Natural Materials- Natural Behaviours?

It kind of makes sense, right? 

I mean, if you're using natural materials, such as rocks, wood, seed pods, etc. in your aquascape, you're probably executing a more faithful representation of the natural environments from where your fishes come from.

And of course, if fishes are residing in a system that more closely resembles their more natural environment, they're more likely to behave more...well- naturally.

Duh.

Well, yes, but for some reason, we still indoctrinate our kids to keep fishes in systems with artificial, sterile systems with fluorescent gravel and bubbling castles and Sponge Bob- stuff like that. As if the beautiful creations of  nature aren't compelling enough for a child? I think we're not giving our kids the option...

Like, the old thought that kids would actually like stuff like raisons in their lunches instead of potato chips if they were indoctrinated on them, perhaps?

So, next time someone asks you to help set up an aquarium for a kid, why not incorporate natural materials in the display. The interactions between fishes and materials found in the natural environment will be far, far more interesting and educational than any "Diving Saucer" ornament could ever be.

Just my two cents worth for today..

Keep thinking natural.

And Stay Wet!

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Why do I love Characins so much?

If you know anything about me- you know I love Characins...

Not just love, I like, ADORE them! They have been in the hobby virtually since the beginning, come in a seemingly endless array of colors, shapes, and sizes, from the tiniest little Tetra on up to the uber-fierce Piranha...and everything in between.

Of course, if I simply had to round it off to five reasons why I love these fish, these would be my picks:

1) For the most part, they are small fish. You can keep a nice number of them in a modest sized aquarium. That's a huge plus for hobbyists with small aquariums, or with large aquarium who want to lend an expansive sense of scale to their display.

2) They are remarkably tolerant of water conditions. Think about the Cardinal Tetra. I mean, this fish comes from some of the most acidic waters in the Amazon region...yet they are able to adapt nicely to all sorts of water conditions in captivity. Many characins seem to be ablate make this transition; indeed many have been captive bred for decades and aren't even available from the wild in quantities anymore!

3) If you DO decide to give them soft, acid, tannin-tinted waters (for those species which naturally come from them), you'll see an amazing display of color. This is a significant "feature", if you will- because you can bring out a lot of natural characteristics of these fishes by doing just this.

4) Most of them are reasonably easy to breed, with some extremely challenging...In other words, they're a real "one stop shop" for fish geeks. You "can get your hands wet," so to speak, with the easy ones, like Flame Tetras, and then really stretch your breeding skills with characins like Pencilfish.

5) Many of them are shoaling fishes. And as such, they lend themselves very well to displays in the aquarium. This is a very interesting behavior, and is ideal for those hobbyists who like to present their fishes in as natural a setting as possible.

At the end of the day, I'd have to say hands down that these are my favorite aquarium fishes. Yeah, they may not have the endearing personalities of cichlid, or the majestic bearing of fancy Bettas, but they bring something else to the table...something that's sometimes hard to put a finger on..a charm- a grace, a presence in our aquariums that says to the world, "this is a tropical fish aquarium.."

Something like that.

So next time you are looking for some small fishes to fill a niche or help create a cool display, don't hate on the little guys...

Stay open minded to the many possibilities for aquatic enjoyment that they offer!

And stay wet!

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

What's so "hard" about this? The simple- yet compelling concept of the "hardscape..."

We love to talk about all sorts of cool aquascaping ideas and concepts here at Tannin. In fact, we thrive on them! 

One of our favorite concepts is the "hardscape." It's a beautiful way to create surprisingly dynamic environments- and we've seen more and more of them all the time! Essentially, a hardscape can be over-simply defined as an aquascape that uses rocks, wood, or other materials besides plants (like "aquatic botanicals", cough, cough!)It's not like this is some new and exotic trendy concept. If you've ever done an African Cichlid tank filled with just rocks, you've done a hardscape. 

I've played with hardscapes for some time now, and I really enjoy them. The interplay between rocks, wood,and botanicals can be endlessly fascinating- like every bit as entrancing as a planted tank, really. 

The key, like so many things in aquascaping- is balance. Achieving a balance between elements in a scape is essential, challenging, and endlessly fascinating...And it emphasizes the importance of selecting materials that somehow work together, as if part of some organic "whole."

And use of other materials, such as seed pods, branches, etc., adds to the overall effect to produce surprisingly dynamic and vibrant underwater scenes.

Many botanicals can blend harmoniously and logically into the melange of rocks and wood to form near-perfect representations of nature in the aquarium.

(So, not entirely "hard", but with strong hardscape, even a lightly planted tank comes to life. Design and pic by Jeffrey Senske of Aquarium Design Group)

You can use various botanicals, wood, and rock to create textural and color contrasts and integrations which offer balance and flow, creating a surprising sense of calmness- or energy, depending on your goals.

And the sky is the limit in selecting what kinds of materials you want to use in your hardscape- and how you want to use them. Nature offers these materials to us with no real hard and fast "rules"- only guidelines as to where they belong..but no judgement is involved...The materials will simply "thell" you- the aquascaper- the artist- when they are in the correct balance, proportion, and position in your composition.

It just...works. It's worked that way for millions of years in nature- and will for millions more.

It's not really that "hard", is it?

Enjoy...and Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Pod Specific: Working with the "Sparkling Gourami"

This is the first of what I hope will be a regular series on the wonderful variety of aquatic botanicals, and how they work with various fishes. The idea behind this was to give you some inspiration and ideas for utilizing our botanicals in species-specific setups, for breeding, education, and enjoyment.

Today, we'll look at a much sought-after representative from one of the more popular groups of fishes- the Gouramis- specifically, the "Sparkling Gourami", Trichopsis pumila, and the types of aquatic botanicals that would work well with this species.

Image by Zikamoi (used under CC BY SA 3.0)

This species is found throughout the lower Mekong River basin in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand, and in watersheds all over Central and Southern (peninsular) Thailand. It's a small fish, reaching only about an inch and a half at best, which lends itself well to being kept in small aquariums, ranging in size from 2.5 to 10 gallons. One word of warning, from the "Don't-say-we-didn't-tell-you-so" Department: They make noises! Huh? Yeah, they "croak", which is a bit weird until you realize that they are also known in the trade as the "Dwarf Croaking Gourami!"

It typically inhabits slow-moving, sometimes even semi-stagnant habitats, including swamps, tributaries of rivers, flood plains, rice paddies, irrigation channels, and even roadside ditches. T. pumila seems to favor sluggish and still environments, with a lot of vegetation, roots, leaf litter, branches, and other matter. Since the fish likes access to humid ari, you'd be well advised to not fill up the aquarium completely to the top, leaving some humid air-water interface. Being Anabantoides, they can breathe atmospheric air to a certain extent. For this reason, the Sparkling Gourami would be a good subject fish for a riparium type display, featuring a combination of riparium plants and natural woods, pods, etc!

Swamps with dark. organic-rich water and riparium plants are not an uncommon biotope in which to fish T. pumila.

Rice paddy- one environment of the Sparkling Gourami.

 Even little roadside ditches provide a comfortable environment for T. pumila.

If you're trying to represent its natural environment, you'd do well to utilize a number of leaves and leaf-litter "substitutes...Specifically, "Nano" Catappa Leaves, Guava Leaves, and botanicals like "Carambola Lixo", "Terra Sorrindo", "Frita Pods", or Banana Stem Pieces.  These fish favor an acidic pH (between 5.0-7.0), so these materials, if used in proper quantity, can reduce pH and supply beneficial tannic and humic acids for the fishes' health, appearance, and well-being. I would use a simple sponge filter or or small internal filter to maintain their aquarium, with minimal surface agitation.

Nano Catappa Leaves pack a nice tannin "punch!"

"Terra Sorrindo"- a longer lasting "leaf litter" component!

"Frita Pods" offer a new dimension to your substrate!

 These fishes are rather sociable, so you can keep them in small groups or pairs. Being the peaceful type, you want to keep them with similar-sized tank mates which have very peaceful dispositions themselves. The reality is that your best off keeping these little gems in their own, species-specific display. This will encourage more natural behaviors, which can lead to spawning!

A bubble nest- a very encouraging sign!

If you elect to go with a riparium-type setup, you could employ the ingenious Aqua Verdi RIparium Planters  to place beautiful plants along the "bank" of your "swamp!"  This opens up all sorts of potentially fascinating and productive possibilities. With a little creativity, you could certainly mimic something like this:

Beautiful and inspiring riparium by Devin Biggs.

One of the best things about this endearing little fish is that you can house it quite successfully in a relatively small aquarium. This gives you both great control over the environment, as well as the ability to observe the fishes closely. Such setups come together easily and quickly, and can be a lot of fun to work with!

I hope this very brief little review of the Sparkling Gourami and some botanical suggestions gives you a little inspiration to try something with tis cool fish! If you have pics and ideas of setups for this little Gourami, feel free to post them on our Facebook page, os you can inspire others!

Stay Wet!

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aqutics

Channeling "Nemo"- Can hobbyists find motivation from an animated aquarium fish?

I'll come right out and say it: I hate those animated "adult/kid" movies. You know, the kind that make heroes out of highly stylized baby animals...Like "Nemo" and such. I know that makes me cold and heartless, but I can't stand them...probably because I see them for what I think they are: A way to market toys to kids, and we all get so caught up in the "cuteness" of it all that we fail to see it. I'm even disgusted that I'm referring to the character in this blog...yuck!

However, I believe that I need to think more positive: It is possible, I suppose, to take something away from these animated subliminal toy-marketing features and find some sort of cultural commonality that we can apply to our fishy world. Yeah, I can make a stretch better than most people...  

Have you noticed that, as a culture, we’re obsessed with baby animals? We love cute little baby Harp Seals, Koalas, Pandas…I’ve even seen baby Jackson’s Chameleons that look sort of “huggable.” But what about real baby fishes? Yeah, baby fish can actually be pretty darned adorable, without being "Nemo-ized!" Just think about these examples:

Baby Oscars are real cuties. I think it’s because their eyes are disproportionately larger than the rest of their bodies. And their mouths definitely look “baby-like”! I suppose the little guys would be really cuddly until they turn into an adults, and the big dummies realize that everything in the aquarium is their personal smorgasbord. And of course, with their huge appetites they become, quite literally, “gross polluters” at that point, huh?

How about juvenile Zebrasoma Tang species. Again, their eyes are just too big for their little heads. They look so sweet and innocent…You could just give them a big hug! Pixar’s animators could hardly do better! Think of the plush toy marketing opportunities here. How come we don’t see more baby fish? Why not a “Fish Babies” calendar? Awww...Vomit...

Okay, let's brush off the metaphorical cuteness for a minute and get down to brass tacks.

I guess the biggest reason why we don’t have more people showing off their cute little baby fish is that, well- we don’t see a ton of cute baby fish in the marine hobby. Yeah, right? Since we’re so into the adults of most species (exception: the larger Pleco species, huge child, barbs, etc.- which are awesome as juveniles), we probably rarely see little guys.

Is this a problem? Well, perhaps it is. 

Let’s get one thing cleared up- I’m not advocating purchasing tiny little versions of Arowanna or Groupers.

If you don’t have a sufficiently large tank available at the outset, don’t purchase any fish under the “assumption” that you’ll “get that 750 gallon aquarium later”. It doesn’t always happen, and it’s not correct to assume that a large fish can “adapt” to a small tank or “grow to the size of the aquarium”. These are holdovers from a misinformed time in the hobby that we should just erase from our collective consciousness.

One other thing to clear up- juveniles of near-impossible-to-keep marine fishes (like C. orantissimus or C. myersi butterflies) will likely NOT fare any better than adults. If they have challenging dietary needs, they will in all likelihood not be any easier to meet as juveniles. I see this error in judgement made all the time. I suppose an advanced reefer could make an argument to the contrary, but “weaning” a fish off of its diet of eons seems like an awfully futile process, if you ask me. I’d say, “go experiment”, but this would lend tacit approval to importers bringing in fishes with little likelihood of survival based on a small number of people who want to roll the dice with innocent animals’ lives. Bad call, IMHO.

My case for purchasing juvenile fishes whenever you can is pretty simple: First, with proper care, they will often more readily adapt to captive life, eating prepared foods and accepting aquarium conditions (yes, there are exceptions, but my experience has been largely positive most commonly available species). Second, they are typically less aggressive and play nicer with conspecifics- the classic marine example being the Centropyge angelfish. 

It's far easier to keep juveniles of fishes like Centropyge angelfish together when they are added to one aquarium as juveniles. Territories will be formed later- at the moment, it’s all about being a kid! Really! I have very fond memories of my juvenile Lemonpeel, Flame, and Bicolor angels all “playing” together in my old 225 gallon aquarium. They were a tight little gang, and when they were older, they established their territories. Yet, they all played nice, just like a couple of beer-swilling reefers at an ACA convention! In fact, you could make the argument that “familiarity breeds content” with fishes. There’s a lot to be said for growing up on the same block together!

My final case for obtaining juvenile fishes is perhaps the most compelling- and the most preachy: When we remove older, breeding-size adult fishes from the rivers, lakes, and reefs, we are potentially immediately affecting the breeding population of fishes in their natural habitats. If enough breeding-size individuals are removed from wild populations, who knows how profound the impact could be? Pressure on the natural lakes, rivers, and reefs caused by overfishing and other factors is not just for “tree huggers” and reactionary kooks…It’s a real concern, and we can help alleviate the problem and educate others in the process.

If you really want to see cute baby fishies, breed your own! Follow the sage advice of the hundreds of hobbyists who are part of the ranks of home breeders- and get in the game! If you have hundreds of larval fishes, you’ll get to see those cute little eyes looking out at you every day. And, you can feel great about doing something that will help the hobby-and the world’s lakes, rivers, and reefs-at the same time! Win-win, right? Yeah! 

So, next time you see that cute little juvenile characin staring back at you from the LFS's aquarium like a puppy in the window, open your heart and reach for your wallet…

Urghh- I wanna barf again...

Ok. Seriously. Think about young fishes...

Until next time,

Stay Wet

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Pod Prep 101: A "quick start" guide to the aquatic botanical preparation process...

When you're working with dried botanical products in your aquarium, one of the most important things you can do is to properly prepare your pods, leaves, seeds, etc. for use. Although by no means rocket science, it's such an important step that we keep hitting you with it over and over again, just to make sure!

Essentially, there are 3 steps to preparation of most aquatic botanicals:

1) Initial rinsing

2) Boiling

3) Soaking

Now, some products will not require boiling before use, but we do recommend soaking. If you're working with one of those botanicals, just skip to step 3!

Let's look at these simple steps and break down the "hows", "whys", and "what fors!"

THE INITIAL RINSE

Since most botanicals arrive in a completely dry state, it's important to give them a good initial rinse with some fresh water. This helps remove any dirt, dust, or foreign materials that may have accumulated on them during collection, drying, shipping, packaging and storage. Although we aspire to send you "clean" materials, being that they are seed pods, leaves, etc., it's inevitable that they will accumulate some "stuff" before they get to you, so a quick rinse is an easy "no brainer" to start the prep process.

For the more durable pods, like "Jungle Pods", "Tapete Pods", "Savu Pods", "Ra Cama Pods", "Monkey Pots", etc., you might want to give them a quick "once over" with a vegetable brush (you know, the kind you use to clean carrots and potatoes before cooking..). A gentle brush, followed by a thorough rinse of the surface will really help in getting your prep off to a good start. Don't get carried away, of course- you don't want to grind 'em down, either!

BOILING

 When it comes to aquatic botanical preparation, by far the most crucial step is boiling. Yeah, it's not glamorous, hardly enjoyable, yet very critical if you want to have a great experience with these natural materials. Why? Well, for one thing, boiling helps further sterilize your botanicals. In the unlikely event that any dirt or other nasty stuff that might be present happened to squeak through your rinse, the boiling process will take care of them!

And of course, boiling helps really saturate the structure of most of these harder materials,  breaking down some of the lignin and softening up the tough exterior of many enough to let water in- which facilitates sinking in the aquarium! Of course, this boiling will also release some of the tannins and humic acids bound up in the structure of the pod, leaf, etc., which is never a bad thing, because you really don't want a huge release of this stuff at one time into your established aquarium environment! (The old adage of "nothing good ever happens quickly in an aquarium" definitely applies here).

Smaller botanicals, such as Alder Cones, "Carambola Lixo", etc., are easier to work with if you use a mesh bag to contain them in while boiling and rinsing. It's a personal preference and a matter of convenience, but if you're like us, we like to keep things easy, so a bag for the smaller stuff is great!

The big question everyone asks is, "How long should I boil my botanicals for?" I wish I had a perfect answer other than, "Long enough." Yeah, real helpful, Scott. Seriously, you need to boil them long enough to get them to sink...And in the case of some of the serious heavyweight pods, like "Jungle Pods", "Tapete Pods", "Ra Cama Pods", etc., this can be an hour- even two!  

 You can neither predict or rush the "sinking process", trust me. I've tried every shortcut I could think of, but there is simply no substitute for time and patience. And yeah, I've had a few botanicals that simply wouldn't sink, regardless of length of boiling time, etc. After you've been working with these materials long enough, you'll get a feel for just how long it takes to sink your botanicals, trust me.

AND A NOTE ON LEAVES...

Now, you're not really going to "boil" leaves. What you really want to do is to steep them in boiling water for a while. The amount of time varies based on the leaf and size, but the essential point is to expose them to boiling water long enough to ensure that they are saturated, and to help release that initial burst of tannins. Too long an exposure will result in (yeah, you heard it here first) "premature leaf sogginess syndrome" (PLSS)...so use some restraint here with leaves!

SOAKING

The other critical step to aquatic botanical preparation is to soak your botanicals- either after boiling, or- in the case of some of the "ready-shrunk" botanicals- in place of boiling. Typically, we use room temperature fresh water in an inert plastic bucket. Being an avid fish geek, you no doubt have an arsenal of plastic buckets. If you don't, buckets are one of the best investments you can make, so go down to the local hardware store and grab a few (I can't believe I'm actually telling any fish geek to get a bucket, but there's a first time for everything, right?).

The soak process performs a few critical functions in the prep process. First, it allows your freshly-boiled pods, etc. to further absorb water, which makes sure that they're good and waterlogged, which keeps 'em down! Second, it allows some of the initial tannins, humic acids, etc. that were released in the boiling process to leach out in a non-critical (i.e.; uninhabited) environment. Lest you be concerned that a prolonged soak will release all of the water-staining goodness contained in your botanicals, alas- no need to be concerned. Even after a prolonged soak, most botanicals will slowly leach tannins into the water over time, assuring you weeks and weeks of "The Tint", as we lovingly refer to it! 

During the soaking process, which can last anywhere from 2 days to two weeks, depending upon your comfort level, patience, and urge to get the botanicals in your tank, you'll probably want to change out some or all of the water in the bucket a few times, to keep the process moving. We highly recommend at least the "passive" use of some activated carbon, like our favorite, Sachem "Matrix Carbon", to help absorb some of the organics and tannins released in this process. You could, of course, utilize your favorite chemical filtration media instead. There will most likely be a dramatic explosion of nitrifying bacteria  developing in the bucket, which help to break down the organics released by the botanicals. The carbon helps to mitigate some of this.

While there is nothing wrong with the presence of the bacteria (it's a natural thing, of course), a sudden explosion of them in your tank is a potential detriment, perhaps leading to a rapid reduction of oxygen, etc.- very valid reasons why you want to give the pods a soak in a separate container before adding them to you display! If you really want to geek out about the soak, we recommend running an inexpensive, air-driven "box filter" containing some carbon, in the bucket for the duration of the soak.

Upon completion of the soaking process, your botanicals are ready to add to your display- giving you the cool "tint" we talk about so much, as well as all of the wonderful benefits of using natural materials with our beloved tropical fishes. They will add an entirely new dimension to your hobby, including creating a great new aesthetic, offering supplemental foraging for some fishes, and breeding and sheltering areas for others. My recommendation is to add the botanicals slowly to an established aquarium, even after the prep process. There's simply no reason to rush! Enjoy it!

I hope that this little review of "Pod Prep" has answered a few of the questions you might have had about using aquatic botanicals in your aquarium! If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me!

Remember, be patient...

And stay wet!

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

The Tannin Experience- a continuing evolution...

One of the things we like the best here at Tannin is the ability to create great experiences for every customer.

We particularly enjoy selecting the botanicals and such for your order, making sure that we select the best representatives of each variety. There is no "mass-produced" product here; rather, each item is carefully selected and packed to order, creating what we hope is a more hardcore, "artisanal" experience, akin to craft-brewed beer or coffee.

We totally understand that when you order one of our aquatic botanicals, it's for a specific purpose- a certain type of display, or to achieve a very special aesthetic. That's why we never give you anything but an individualized experience. As large as we may become, we will not deviate from this process...

As we've stated throughout our evolution here at Tannin, we're not trying to be like everyone else. We aren't trying to compete with the one-stop-shop, bargain super-clearance fish supply sites. That's not what we're about. Sure, we might offer some of the same items (like additives and food and some gear and such) that you might find on the big generic fish sites, but these items were carefully selected to fit into our thematic offerings.

 And, we're probably going to be editing a lot more! In fact, in 2016, you will probably see a reduction in these types of items on our site, and more unique aquatic botanicals, wood, and highly specialized stuff that you probably won't find on other sites. We'll be refining the packaging, perfecting the products. We'll be refining the website experience, and offering a gallery of inspiration, and some videos as well.

We have no intention of ever being a one-stop solution for all of your aquatic gear. Rather, we want to be the place you turn to when you're looking to create specialized setups, or have specific needs.

Don't hesitate to  contact us if you're looking for something very particular (like a botanical in a certain size, shape, color, etc.- or a piece of wood that you need for a specific project), as we will utilize our resources to help you create the display of your dreams! We totally get you, and, based on the enthusiastic response we've seen to date- you get us!

Thanks for your support. Happy Holidays!

Stay excited. Stay creative!

And Stay wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

The endless journey- aquatic "self discovery..."

I was reminiscing about my lifelong hobby journey the other day, and I recalled a conversation I had a number of years back which ultimately became a watershed moment in my hobby "career."

As I often do, I was chatting  “fish” with a longtime hobby friend that day, and the conversation inevitably turned towards our upcoming aquarium projects. If you read my blog regularly, you'll recall that, a few years back, I rekindled my love affair with freshwater aquariums after a prolonged excursion (decades) into reef aquariums. Although I had dabbled with a few small FW tanks here and there throughout this period, at that time, it had been almost a decade since I last kept a freshwater tank of any significance.  While I was  waxing on about my ideas for some exotic freshwater display I was contemplating, My friend causally  remarked, “Dude, you gotta walk before you can run. Why don’t you get back in the game with a basic planted tank with good fundamentals, instead of going off on some wacky concept tank?”

Man, those words hit home! Here I was- the guy who was and is always provoking the hobby to push the limits by trying new marine concept aquaria-and I was to jump back into the freshwater side and trying to go from 0-100 in 2 seconds flat…why?  The modern freshwater world had evolved over the years until the state of the art was practically unknown to me at the time. and I was contemplating trying to do the same things that I did in saltwater. I mean, my friend was so right: It’s okay to push for the outside of the envelope after you’ve mastered the fundamentals, but the key word is AFTER. And the fundamentals had changed just a bit. Did my decades of marine experience render me…arrogant? Perhaps.

Or maybe just a bit jaded.

After the discussion, I was thinking about what really is wrong with slowing down, checking your ego at the door, and absorbing the knowledge and acquiring the skills that you need to be successful? Nothing.  Absolutely nothing. This was/is a really good lesson for anyone in the hobby..and it was the turning point in my hobby career.  

Why not do some research, experiment, or talk to someone who has more experience than you do? It’s never too late to learn something new, or open up your mind to the possibilities.

Perhaps, those of us who came from the marine side of the hobby are so caught up in the minutiae of our obsession, such as the debate over which coral is the “true” "Jedi Mind Trick" Montipora, or if that little Acropora colony in the back of the tank is a real “ORA Miami Orchid”, that we tend to forget to learn about the behavioral habits of our Pseudochromis fridmani, how to hatch brine shrimp, or how to set a up a quarantine protocol-all the myriad of things and skills that contribute to our hobby success. As much as we think that we are “masters of the universe”, we always have another thing to learn, or even to be humbled by. That’s the frustration-and/or pleasure (depending upon how you look at it) of our hobby. 

I’ve learned over the years (along with a whole bunch of other fairly successful long-term hobbyists) that, in order to be a better hobbyist, you really need to be a better student of the art and science of aquatics, willing and open-minded enough to listen and learn from others more experienced than yourself. What that means is not just knowing the flow rate of the latest DC titanium needle wheel pump or configuration of the hottest LED lighting system- it means is that you should willingly embrace the fundamentals- the "hows and whys"-such as the relationship between our captive animals and the aquarium environment, and the art of a good water change. That's where the magic is.

By immersing yourself in the art and science of aquatics, you ‘re definitely going to evolve as a hobbyist, and become a more humble, more balanced, and ultimately- more successful- aquarist. An aquarist for life, who will be able to pass on the wisdom gained through trial and error-triumph and failure- to another generation of aquarists.

The simple conversation with my friend compelled me to re-examine my relationship with the world of aquatcs, and to reflect back on the journey I’d made up to that point in the hobby, and the fascinating road that lay ahead. It was instrumental in our launch of Unique Corals, and is the seminal moment in the idea of Tannin Aquatics some years later.

My philosophy was not simply a return to the basics of the hobby. Rather, it was an adjustment of my hobby mindset, and the embracing of a more open, refreshing outlook.  I wanted- still want to push myself a little outside of my hobby “comfort zone”, and learn a few things that I’ve never done before. Damn, I had to actually shut up and listen for a change. This was gonna be harder than I thought.

But it really wasn't. It was awesome! And this mindset still pushes me to improve and learn to this very day.

For example, I have always had a little more than a causal interest in the art of marine aquascaping. I have been blessed to travel, speak, and be published in venues all over the world, sharing what I’ve learned on this topic. Just maybe, I’ve helped inspire others to try new things. It has been quite rewarding, yes, but what did I really know? What about my freshwater aesthetic?  What more could I learn that would make me better at my craft? How could I push myself to improve?

It was time for me to embark on some new missions of aquatic self-discovery.

Well, that summer, I did just that.  I visited my friend out of state and spent some time walking the local streams and observing the aquatic environment, collecting some rocks for my freshwater tanks. Listened to him talk about his philosophies on a well-balanced planted aquarium. Learned from nature-and from other hobbyists, about just what is involved in the art of aquatic rock selection and arrangement had direct impact on my work with Tannin. As my friend John Ciotti told me, if you sort of “listen” to rocks and wood, they tell you a story that will help you create the aquascape.  He's not the first to mention this philosophy.

That was-is- very interesting stuff to me.

I’m planning on doing some more diving on tropical reefs and exploring streams to really observe the interactions between animals and their environment. Particularly of interest to me are the social behaviors of small fishes within their ecological niches. Hopefully, I will gain some more insight about them that will help me make better stocking decisions and aquascaping for specific needs. I'll be further observing the relationships between streams and their banks, and the interaction between plants, rocks, wood, and water in those locales.

I think I'm also going to spend a lot more time talking to my friends who are seriously involved in breeding  fishes, to glean some insight into just what it is that they are doing to make their animals comfortable enough to reproduce in captivity.  Learning a new set of rules and a new way of looking at husbandry from people truly in the know. This will certainly help me learn even more about aquatic husbandry, even if I don’t intend to breed fishes at the moment.

I can’t wait to start the next steps of my endless journey of aquatic self-discovery, and I urge you to do the same. It will be a fascinating journey- perhaps even a bit humbling- but the knowledge to be learned and experiences to be had will make the journey well worth it. And most importantly, the people you’ll meet along the way will make life that much richer.

Keep learning. Keep discovering. Keep pushing. But above all, keep sharing.

Now, about that empty tank in my garage. I’ve been thinking…

Until next time.

Stay wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

So, what are the benefits of a "blackwater" aquarium?

We love talking about the "blackwater" environment and its affect on fishes.

But beyond the sexy aesthetic, we're talking about some real possible health benefits. Tannic and humid acids found in natural materials which break down and produce blackwater are known to have some anti-fungal properties, as theorized for many years by Betta breeders in Southeast Asia, who claim that their fishes heal up quickly from skin infections when exposed to "blackwater."

The lower pH in "blackwater" also coincides with lower concentrations of heavy metals in the water, and reduced sodium, magnesium, potassium, and calcium concentrations. As you might suspect, there are far less snails and other aquatic crustaceans found in blackwater systems than in other bodies of water, and less in the way of aquatic plants.

 From a faunal standpoint, rotifers- an important food for young fishes- are quite abundant in "blackwater" systems. And fish abundance is high- the Rio Negro, for example, has a very high number of species, with around 700 fish species documented in the river basin,  including almost 100 endemic species of fish! Some of the most popular and important fishes in the aquarium trade, such as the Cardinal Tetra, come from this region.

In the aquarium, "blackwater" provides other benefits, such as reduced algal growth, more vibrant color in fishes from this environment, and a more natural representation of their biotope of origin. From a "fun" standpoint, the creative possibilities are endless here!

With so much emphasis placed on providing our fishes natural conditions, it's the perfect time in the hobby for us to start experimenting more by creating some beautiful representations of this unique environment. The opportunity to gain insight into the behaviors, health, and reproductive habits of fishes from this rich ecosystem is too irresistible to pass up!

Consider a "blackwater" system for your next aquarium project! We have the materials, ideas, and inspiration to help you embark on this fun journey of aquatic discovery! It's a great opportunity to try something a little different than what you're used to...And isn't that part of what the tropical fish hobby is all about?

Stay Wet!

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Getting right to the bottom with "Corrente de Fundo"

Substrate enhancement is a term that, well- I'd like to take credit for...not sure if I'm the first person to come up with it in the aquatic context or not, but it would be pretty cool if I was! 

Anyhow, the idea of adding natural materials to the usual boring old sand or gravel is irresistible to me- and apparently to many of you, as well!. That's why we spend a lot of time researching, sourcing, testing, and marketing materials that will add both an aesthetic and functional component to you aquarium substrate. As we've pointed out before in The Tint, a substrate in nature is actually a pretty dynamic place, with an oft-changing mix of materials, ranging from seed pods, to branches, to leaves- as well as a compliment of fishes which forage, shelter, and spawn among this matrix of materials. 

One of our favorite "substrate enhancement packs" is "Corrente de Fundo", a beautiful mix of botanicals that can really liven up an otherwise mundane substrate with texture, color, and interest!

When we selected the materials for use in our "Corrente De Fundo" substrate enhancement pack, we tried to incorporate items that we felt simulated the seeds, tree nuts and bark that accumulate in Amazonian rivers during the rainy season, such as our "Estalo Pods", "Pequeno Pods", and the heavyweight, yet small "Heart Pods." 

 The "Coco Curls" simulate bark and branch pieces that fall into these rising, rain-swollen waterways. They have a sort of "ragged" appearance that looks so natural, and they can disperse nicely along the substrate, creating many areas of interest, foraging areas for fishes, and attachment points for mosses and plants. And, as they decompose, they release a nice compliment of tannins into the water, giving your aquarium that "tint" that we love so much.

With all of the trees that grow alongside the Amazonian waterways, you're bound to see many fruits falling into the water, some of which are eaten by fishes like the gentle giant Pacu, and foraged on by other, smaller fishes, like catfishes, cichlids, and other Characins! We bring this component to the mix by including the much-loved "Capsula Pods", which really resemble fruits...and are much-enjoyed by the fishes as a supplemental food source. 

Ideally, you'd use this enhancement pack in conjunction with some other botanicals, and scatter it on the surface, or mix some of the materials into the gravel or sand you're using. Our experience with this pack is that it can form the backbone of an enhanced substrate for up to a standard 20 gallon tank. Again, you'd be well-advised to incorporate some additional items into your substrate mix, like our coconut-based "Fundo Tropical", which really simulates the composition of many natural stream bottoms with its rich and varied texture, and perhaps a few leaves, such as our "Nano catappa leaves, or some Guava leaves for more texture!

When contemplating a natural-looking display, you should definitely consider utilizing some of these dynamic and interesting natural materials. They'll add a note of authenticity, color, and texture- as well as provide tremendous utility for your fishes and other aquatic inhabitants...And, perhaps most exciting of all, they'll provide you with an entirely new aquascaping aesthetic that will challenge your skills and cite your senses!

Stay tuned for more cool ideas for utilizing our aquatic botanicals in your natural aquarium displays...

And stay wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics