The Tint

Who eats what...and where? Thoughts on embracing "the whole picture" of our fishes' natural habitats in our aquariums.

Today's installment is one of those sort of meandering, perhaps choppy amalgamations of ideas, cobbled together with my typical fish-geek enthusiasm; heavy on facts, and heavier on pontificiation and speculation! 

However, I think you might like this. It's a sort of summary of what's been on my mind lately about botanical-style aquariums.

As you know, I’m pretty much an uber nerd about almost any arcane aquarium related subject. And of course, part of my regular “course of study” takes me well outside of the aquarium world. In fact, most of the best insights I have obtained on tropical fishes and the environments from which they come are derived from scholarly articles.

And these scholarly articles can give you a ton of information about not only the fishes- but about the environments from which they come. And when we combine this information with what we already know from our experience with keeping them in aquariums, the possibilities to refine our work to create more unique, imaginative, and "functionally aesthetic" aquatic displays are too numerous to mention.

I think that we as aquarists should investigate more carefully and thoughtfully some of the more subtle, yet potentially very important characteristics of the habitats from which our fishes come. Stuff which we may not have thought much about previously- like the turbidity of the water, the density and composition of the substrate, and the amount of water movement in a given habitat.

Did you catch that last one? Many fishes are found in specific types of water-movement-dynmaic habitats. There are two main classifications:

Lentic ecosystems, which are stationary or relatively still water habitats, and Lotic ecosystems, which involve flowing waters, such as streams and rivers... Lentic ecosystems are usually habitats such as ponds, lakes, pools, and wetlands. Liek those flooded Pantanal meadows and flooded forests which we obsess over around here!

Again, when you're looking at the environments from which our fishes come from in a wholistic sense, you start thinking about more than stuff like the abundance of branches, rocks, leaves, and stuff like that. You start thinking about the composition of the substrates, the color and or turbidity of the water, and other factors which we as aquarists likely haven't paid as much attention to over the past century.

There is so much you can learn by diving deeper and detaching yourself from thinking about stuff fro ma hobby perspective for just a bit.

For example, I love reading about the dietary preferences of many of the fishes we keep- or wish to keep- in our botanical-style/blackwater aquariums. Why? Well, for one thing, when you know what the fishes eat, you get a good picture of how they live- and where!

Interestingly, many of my fave fishes (characins and other small guys) have diets which consist largely of stuff like “insect larvae, sponges, Bryozoa, algae and detritus”- all items which are found in their preferred environments... and in botanical- style aquariums, right?

Yeah. 

I think it's important that we look at our botanical-style aquariums not just as some unique aquascape- which, of course, they are- but as a closed microcosm- a miniature environment featuring a variety of organisms all interacting with each other in a manner which can benefit the system as a whole. If we assemble our system based on this kind of thinking, the possibilities for creating a more functional habitat is increased.

And it often starts with food.

Feeding is a fundamental part of the life of our fishes, and it literally determines who lives where, and how. And examining the diets of our fishes can give us amazing clues about how to design a more appropriate and functionally realistic aquatic habitat for them, can't it?

Of course!

So, the idea here is that setting up a botanical-style aquarium can be based around not only the environmental requirements of your target fishes (ie; water chemistry, temperature, light intensity, and physical surroundings)- it can be built around other factors, such as the availability of food sources.

If you look at some specific types or families of fishes, you can get an idea of where they live by considering what they eat.

For example, some of my fave fishes, the Pencilfishes, have very specific dietary preferences- and this dictates not only where they live, but how they live in the water column of their habitats. Pyrrhulina feed on insects, and inhabit the upper portion of the water column. Fishes in the genus Nannostomus feed on benthic invertebrates, and tend to live lower down in the water column.

And then there are those other guys...

Everyone knows about the Piranha and it’s penchant for eating flesh of other fishes. It’s relatives in the family Serrasalmidae, Colossomoa, Metynnis, and Piractus, consume a more herbivorous diet, like fruits, seeds, leaves, and occasionally, flowers. Some species only consume the whole fruits, defecating large numbers of seeds in the process—functioning as highly effective seed dispersers for wide range of trees in the flood plains which they inhabit. 

This is fascinating. These fishes are an integral part of the habitats in which they reside- and they help shape the future of it with their eating habits!

Some are so specialized that they forage almost exclusively on aquatic plants (such as plants in the family Podostemaceae) and consume the leaves, seeds, and flowers of these plants! 

Interestingly, the whole group is very sensitive to noise and splashing in the waters where they live. Piranhas respond to the noise thinking that there are animals or fish prey around, where the frugivores, like Colossoma hear a splash and think, “Ahah! a fruit just fell into the water!” ( okay, they may not THINK that, but they do respond to the noise looking for fruits!

Some in the family, such as Myloseoma, feed on all sorts of stuff as they can find it, ranging from seeds, fruits, flowers, and algae to stuff like spiders, cockroaches, beetles, and ants. They’re even known to eat monkey feces! Okay, I'll leave that one alone- but you get the idea...they're hardly picky, right?

I mean, monkey shit? Yeah.

Durophagous fish eat hard shelled or exoskeleton bearing organisms- crabs, mussels, snails, etc. Usually, these kinds of fishes are found in lakes or larger rivers, where water conditions and flow characteristics tend to favor the presence of those food sources.

And of course, fishes often move throughout their habitats seasonally, following the food. 

A few of my favorite fishes, such as the awesome Crenuhus spilurus, the "Sailfin Tetra"- have broad dietary preferences. It's been observed that the fish feed freely during daylight hours, and grab most of their food as it falls though the water column. What do they eat? Well, this is interesting to me: A lot of particulate matter that sinks; specifically, stuff like fruits, terrestrial insects, and very young tadpoles made uo the bulk of the stomach contents in a recent (2016) study of this fish.

So, yeah, a typical consumer of...allochthonous materials (stuff which comes from the environment surrounding the aquatic habitat)!

Now, we've talked extensively in several blog posts over the past couple of years about the idea of allochthonous input (literally, food from the sky, lol) and how it impacts the feeding habits of many fishes, as well as their social and behavioral habits, and what could loosely be referred to as their "migratory patterns."

It's long been known that fishes which inhabit the flooded forest floors (igapo) of Amazonia, for example, tend to literally "follow the food" and move into new areas where greater feeding opportunities exist, and will even adjust their dietary preferences seasonally to accommodate the available foods.

In this instance, it typically means areas of the forest where overhanging vegetation offers falling peices of fruit, seeds, nuts, plant parts, and the occasional clumsy insect, like an ant, which falls from the branches of said vegetation. So, here is where the idea gets interesting to me: Wouldn't it make a lot of sense to create a biotope-style aquarium which not only represents the appearance of the habitat, but also replicates, to a certain extent, the function of it?

Of course it would!  (Surely, you wouldn't have expected any other answer from me, right?)

In this case, the "function" being the presence of allochthonous materials! Well, yeah. we've just described our botanical-style aquariums in (pardon the expression) a nutshell! Our tanks are replete with lots of terrestrial plant material (ie; botanicals, leaves, and wood), upon which our fishes and other aquatic animals will forage and even consume them directly over time.

I asked myself which materials would most realistically represent some of these items, and sort of came up with a list of my personal favorites. Now, obviously, you can utilize other stuff- and in terms of actual foods, you might even want to experiment with little appropriately-sized bits of fruit for fishes to consume directly! (back to that shortly)

 

Here are the botanicals that I think would best serve to represent some of the allochthonous materials we see in these forests:

Dysoxylum pods

Calotropis pods

Banana Stem Pieces

Pyrifolium pods

So, yeah, you could add an assortment of these and/or other materials to your tank, with the sole intention of utilizing them to represent the materials which fall off the trees and are directly consumed by some fishes and shrimp. Because of their physical structure, these selections tend to soften up fairly quickly after submersion, and are also pretty good at "recruiting" biofilms, which serve as a significant supplemental food source for a variety of fishes.

Utilizing appropriate fruits like finely-chopped açaí berries, blueberries, strawberries, Passion Fruit, and bananas to represent the fruits of the forest, is something I've played with for a long time with my Tetras and other characins. Believe it or not, they'll actually consume these foods directly, and I've also used flax seed and chia seeds for this purpose as well. 

Passion Fruit ( Image by fir0002   Used under GFDL 1.2)

Many of these will represent the fruits of the Amazon rain forest, such as Camu Camu, Cupuaçu, Passion Fruit, aguaje (fruit of the Mauritia Plam), If you search health food stores and speciality fruit/produce vendors, you might find fresh or packaged versions of some of these unique fruits, or you could use the more commonly available substitutes mentioned above.

I could imagine changing up the diet of your fishes seasonally, along with ideas like environmental manipulations and "power dosing" botanicals into the aquarium to represent the "high water" season, to see how this impacts behavior, health, and spawning activities of your fishes from this habitat. We have the technology. We have the knowledge...and we have the food!

Studies of blackwater communities showed that, during these cycles, a greater diversity of fishes exists there. Many species were found to be specialized feeders. Fish, detritus and insects were the most important food resources supporting the fish community in both high and low water seasons, but the proportions of fruits, invertebrates and fish were reduced during the low water season.

Are there some "takeaways" here for us fish geeks?

Hmm, what this means to us is that fish sort of "follow the food", right? And that the "seasonal availability" of some food sources actually dictates overall fish behavior. 

And then, there's our old friend...detritus. 

"detritus is dead particulate organic matter. It typically includes the bodies or fragments of dead organisms, as well as fecal material. Detritus is typically colonized by communities of microorganisms which act to decompose or remineralize the material." (Source: The Aquarium Wiki)

Shit, really?

It's one of our most commonly used aquarium terms...and one which, well, quite frankly, sends shivers down the spine of many aquarium hobbyists. And judging from that definition, it sounds like something you absolutely want to avoid having in your system at all costs. I mean, "dead organisms" and "fecal material" is not everyone's idea of a good time, ya know?

Yet, when you really think about it, "detritus" is an important part of the aquatic ecosystem, providing "fuel" for microorganisms and fungi at the base of the food chain in tropical streams. In fact, in natural blackwater systems, the food inputs into the water are channeled by decomposers, like fungi, which act upon leaves and other organic materials in the water to break them down. 

And the leaf litter "community" of fishes, insects, fungi, and microorganisms is really important to these systems, as it assimilates terrestrial material into the blackwater aquatic system, and acts to reduce the loss of nutrients to the forest which would inevitably occur if all the material which fell into the streams was washed downstream!

That sounds all well and good and grandiose, but what are the implications of these processes- and the resultant detritus- for the closed aquarium system?

Well first off, let's admit that the stuff  just doesn't look that nice to most of us, and that's partially why the recommendation for a good part of the century or so we've kept aquariums is to siphon it the hell out! And that's good advice from an aesthetic standpoint- and for that matter, from a husbandry standpoint, as well.Excessive amounts of accumulating waste materials can lead to increased phosphate, nitrate, and other problems, including blooms of nuisance algae.

Emphasis on the word "excessive" here...(which begs the question, "What is "excessive" in this context, anyways?)

Most hobbyists don't have the time, inclination, or optimized system set up to take advantage of a small accumulation of this stuff. However, with the importance of detritus in creating food webs in wild leaf litter communities, which we are now replicating in aquariums, could there actually be some benefit to allowing a little of this stuff to accumulate? Or at least, not "freaking out" and removing every single microgram of detritus as soon as it appears?

I think so. Really.

Is this another one of those long-held "aquarium truisms" that, for 90% of what we do is absolutely the correct way to manage our tanks, but which, for a small percentage of aquarists with the means, curiosity and inclination to experiment, could actually prove detrimental in some way?

Okay, I know that now a bunch of you are thinking, "This guy IS nuts. Letting detritus accumulate in an aquarium is bad news. A recipe for problems- or worse. And not only that, he has no idea of the implications of what he's suggesting."

Well, as far as the first part of your thought- Yeah, I could be a bit "crazy." On the other hand, I think I do have some idea of the implications of what I'm postulating here. First off, remember, I'm not suggesting that everyone throw away their siphons and just allow shit (literally!) to accumulate in their aquarium substrate in the interest of creating a "food web."  

No sir.

What I am curious about is if there is some benefit in a botanical, blackwater system, of encouraging a bit more fungal and microbial growth, utilizing, among other things, the organic detritus that inevitably is produced in a well-managed. well-populated aquarium.  I mean, if you're doing water changes and removing uneaten food, dead fishes, aquatic plant leaves, etc., you're already significantly reducing the "food inputs" available to the organisms on the low end of the food chain, right?

In a typical aquarium, well-maintained with regular water changes and removal of detritus, our fishes are almost 100% dependent upon us to provide food, right? So, why not promote some of this detritus to accumulate- as part of the "supplemental food" for your fishes. I've done this several times now with great success, and no longer see it as some bold experiment or stupid stunt. 

I think it's a valid practice if understood and executed upon correctly.

Once again, we're questioning our age-old practices not to be a pain in the ass...rather, to see if what we're doing IS truly the best practice, and to see if there might be a better way. A more natural way. One which ties in with the way we manage our aquariums as a whole- botanical-style or otherwise. All of these things are potentially interrelated, and all of them are worth taking a look at with a fresh perspective. 

The big winners here: The fishes, the hobby, the hobbyist..and of course, the natural habitats-because if we understand how fishes and their habitats are intertwined and related, we will have a better understanding of the need to protect and preserve these priceless ecosystems for future generations to enjoy.

As usual, today's

rambling discussion likely leads to more questions than answers. However, some of these questions- which address some of the most fundamental, long-held beliefs and practices in aquarium-keeping, might help us make not only more "mental shifts", but true breakthroughs as we rediscovery the utility of the elegant, yet "complex simplicity" that nature has engineered over the eons.

Embracing- not fighting- nature in a more complete sense just might be "the next big breakthrough" in aquarium keeping. 

And it all starts with thinking about the environments of our fishes, and how to replicate them in the most comprehensive, realistic, and functional way possible.

We've got this.

Stay excited. Stay observant. Stay curious. Stay dedicated. Stay creative. Stay diligent...

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

The value of ideas.

 

Time for some new aquariums in my home....Always a cool thing, but it's also a sort of challenging thing, right?

And it always starts with...ideas.

I mean, I have a bunch of ideas that have been percolating in my head for...well- years! Like many of you, I keep a little notebook full of sketches, thoughts- little ideas for new tanks. I've been keeping it forever, and it's helped me realize some pretty amazing projects over the years! In fact, the idea for Tannin came from that little notebook!

All of these ideas...

And yet, I still have that same feeling of... Perhaps, restriction? Frustration? Not sure what it is- when you just have to have one tank to make it happen...Ridiculous that I should feel this way- I mean, I'm incredibly fortunate to be able to build a few tanks. Of course, in my head, the "disconnect" is that I have unlimited ideas...many of which, for a variety of reasons, never really get out of the "theoretical" phase!

I used to laugh at news reports when NASA would announce that it committed $4,000,000 to the study of building a starship, or some other thing for which the actual capability doesn't even exist yet- and likely won't for decades, if not longer. I mean, why? And yet, I kind of understand it now...It's like, I am appropriating all of this "mental capital" to study some of my concept tank ideas that perhaps I really don't have the means to pull off- just yet.

Well, that's kind of fun, actually! What hobbyist doesn't look at their tank and think (or even say!), "Next, I'm gonna build a tank that has___________."  

I think that's what keeps us moving forward, right? Big ideas...Ones that we do execute on, though.

So anyways, I've narrowed down my range to a few concepts- each one quite different from the other.

I go back and forth, getting mentally committed to one idea, and then seeing a really great piece of driftwood or something which takes me into a different place...Or I see a video or image of a wild habitat that gets me going, and then I get turned around into one of the many other ideas I've been playing with...

Wow. Crazy.

I get really distracted easily, when it comes to aquarium stuff!

The goal is not to get into a loop of "analysis paralysis" and never make a move simply because I'm "still planning..." Yeah. I've seen guys do that and the tank sits empty and collects dust cobwebs while they are "contemplating."

Yuck.

You see, like many of you, my imagination, appetite, and enthusiasm are often larger than my ability, time, or means to get the job done. I've concluded that to do all of my crazy concept tanks, I'd probably need like 17 aquariums of all shapes and sizes, many with technologies and components that would carry a breathtaking price tag- if they exist at all... 

And, this is AFTER I've eliminated some of the early front runners, like the intertidal  Pipefish Mangrove tank, the Amazonian waterfall tank, the monospecific Acropora microcaldos tank, the "Nothobranchius Temporal Pool" concept tank (ask me about the "mud hole" idea I've been playing with sometime), and others that are earmarked for some "indefinite future date...."

So, I kind of have this personal thought about "ideas."

They're worthless.

Really. 

Okay, that sounded a bit harsh. Let me clarify a bt.

I mean, if you're not going to do anything with them, they're sort of just "nice things" to have- maybe inspiring-but you need to act on them or they are just...theoretical, right? 

Worthless.

I don't keep "theoretical" tanks. 

And, I realize that there are limitations that we all have- Space, time, money, etc.- and that these temper many of ideas from being executed. I suppose that is part of the reason why I've changed my thinking about so-called "nano"-sized tanks over the past few years. Because their smaller size and ease of use helps you rapidly iterate from idea to completed system quickly and easily! I've had a lot of fun with them lately.

One of the best things about my business is getting to help fuel the dreams of other hobbyists. It gives me great pleasure to see you guys enjoying the hobby, and motivates me to do more.

And of course, when it comes time to do my own tank, I have to weed through all of these crazy ideas- some of which challenge me in ways I hadn't even considered. Some are just fun to play with.

Others launch me and Tannin into entirely new directions- those are the best ideas!

Okay, so maybe not ALL ideas are worthless.

I'm curious about what your "next" tank is going to be, how you arrived at the concept, and if you actually have gotten out of the planning phase..

So many of us are pushing the boundaries in aquarium technique by utilizing elements of blackwater, botanical-style aquariums, and many more techniques to discover, develop, and refine. With so much interest in our "dark world", we're seeing an exciting influx of new people, new energy, and new ideas- all of which will enrich and enhance the art and science of aquarium keeping, for the benefit of everyone who participates in this awesome hobby!

I took the time to write down and share everything I learned with my fellow hobbyists. Shared everything that I've learned and thought about- still do- in this blog and elsewhere. I'd like to see more of you doing that, too!

I'm not that unique.

I am just an average guy with an above average interest in a rather arcane subject within the aquarium hobby, and I pushed to learn as much as I can about it. Lots of you do the same...have for decades.

And whenever I tried new ideas, I would encounter some pushback from those who felt that they couldn't be pulled off. So-called "constructive criticisms" delivered in a most unconstructive way.

Many of you were dabbling with unusual ideas of your own, and we've traded "war stories", shared ideas, discuss our successes- and failures. We collaborated.

It worked beautifully with the evolution of the botanical-style aquarium approach: We took an idea which was typically dismissed, or seen as some sort of "side show" and looked at it more seriously, more procedurally...With an emphasis on observing Nature and attempting to understand and replicate some of its aspects in our tanks.

And we are seeing the emergence of blackwater, botanical-style aquariums as a legitimate methodology to successfully keep and breed a wide variety of fishes. We learn new stuff every day- together. So, yeah, I suppose that's another example of the value of ideas!

This is the way you push out into the unknown and weather the unwarranted "criticisms" or plain old attacks. You DO your thing. You focus. You find others who have similar interests and share ideas. You collaborate. And most of all, you share. Without fear of judgement. And without expectation of anything, other than perhaps inspiring others to follow the path you've taken if they desire, and to expand on your idea and improve upon it.

It's hard to take criticism. I know. 

Especially when it's for something you hold near and dear, and work with daily. However, in the aquarium world, like in so many other places- it comes with the territory.

However, it's harder to allow one of your ideas to shrivel up and die without ever being executed because you were afraid of criticism.

For those of you taking on your new ideas, and pushing out into new territories- new frontiers:

Move forward. Bravely. 

Take comfort in the fact that you are trying. Take comfort in the fact that your work may inspire others...and in it's own little way, perhaps change the aquarium hobby.

You're not foolish.

And your ideas aren't, either.

As long as you execute on them.

Whatever idea you decide on for your next aquarium- just DO SOMETHING!  Dream about it. Create it. Study it.

Stay bold. Stay creative. Stay thoughtful. Stay diligent...

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

The dynamics of botanical-style aquariums

 Botanical-style aquariums are a bit different. Yet, they're not THAT different from aquarium systems we've become more accustomed to over the years, right?

Yeah.

Our botanical-style aquariums are not "set-and-forget" systems, and require consistent basic maintenance (water exchanges, regular water testing, filter media replacement/cleaning), like any other aquarium.

They're truly dynamic.

We have developed some regular practices in the botanical-style aquarium hobby.  Perhaps one of the most "time-honored" practices is the idea of replacing decomposing materials with new ones regularly. This is one unique "requirement" as part of their ongoing maintenance which differs botanical-style aquariums from other types of aquariums.

It's a regular thing; almost a revered, ritualistic sort of thing among us hardcore botanical-style aquarium freaks.

The "topping off" of botanicals in your tank accomplishes a number of things: first, it creates a certain degree of environmental continuity- keeping things consistent from a "botanical capacity" standpoint. Over time, you have the opportunity to establish a "baseline" of water parameters, knowing how many of what to add to keep things more-or-less consistent, which could make the regular "topping off" of botanicals a bit more of a "science" in addition to an "art."

In addition, it keeps a consistent aesthetic "vibe" in your aquarium. Consistent, in that you can keep the sort of "look" you have, while making subtle- or even less-than-subtle "enhancements" as desired. 

Yeah, dynamic.

Because not only does Nature evolve our tanks by decomposing botanical materials over time, but we as hobbyists take part in this process by replenishing them with fresh materials.

Botanicals should be viewed as "consumables" in our hobby- much like activated carbon, filter pads, etc.- they simply don't last indefinitely.

And, of course, "topping off" botanicals helps keeps you more intimately "in touch" with your aquarium, much in the same way a planted tank enthusiast would by trimming plants, or a reefer while making frags. The side benefits are immediately apparent, too: When you're actively involved in the "operation" of your aquarium, you simply notice more. You can also learn more; appreciate the subtle, yet obvious changes which arise on an almost daily basis in our botanical-style aquariums.

Over the years, I've found that one of the things I enjoy doing most with my blackwater, botanical-style aquariums (besides just observing them, of course) is to "top off" the botanical supply from time to time. I feel that it not only gives me a sense of "actively participating" in the aquarium- it provides a sense that you're doing something that Nature has done for eons; something very "primal" and essential. Even the preparation process is engaging.

When you think about the materials which accumulate in natural aquatic habitats, and how they actually end up in them, it makes you think about this in a very different context. A more "holistic" context that can make your experience that much more rewarding.

Nature does it's own version of this "topping-off" process, too, of course!

Many bodies of water which meander through jungles and rain forests are constantly being "restocked" with leaves, seed pods, branches, and other botanical materials from the surrounding vegetation- some of which are knocked into the water by weather, wind, animal activity, etc. Depending upon the velocity of the water, its depth, etc., they may aggregate right where they fall, or be gradually re-distributed downstream by the current.

Interestingly, in places like the rain forest streams of Amazonia, biologists have observed floating leaf litter beds which hold together for quite a long time- almost becoming known "features" in the aquatic "topography" of the flooded forests (igarape) and streams of the region!

I have an obsession for small little tropical streams; their evolution, form, and function.They are remarkable little habitats, with literally thousands of different fishes found residing in them. 

The definition of a "stream" is: "...a body of water flowing in a channel or watercourse, as a river, rivulet, or brook..."

And of course, these little bodies of water flow through jungled areas, where they're bound to pick up some leaves, twigs, and other plant parts as they wind along their path. Leaves, the "jumping off point" of our botanical obsession, form a very important part of these stream habitats.

It is known by science that the leaf litter and the community of aquatic animals that it hosts is, according to one study, "... of great importance in assimilating energy from forest primary production into the blackwater aquatic system." 

There is something that calls to me- beckons me- to explore, to take note of its intricate details- and to replicate some of its features in an aquarium- sometimes literally, or sometimes, simply taking components that I find compelling and utilizing them in my tanks.

Streams also function as a means to preserve the nutrients that would be lost to the forests which would inevitably occur if all the material which fell into the streams was simply washed downstream. The fishes, crustaceans, and insects that live in the leaf litter and feed on the fungi, detritus, and decomposing leaves themselves are very important to the overall habitat.

In this world of decomposing leaves, submerged logs, twigs, and seed pods, there is a surprising diversity of life forms which call this milieu home. And each one of these organisms has managed to eke out an existence and thrive. 

A lot of hobbyists not familiar with our aesthetic tastes will ask what the fascination is with throwing palm fronds and seed pods into our tanks, and I tell them that it's a direct inspiration from nature! Sure, the look is quite different than what has been proffered as "natural" in recent years- but I'd guarantee that, if you donned a snorkel and waded into one of these habitats, you'd understand exactly what we are trying to represent in our aquariums in seconds!

Of course, water chemistry of flooded forests and streams is influenced by the many terrestrial components of the habitat. The trees in the ecosystem enrich the habitat and the resulting organic detritus from decomposing bark and organic exudates from the trees themselves help concentrate nutrients within the ecosystem itself.

Learning more about the dynamics of stream habitats and the ecology of the surrounding terrestrial environments is just one fascinating and compelling area of study that we as aquarists can really get into.

Yes, it requires some study. It requires trying some new and seemingly wacky ideas (encouraging the accumulation of detritus, decomposing leaves, and epiphytic biofilm growth, for one thing!), and embracing some different aesthetics in our aquariums.

Let's focus on this "functional" dynamic for a second. When we look to Nature, it's increasingly obvious that we can replicate much of it in our aquariums.This quote from a paper by Mendonca, et al, tells me so many cool things about the habitats we love to replicate:

"In Central Amazonia, terra firme environments (uplands that are not seasonally flooded) are drained by streams that have acidic waters due to the presence of humic and fulvic acids. The waters are poor in nutrients and the forest canopy impairs light penetration to the stream surface, so aquatic plants are virtually nonexistent (Junk and Furch, 1985; Walker, 1995). In these oligotrophic environments, food chains are dependent on allochthonous material from the forest, such as pollen, flowers, fruits, leaves, and arthropods (Goulding, 1980; Goulding et al., 1988; Walker, 1991). However, small fishes are frequently abundant, and 20 to 50 species may occur in a single stream (Lowe-McConnell, 1999; Sabino, 1999)."

In streams, studies indicate that an increase in species "richness" is positively related to the habitat complexity and shelter availability as well as current velocity and stream size, and that substrate, depth and current speed are among the most important physical features in many bodies of water, which contribute to the formation of numerous "microhabitats", all with fascinating ecology, environmental parameters, and fish population diversity.

 Stuff we've barely tapped into in the aquarium world yet!

The implications of this information for aquarists are profound and fascinating, and understanding, interpreting, and applying some of these numbers and concepts can potentially lead to some fascinating breakthroughs in aquarium work.

However, we have to "get out of our own way", first.

We're talking about taking the lead from Nature- looking at it as it IS- and about using this stuff to create aesthetically compelling, dynamic, and physically functional aquariums. There is always the danger of going too far, and falling into that cliche of closed-minded superficial replication that is, in my opinion, consuming the aquascaping and biotope aquarium world, so use the information you find with a bit of interpretation...but make use of it nonetheless.

It's time to create awesome-looking aquariums that also function like the natural habitat which they intend to replicate.

 

They may not be "pretty" in the conventional aquarium sense. 

They might not look or function like a "traditional aquarium", and they might not be attractive to many in the same way a more "high concept" planted tank is...And that's okay. It's important to understand that we're going in a different, very unique direction- one which has a different goal, and will, with a different operational approach- yield a very different outcome.

All of these things are very interesting, and so much is yet to be learned and experienced by us as hobbyists in relation to leaf litter and botanicals in our aquariums. Yet, one can only hope that many of the positives which occur in natural habitats comprised of leaf litter and botanical cover will occur in our thoughtfully-managed aquariums.

The day will come when we have a better understanding of what's really going on in leaf litter beds in our tanks, and that these materials won't be coveted just for their ability to impart tannins and humic substances, or for creating a different aesthetic, or for lowering pH and tinting the water, but for the true biological "richness", diversity, and utility they provide.

I celebrate our effort to understand, execute, and embrace the dynamic processes which occur within them, and allowing all of the life forms which reside within them to benefit from them.

Stay engaged. Stay bold. Stay diligent. Stay patient. Stay studious...

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

 

The fishes of our childhood

One of the cool things about the aquarium hobby is that the fishes which we play with are often the same species and varieties which have been around for generations. When we visit the local fish store, we can see a whole host of fishes, many of which we may have kept at one point or another during our lives. They not only take us back to our hobby beginnings, but draw a direct line back to generations of hobbyists who came before us.

When I was a kid, and received my first aquarium (a metal framed, 5-gallon aquarium), I can remember the incredible excitement it caused. I could barely sleep the night before, and I think I was up at 4:30 AM for a week straight (much to my parent's chagrin, no doubt) after setting it up in my bedroom! I just couldn't wait to check out the fishes each morning!

Like every kid who kept tropical fishes, my tank had plastic plants, a goofy underwater castle ornament, some rainbow gravel, and an assortment of fishes that was probably inappropriate, slightly excessive, and no doubt, incompatible. My one secret weapon is that my dad was a seasoned fancy guppy breeder, so I had a ready source of in-house advice, assistance, and freshly-hatched brine shrimp!

The thing I remember the most about this tank were some of the fishes, and the joy and excitement they brought me. To this day, I still look at these fishes with a sense of nostalgia, and they evoke a sense of enchantment which other fishes just can't quite bring.

I only half-jokingly refer to them as "comfort fishes", as they evoke the same emotions in me as "comfort foods", like Mac and Cheese, freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies, or hamburgers do in others. 

What were these fishes? Well, let's look at 'em:

 

First and foremost is the Neon Tetra.

No other fish evoked the whole tropical fish "experience" to me as much as this one. Its exotic colors, small size, shoaling behavior, and hardiness made it- still make it- one of the aquarium hobby's best overall fishes.  I remember how I felt like I had "arrived" when I obtained my first group of 6.

Another fish that I kept form the beginning, which simply makes me smile every time I see it- one that I think I want to keep again soon, btw- is the Zebra Danio. Yeah, they swim obscenely fast, display little in the way of individual personality, and shit like mad, yet they absolutely take me back to that first aquarium, and never fail to make me smile!

So "old school", yet so alluring.

The Glass Catfish (now Kryptopterus vitreolus) is a bit more of a "serious" fish, but to a kid, the "X- Ray" thing it has going on is simply irresistible!  Of course, I kept the fish completely incorrectly- singly, as opposed to in a small group. Yeah, my specimen, "Reggie", was a bit boisterous, and occasionally harassed my little Tetras (lucky he didn't eat them!), but it was one of my favorite fishes of all time! And this is another fish which I'd like to keep in a proper biotope-inspired aquarium soon. 

I had a real thing for Barbs back in the day.

The Gold Barb was to me one of the best. Sure, it looks to most people to be little more than a common goldfish, and indeed, is often called that by non-fish types, but the "barbels" are the dead giveaway, and to a 7-year-old kid, they were a legit "tropical fish" that deserved a place in my tank! They still are, and they still do!

Peaceful, active, and "cute", they were a true favorite!

And then there is the Pristella.

This fish is probably one of the more under-appreciated Tetras out there, but it has the distinction of being the first egg-layer that ever spawned for me! That makes it awesome! And a school of them, swimming in and out of a bunch of Cabomba I had in this tank (my first live plant, after Sagittaria) used to captivate me all the time!

I kept some recently, in fact, and loved them just as much as I did when I was a kid. THAT says something about this fish, huh?

Of course, my list of "comfort fishes" would simply be incomplete if I failed to include the Guppy! My very first fish was a guppy. My dad used to give me some baby guppies in a bowl to have as fishy "boarders" for a while (he'd rotate them into his rearing tank as they grew)...I learned the art and perfected the skills of feeding and raising fry because of those little guys, an seeing them mature into beauties was something that I will never forget!

No doubt, everyone who's ever kept an aquarium as a kid has the same type of feelings for various fishes. They are part of who we are as both as a person and as an aquarist, and they will forever influence our hobby. No matter how far we advance in the hobby, the fishes of our childhood take us immediately back to those wonderous days of our hobby beginnings, which ignited a lifelong flame of passion for keeping and breeding tropical fishes.

Until next time- don't forget to look back one in a while, even as you're looking ahead to your next project. Introduce your children to the fishes of your childhood, and let them choose some of their own favorites- you know they will!  In fact, try to incorporate some in your next aquarium!

Stay grounded. Stay focused. Stay introspective. Stay nostalgic...

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

 

 

I dare you.

I know you're out there. 

Maybe you're an experienced hobbyist. Perhaps you're brand new- just starting out. You're fascinated by the botanical-style aquarium. You're eager to give it a shot.

I have a dare for you...

However, let me digress for a few minutes.

We're now 5 years in as Tannin Aquatics; 5 years since we've thrown our hat into the ring, doing our small part to elevate the idea of blackwater, botanical-style aquariums and a more natural approach to running them.

To date, we've shipped around 14,000 or so orders worldwide to thousands of customers. We've seen a huge and accelerating interest in the idea of botanical-style aquariums, with hobbyists from multiple aquatic disciplines jumping in and playing with botanicals in a variety of systems. Lot's of fascinating aquariums and other aquatic displays have been featured. Here at Tannin alone, we've created hundreds of blog posts and podcasts on virtually every aspect-good, bad, and ugly- of botanical-style aquariums.

Technique has been developed, refined, and in some instances- perfected. The art and science has evolved, with "best practices" for botanical-style approaches being shared widely in the hobby, both here and elsewhere, leading to many remarkable successes.

However, there are still a few people out there for whom this stuff doesn't seem to work. The approach is perhaps elusive to them. The idea of utilizing botanicals in the aquarium to create a specialized aquatic environment doesn't quite resonate. Or, if it does, the "details"- the "rules" imposed by Nature about how this stuff works, simply don't seem to hit home.

Yeah, it happened again recently.

That thing which I most feared in the early days of Tannin..Soemthing I thought that 5 years, hundreds of articles, and thousands of success stories would have helped avoid: Someone added a bunch of botanicals to their established tank all at once, and their fishes died. A tragedy. Interestingly, this is exactly the 4th such incident that I have been made aware of since we've been in operation.  

A very tiny number, considering- but each tragedy is painful for me to hear.

And, of course, it's really disappointing, because it was one of the most avoidable, completely unnecessary tragedies I've heard of with botanicals...especially at this late date.

And sadly, the customer who reported this tragedy didn't bring it to my attention, or even ask questions. Her first course of action after the avoidable tragedy was to simply request a refund from PayPal, with the generic descriptor that "products were not as described."  And, in a micro rant describing how her fishes died and the botanicals "turned to mush"- she confidently stated that, "No one should use these things in their aquariums.."

Okay, now I understand that she was upset because she nuked her tank. All of her fishes died. And I don't care about the money aspect.

I suppose she got part of it right when she made her statement. Yet, I think I need to expand upon her words a bit to really drive the point home:

No one should use these things in their aquariums if they don't make the effort to understand what they're getting into here.

And lest you be concerned that she's out her money- she isn't. That was never even an issue.

Secret: Even though we don't offer a "guarantee" that we'll refund your money if you kill your fishes- because we can't possibly guarantee perfect outcomes for everyone-we're pretty good at taking care of you, our customers- and we would refund your purchase if you brought this to our attention and felt it was deserved.  Really, you're not "fighting back at The Man" when you request a refund from PayPal. All PayPal does in this instance is send us an email saying, essentially, "...customer requests a refund. Here's the (generic) reason. Do you want to issue a refund or dispute it?" 

And we just refund the money, of course. Because at the end of the day, it's not just about the money.

While we might disagree with the reasoning, we certainly wouldn't not refund if someone asked. I mean, she was upset. No disputing THAT.

Yeah, her fishes died.

That sucks. And guess what, I take some of the blame. It's partially my fault. 

It is.

Because I need to do an even better job of describing the many aspects of how to use botanicals; about the potential pitfalls, the caveats, the nuances, and...

Well, wait a second...

I said "partially"- because it's a two-way street.

Okay, there are aspects of this tragedy which one could attribute to our inability to point out every possible consideration when using botanicals in aquariums- sure- that's on us.

However, we don't just sell seed pods and leaves in a vacuum, do we? And someone who embarks on this botanical-style aquarium journey is not exactly a "victim", right? We provide the information, tools, and inspiration to move forward as a well-informed, confident hobbyist. How can you be surprised that your botanicals would "turn to mush" at some point? Because you might have missed that point.

Decomposition is a fundamental part of the botanical-style aquarium.

And we tell you- and have told you repeatedly over the years NOT to play with botanicals if you don't have the necessary understanding of the processes and expectations.

I mean, we DO have hundreds of articles and podcasts right here, including some memorable titles, like "All in all, it's best NOT to kill your fishes"  or (from back in 2015) "Whoa! Slow down there! There's no rush."  or "Celebrating patience. Embracing the Evolution. Taking the Time" , "Cooking with botanicals: The art of botanical preparation- Part 236"  (yeah, we talk about it so often that we mock ourselves!)- micro rants, pleads, essays, and admonitions to slow down. To evaluate as you go. To study. To educate yourself on the nitrogen cycle, aquarium ecology, and good old common sense.

We talk about this stuff ad naseum here- and we'll keep doing it-because it's that important.

Yeah, we will. It's our responsibility, and our obligation to the hobby- and to our fishes. We'll try to do an even more complete job of pushing this information out to the hobby. We have to do better.

And we all have to understand:

Although it's extremely rare, tragedies are going to happen. They happen when we as hobbyists  don't do our job to educate ourselves more thoroughly before jumping in.  Nature offers no guarantees. Neither can we. Each of the four cases which we were made aware of, the tragedy could have been avoided by embracing a more studious, measured, patient mindset.

We've even talked about THAT stuff forever.

Because it's important. Fundamental. Essential.

So, to the customer who lost all of your fishes after adding botanicals to your tank, I wish you the best. I feel for your pain. It sucks. I'm truly sorry you had such a bad experience. I encourage you to move forward.

And... I dare you.

Huh?

Yeah, I dare you to embrace a new mindset.

A new way of thinking.

I dare you to take some initiative to do more than look at the pretty pictures online and study our infographic botanical prep card that we ship with your order. To learn about the nitrogen cycle, bacteria, basic water chemistry, and the impact of bioload on established aquariums.  To read about why terrestrial materials decompose in water, and what happens when they do. To take some personal responsibility to educate yourself about what the whole reasoning is for playing with botanicals. 

Yeah, you have a role here, too. Don't shy away from it. You see, Nature has some "rules" that we need to understand if we play Her game. She'll kick our asses if we don't- without apologies or consideration about how we feel. She's been doing this stuff for eons. She's under no obligation to make things easy or simple for us to understand.

It's the price we pay for playing in Nature's arena.

I dare you to grasp that. To look before you leap.

I dare you to understand that botanical-style aquariums are not just a "style of aquascaping", and that botanicals are not just decorative "set pieces" for your aquarium. I implore you to learn about the ecological implications of botanicals on the aquarium to which they are added. To understand what we mean when we urge you to go slowly, and to deploy massive amounts of patience.

I dare you to make the effort to understand this stuff. Not to just give it "lip service" or be entertained by our energy or catchy titles or splashy images and videos. Dive deeper. 

You'll not only spare yourself from future tragedies- you'll help others do the same.

Because, at the end of the day, it's all about learning about and enjoying the animals that we love. It's about enjoying the wonders of Nature in our own homes. It's about sharing what we've learned, and contributing to the ever-growing body of knowledge about the botanical-style aquarium.

Embrace this. And grow.

I dare you.

I'm sorry for your loss.

Stay brave. Stay careful. Stay alert. Stay studious. Stay patient...

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

 

 

 

 

New journeys...new discoveries. Humility, and the wonder of trying something new.

One of the best things about the aquarium hobby is that there is a seemingly infinite amount of learning you can do. And an equally infinite amount of stuff you can try. I find this so incredibly fascinating and engrossing because we have so many options to do cool stuff!

As you may know by now, I’m one of those totally geeked-out hobbyists who plays with both fresh and saltwater. I’m even more weird, because when I started Tannin  Aquatics, I co-owned a company which propagated, imported, and distributed corals and marine livestock. 

It was remarkably challenging.

Yet, it was one of the most interesting and fun times in the history of Tannin Aquatics- and in my personal hobby experience. There was a ton to know, and lots of different moving pieces that we had to coordinate to run both businesses successfully. I love the reef hobby, yet the call of my "origins" in freshwater grew louder and louder every day, until eventually, it made sense to sell my interest in the marine business.

And I had-and have- absolutely no regrets, despite the disbelief that many of my reef-world friends and fellow vendors shared with me at my departure. They couldn't believe how I could walk away from the splashy, successful coral business and go full-force into a hyper-niche freshwater market segment that didn't even exist until we started it! 

Looking back on it now, I suppose it was kind of crazy...But the reality is that it was just so easy to do. I realized that my love of the botanical-style aquarium was so great, and the allure of getting people excited about this stuff was so irresistible, that I simply couldn't NOT jump!

So, I’d say that I’m fairly in tune with the hobby and the market, in a fair number of "segments."

Yet, even with that experience on "both sides of the salinity line", I am always a bit “rusty” on some of the equipment choices…Stuff changes so fast in the reef world. I was planning a new reef tank for next winter, and I was definitely a bit out of the loop! Even within the reefing world, I guess being in my “livestock bubble”  left me a bit  myopic and hyper-focused on one aspect of the reef aquarium hobby. I can tell you all about what coral comes from where and grows in such-and-such a fashion, and what kinds of water parameters are best for growth, blah, blah…I used that knowledge daily for years.

But when it comes to the “latest and greatest” hardware, I’m a bit…humbled.

Oh sure, I’m up on the latest technology and concepts,  and I know who makes what,  but if you ask me who makes the best protein skimmer or LED light, and why, I might not have a tremendous depth to my answer. I know what works for us on a commercial level, and these are dramatically different products than I’d use on my home system. “I know what I know”, I suppose…

Staring at manufacturer’s websites and reading about “bluetooth-enabled" this-and-that made my head spin. Honestly. I mean, somewhere along the line, super high technology just settled into the reef keeping game- and the freshwater game, too- for the betterment of the hobby. But wow, in just a few years, things have changed a LOT! Seems like you have to be an expert at things like computers, cell phones, and home electronics just to grasp how some of this stuff works and what it actually can do!

It was kind of…well- humbling… It made me realize that, even after a lifetime in the aquarium hobby, you simply can’t know everything there is to know- even in your chosen fave specialty area. Sometimes, you DO need to rely on “experts” in other aspects of the aquarium field. 

And there’s really nothing wrong with that!

Not too long ago, (well, "pre-pandemic", so it WAS a while back), a reefer buddy and I ran out to our favorite LFS for the time-honored tradition of looking for fish for our (freshwater) aquariums. My friend was looking for Tetras and livebearers, and I was focused on finding a pair of Apistogramma.

When we were browsing the FW section, we had more than just a working knowledge of these fishes, but the reality was that we were  both woefully “out of practice”, so to speak, on some of the finer points of fish morph ID, etc. We did what everyone does- we relied on the guys at the shop to steer us in the right direction!

And it was a great experience!

Humbling, but incredibly enjoyable. Humbling, because I was pretty well-known as an author, lecturer, and "authority" In the reef world, but I was a complete unknown in this world. It's easy to become full of yourself;f in this hobby! Fortunately, despite my "celebrity" status in the reef world, I never really thought much of the accolades and position of perceived "expert" I had.

The transition woke me up a bit! And made me realize that you simply can't know everything about everything!

Freshwater is no different to me than the hyper-focusing we do in reef keeping on things like Acros, Zoanthids, and Chalices. You just need to listen, learn- immerse yourself in the “culture” a bit. When haunting some of the planted tank forums and specialty discussion groups (like cichlids, livebearers, and killies), I often come to the realization that there is so much knowledge out there that it’s almost impossible to absorb it all.

Everyone thinks that reef people are so sophisticated (trust me, I can prove otherwise in many cases!). I mean, sure, some are. And for some reason, the reef hobby sees freshwater people as humble, simple folks...Nothing could be further from the truth. It's so weird that people think this. I am frequently blown away by the sophistication of freshwater hobbyists- breeders and the planted tank people…I mean, high tech planted tanks make running a reef tank look comparatively simple. And you people who breed some of the crazier cichlids and catfishes- you’re on a whole different level.

It’s all amazing, IMHO.

After "crossing back over" to freshwater, in addition to being humbled by the awesome amount of “stuff” there is to know in the aquarium world, I was struck by a sense of excitement and enthusiasm that I haven’t felt in years…It’s fun to learn about all of these new (to me) things. For everyone- there are products, procedures, trends, and “experts” in specialty areas of the hobby that are completely unknown to us before we jump in…how cool is that?

And freshwater has a seemingly endless number of unusual speciality niche areas to learn and enjoy.

These people have decades of experience with say, South American Cichlids- or even more obscure- the genus Amphilophus, for example. Etc., etc., etc. To know what they know, you simply have to DO stuff for a long time…Or you can humbly ask those who know and LISTEN- then do your own followup research-just like in the reef world. Sure, you can learn a lot by reading, and more by asking-but in the end, you have to DO stuff in order to get the valuable experience. You can literally spend a lifetime trying new stuff in the aquarium hobby!

At Tannin, you've seen us “enabling” fellow aquarists with new concepts- like "Urban Igapo" systems, leaf-litter-only aquairums, botanical-style brackish tanks, etc.- things that challenge the skills we’ve developed in our “fish careers”, and compelling us to acquire and develop new ones!

That, to me, is what the hobby is all about. Pushing.

My advice, if you find yourself in a “rut”, looking for something to get you mentally “back in the game?”

Do something, anything- that gets you mentally engaged in a new aspect of the hobby. Do some research, seek out advice of others with experience in those fields, and then…to coin a phrase from an old Nike campaign- Just DO It.

With an almost infinite amount of stuff to learn, and enormous resources at our fingertips, including friendly, experienced hobbyists-there has never been a better time to embark on new journeys in the aquarium hobby.

Yes, the usual caveats about "taking people’s advice with a grain of salt" apply here, but with the proper attitude, and the willingness to be humble and “new” at something again, the possibilities for enjoyment in the aquarium hobby are as vast as the oceans, lakes, and rivers of the world.

Think about that.

Have a great week, play with your fishes, spend time with your families..Try something new...

Stay brave. Stay open-minded. Stay curious. Stay excited. Stay humble.

And Stay Wet!

 

Regards,

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

 

"Spontaneous Spawnings:" Luck, coincidence...or something else entirely?

As a kid, I remember that the idea of breeding my fishes seemed so exotic; so aspirational...and often, unachievable.

Sometimes, it still feels that way, especially with some fishes.

I mean, sure, I was able to breed livebearers, killies, Kribs, Zebra Danios, Apistos, Cherry Barbs- fishes like that. Sometimes, these were the result of random chance, coincidences, or just plain old luck. Usually, my deliberately organized breeding attempts just sort of came up short all the time.

I mean, I'd have some success.

I had various Tetras breed when I intentionally tried to do it. However, for the most part, my "career" as a deliberate fish breeder has been essentially lacking. For whatever reason, I just don't have that combination of skill, desire, and a certain kind of patience that almost every talented fish breeder seems to possess in abundance.

The combination which leads to success with so many types of fishes.

And, that's okay. I made peace with that a long time ago.

My path as a hobbyist sort of took a different direction. And in the end, I've learned a lot more about the environments from which my fishes come, and ways to replicate various aspects of them in more compelling ways.

And along the way, I would end up with a surprisingly large number of those "spontaneous" spawning events with my fishes. You know, you wake up one morning and your Pencilfishes are acting weird...Next thing you know, there are clouds of eggs flying all over the tank...

That sort of stuff.

And after the initial surprise and excitement, during my "postgame analysis", I'd be trying to figure out what led to the spawning event...

And after a few years of experiencing this sort of thing, I began to draw the conclusion that it was the result of going out of my way to focus on recreating the correct environmental conditions for my fishes on a full-time basis- not just for spawning- which led to these events occurring repeatedly over the years.

With all sorts of fishes, too.

When it happened again, not too long a go, in my experimental leaf-litter only tank, hosting about 20 Paracheirodon simulans ("Green Neon Tetras"), I came the conclusion, in a circuitous sort of way, that I AM a fish breeder of sorts. Or, more precisely, a "fish natural habitat replication specialist." A nice way of saying that by focusing on the overall environmental conditions of the aquarium on a full time basis, I could encourage more natural behaviors- including spawning- among the fishes under my care.

Of course, there is more to being a "successful" breeder than just having the fishes spawn. You have to rear the resulting fry, right? Sure, half the battle is just getting the fishes to lay eggs in the first place- a conformation that you're doing something right to make them comfortable enough to want to reproduce! And there is a skill set needed to rear the fry, too.

Yet, I think that with a more intensive and creative approach, our botanical-style aquariums can help with that aspect too. Sure, it's more hands off than the traditional "keep-the-fry-knee-deep-in-food-at-all-times" approach that serious breeders employ...but my less deliberate, more "hands-off" approach can work. I've seen it happen many times in my "non-breeding" tanks.

And of course, it's not just me. I hear all the time from hobbyist who play with botanical-style aquariums about these sort of "spontaneous spawning" and the appearances of fry in their tanks..

t happened yet again...an excited email from a customer who recently switched over to a botanical-style, blackwater aquarium, only to have her little Boraras, which she'd had for over a year, suddenly start spawning!

Cool!

Now sure, it could just have been that they finally were of spawning age, or that the temperature in her tank changed one night, or...and number of a dozen possible factors. However, I hear these stories from hobbyists fairly often.

Actually, all the time.

We're seeing more and more in botanical-stye, blackwater aquariums are reports of "spontaneous" spawnings of all sorts of different fishes associated with these types of conditions.

Often, it's a group of fishes that the aquarist had for a while, perhaps with little effort put into spawning them, and then it just sort of "happened." For others, it is perhaps expected- maybe the ultimate goal as it relates to a specific species...but was just taking a long time!

The "common denominator" in all of the reports we receive are that the fishes are displaying better overall color, vigor, and overall health after being recently exposed to the more "physiologically appropriate" conditions of a blackwater aquarium. Now, this is by no means us stating that blackwater/botanical-style tanks are somehow magical, and possess the ability to make every fish magically thrive and spawn- or that this is some amazing "secret" that we've stumbled upon.

Nope. It's as old as the hobby itself. It's hardly magic.

Rather, it's more of an affirmation of a theory which I've developed over the decades that fishes from specialized environments- even those which might be several generations captive-bred, can always benefit from being "re-patriated" to the conditions under which they have evolved for eons.

I know that there are those who will adamantly state that this is not necessary or true, and that they breed Discus just fine in hard, alkaline tap water, or whatever- but I just have this really hard time accepting the argument that fishes from say, soft, acidic blackwater are somehow "better off" in hard, alkaline "tap water" conniptions...after only a few dozen generations in captivity.

Have we somehow "changed" the physiology or physiological needs of the fish, which evolved over millions of years, in a few decades?

I'm not buying that argument! 

"Acclimated" to the water parameters that work for US? Sure...However, "changed" their physiological requirements for certain conditions?

Nah. Not buying that. 

Now, I could be totally wrong, but I'm not listening anyways...lol (I'm not irrationally stubborn or anything...LOL)

Look, this L.A. boy, who's lived all of his life in warm temps CAN adapt to living in frigid Antartica, if I'm given the proper clothes, housing, etc. I could even start a family there. Yet, does this mean that we've somehow evolved to thrive in these conditions?

No, I merely acclimated to it and figured out how to "deal" with it.

Of course, with botanical-style aquariums, we know that we have a few things going for us already.

I think there is a lot to be said for the potential benefits of humic substances for fishes- substances which are found in abundance in the natural botanical materials we play with-and indeed, much research has been done in this area already by science. Still, much is yet to be fully understood, but suffice it to say, there are a variety of health benefits ascribed to humic substances found in blackwater and other  habitats, and the "superficial", yet numerous observations we've made thus far seem to confirm this!

What advantages do they give us when we're trying to breed fishes from these habitats?

One could generally state that they reduce stress, if nothing else, right? That's at least a start. It's long been known that fishes kept under conditions which minimize stress are healthier overall, and part of the overall health is that they will engage more readily in natural behaviors such as spawning.

DO botanica-style aquariums accomplish this?

I think so. However, I'll be the first to admit that we're still learning about this stuff, aren't we? So to draw anything more than the most superficial conclusion is just speculative.

Now, as I touched on above, I am equally fascinated by the possible benefits of these conditions for fry. In other words, not only the chemical conditions (i.e; pH, levels of tannins/humic substances, etc.), but the possibility of providing natural foods and nutritional benefits from the biofilms which botanicals and leaves "recruit" while underwater.

We already know from studying Nature that biofilms will serve as an excellent natural source of food- supplemental or otherwise- for many fish fry.

Biofilms and the organisms which are found with them are consumed by a number of species as adults, so it goes without saying that, if they're available to fry, they might also be a possible source of nutrition.

Which leads me to wonder...

Could a botanically-"stocked" aquarium, complete with perhaps a deep leaf litter bed and/or lots of botanicals, "doing their thing", serve as a sort of "nursery" for fry of fishes which are adapted to blackwater conditions? Or any number of other environmental conditions, for that matter?

I think so!

I've talked about this many times before- including quite recently.

So, perhaps a version of the fry-rearing tank that's a bit more than the typical bare-bottomed, hyper-maintained nursery tanks we tend to use so often- might be a good thing to experiment with? I mean, sure, for commercial breeding, it probably would be a challenge...but for the hobbyist working with just a few species...could this be a great way to provide some supplemental/primary feeding? A sort of "botanical refugium" for fry? 

I think there is precedent.

I mean, what hobbyist hasn't had one of those planted "jungle" tanks over the years, where you'd just sort of "stumble" on well-developed, well-fed fry from time to time in the "canopy" of plants? I mean, same idea, right? Natural foods...and protection?

I think that we might see some of this as more and more hobbyists experiment with botanical-style brackish tanks, too! A lot of potential discoveries- even breakthroughs- are possible! 

None of this stuff is completely mind-blowingly revolutionary. But it is evolutionary...a sort of possible progression in thinking. It's not really "rocket science" ("Filll tank with water. Add leaves and let them decompose. Add fish fry.")

I'll say it again: Much research needs to be done. 

Meanwhile, I'll never tire of my seemingly "challenging" fishes "spontaneously" spawning in my botanical-style aquariums. And I'll continue to think about what may have led to these exciting events.

The fact is, I'm doing nothing differently than any other hobbyist who has ever bred fishes has done. The only different thing is that I am not providing these conditions for the expressed benefit of spawning the fishes. 

The fishes are simply doing what comes natural.

Maybe it's inevitable?

They're simply reacting to proper environment and nutritional parameters. If they had slightly different requirements, perhaps these spawnings would likely not have taken place. This happy result is simply the combination of selecting fishes carefully for the environment that was prepared for them and consistent husbandry.

Yeah.

Coincidence? Possibly. Luck? Perhaps.

Yeah, it's not "rocket science" by any stretch. It's the result of adhering- admittedly in a slightly different way- to the basic approach handed down to us by generations of hobbyists:

Give your fishes the best possible environmental conditions and food, and you're likely to have success spawning them.

Want to succeed with spawning fishes?

So why not make the "easy" part of the equation, well...easy, and at least focus on providing your fishes-even if they're just in a display- with the conditions they would need if you were attempting to spawn them intentionally? It's one of those "no-brainer" things in fish keeping that should be immediately obvious, but we tend to overlook in our busy, daily lives and the many other commitments besides our aquariums that fill them.

The results just might surprise you.

Then again, maybe they won't.

Stay diligent. Stay curious. Stay excited. Stay consistent.

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

 

 

In for the duration!

Aquascaping as an art and science is really starting to evolve.

We're seeing an interesting evolution of styles, ideas, and inspiration coming on line. And a very rapidly growing interest in utilizing botnaicals in all sorts of aquaecapes is bringing new questions. 

Like, the one I receive quite a bit:

"Which of your botanicals last the longest, Scott?"

And of course, there most certainly ARE a bunch of botanicals which hold up better during long periods of submersion, there are many variables which can affect their durability, such as the water chemistry, current, the types of fishes you maintain, etc.

Hell, just being submerged in water over time softens stuff...

Water is a tremendous "solvent"- right?

I mean, do the words "Grand Canyon" mean anything to you?

Yeah.

Oh, back to botanicals...

There are some variables which apply:

One "instant variable" is the constant "grazing" or foraging activities of some species of fishes and shrimp (and snails!), which hasten or begin to break down the tissues of even the most durable pods over time, often from the inside out- a factor that we don't always think about.

And of course, our recommendations to prepare your botanicals by boiling or soaking begin the process by "softening up" these materials- to what extent is largely dependent upon which botanicals we're talking about- but all soften to some degree via the preparation process. Lignins and cellulose do soften up a little bit when boiled.

Let's think about the actual physical structure of these materials for a moment.

Most of the more durable botanicals we work with are the seed pods of various species of plants, and often are comprised of a wall-like structure called a pericarp. The pericarp has a durable single-cell layer called the exocarp, which facilitates gaseous exchange and protects the seed or fruit within. This layer can be pretty solid, and depending upon the species, may last a pretty long time under water.

 

That being said, all botanical materials will soften over time, gradually breaking down, often from the inside, where the tissues are softer and less durable. Fishes like Plecos, some characins, and many species of snails and shrimp will gradually consume portions of both the exterior and interior parts of the pod, which may also break down from fungal or bacterial action over time.

You've sent us lots of pics over the years of fishes and shrimp consuming the softer interior parts of many botanicals- a process which happens in Nature, too!

Some materials, like Dysoxylum and Caliotropis pods, tend to  soften rather quickly- at least, their interiors do- and can often breakdown very rapidly. They are very attractive to shrimp! In fact, we don't recommend either one of them for use in an aquarium that doesn't contain shrimp, because their soft interiors are more likely to foul before they will really break down.

So, with all of these factors in play, there are, of course, some botanicals which will really stand up well to long term submersion, and we'll look at just a few of our most durable faves here.

Let's face it, I realize that whenever I compile a list of ANYTHING about the stuff we sell, it's kind of tough not to accuse me of some form of "crass commercialism..." I mean, it's sort of like a promotion for our stuff, right?

That being said, it's important for many of you to know the durability of the materials you're spending your hard-earned cash on, so please make that your takeaway here.

This is by no means an exhaustive examination, or even THE definitive ranking for them- but the few that made my personal "short list" of "Most Durable" are certainly ones that have proven to be long-term "players" in both my systems and those of others in our community for some time!

You will no doubt have your own additions and/or observations on this stuff- so let's hear 'em! 

Here are my faves for durability and longevity:

1) Monkey Pot- this is actually a seed pod from plantation-grown Brazil nut trees (Lecythis pisonis), so you'd expect it to be extremely durable...and it is! These pods are without a doubt, the longest-lasting botanicals we work with. I've had specimens go two years or more without any significant "softening" occurring. Oh, and they are a great place to hide, and they release some water-tinting tannins, so all-in-all they're a real great "vehicle" for natural-style aquariums.

2) Mokha Pods-  these are really durable, almost "nut-like" pods, from the Shrebera swieteniodes tree, and will hold their shape and "structural integrity" for extended periods of time. These pods are a really great aesthetic component for your 'scape, offering that "generic tropical" look that will no doubt work in all sorts of aquascapes! Of course, for a Southeast Asian or Indian-Inspired biotope aquarium or vivarium, these would be truly great to use.

3) Cariniana Pods - This is the prototype awesome tropical seed pod for aquarium use! I still have a CarinianaPod in use that's been submerged, more or less continuously, for the better part of 3 years. That pretty much says it all. Now, what we call a "pod" is really what a botanist would call a "dehiscent pyxidia"- a really cool way of saying that it's a fruit capsule, from which the upper part falls off when the seeds are released! Fishes like Apistos will take to them easily, utilizing their cavity as a place to rear and protect their clutches of fry, much as they would exploit such a submerged seed pod in nature. Now, if only my supplier in Brazil could ship to us again soon!

4) Sterculia Pods-  Of course, you'd expect these large, woody pods to be durable! And- surprise- they are! Although they will soften quicker than most of the larger pods mentioned here, they are among the most durable and versatile botanicals we offer. It's actually the fruit, or "follicle" (as botanists call it) of the jungle tree Sterculia foetida. Calling it a "pod" is a little stretch, actually- but not much! (Unless you're a botanist, in which case your colleagues would just totally hate on you...) It's also known locally in Southeast Asia as the "Java Olive."

What we can confidently say is that these botanicals, like pretty much every seed pod or leaf we place in the aquarium, will leach some amount of tannins, lignin, and other organics into the water over time. You certainly wouldn't use Sterculia Pods for the sole purpose of providing "tint" to your water, but you would be perfectly correct using them for aesthetics and utility as a shelter. At the end of the day, the Sterculia Pod is truly one of the most useful, attractive, and versatile botanicals you can add to your aquarium. Not a day goes by that we don't find ourselves thinking of some new application for them in an aquarium, terrarium, or vivarium!

5)  Afzelia Pod-  Okay, I'm sort of cheating, because even though you can and should use these guys in aquariums, they look amazing in vivariums! The seed pod of Afzelia xylocarpa from Southeast Asia, is a big, heavy, and undeniably attractive botanical that will serve a variety of uses, ranging from simple hardscape piece, to serving as a perch, feeding area, or shelter for your frogs. These big, solid pods last a good long time under water. Like, potentially years.They are excellent for vivariums, because they stand up to humidity really well.

In the end, I suppose that you could conclude that the word "durability" is a relative term in the context of submerged botanicals.

What I see as "long-lasting" might be unacceptably short to some- especially newcomers to our game who are accustomed to more "traditional" hardscape materials, like wood, which typically lasts a really long time under water. Like, decades...

That being said, I think it's at least important to share some sort of "baseline" observations of this "durability factor", so that you can have a "starting point" for creating the kind of hardscape that you're trying to achieve!

So, while I can't guarantee that any botanical will last "x" amount of time underwater, I am more than hoary to give you my opinion on the more durable ones, based on my personal experiences. By knowing what will last longest, you can make more informed decisions- and we're always happy to help you with that!

Of course, the tradeoff with "durability" in botanicals is their ability to recruit biofilms, fungal and algal turfs on their hard surfaces. This is, of course, not a bad thing. However, for those of you out there who love pristine, spotless hardscape items, you'll be breaking out the stiff-bristled brush frequently, or replacing them after a few months with new specimens.

Again, part of the "function" of botanicals- and wood- for that matter- in addition to their utility as hiding spaces, etc., or their ability to influence water chemistry, is to serve as a substrate for growth of these important supplemental food sources for many aquatic organisms, just like they do in Nature.

We have to get used to this stuff.

Understanding that what the uninitiated to our obsession see as "gross" or "dirty" as beautifully  "natural" and "functional" is a true mental shift- one of many we ask you to make when working with a natural, botanical-style aquarium.

And, if you can keep these materials in play for extended periods of time- it's just that much more satisfying, isn't it?

Kepe experimenting, observing, and enjoying!

Stay creative. Stay excited. Stay engaged. Stay curious...

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Our not-so-secret obsessions...

Getting out of your self-impose "comfort zone" is never an easy thing, particularly in the aquarium hobby.

Like most of you, I'm pretty set in my ways in a lot of aquarium things. I'm not a big fan of sweeping changes to my personal "best practices" and such.

I don't think it's all that unusual, either. As fish geeks, we simply have certain ways of doing stuff that we like. And changing those ways of doing things-being forced out of our "comfort zone"- is a bit...uncomfortable for us, right?

That's one thing.

What about when outside forces push change on us?

When unexpected things happen, or circumstances intervene, forcing us to change the way we do stuff, or alter plans to counter them...We, well- many of us- freak the ---- out.

Yeah, we do.

And you can't deny this, either. You do, and you know it! 😆

I remember growing up (and even times not all that long ago, as well, actually!), and there were things that would happen in my aquariums- or things I'd find in them- that would kind of just freak me out...or at the very least, "throw me off my game" a bit, so to speak.

Okay- wait a minute. These things can still freak me out.

They can freak any red-blooded hobbyist out.

You know what I'm referring to: "Stuff." 

Stuff that happens in our tanks.

Stuff we find in them that we don't want there.

Changes that we need to make. Corrections. Repairs. Repositioning. Tasks we forget to do, etc., etc., etc.

We all have these things.

Here are just a few shining examples that I'll bet more than one or two of you can relate to:

That first spot of algae you see in a new aquarium. It seems like no occurrence is cloaked with more fear, confusion, or outright dread than the appearance of the very first visible algal growth in your brand spankin' new aquarium. Doesn't matter if it's green algae, hair algae, diatoms, cyanobacteria, or whatever. It's freakin' ALGAE! Algae to many aquarists is a sign...a bad sign- an omen, even-that something is up.

The whole tank will be taken over by a green blob in days!

Shit!

Which, in the case of algae, as we know, is kind of ridiculous, because algae important, beneficial, and in many cases, indicative that our tank is doing what it should be doing.

It's necessary. It generally only becomes excessive in the presence of combination of certain things, such as too much light and nutrients. The "fix" is pretty straightforward, although sometimes it takes a while. Of course, we as fish geeks, see its initial appearance as if it's a prophecy of some sort...Kind of like farmers of ages past, who, upon seeing a reddish-appearing moon, or whatever, would see this as a sign of a bad harvest.

It literally ruins your day.

It weighs heavy on your mind. Affects your sleep and your demeanor. I know this. I've experienced it myself and have seen it in my friends. I get emails about this kind of stuff, and I can just feel it in the writing.

It does suck.

Of course, we all know that the appearance of algae in a new aquarium is completely normal; a sign that the biological processes that support life are operating, producing nutrients to fuel their growth. It typically only becomes a problem if we set the stage for it to do so.

However, we imagine things.

We have images in our head of our carefully-planned display tank going down in a carpet of disgusting green (or brown, or red, or...whatever color).

Many a sleepless night has followed the initial discovery of algae in our aquariums. Reef aquarists and planted tank people are probably the most affected by this stuff, but in general, every aquarist freaks out about algae. We realize that we should know better, yet we ponder...

We know it will typically pass as excess nutrients are utilized by higher life forms, or no longer accumulate. It's often self-limiting. Yet, we can't help but think to ourselves, "Can this be the start of a continuous, epic battle?" 

(Only in our heads, usually...but it haunts us nonetheless.)

"Uh-oh, I skipped a water exchange." 

Okay, the fact that you actually have a regular water exchange schedule puts you in an elite group of hobbyists to begin with- like a small percentage of aquarists! Regular water exchanges have benefits in our closed systems that are so well known, so widely discussed, written about, and drilled into our heads that they scarcely deserve mention here.

And of course, those of us who operate with some sort of "onboard guilt barometer" really can be hard on ourselves when, for whatever reason, we miss a water exchange. It doesn't matter if your grandmother was in the hospital, your daughter was graduating Kindergarten, or if your neighborhood was evacuated, for that matter.

The fact is, you missed a water exchange, and you're f- ing freaked.

Now, far be it from me, an obsessive water change fanatic, to tell you it's not big deal, and that you should "just relax."

However, it IS no big deal, and you should just relax. Really. Think about this objectively: Unless you run your systems right up to the edge of failure by radically overstocking, dosing stuff, constantly tweaking pH or alkalinity, etc., then missing one scheduled water exchange is not going to push it over the cliff towards failure.

In fact, you could probably miss a couple...

The nitrogen cycle is an amazing thing.

Those little bacteria seem to do their jobs just fine.

Missing one water exchange, or delaying it (typically, those of us who freak out about missing one will simply do an exchange at the next earliest opportunity) is not going to have any real lasting impact on most well-managed systems. Yet, the internal "guilt struggle" in our heads is very real, very impactful...and very difficult for some of us to handle. 

We need to lighten up...just a bit, huh?

"The way that one rock shifted is driving me crazy." 

Let's be honest, there is not one aquarist among us who doesn't give a shit about how his/her aquariums look. Not one. Even the most hardcore breeder, with bare tanks, spawning mops, flower pots and sponge filters imparts some order to his or tanks. We are rightfully obsessive about the art we create, and that's why entire portions of the hobby focus on aquascaping.  Your overall aquascape is the first thing most people see when they look at your tank!

So, after we've spent enormous amounts of time trying to "get the balance right" (to appropriate an old Depeche Mode lyric), it totally freaks us out to find something "askew."

We have to fix it. Now.

At 5:30 AM on Tuesday morning.

Nothing else is quite as urgent at the moment. Really.

I don't know about you, but I don't think I've ever made a "quick aquascaping fix" before heading to work in the morning, by tilting one rock to the right, or whatever and calling it a day.

No. It always starts with that one rock.

And of course, you can't position that one rock that way without moving that other rock to the left just a bit, and...

Yeah, before you know it, you're like two hours in, you've gotten almost every rock, piece of wood, and plant repositioned. At least four times. You're a bit frazzled. You've called in "sick" to work, long since giving up on the idea of going in late due to "car trouble", and there is no end in sight to this thing.

You keep going.

And, many hours later, with a missed day of work, two meals skipped, a sore back, and at least 6 towels employed (and a fairly big mess in the room where the tank is located), you step back to admire your newly "re-tweaked" creation. You smile with satisfaction, only to reach that realization in the back of your mind that it looks almost exactly like it was before your started the 9-hour process...

Wow. Really? How can it be? I mean...

Yeah, just leave things alone. Seriously. You'll get used to them. Trust me.

However, you won't. I know this. 

Because I'm exactly like you.

I won't, either.

Yeah, these are just a few common examples of the dozens of things that freak us out as aquarists.

There are dozens more.

It's funny, as fish geeks, we're so predictable that we can almost all relate to this stuff. If it doesn't apply to us directly, it certainly applies to one of our fellow fish geeks, right?

Yeah, we are just a bit "different", being fish people, aren't we?

Yeah.

We're obsessive, hyper focused, a bit OCD perhaps? And definitely opinionated, and altogether kind of... well, strange...to outsiders.

And that's perfectly okay, really!

Because the stuff that gets us freaked out is important. And if it pushes us outside of our comfort zone to address it once in a while...that's okay, too! 

It's part of what makes us enjoy this whole thing we call the tropical fish hobby.

It's what makes us stand out from stamp collectors, scrapbookers, and needlepoint makers, right? We're in control of a little slice of the underwater world and some of its inhabitants, and that is no small responsibility. We take it very seriously, as we should.

Sometimes, we get a bit too obsessive about things, but it's because our hearts are in the right place. 

I hope that never changes.

Yeah, freaking out about some stuff is not a bad thing at all, is it?

However, if you try to look at it objectively... it is kind of funny.

Okay, I have to cut this short.

I have to go reposition a piece of driftwood in one of my display tanks right now. It's driving me crazy.

Just needs a quick reposition. An easy fix. No big deal... On it.

Catch you in just a few...

Stay crazy. Stay obsessed. Stay devoted. Stay observant. Stay self-deprecating. Stay objective. Stay diligent...

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

 

"Greenwater" meets "brown water"- The idea of botanical-style fry rearing, revisited...

We're on this kick about how things in the hobby continuously evolve, so it was sort of obvious to me to think about how some of our common aquarium practices have  changed over time as new ideas and techniques creep in.

 

With so much emphasis on keeping our fishes as healthy as possible for as long as possible, it's only obvious that stuff like breeding them and rearing fry would evolve with the time, too. 

It's the rearing of fry that strikes me as something that we as botanical-style aquarium people can have some impact on.

It all starts with food, right?

For pretty much as long as anyone could remember in the hobby, we've cultured living organisms to feed our fry after hatching. And, if you've been in the hobby more than a few years, you've likely heard of this valuable, easy-to-culture live food called "Infusoria."

Remember that word?

A classic!

It's one of those aquarium world "catch-alls"; a sort of "throwback", if you will, from a "gentler, kinder era" in aquaristics- the 1950's and early sixties. A time when under gravel filters, freeze-dried foods, and airmail of exotic tropical fishes from Florida to your local airport were considered seriously badass, state-of-the-art, cutting edge things!

A time when great progress was being made in the hobby.

"Infusoria" may be described as a real "catch-all" term for small aquatic organisms, like euglenids, protozoa, unicellular algae, tiny invertebrates, and that are commonly found in freshwater environments, like ponds, creeks, and drainage ditches, used as a first food for tropical fish fry. Sometimes, it's referred to as "green water" in older hobby literature- an even more endearing, albeit kind of vague descriptor!

In modern formal biological classification, the term "infusoria" is considered an antiquated, obsolete descriptor, essentially an over-generalization- as  most of the organisms previously included in the collective term "Infusoria" are assigned to a different assemblage of taxonomic groups. 

Nonetheless, it's a charming term that is still used in aquarium circles to describe the tiny organisms that arise when you soak some blanched lettuce, vegetable skin, or other plant matter in a jar of water. They're perfectly-sized for young tropical fish fry as the first food when they are free swimming. In fact, at around 25-300 microns, these organisms are consumable by most fishes as soon as they've absorbed their yolk sac.

Yummy! Well, if you're a little fish, anyways...

Sounds good, but how do you "make" the stuff?

Traditionally, it was done in the most low-tech way, which you know I love: You would take some blanched lettuce leaves, old flower clippings, hay, etc. etc. and basically let the stuff decompose in a jar of water, and after several days, a smelly solution of cloudy water will arise, driven by bacteria. Ultimately, after a few more days, the water will clear when creatures like Paramecium and Euglena arrive on the scene  via spores present in the air, and consume the rampant bacteria population.

Voila!

In theory, you have an "infusoria culture."

Like, modern magic, huh? Fuck "Sea Monkeys"- this shit's FREE! 😆

Well, yeah, but the problem is, the density of desirable animals to plain old water is pretty low when you culture this way, and you'll most likely be "feeding" your hungry fry with drops of stagnant water, and little more. Kind of yucky and sort of ineffecient, at best...The more "modern" approach would be to obtain a pure starter culture of Paramecium from an online biological supply house (yeah, their are plenty of 'em- just do a Google search). 

Paramecium average around 150 microns in size- perfect for free-swimming tropical fish fry!

You can use the aforementioned decomposing lettuce as a start, or you can elect to be a bit more "clean and modern" and use brewer's yeast (which comes in convenient tablets) that you'd use at a rate of like 1/2 of a tablet to a 1 liter of water. Sure, there are probably more exact numbers to employ, but this is a hobby, right? I'm sharing what worked for me, so "your mileage may vary", as they say...

You'd also want to use a few grains of wheat, which you can grab at the local health food store (or supermarket, for that matter) to help kick start things. Don't overdo either, as you'll end up with a much more stinky culture as a result.

And in the hobby/life balance, "stinky"=bad. 🤔

 

 

Trust me on that!

You might notice a "scum" (yeah, a very technical term, I know...) on the surface, and perhaps a bit of odor to the water...but you're an aquarist, so you're used to smelly wet stuff, right? And the water will certainly take on a bit of a faint brownish or very light greenish color- totally normal for this. And I mean, when has any kind of "tint" to water bothered us?

After about 4-5 days, you should take a few drops of water from your culture (beneath the "surface scum") and examine them under bright light with a magnifier. You'll be able to see some little, tiny sliver-like "things" (I know, again, a very scientific descriptor) wiggling around in the water. If you're hardcore like me, you'd look at them under your cool hobby microscope (a totally fun tool for the aquarist, BTW) for more accuracy!

This tells you it's time to rock and roll...you can feed your baby Tetras, Barbs, etc. right away, by dropping like 40-50ml of culture solution into your 5 gallon rearing tank.

It's actually no big deal if you add more, because these organisms are harmless, and would naturally be found in water with fishes (albeit at a lower density). Since you're doing regular water exchanges in your rearing tank, you can minimize pollution along the way. Feed several times daily, and you'll be surprised how quickly the fry learn to recognize and attack them.

Sure, there is really not all that much involved in the process of raising "infusoria" than we've outlined here. Cultures of Paramecium are used extensively in labs to rear larval fishes, because they are an economical, nutritious option for newly-free-swimming fishes to feed on.

"Old-school" cool.

So, like many things in the hobby- the approach may have changed, but the idea remains the same- using whatever means we have at our disposal to create the best possible outcomes for our fish efforts! Bricolage, remember?

Now, no discussion of rearing our little fishes would be complete without revisiting the idea of a botanical-influenced "nursery" tank for (blackwater) fishes. You know where I'm going with this, no doubt, right?

I think it's interesting for a number of reasons:

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

I think so!

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

So, why not be consistent with the environment from day one? Wouldn't a botanical-style fry-rearing system, with it's abundant decomposing leaves, biofilms, and microbial population, be of benefit?

This is the aspect we're going to focus on the most here- because it ties into the "infusoria" thing...the breakdown and decomposition of various botanical materials provides a very natural supplemental source of food for young fishes, both directly (as in the case of fishes such as wood-eating catfishes, etc.), and indirectly, as they graze on those algal growth, biofilms, fungi, and small crustaceans which inhabit the botanical "bed" in the aquarium.

They can be essentially "knee-deep" in food at all times...a fascinating concept, IMHO.

Now, this is pretty interesting stuff to me.

Everyone has their own style of fry rearing.

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

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

Decomposing leaves can stimulate a certain amount of microbial growth, with infusoria and even forms of bacteria becoming potential food sources for fry. I've read a few studies where phototrophic bacteria were added to the diet of larval fishes, producing measurably higher growth rates. Now, I'm not suggesting that your fry will gorge on beneficial bacteria and other microorganisms passively "cultured" in situ in your blackwater nursery and grow exponentially faster.

However, I am suggesting that it might provide some beneficial supplemental nutrition at no cost to you!

I've experimented with the idea of "onboard food culturing" in several aquariums systems over the past few years, which were stocked heavily with leaves, twigs, and other botanical materials for the sole purpose of "culturing" (maybe a better term is "recruiting) biofilms, small crustaceans, etc. via decomposition. I have kept a few species of small characins in these systems with no supplemental feeding whatsoever and have seen these guys as fat and happy as any I have kept.

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

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

On the other hand, I've been playing with this idea quite a bit recently in my "Varzea" setup, stocked with a rich "compost" of soil and decomposing leaves, rearing the annual killifish Notholebias minimus "Campo Grande" with great success.

It's essentially an "evolved" version of the "jungle tanks" I reared killies and livebearers in when I was a teen. A different sort of look- and function! The so-called "permanent setup"- in which the adults and fry typically co-exist, with the fry finding food amongst the natural substrate and other materials present in the tank. Or, of course, you could remove the parents after breeding- the choice is yours.

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

Now, granted, I'm totally romancing this and perhaps even over-simplifying it a bit. However, I think that there is a compelling case to be made for creating a rearing tank that supports a biologically diverse set of inhabitants for food sources. And perhaps, it's not all that complicated an idea!

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

It's fun to play with new ideas- or evolve old ones such as this.

Maybe this won't be the "ultimate" fry-rearing technique; however, it's just another one of those ideas to have in our "arsenal" of skills that would be fun for serious fish breeder to experiment more with.

I think it's one we have seriously legit basis for playing with more and more!

I say to the breeder who may have, for one reason or another, decided to use different foods- to give the "old school" method a try once in a while, not just because it works- but to help keep alive a direct link to the past of our fish keeping heritage, with a more modern approach applied.

And, for that matter, let's continue to push into some new ground with the "botanical-style nursery" approach, too! It's worked well in Nature for eons, so...

Yeah.

Go old school.

And try a new twist, too!

Stay creative. Stay diligent. Stay observant. Stay creative. Stay dedicated. Stay excited...

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics