciting new items to be added to our selection very soon! Stay tuned!

So...Stay original. Stay authentic to yourself. Stay open-minded. Stay enthusiastic.

And stay wet!

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

August 13, 2016

0 comments

Pleasant surprises on the road to "darkness"

Hard to believe we've been in business for a little over a year. During that time, hundreds of hobbyists have gotten to experience "The Tint", and have been enjoying planning, creating and managing blackwater, botanical-based aquariums. Many of you had never really worked with this kind of aquarium until you found us, and your whole "tint experience" was maybe playing with some peat moss or a few Indian Almond leaves.

As our collective experiences have evolved, we've developed not only techniques, philosophies, and expectations of how these aquariums work- we've developed 'best practices" and a more keen understanding of the long-term management of blackwater, botanical-influenced systems.

In the years that I've been working with these types of aquariums- and since we've began offering botanical products for creating blackwater aquariums, we've made bunch of personal discoveries- some of which were pleasant surprise...Let's look at what we think are the top 4 pleasant surprises:

Blackwater aquariums can be surprisingly stable, easy to manage environments- Despite the potential perils that a low ph, low alkalinity environment could bring, I've personally discovered- along with many of you- that these systems are surprisingly consistent once established. After some initial pH swings of a few points in the first weeks of existence, it seems like every blackwater aquarium I've set up sort of "finds it's own rhythm" after a month or so.

Once you develop- and stick to- a routine of botanical "stocking and replenishment" (i.e.; arriving at a quantity of leaves and other botanicals that gives your tank the desired effect), and establish a regular water exchange schedule, then maintaining the environmental parameters in the tank has proven to be no more difficult than any other, in our experience. Basic water quality management and husbandry techniques that apply to any other type of tank are just as valid in a blackwater system. The aquarium "C and C's"- Your good old common sense and consistent habits- get the job done!

The fishes...oh, the fishes- Yeah, it's not a secret that many of the most popular aquarium fishes come from blackwater environments, so you'd figure it would be a no-brainer that they'd look good in such an aquarium. And you're correct! What's been really interesting to me is that I've even kept, for example, Tetras, which I know have been captive bred, hard water-acclimated stock for a few generations- in these systems, and the look even better! Something about eons of adaptation to this type of environment that even a few dozen captive-bred generations hasn't diminished.

There is something about the tannins, the lower pH, the soft water- and I think, the overall, darker environment and the presence of more natural "feeling" materials, like leaves and seed pods- in a blackwater, botanical-based system which makes the fishes feel more comfortable. As simple as that, And we know that a more comfortable, better-adjusted fish leads a healthier, longer, and more reproductively abundant life. In fact, since our office blackwater tanks has been up (about 9 months now), we've had spawns of Pencilfish, Sailfin Tetras, 2 Hyphessobrycon species, Apistogramma, and on at least one occasion, some Otocinculus. And those were just "incidental" spawnings, which we did not plan or encourage.

Plants grow pretty nicely in blackwater tanks if their needs are met- I'm not the only one who's done this. Many, many of you have. And many before you, which kept plants like Cryptocoryne, etc. in tannin-stained waters with success. However, for some odd reason, the mainstream hobby view was- and is- that plants in general cannot do well in the darker environment of a blackwater aquarium. Now, part of the reason for this thinking is that, in wild blackwater environments you don't find tons of aquatic plants- so right there, we have a message form nature telling us "This probably isn't a good idea..." Right? Well, not really. The reality is that, with their needs taken care of, including more light to penetrate the darker water for some species-many plants do quite well. In fact, many beautiful planted blackwater aquariums are starting to up.

To me, this is an instance where there was good reason why people had the attitude they did about the subject. However, thanks to some diligent hobbyists simply doing something instead of listening to the naysayers, we're seeing a lot of really cool displays emerge. Sure, these may not be as optimal for every variety of plant as a highly-controlled, thoughtfully-managed dedicated planted aquarium, but we are seeing much success where previously it was sort of a "no-go" subject. There is still a lot of room for hobbyist participation and experimentation in this area- so what are you waiting for?

You're not all that freaked out about biofilms, decomposing leaves, and a little algae now and then- Yeah! You've made the "mental shift" to accepting what a truly "natural-looking" aquarium looks and functions like. You understand that exposed surfaces of materials like seed pods and leaves can and will will recruit biofilms and the occasional algal growth. And you get that biofilms are a huge benefit to many animals, like our ornamental shrimp, catfishes, and grazing fishes. You also realize that many of these biofilms and the occasional accompanying algal growth are signs that your system is doing what it's supposed to do. It's supporting a population of organisms, many of which perform beneficial nutrient processing functions- just as they do in nature. And they are often "ephemeral", gradually declining, and in some tanks, never making an appearance at all. And you know, you can remove it if you can't handle it...

What's more, we're realizing that the aesthetics of decomposing leaves and biofilms in the aquarium offers us as hobbyists an opportunity to see nature as it really is. It's not neatly organized rows of perfectly manicured plans and sterile white sand. Rather, nature is a dynamic, vibrant, earthy, and altogether random association of life forms, growing, thriving, and functioning in a way that has little regard for our aesthetic taste. We have to make the decision to accommodate nature and its "desires" in a botanical-influenced blackwater aquariums. Sure, we set the "stage" with our wood, leaves, and botanicals. Yet nature has the final say in how it all plays out. Accepting this is a beautiful and evolving philosophy in the hobby, which I'm very proud to be associated with.

So, while the "road to darkness" is not all "unicorns and candy canes", with everything super easy and smooth- it certainly has proven to be an educational, enlightening, and ultimately satisfying sector of the aquarium hobby for an increasingly larger number of aquarists. And more important- blackwater, botanical-style aquarium have given numerous hobbyists a new creative outlet- a "testbed" for new ideas, new ways to maintain our favorite fishes, or to acclimate new, more challenging ones into captivity.

The frontier of blackwater aquariums is evolving, growing, and changing every day, thanks to the efforts, enthusiasm, and bold nature of YOU- the hobbyists who make dreams become realities; contribute to the body of knowledge, and push the limits.

Keep learning. Keep sharing. Keep pushing. Stay adventurous. Stay defiant. Stay engaged.

And stay wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

August 12, 2016

0 comments

To my friend Linda...this blog is inspired by you!

What's wrong?

It's kind of hard when you can't really tell, isn't it? Many of us have had that weird experience of glancing at our aquarium one morning, giving it a good, long stare, and concluding that "Something is just not right..."

That's a pretty unnerving feeling- especially if you're a veteran hobbyist, isn't it? I mean, after a few years in the fish game, you'll often find that your "feelings" about stuff like this are usually not without merit.

Something probably IS wrong in the tank.

Did it catch you off guard? Did you see it coming? What to do?

Yeah, I'm in one of those "heal people" modes today...Had a friend call about a disaster in her aquarium the other day that, well, she sort of saw coming...but didn't really follow her instincts...

We've all been to that place before, right?

I mean, there is something wrong- you know that. Something doesn't look right, smell right, sound right...feel right. You can't put a finger on it. All signs point to a brewing problem. An instinctive feel...There were- perhaps, a few things-that, when looked at individually, appeared to be unrelated; uncorrelated.

But you took one glance at the system and you knew- knew that something was wrong. And the weird thing is, it could have been a long time coming, not some sudden, catastrophic event. Perhaps that little incident on Tuesday. You know, the one where you forgot to do that thing that you usually do?

Or maybe, just maybe, it was that you failed to notice that trending decline in an important parameter. Maybe you've gotten, I don't know- complacent, perhaps? Casual? Or just too busy to notice? Maybe you just focused on the wrong things...Stuff that you needed to focus on fell by the wayside in order to monitor more obvious, easier-to-manage stuff. We've touched on this before. Maybe you even knew there was the potential for problems but decided not to deal with it at the time. Human nature, perhaps?

Regardless...now something is now wrong, and you can't just talk to your corals and fishes to find out what it is. You have to sift through the available evidence, analyze what you've seen, and figure out how any of this stuff-either individually or collectively- could have created a problem.

You need to ask questions...of yourself. Did you change something recently that you always do? You know, something that was working perfectly? Or did you simply decide that you didn't need to do it this time, because_____________?

Or perhaps, there was something you were or weren't doing from the get-go, but you flat out got away with it....and now it's catching up. Something is failing. Perhaps it's been eating at you inside for a long time; perhaps it's something you knew you needed to address, but, for whatever reason, you kept burying it, pushing it towards the back of the mental "aquarium to do" list.

Guess what?

It's okay. It's all okay. It's okay because you know now, and admit that something is wrong. You can't really run from it or deny it. You have two simple choices:

1) Fix it.

2) Let it go.

I'll wager that, if you're like most hobbyists, you'll opt for #1. However, if you opt for #2, that's okay too, in a way...Because at least you addressed the problem and decided not to do anything about it. At least you admitted, acknowledged there was a problem, and for whatever reason, chose not to act on it right now.

If you chose number 1, your mission, although perhaps aggravating, is pretty straightforward: Find out what's wrong and make it better.. By deciding to fix the problem, you're being courageous, facing the concerns, fears, issues without ducking from them. That's a huge positive in my book.

It hurts to admit that we've done something wrong sometimes. It's hard when you were warned about the consequences by others, or knew about them yourself, and chose to ignore them. It sucks. But guess what? When you attack a problem head on to fix it, once and for all- it's not a problem anymore. You just need to set your fears, worries, and yeah- ego- aside for a bit, and, as the old Nike slogan goes, "Just DO it."

Follow those instincts that tell you something isn't right. Solve the problem.

It works great in life- and by extension, it works amazingly in aquarium practice.

In my mind, many of the toughest obstacles we face in aquarium keeping are the ones in our own heads. With those obstacles removed, we're unstoppable.

Really.

Stay bold. Stay honest with yourself. Your reef will thank you for it.

And stay wet.

Scott Fellman

August 11, 2016

0 comments

"May we recommend?" The idea behind our new product icons.

One of the best things about having a growing company like Tannin Aquatics is that there is always something new- always something changing, and we have a great opportunity to "change on the fly", as they say, and make adjustments to our practices, policies, offerings, and web site. One thing that is always consistent, however, is our dedication to providing you the best possible products, service, and experience.

As you've noticed, we're expanding our international operations significantly, and the need to convey information in a simple, effective manner to hobbyists who speak different languages is very important. We receive a lot of compliments on the design and appearance of our website, but we're not content to sit on our laurels. We are constantly looking for ways to create a better customer experience. Your feedback is always welcome!

One of the most common questions we receive about our botanicals is, "Does __________ work with __________?" This made us realize that it would really be great to give you a way to tell, at a glance, what animals we feel a given product would work well with- and that you could understand regardless of what your primary language is. So, we had our graphics guy design us three different icons: A fish, a shrimp, and a frog. We have these placed discreetly at the bottom of every botanical description on our site, as well as on the foods we offer.

Thus, you'll know at a glance what animals we feel a given product works best with. We show them in order of what animals we feel they are best suited for.

Now, we realize that pretty much every botanical we offer could "work" with pretty much anything we keep as aquatic pets, yet it made sense to sort of give you some recommendations based on our experience and opinions. However, we felt some stuff made more sense for some animals than others.

For example, a "Monkey Pot" is well loved by Frog and herp people in vivariums. So, the first icon there is the frog. And, more and more people play around with them in aquarium, too. So we threw in the fish icon. Can they work with shrimp? Well, sure, but with their size and relative "toughness", there are better botanicals to use with shrimp, so we elected not to include the shrimp icon after the product description.

"Sino Xicara Pods" are perfect for vivariums, and utterly frustrating for aquariums, because they float like mad. So it made no sense to recommend them for anything but frogs and herps. Get it?

And of course, there are some botanicals which work for everything we keep; for example, the beloved "Savu Pod" works with fishes, shrimps, and frogs/herps.

In the end, the icons are more of a "quick reference"; a suggestion, a recommendation. You are welcome, of course, to experiment with any of our botanicals however you wish, taking into account the safety of your animals.

These are exciting times, as more and more aquarists are discovering aquatic botanicals for themselves, and creating interesting, natural-looking aquatic displays. I think the header of our Aquatic Botanicals section on the site perfectly summarizes our thoughts on them:

"No one can really claim to have “invented” the concept or process of adding leaves, seed pods, and wood into water…It’s something that has happened in nature for eons…In tropical areas of the world, most famously, the Amazon River system, leaves, branches, bark, fruit pods, seeds, etc. fall off trees in the wind, or tumble into the rivers during rain events, etc., and accumulate in these waterways. We call these materials 'aquatic botanicals.'

As these items decompose, they impart a brownish tint to the water, and lower the pH from the release of substances known as tannins. These tannins are known to have anti-fungal/antimicrobial properties, a huge plus when you're rearing lots of fish, or even incubating eggs.

Aquatic botanicals are excellent for enriching vivarium and terrarium habitats as well, and provide numerous functional and aesthetic benefits for frogs and other herps.

And the aesthetic provided by these materials is what we're all about: Earthy, organic, natural."

And that's a quick look at the thinking behind the icons! We thank you for your feedback, welcome your ideas, and look forward to some very exciting new product releases in coming weeks!

As always, stay engaged. Stay creative. Stay adventurous. Stay true to yourself.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

August 10, 2016

0 comments

GIfts...the aquarist's worst nightmare? (Or, "Don't look a gift fish in the..." ahh, whatever...)

Ever received an awkward, yet entirely well-intentioned aquarium-related "gift" from a non-hobbyist friend for a birthday or other holiday? What prompted this piece today was a discussion with a fishy friend who was on the receiving end of such a "gift" recently.

He's an Apisto fanatic, and he was stuck trying to figure out what to do with the large bucket of Instant Ocean he received! Yeah. True story.

"I mean, it's for fish, right?" Ever heard that one before?

So, your birthday is coming up? The Holiday Season is only 4 months away. Maybe this is the year you'll receive the gift that you always wanted!

Or, maybe not.

Maybe, just maybe, someone you know decided to get you a fish for your birthday, or for the Holiday. On the surface, this is a really nice gesture- a thoughtful idea for the aquarist in the household. Only problem is, usually the person buying the gift is often NOT an aquarist and typically has no clue about what's involved in stocking and maintaining a tank, right?

"Your Uncle and I know you love the fishes, and these reminded us of the ones you see when you swim in the ocean!"

What this means to you is that , despite the fact that your collection consists entirely of rare Apistos you're now the proud owner of a friendly brackish water Puffer! Or, your docile Tetra species tank now has to host a "cute" baby Arrowana ("The guy at the store said he was super tame!")! Or, the off-brand Chinese-made combination lighted electric siphon hose/algae scrubber device (that's not UL-approved, of course) will now forever be a part of your equipment collection...Or maybe you received a pair of African Cichlids for a "gift" (yeah, it happened to me once) for your reef aquarium! Or, you received a "ill-behaved" baby Sweetlips for your 20 gallon "Nano Cube" marine tank...You get the picture.

"He's so cute, and he's eating pellets!"

Gift cards look away more attractive now, huh? (Of course, you can always contact us to create a Tannin "virtual gift card" as an option for your fishy friends!)

"That plant would look so nice in your fish tank, so we just had to get it for you!"

Much like the fruitcake of holiday legend, there must have been that one aquarium-related "gift" you received- a fish, plant, coral, or piece of equipment- that totally took you by surprise, and, despite the best intentions of the giver, turned into a pretty serious headache for you.

"I got it on e-Bay for you...It's gonna really help you do that stuff you do with your tank- and it works in European and Asian electrical outlets, too!"

Did you end up keeping the "fishy fruitcake", or did you somehow manage to trade it back for some Aphyosemion fry and 4 packs of frozen food? And, how did you manage that feat?

Now, we certainly don't want to come off as "boorish" or "ungrateful", but such gifts often create very difficult-to-resolve situations, don't they? What did you do with your new acquisition? Did you end up passing it off to someone else?

Or, did this gift somehow work out and turn into something that you actually kept and enjoyed?

I'm curious. And hey, the Holidays are only FOUR MONTHS AWAY!!

Oh, and my friend? He ended up setting up a saltwater aquarium. I mean, "when life gives you lemons..." Right?

Yeah.

Stay grateful. Stay Appreciative. Stay thankful you have friends that...um, care...

And of course,

Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

« Previous 1 … 143 144 145 146 147 … 175 Next »

The Tint

August 21, 2016

One fish, two fish..er...just one fish?

August 20, 2016

Making the next "mental stretch"

August 18, 2016

Among the pretty leaves...

August 17, 2016

The masses are...important.

August 16, 2016

The long road...

August 15, 2016

It really IS all about you.

August 13, 2016

Pleasant surprises on the road to "darkness"

August 12, 2016

Fixing stuff..when you're not sure what is wrong.

August 11, 2016

"May we recommend?" The idea behind our new product icons.

August 10, 2016

GIfts...the aquarist's worst nightmare? (Or, "Don't look a gift fish in the..." ahh, whatever...)

Customer Care

Company Info

Social

News & Updates