January 11, 2016

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How about those "shellies?"

How can you not like "shellies?"

The shell-dwelling cichlids of Lake Tanganyika are perfect for the cichlid lover who has relatively little space, but a big interest in keeping fishes with big personalities and interest! They are ecologically adapted to inhabit the shell beds of this African rift lake, and form large, interesting communities that are fascinating subjects for us fish geeks to replicate in our aquaria!

The nice thing about these little guys is that you can provide them a bunch of shells scattered all over the bottom of their aquarium, introduce a handful of them, and in time, have a full-blown breeding colony/community! They are perfect for a species aquarium.

They prefer "Lake Tang" conditions; that is to say, hard, alkaline water with the correct mineral balance (around 8.0 and 8.3 pH and the hardness between 10.0 and 20.0 dkh). The water should be kept "clean", and the tank not disturbed...They like to be left alone, for the most part, so hands out of the tank as much as possible, especially when breeding, is always an advisable strategy! Just regular water changes. Oh, and sand..they like to dig a bit, so fine sand of about 2" deep works great. The breeder who's tank I photographed opted for gravel, but in general, finer sand is best!

And best of all- they just don't get all that large, so you can keep a nice population in a relatively modest-sized aquarium (like 20 gallons and up!). In the wild, they inhabit the empty shells of the endemic snail, Neothauma, but tin the aquarium, you can use anything from escargot shells to Babylonia shells to provide them with housing options!

The shells should have a large enough opening for the fish to easily get in and out, and over time, you may need to provide progressively larger shells to keep these fishes happy and healthy. And you need a lot of shells- like 2-3 for each fish at least...this will give them multiple choices! 

The fish shown here are the charming Neolamprologus multifasciatus, but there are a number of other species that you can work with, such as Neolamprologus brevis, Neolamprologus caudopunctatus, Lamprologus ocellatus, and more.

They need a high protein diet, so a good quality food, like Paradigm Omnivore, would be good, in addition to the "usual suspects"- brine shrimp, Daphnia, etc. You should also provide some occasional vegetable matter for them to consume as well.

One tip- add all of your "shellies" at the same time, so that everyone can choose a territory and for the social order of the community to settle out quickly! Although easy to get to bread, they are not prolific, with a batch of 20-30 fry being a great accomplishment!

There is much, much more on these fishes than I can write about here, and we'll talk a lot more about them in the future, but I hope I at least got your appetite whetted for these incredibly endearing, always fascinating little cichlids! 

Try something a little different...

And stay wet!

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatis

 

January 10, 2016

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That special something...

This past weekend, I was fortunate to have been invited out to speak at the Heart of America Aquarium Club in Kansas City, MO, one of many fishy engagements I participate in each year.

On this trip, I was once again able to see some impressive fishes, and interesting fish room, and spend some time just chatting with dedicated fish breeders. One of the things that I left this meeting with was a renewed sense of just how enthusiastic, dedicated, and talented today's tropical fish hobbyists are. I take to at least half a dozen hobbyists who maintain a dozen of more aquariums, and breed many varieties of fishes. I spoke to one hobbyist who's personally bred over 100 varieties of tropical fish...which is a stunning achievement, although not that unusual in the circles of serious, hardcore fish geeks.

What is it about today's tropical fish hobbyist that compels us to keep and breed so many different species; some so obscure that only the hardest of hardcore would try them? How does one find the drive (or make the time) to maintain dozens of aquariums, feed hundreds and hundreds of fry, and check up on multiple pairs of spawning fishes- all in one's spare time?

Of course, because it's just plain fun is the easy, obvious answer- but there is more to it than that, I think. Much more. I think that everyone who keeps and breeds multiple tanks full of tropical fishes has that "special something"- that fascination, motivation, or character- which just makes all the difference. Its one thing to keep a nice community aquarium with a variety of fishes...it's a whole different ball game maintaining and breeding multiple varieties of fishes in dedicated setups.

These fine hobbyists are not put off by the duties involved in maintaining multiple aquariums, food cultures, and tending to the needs of their fishes during spawning. In fact, many of them modify, curtail, or forgo other personal activities when it comes time to deal with spawning fish. It's a choice, and a lifestyle for many dedicated tropical fish hobbyists.

They don't see this as a "sacrifice", either. Rather, it's a calling, a voluntary obligation...a joy. And how does one know if he or she has "that special something?"

You just know.

When you look at a tank full of fishes and wonder to yourself, "What will it take to get these to breed?" or "How many fry can I expect out of a spawning", or "I wonder if I can put them in this tank"- you have that "special something."

The point of today's blog is not to go into a detailed examination of why dedicated tropical fish breeders do what they do...it's simply to honor them. I'm in awe of this hobby, and the many, many amazing people who devote endless energy to pursuing the fascinating endeavour of keeping and breeding tropical fishes. 

Hats off to you, and that "special something" that you have. Thanks for sharing your passion with all of us.

Stay dedicated, stay enthusiastic...

And stay wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

January 09, 2016

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Going a bit "deeper" with your fishes...more ways to enjoy the hobby!

If you ask 20 different aquarists why they are in this hobby, there's a great chance that you'll get 20 different answers in the process. 

Some will tell you that they just love the way fishes and plants look. Others will tell you that they just want to have a replica of the river that they saw on the Discovery Channel show about The Amazon.  Others will tell you that they love messing with all the new gadgets! And certain aquarists with messed up priorities will tell you that they set up their tank to impress members of the opposite sex..

For many of us, however, what got us into aquarium keeping was the fishes! Fishes are compelling, interesting, challenging, frustrating, and most are undeniably beautiful...Some of us nut-jobs even ended up abandoning all common sense and do this stuff for a living! 

There,s just something relaxing, inspiring, and just plain amazing about watching our tanks.

Think about this for a minute, as you ponder your deciscion wether to purchase a "Scarlet Badis" or a "Flame Jewel Badis", or whatever. How well do you really know your fishes? 

You've probably already figured out that your Pristella Tetra is a pretty fish that comes from South America. You probably know it, like many  characins, comes from soft, acid waters. Yet, have you really thought about just why that is? What locales does it come from in nature? What does it eat? Does it coexist with other fishes in this ecological niche? Which ones?

Maybe not, because you "know what you need to know" about the fish and are content with that. And that's ok...

 

However, one of the best things we can do as hobbyists is to really get to know our corals. By "know", I'm not just talking about being aware that your Aulonocara sp. "Maulana" comes from lake Malawi.  I'm talking about really learning about the fish and it's needs. With a few pleasant hours of research, you can gain an amazing insight into your fish. Spending quality time on a scientific site can help take your understanding of your fishes to a whole new level.

Not only can you find out more about the fish's physiology, you can research things which can help you more accurately replicate their natural diet. You can also find data about where various type specimens were collected. Valuable information like depth, habitat, time of year, and water temperature. All of these details can really help you in your efforts to create the best possible captive situation for your fishes.



Beyond simply researching the fishes, you could take it to another level and actually visit them in their native rivers or on the wild reef. Trust me, getting SCUBA certified was one of the best things this stubborn surfer ever did. Nothing I have done previously has given me a greater understanding of corals and reefs than going out and seeing them in their natural habitat!

As a dive-certified or traveling fish geek, you separate yourself from all of the other hapless masses of clueless recreational divers and have a chance to really contribute to the body of knowledge of the fishes we keep. When everyone else is busy looking at that big dumb grouper or boring old shark, you'll no doubt be drawn to that tiny goby poking out of the coral rubble, or that little Apisto darting under the leaves on your South American "Eco Tour"! Alright, you might make a lousy dive buddy, but you'll be a keen observer of nature!

Not only will you gain a greater appreciation for the delicate nature of the wild environment, you'll be able to more accurately replicate (or in some cases decide that you can't replicate) the environmental niche from which your fish comes.

Seeing fishes in the wild give you insights, which may help you and other aquarists unlock their secrets- perhaps leading to further breakthroughs in their husbandry and captive propagation. Anything that we can do to help protect wild populations and preserve the rivers, streams, and reefs is certainly worth the time and effort.

Last, but certainly not least, you can take your hard-won knowledge and really get to help others- and ourselves- by sharing. Not just passing on a book recommendation or a thread from a forum discussion. I'm talking about telling your fellow hobbyists just what you know and how you do it! Contribute to the body of knowledge out there in the hobby. Write a blog, attend a local fish club meeting, or start a club if none exist in your area. Travel to one of the big ACA, AKA, IBC, or other conference and spend a weekend talking fish with other fanatics. Write about your experiences or help a beginner. If you've totally lost it, like me, you'll end up jetting around the country sharing your knowledge with any other crazy fish geeks who will listen.

The bottom line here is that there are lots of ways to really get to know your fishes. And the best part is that pretty much every one of them will benefit ourselves, our fellow hobbyists, and most important-  the fishes themselves. 



So next time you stare in at that hot new Plecostomus at an online vendor, don't just read the two-paragraph description of the fish. Go a bit further..take the time to really get to know the fish!

Stay interested; share your hard-won knowledge with other hobbyists...

And stay wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

 

 

January 08, 2016

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Back to school?

One of the best things about keeping tropical fishes- particular the smaller varieties, like characins, Danios, and Rasbora- is that you can keep groups, shoals, or schools of these fishes in aquariums to a great effect.

To me, nothing says "tropical fish aquarium" as a group of small tetras, behaving in a similar manner as they do in their natural environment. That speaks to us...giving animals a great experience in our own tanks.

 

Yet, for a lot of reasons, we don't see full-on schools or shoals of fishes in our aquariums all that much, so when we do- it's incredibly memorable!

I'm not sure why we don't see more large groupings of a single species of fish in our tanks. Maybe it's that we just want to have lots of different species in the limited space we can offer- and having dozens of one fish is a luxurious and decadent use of space! Or, perhaps it's a desire to see the behavioral interplay between diverse species. Maybe it's finances- I can't argue with that! Have you priced Cardinal Tetras lately?

Regardless of what our reasons are, I wish every hobbyist would try a large group of a single species at one point in his or her hobby "career." It's truly an amazing thing to see. And it doesn't have to be a huge, spectacular thing. 

I'm all for seeing hobbyists create  aggregations of the same species in their aquariums- whether it's 6 Zebra Danios in a 10 gallon tank, or an epic school of 150 Rummynose Tetras in a 200 gallon planted aquarium.

Please just think about this, and the incredible aesthetic and practical benefits of a mono specific aggregation of fish in our tanks!

Have a great weekend..

and stay wet!

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

 

January 07, 2016

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Finding a saltier point of view???

It’s no secret that many of us have a bit of love, so to speak, for saltwater. Wether it was a quick stint with a bunch of clownfish once, or a full-on reef not all that long ago, saltwater is not a strange “media” to most of us in the aquarium community. However, for some reason, in recent years, there was this “stigma” associated with even liking saltwater- let alone admitting that you had a saltwater tank. It was a real risky proposition for your “cred” as a breeder or something. Like, you crossed over to the "dark side" or whatever. It was much the same in the saltwater world, if you must know.  As recently as a couple of years ago, I remember getting gently teased by my reefer friends when I professed my love for freshwater. And I also remember attendees at my talks around the country coming up afterwards and sheepishly “confessing” that they had a soft spot for freshwater, too! 

Funny how times change.

With the advent of so-called “high-end” planted freshwater planted tanks, with their associated concept, CO2 injection, reactors, lighting, and such, there has been a palpable shift in the aquarium hobby’s collective mindset about the “complexity factor” of saltwater tanks. Suddenly, it’s in vogue to not just talk about, but to aspire to- or even own, a saltwater system- particularly one of the “reef” systems, which are the freshwater equivalent of an "ADA Style" planted system…I can’t help but think that the gadgetry/systematic approach and ‘exclusivity” factor of these reef systems is part of the “new appeal.”

There are many, many compelling reasons why a freshwater hobbyist SHOULD own a saltwater tank (I'm really referring to a "reef" aquarium when I say saltwater, btw)…I’m throwing out a few that come to mind just to spur some further discussion and provoke you to try one if you‘ve been on the fence a bit. Here they are- in no particular order:

*Reef  aquariums offer a totally different aesthetic experience- Yeah, imagine a tank that you light with a bluish white light to "glow" the resident corals?  No "shop light" look here, baby. And the greens, blues, bright yellows and pinks of corals, "live rock", and invertebrates offer an entirely different palette to work with.

*Reef systems embrace biological and chemical principles that will better help you understand things like nutrient cycling, trace element uptake, etc.- If you like dosing stuff into your planted aquarium, you’ll love a well-stocked reef system! You can explore the effects of supplementation on coral growth, and have real time results. Corals seem to respond even more quickly than plants to changes in their environment, so they can really “keep you on your toes!”

*Reef systems challenge you in different ways than a freshwater tank- In a reef system, there is a lot less emphasis on gadgetry, plumbing, and such. Rather, your greatest energy is expended on actually managing and running the tank itself. You will learn to recognize growth patterns of the corals that you keep, how the fishes that you select actually benefit the system, etc. Learning the relationships between marine fishes, corals and invertebrates will make you a better, more alert freshwater hobbyist.

 

*Reef systems can be less forgiving- Okay, this may ruffle a few feathers and perhaps provoke violent disagreements and accusations of gross over-generalizations from my Discus and Angelfish breeding friends. However, for the most part, many freshwater animals and planets are more adaptable and accepting of variations in their physical environment than marine organisms, which have evolved over time in ridiculously stable environments, and are therefore less accepting of changes. What this creates for the busy reefer/FW artisan is challenge! They keep you on your toes, trust me.

*Reef systems offer you a chance to rediscover the “soul" of fish keeping- Yeah, there is an “art” to our hobby…lost somewhere in a cacophony of LED lights, electronic controllers, debates over “LE” coral names, etc., etc. so prevalent in the marine sector. A freshwater expert is a more “core” aquarist, IMHO, so a reef offers you the opportunity to get back in touch with skills, techniques, and yes- emotions- that you may have either never felt before, or simply lost track of in the freshwater universe.

*Breeding freshwater fishes helps you get your feet wet with skills and protocols that will help you in marine fish breeding efforts- This is a very important, possibly overlooked benefit of freshwater aquarium keeping. Captive breeding is the future of the marine hobby. IMHO, everyone needs to have at least a rudimentary understanding-if not a basic working knowledge- of breeding aquatic animals. If you can’t raise a baby guppy, you have no chance with a Clownfish, trust me. ‘Nuff said.



I can go on and on…I can hear arguments from both sides (“The Cardinal Tetra is nowhere near as colorful as a Majestic Angel”, or “A reef tank looks like a fruitstand compared to the natural appearance of a planted FW tank.”, etc., etc.) The point is not to create rivalries or foster animosity between the two hobby factions…The idea here is to demonstrate to you that the skills, techniques, and philosophies behind the two aquatic “media” are not only analagous- they are surprisingly interrelated. I suggest that not only do you keep a reef aquarium, but that you attend a marine aquarium conference and see what these amazing people are all about. Their hobby “culture” is not all that different from the one you're familiar with- and the chances and benefits of “cross-pollenation” are many and profound!



I hope that I never see another one of those “reef tanks are to complex. The hobby is an expensive joke” kind of posts again. Really, the only real joke is that we have this amazing opportunity to learn new skills- or perfect existing ones- that will benefit both sides of the aquarium hobby for generations- and have turned away from it with an elitist attitude in some quarters. Reef hobbyists are dedicated just like we are- perhaps svn to a greater extent..They’ve only been doing it with reefs for around 30 years…Even in that relatively brief time, do you think they might have learned a few things that can benefit us? Yeah. And, there are a LOT more serious and highly skilled FW hobbyists than reefers by an enormous margin..An untapped “market” to develop new, super-talented reef keepers, trust me.



Final side benefit of aquatic “cross training” with our reef keeping friends: If we introduce some experienced reef enthusiasts with love to the freshwater world, not only will many give it a try and make the effort to understand our world- they will attempt to convert others…bringing not only new blood, new skills, and new friends to our midst- they will help strengthen the hobby, providing a larger, more widespread understanding of what we do, and helping to stand up to the very real external pressures our hobby now faces.
 

With that, I’m curious how many of you have reef tanks in your homes, or plan on setting one up…If you spurned saltwater for a time, never lost the fire, or simply enjoy it as another aspect of aquarium keeping…I’d love to hear/see your experiences, as would our readers!

Remember, to keep the reef hobby vital, we also have to keep it “salty.”

Today’s tale of aragonite sand,  soft coral, and protein skimmers…

Regardless of your water’s specific gravity, I encourage you to stay engaged, share all you know…

And to stay wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

January 06, 2016

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Are aquatic botanicals your cup of tea? No, really...

We encourage our customers to prepare all of our aquatic botanicals before use- whether it's by boiling, soaking for an extended period of time- or a combination of both. 

Let's face it- some aquarists like the concept of "blackwater." They just don't like the idea of having leaves, seed pods, cones, etc in their tanks.

A lot of hobbyists use leaves to brew a sort of "tea" with Catappa, Guava, and other leaves, by rinsing the leaves off, soaking them for a day or two in freshwater, then boiling them for about 15-20 minutes (about 6 large leaves in about a half gallon of water). They will  let the "brew" cool off, discard (gasp!) the leaves, and pour the liquid through a coffee filter into a glass jar or food grade plastic container.

When you're ready to use the "tea", simply pour the desired amount into the aquarium. How much? Well. that's the million dollar question. In my experience, it takes a surprisingly large amount of this extract to lower the pH significantly in an aquarium, but this is dependent upon the hardness of your water. I have found that it's tougher to lower the pH significantly in hard water.

 

You can knock the pH of your tank water down with this type of extract, but there is no real "exact formula" to do so, in my experience. I'd experiment with some of the extract and a quantity (say a gallon) of your tank water in a bucket or other container (without fish, of course), and test the pH before, during, and after the additions. This will give you some idea as to how much of this extract to use.

Always proceed slowly when you're using this extract (or anything intended to alter your water chemistry, for that matter) with fishes or other animals. Slow, gradual, measured changes are far, far better than rapid, uncontrolled ones.

You'll be able to jude for yourself the effects of this technique, and enjoy "the tint" without actually having the botanical materials in your aquarium. Just another way to incorporate the benefits of tannins in our aquaria.

Go slow. Be careful.

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

January 04, 2016

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Shrimp and aquatic botanicals...a great match?

The hobby of keeping dwarf shrimp is really taking off, and it seems like new and exciting varieties of these cool crustaceans are popping up every month! And, with the hobby starting to really explode, the number of dwarf shrimp enthusiasts  who have been turning to Tannin for some of their natural materials is growing, too!

 

{Caridina dennerle image by Dirk Blankenhaus (CC-BY SA 3.0)}

As someone who loves aquatic botanicals, I'm thrilled to see that shrimp take to them so easily. It makes sense, because most of the shrimp that are kept in the hobby come from streams in Southeast Asia, an environment that has significant tree growth and overhead foliage. 

Naturally, leaves, seed pods, and fruits fall into these streams and begin to decompose, creating blackwater conditions, with humic and tannic acids building in the water, reducing the pH and hardness in the process.

Decomposing leaf litter and other natural materials recruit biofilms, consisting of microorganisms, bacteria, etc. These biofilms serve as a food source for the shrimp, which spend a lot of time grazing on them. The nice thing about leaves in aquariums is that they do the exact same thing that they do in the wild- decompose!  Of course, that assumes that the shrimp don’t consume them first. And the chemical effects on the water are quite beneficial!

What would be the best botanicals to use with shrimp?

Well, there are a few that come to mind:

LEAVES

Catappa leaves create both a tannin-enriched environment as well as their well-studied antimicrobial properties. And of course, they look great, too! They tend  to break down rather quickly in the aquarium, as compared to some of the other leaves commonly used in the hobby.

Guava Leaves are also quite commonly used with ornamental shrimps, as they offer a full compliment of vitamins, sugars, and anti-bacterial properties. Shrimp seem to really love Guava leaves, and flock to them immediately! They tend to last a bit longer and tint the water less than the more widely used Catappa leaves, and are a beautiful compliment to the shrimp aquarium.

Loquat leaves are one of the more recently utilized botanicals for ornamental shrimp. These leaves are wonderful for creating unique aesthetics. They are know to contain significant polysaccharides (complex sugars), vitamins, and offer some anti-inflammatory properties for humans. It's not confirmed if these properties extend to shrimp, but we do know that they take to these large, attractive, and longer-lasting leaves readily in the aquarium!

Amaranth leaves are more frequently used as a supplemental food source for shrimp than ever before. They are known to be high in carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. These are all thought to be useful in supporting shrimp health during the molting process. They are used as food, as opposed to a substrate enhancement.

Rounding out the selection of most commonly used leaves for shrimp is Mulberry. These leaves are known to be high in carbohydrates, and are thought to aid in the health and maintenance of the exoskeleton and support the molting process. Like Amaranth, they're used mainly for food as opposed to aesthetic or substrate enhancement purposes.

 

OTHER BOTANICALS

While leaves have been used for quite a few years with ornamental shrimp, there are many other botanicals, such as branches, seed pods, and bark, which also fit the bill. We encourage responsible experimentation with a number of aquatic botanicals. Here are a few that we've used with great results:

"Capsula Pods" have a soft interior which tends to decompose quickly, attracting a biofilm that shrimp can't seem to resist. We've seen shrimp literally "gallop" into these pods when added to the aquarium. Like many plant materials used for shrimp nutrition, it's though that they contain vitamins, sugars, and minerals that are beneficial of the long-term health of ornamental shrimp.

Our "Teardrop Pods" are somewhat similar in composition to the "Capsula", with a hard, nut-like exterior and a softer interior that tends to break down after being submerged. Again, an excellent substrate for biofilm "recruitment", these botanicals also contain a reserve of sugars, vitamins, and other nutritious substances which the fish tend to feed on directly. And, they look really cool! 

"Flor Rio", or "River Flower", is another lightweight, almost leaf-like botanical which shrimp seem to enjoy picking at. They are attractive, sink easy, and soften and decompose fairly rapidly in the aquarium, adding some organics as well as another "recruitment" substrate for biofilms. Since they do tend to decompose rather quickly, use these botanicals sparingly until you gauge for themselves how long they last in your aquarium.

Banana leaves are another commonly used botanical, and we include them in the "botanical" section because they have more interesting aesthetics and possible "medicinal" uses for aquatic organisms. They are known to offer anti-fungal and anti-bacterial affects, and release potassium, polyphenols, and other chemicals thought to have medicinal qualities. They will also serve as a great "foraging area" for shrimp of all ages.

Cholla Wood is beloved by shrimp and catfish keepers because it's a softer wood, with a unique "honeycomb-like" structure, offering numerous areas for biofilms and other microorganism communities to inhabit and multiply. The wood itself is quite palatable to Plecos and ornamental shrimp as well, and they will graze on an among these lightweight branches until they gradually decompose over a very long period of time. They're also perfect for attaching ferns, mosses, and other epiphytic plants to, to enhance the beauty of the shrimp aquarium.

So there you have the most brief, superficial roundup of some of the more commonly used botanicals for ornamental shrimp. There are many, many others that may be utilized for this purpose, and we offer this quick summary as a "launching point" for your further explanation of this topic.

Stay open to new ideas...keep experimenting carefully and responsibly; follow our preparation guidelines carefully...

And stay wet!

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

 

 

 

 

 

 

January 03, 2016

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Should they stay or should they go? When botanicals start to break down....A case for leaving 'em in!

As aquatic botanicals set in our systems, we like to say that they recruit "biofilm" on their exposed surfaces over time...And as the softer botanicals, like leaves, break down and decompose, forming a matrix of organic matter, they play host to a diverse assemblage of life forms.

Well, what exactly is this stuff? Is it bad, good, or of no consequence to our fishes? Well, I'll state right off the bat that it's not bad...really.  Biofilms are composed of populations or communities of microorganisms adhering to different types of environmental surfaces. They're generally bacteria bound up in a sugar-laced "package" called glycocalyx, which builds up this film. If you think you've seen this stuff before, you're probably right. In fact, biofilms are the same structures that build up on bioballs, filter pads, and other "mechanical" filter media. 

In fact, what we call  "aufwuchs" in the African cichlid "context", is a collection of simple sugars, bacteria, fine detritus, and algae- all of which comprise a nutritious "package" of food for larval and adult fishes alike...So it forms a rather complex little "micro community" of food sources for grazing fishes.

When your botanicals start to recruit this film, they're doing exactly what they do in nature- enriching the environment. As softer botanicals like leaves break down in the aquarium, protozoans, rotifers, small worms and crustaceans begin to appear in the matrix of decomposing materials. 

Could you ask for a better, more natural place to rear fry? I'm not so sure! 

I think you get the picture- the appearance  of these biofilms in our aquariums is not only a natural process- it's very beneficial to our fishes as a supplementary "feeding substrate." Indeed, the materials found in biofilms may be one of the most important sources of nutrition for our fishes.

So, yes, it may not be the most aesthetically pleasing thing to see leaves decomposing in our tanks to some people- but it's actually a beautiful thing to our fishes. 

Yes, depending upon the aesthetic you're trying to achieve, you might want to remove some or all of the decomposing leaves at some point. However, if you're looking for a way to supplement and enrich your young fishes' diet, maintaining some of this decomposing litter in a natural setup is of significant benefit!

So, the choice is yours- depending upon the effect you're trying to achieve in your aquarium, you can either leave it in, or siphon it out of your tank as you see fit. 

To put it simply, one aquarist's "rotting leaves" are another's "feeding station!"

Stay intrigued.

Stay wet!

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

 

 

 

January 02, 2016

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Tightening our focus- and increasing our chances for success!

It seems as though not a day goes by when you don't hear about some new product, animal, or technique that will help change the hobby forever. New things that promise to simplify and improve our hobby experience. Yet, for some reason, many in the hobby seem mired in the past, with a more complicated must be better philosophy. I mean, think about it for a second. Not only do we typically attempt to recreate the entire river or lake in our systems, with many layers of biological complexity, we equip our systems with tons of gadgetry to mimic this environment. Our equipment choices and husbandry techniques need to be broadly focused to match the goal of "being all things to all creatures."



Rather than a "shotgun approach", I wonder if it would be logical to design, equip, and manage our systems with a more precise focus. Why NOT zero in on the specific needs of the animals that we are keeping? Why not take a more focused approach to husbandry, emphasizing some degree of simplicity to get the job done? Don't get me wrong here- as a student of the aquatic environment, I find the whole thing wonderful and fascinating, and equipping and managing systems to maintain the widest variety of organisms certainly has its merits to some extent.

However, in my ripe old age, I find myself turning to a more disciplined and specific approach to fish  keeping. For example, my love of biotope aquariums is directly attributed to learning about and desiring to replicate a specific part of the river system, not the whole darned thing, with equipment, husbandry technique, and aquascaping to match the biotope I'm attempting to replicate. It's a great approach to manage a tank, in my opinion. At my saltwater company, Unique Corals, although we have a wide variety of animals, we tend to place them in systems designed for their specific needs. However, this doesn't mean that we made them complicated and exotic. Rather, we kept them simple and functional. It's worked well for us.

Do you ever wonder why, as fish geeks, we collectively seem to like to make things so darned complicated? Well, after a lifetime in the hobby, I suppose that I'm as qualified as anyone to take a guess. I attribute this "complication syndrome" to a few possible factors:


1) We just don't like to make things easy on ourselves. The "community tank" philosophy has never left our collective psyche in the hobby. I mean, if you're keeping a huge array of organisms from all different parts of an aquatic environment, multi-stage reactors, additive dosing regimens, automatic top-off/water change systems, and eight-way water return devices all have their place, right? We use the broadest brush to cover the most canvas- all the possible scenarios. Technologically complex systems and approaches seem to have become a necessity, really.

2) We like to buy stuff and impress each other. Hey, who can argue with THAT? It feels good to show off that sexy "Matten Filter" or uber-high end LED lighting system, doesn't it? In all seriousness, I'm sure few hobbyists really set up a system costing thousands of dollars simply to "one up" their buddies, but after reading some "tank build threads" on reef keeping forums, I just can't help but wonder about this sometimes. I think we're deeper than this, but it warrants consideration.

3) Because that's how it has always been done! Okay, there is some merit to this one. We tend to follow the tried and true. As we've discussed in previous blogs, discoveries of the past help influence the breakthroughs of the future. If something works, we tend to stick with it, perhaps tweaking a few things here and there as we go. Yet, think of how heretical it was, back in the day, to get rid of our undergravel filters, or to actually fertilize our plant tanks! Paradigm shifts involve a certain degree of risk, and perhaps we've become adverse to risk or criticism in this modern online era?



4) If something is more complicated, it MUST be better and safer! No where is this more apparent than in the reef keeping side of things...Blasting your reef with tons of mis-applied lighting, massive amounts of "chaotic" flow, and banks of water purification technology perhaps gives us the security that we're doing "all that we can" to keep our animals healthy. The end goal is noble, but the approach seems to me to be costly, inefficient, needlessly complicated, and often unnecessary. If you don't have the skill or dedication to properly maintain an aquarium system, all of the technology in the world won't make you successful.

I am not bashing everyone with a complex aquarium system, with tons of cool gadgets and exotic husbandry protocols. What I am doing is questioning the need for such complexity. Sure, I'll be the first to tell you that water quality management is paramount to success in the aquarium hobby. However, I'll also be the first guy to tell you that picking up a siphon house weekly or more frequently is the ultimate expression of water quality management. All of the technology in the world is not going to save your system if you don't have the fundamentals down. 



Thank goodness, we are collectively starting to re-think some long held hobby beliefs, and simplifying our approaches-to the benefit of both our animals and our pocketbooks! A great example of this is the wonderful way that we have traditionally applied water movement in our systems. If you need to create intense flow patterns, it's long been held that you need an armada of pumps, baffles, closed loops, powerheads, and other flow-enhancing devices to do the job. While all of these devices have their places, the truth is that you can create outstanding water movement with the logical application of a few 
very modest powerheads directed in a thoughtful manner.

 Intelligent flow, if you will, can far exceed the benefits derived by the "over-application" of numerous water movement devices. Yet, for some reason, we hobbyists LOVE to make things more complicated, more expensive, and more challenging by stubbornly clinging to the unnecessary practice of deploying tons of powerheads into one tank, when a mere few applied intelligently will do the job. Let's keep it simple here, for our own sanity- and budgets!



I think that we often make things quite intimidating for the new hobbyists with some approaches. This was again, more prevalent for years in the marine. side of the hobby. Advising the newbie to equip his or her small tank with every conceivable technological prop for success perpetuates the myth that marine systems are more complicated than any other aquarium that you can maintain. Yes, there are some minimum equipment requirements that you have in order to outfit a reef tank. However, in my opinion, I can't help but wonder if equipping the neophyte reefer with one more bag of salt mix and a siphon hose and the admonition to use both regularly and frequently would benefit him/her far more than any electronic controller would.

Again, don't get me wrong. All of the cool technology and equipment has its place in the aquarium hobby. However, in this new era of the  hobby, I think that it's important to step back once in a while and re-evaluate what we're trying to accomplish, why we are doing what we're doing, and what really works. I'll hazard a guess that we can simplify things and still enjoy great success. Simplified equipment choices and focused husbandry techniques to get a specific job done in the most efficient and cost-effective manner. 



Such focused approaches are used everyday by the enterprising hobbyists that are breeding fishes and propagating corals. Their systems, husbandry techniques, and approaches are based upon a specific need- fish and coral reproduction, and the results of this focused approach is demonstrating daily its virtues. The bigger picture here is that the application of a more focused approach can- and has been- leading to huge advancements in the hobby state of the art.

In summary, I'm not admonishing you to abandon the fun of the community tank or the diverse "community tank." I am encouraging you to step back now and then and channel your energies to a specific purpose, and to share your technique and philosophies with the hobby. One day in the not-too-distant future, importation of wild aquatic organisms may be severely restricted, or even non-existent, so developing focused approaches to keeping and propagating fishes, plants and corals may be absolutely critical to the survival of the hobby.

Until next time...

Stay Focused- and Stay Wet



Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

January 01, 2016

0 comments


Creating- and Living the Aquatic Dream...

It's 2016, and I'm feeling a lot of good "fishy" vibes...

I am lucky.


Well, I dunno about lucky…How about grateful, maybe?

I mean, I pushed, screamed, stumbled, fought myself into a career in the aquatics industry. Like many of you, I had a dream of doing something I enjoyed, and wanted to make my passion my life’s work. So I just went for it…a combination of ambition, brashness, planning, passion, ignorance, timing, effort, and pure luck put me into the situation I am now. I am fortunate enough to have helped build a great company in Unique Corals,  and I recently launched Tannin Aquatics, with a completely different vibe, approach and aesthetic, and it’s off to a great start!

(I’m not here to present my resume or talk about how great I am, FYI.)



I present this very brief dossier as an example- a small and perhaps insignificant one- about how anyone with the passion, a dream, and the fortitude to build something in the aquatic world CAN do it. I’m a very ordinary guy…way more ordinary than many of you- with far less talent…But I went after my dreams. I’m not the pinnacle of aquatic industry success…there are many way, way more successful than I’ll ever be, but I think I know a thing or two about how to build and sustain a business in the category, and I’m willing to share my scant knowledge…And apparently, a bunch of you wanted my feedback..and, since no one else is talking about it, I might as well. 

Yes, every time I write a piece like this, I’ll get a PM from someone in the industry somewhere telling me that I’m "sugar-coating" everything, lulling people into potentially disastrous circumstances, and somehow “diluting” the industry by inviting more people into the game, and that I’m no business guru and have no place telling people about this stuff, blah, blah, blah- whatever.…to which I reply, “Grow up. Up your own game and stop worrying about potential newcomers!” New blood is great for everyone, and anyone who can’t figure that out should do something else, IMHO.

Yeah, it’s probably “Rah-Rah” time again, where I encourage everyone to go for it- and that’s okay. I’ve talked to a number of people in recent days looking to “break in” to this crazy industry, and it’s inspiring! It got me thinking about my experiences thus far. I hear a lot of different ideas from fellow aquatic hobbyists about businesses in this field. Many are really cool. A lot of fish people have what it takes. And many seem hesitant- as if they are lacking some skill or talent, which is typically absurd. 

It must be the time of year or something…a time when people re-consider those little dreams about starting a business that they’ve tucked away in some far and dark portion of their mind. Yet they ask me about it…and I’m happy to share my meager knowledge and personal thoughts about this stuff. I love seeing excited, motivated, talented people going for it. Who wouldn’t?

First off, let me tell you that, no matter what you might think, you’re not required to “break in” to this industry as if it’s Film, Music, or Television. There’s no “audition” or nepotism that prevent you from getting in. The “barrier to entry” is...YOU. Anyone who is a serious fish geek with talent, ideas, motivation, financial resources, and a work ethic can do this.



Of course, not everyone can succeed.

Like so many entrepreneurial endeavors, starting an aquatics business requires some degree of planning, business acumen, and financial resources. You can’t just blindly stumble and say, “I’m a business.” However, I’m not talking about having to go and do the "Silicon Valley thing" and pitch angel investors at an “incubator” for “series A” financing to start your venture, either. I’m talking about having a minimum viable plan and the means to sustain yourself while you get started. Let’s face it, most of us can’t ditch our 9 to 5 job and jump headlong into such a venture. 

And that’s okay. You can build it in your spare time. What’s that? Spare time? No spare time? Hey, if you want it bad enough, you’ll find the spare time. You’ll make it.Yeah. You have to make sacrifices if you want to succeed. That’s “Business Startup 101”, for ANY industry. That means giving up sleep, weekends, time off, etc.- to take pictures, pack boxes, secure products, upload the products to your website, work on infrastructure, run to the post office, balance the books, write a blog, contact potential customers, etc.

You have to want it. Badly.



And guess what? You need a plan. Maybe you want to sell fry from your cichlid broods, frags from your reef tank; turn it into a business; sell clownfishes, plants, whatever. Maybe you’re a good person to go to for setting up tank automation systems…Cool niche. Maybe you’re really good at helping others creating stocking plans. Okay, cool. Maybe you want to be a personal shopper for other busy hobbyists, sourcing cool stuff for their tanks. It’s possible. Gonna sell fish stuff. Awesome. But ask yourself: To WHOM? Hobbyists? Fish stores? Wholesalers? Fine, but there are dozens of businesses doing that. What makes yours different? Why should people do business with you? How will you serve them? Is there even a market willing to pay for your product/service?

Tough but real questions. Vital, actually. You need to be able to answer them immediately.

Make yourself different. And own it. Scream it from the highest perch. Maybe you only sell fry of wild Betta varieties or 3” frags of fully encrusted rare Acropora millepora. Maybe your business exists solely to provide companies like Unique Corals with access to the elusive “named, high-end corals” for their inventories. Maybe you want to specialize in breeding  Plecos…all sorts of cool Plecos. Do you want to sell direct to consumer, or to retail businesses? Are you a “hyper niche?” What kind of “pain point” are you solving for your target market? Are you even solving a “pain point” for your target market? Just being another company offering “great fishes at a good price” or “excellent customer service” is really not enough any more. Be different. Act differently. Fill an empty market gap.

Disrupt the market. Do something way better than it’s been done before. Shake up the status quo. Create your own segment. OWN IT.



You can totally do this. 

State your values. Create a unique position and make it part of your brand ethos. Don’t be normal. Don’t be meek, wishy-washy, or tentative. Shake up this business and make everyone look over their shoulders. Don’t be a jerk, either, but confidently assert yourself and your company’s right to a piece of the aquatic industry pie.

Sure, there is a great camaraderie in the aquarium business; everyone typically likes each other, and to a certain extent, even looks out for each other. It’s pretty cool- sort of like the microbrewery industry. But it IS a business, and that requires you to compete. Don’t like that notion? Maybe you don’t want it badly enough. Ask yourself this- if your business was failing, do you think any of the other aquarium vendors out there would offer you money to keep it afloat? Should they? Would YOU do that? Would that be true in any industry? Then let that fantasy go immediately, ok? Not everyone will like you. And who really cares? Believe me, it’s not that everyone in the industry is a bad guy- it’s just that it’s- well- business- and everyone needs be self reliant to a large extent. When the dollars start flowing, the “hobby” part of this game diminishes somewhat.



Oh, it probably sounds harsh…and that’s sort of an extreme example, but the point is, if you want to be in a competitive business, you have to think about it AS a business, and that means thinking about the potentially unpleasant stuff as well. It’s not just a hobby when you monetize it. And not everyone will welcome you with open arms, even though they should. I distinctly recall when we were setting up Unique Corals, the owner of a well-known competitor stopped by and literally told us, “I’m going to kick your asses; you’re gonna fail.” Gee, friendly. But it lit a fire in me, and it’s alway in the back of my mind. I never fully let that go.

Make yourself look good. Act professionally; avoid “amateur hour” marketing and business tactics. Think big…LOOK big. But deliver. It doesn’t matter if your fish or coral "propagation system" is a 40 gallon breeder hooked up to your display tank, or your whole basement fish room- if you deliver the goods, and live up to your promises- it doesn’t really make a difference. 



A startup is just that- a startup. A challenging, terrifying, invigorating- and hopefully, ultimately fulfilling proposition.

And I believe- no, I KNOW- that there are many of you out there who can not only do this- but do it well; do it better and differently than has been done before- in a way no one has yet done it; with a style, functionality, or method that sets you apart from everyone else that’s ever come before you.

Just go for it. The hobby, the industry- hell, the economy- all need you. Today is as good a time as any.

Yeah, it’s a perfect day to get the ball rolling on this.

We can talk about this more if you want, or maybe I can just shut up about it…I don’t really mind- As you know, I tend to “march to my own drum”- as you should, and getting smacked around just goes with the territory. It was on my mind, and I’m happy I was able to offer my two cents worth, and I hope maybe it provided a tiny bit of motivation to someone out there.

Stay engaged. Stay on target. Stay committed.

And Stay Wet.

Regards,


Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics