The Tint

Water quality, botanical-style aquariums, and the outer limits of our abilities...

The number of mental shifts that our community has made in regards to operating botanical-style aquariums is remarkable. We deal with things like unusual aesthetics, acceptance of natural processes which previously horrified everyone in the hobby, and we celebrate adding stuff to our tanks which most hobbyists would simply laugh at!

And that's just for starters!

"Cleanliness" is something that gives me a lot to think about, in the context of botanical-style aquariums. I mean, when it comes to managing a botanical-style aquarium, you are already at a sort of "disadvantage" when it comes to running a "spotlessly clean" aquarium. You've essentially committed to a tank which contains large quantities of natural materials, busily recruiting biofilms and fungal growths, all the while, in the process of breaking down.

At any given time, the bioload in your aquarium is likely as great- or greater- than a fully stocked community aquarium with lots of well fed fishes.

So, it certainly makes sense to ask ourselves what the implication is of all this "stuff" breaking down in our tanks? Are we simply adding tons of organic materials in there for our beneficial bacteria to handle, or are we actually helping foster and feed a small "food chain" of organisms which collectively assimilate this material and the associated organic compounds it produces?

Or, is it somewhere in between?

There must be a thousand ways to set up an aquarium and operate it. In fact, its probably several times that amount. And no one can ever seem to agree what the "best" way to go is. And that's okay. There are a lot of cool approaches you can try. So, while we might disagree on the best approach or style, we all seem to have a common goal:

Providing the best possible environment for our fishes.

Pretty much every really serious aquarium hobbyist can agree on one thing: It's important to have information about what's going on in his or her aquariums. Observation, collection of data, and interpretation of the information gathered have been keys to our success in so many areas of endeavor in the hobby.

And, I admit, our botanical-style aquariums are a bit of an enigma.

I mean, we have tanks with all of this stuff decomposing in the water, yet manage to maintain high water quality and stability for extended periods of time without any real "magic", in terms of procedure or equipment. 

What gives?

And of course, not being a scientist makes it kind of challenging for me to make all kinds of assertions about water quality and chemistry, so I will at least try to focus on what we want to achieve, and what we can measure, water quality-wise, and how botanical-style aquariums seem to be able to "pull it off" given their vast quantities of leaves, seed pods, etc.

Now, we kind of have a pretty good "handle" on which tests make the most sense for our pursuits.

It's a given that ammonia, nitrite, pH and DKH are the key indicators which most hobbyist will want to know about. 

And of course, there are the tests which give us information on the quality of the environment we've created- nitrate and phosphate. Nitrate (NO3) is not necessarily considered "toxic" at a specific level, although a typical rule of thumb is to keep readings under 50 mg/l- or better still, 20mg/l or less, for most fishes at various stages of their life cycle.  

Although there is no agreed-upon "lethal dose", as indicated above, and many fishes can tolerate prolonged exposure to up to 500 mg/l of nitrate, studies have revealed that prolonged exposure to elevated levels of nitrate may reduce fishes' immunity, affecting their internal functions and resistance to disease.

Many fishes can adapt- to a certain extent- to a gradual increase in nitrate over time, although long-term physiological damage can occur. And of course, some fishes are much more sensitive to nitrate than others, displaying deteriorating overall health or other symptoms at much lower levels..

One of the interesting things about nitrate is that it can and will accumulate and rise over time in the aquarium if insufficient export mechanisms (ie; water exchanges, lack of chemical or biological filtration capacity, etc.) exist within the aquarium. This, of course, gives the impression that fishes are "doing okay" when the reality is that they are exposed to a long-term stressor.

And of course, there are many long-understood approaches to reducing these compounds in aquariums.

The presence of aquatic plants, long known for their utilization of nitrate as a growth factor, is also considered a viable way to reduce/export nitrates, along with overall good husbandry (ie; stable fish population, proper feeding technique, etc.). In fact, I imagine that with all of the experimentation going on with various aquatic plants in blackwater/botanical-style aquariums, we may simply make the practice of including certain species (say, floating plants or whatever) as a "defacto" part of the nutrient export process in our tanks at some point.

Of course, even without plants, I have noticed some very interesting long-term trends regarding water quality in my botanical-style aquariums over the years. 

In my botanical-filled, natural-style aquariums, I have personally never observed/measured elevated levels of nitrate. In fact, with a good husbandry regime in place, undetectable (on a hobbyist-grade test kit, at least) levels of nitrate have been the norm for my systems. I think that the highest nitrate reading I've personally recorded in a botanical-style system which I maintained was around 10 mg/l.

Why is this?

Okay, let me speculate a bit, okay?

I personally feel that well-maintained systems, including our heavily botanically-influenced ones, offer a significant "medium" for the growth and proliferation of beneficial bacteria species, such as Nitrospira. I have a totally ungrounded "theory" that the presence of botanicals, although in itself a contributor to the the biological load on the aquarium, also is a form of "fuel" to power the nitrification process- a carbon source, if you will, to elevate levels of biological activity in an otherwise well-maintained system. 

Okay, sounds like a lot of cobbled-together "mumbo jumbo", but I think there is something to this.

I mean, when you think about it, a botanically-rich aquarium, with leaves and other materials- fosters the growth of bacteria, fungi, biofilms, and supports crustaceans and other organisms which can consume and metabolize the botanicals as they break down physically, along with fish wastes and other organics which arise as a result of this process.

A sort of "on board" biological filtration system, if you will, with the added benefit that fishes will consume some of these organisms. Perhaps, (and I'm reaching here a bit) even the basis for a sort of "food web", something that we know exists in all natural aquatic ecosystems.

Something to think about!

I find this among the most exciting potential benefits of a botanical-style aquarium. In fact, I believe that, once serious scientific study is conducted on this stuff, it may prove to be a foundational component of the botanical-style aquarium. We will embrace the addition and decomposition of natural materials in our aquariums as a sort of "catalyst" to create a stable, productive closed ecosystem, which effectively metabolizes the materials within...

Just like in Nature.

Sure, it may not be the classic definition of "beauty" in the aquarium hobby, but from a functional standpoint, it's magnificent!

The other measure of water quality that most of us should consider is phosphate (PO4). It's a salt of phosphoric acid- an inorganic chemical. It's an essential chemical for the growth of plants, and other living organisms. Phosphate gets a lot of "bad press" in the hobby-particularly the marine side- as a contributor to the growth and proliferation of algae, which it is.

However, it's really only half of the equation, as algae only grows if nitrogen is also present...So, it's a contributor to algae issues and overall water quality- not the main culprit. 

In the reef hobby, phosphate has been vilified as a growth inhibitor to coral, and all manner of additives, reactors, and removal media have been developed to combat it. The reality, IMHO, is that phosphate- although a great measure of overall water quality, tends not to become a problem in an otherwise well-managed aquarium. It gets into our systems in the first place via food, and will accumulate if mechanisms for its absorption/utilization or removal don't exist. 

So, yeah- perform those regular water exchanges. Yet another arguement in favor of them! My head absolutely explodes when I hear hobbyists bragging that they never do water exchanges and that their tank is thriving. I mean, you're operating on borrowed time..

Or, are you? 

I ask this question with all due sincerity.

I mean, could it be that the age-old dream of a "perfectly-balanced aquarium" IS possible- even when what we consider "foundational" husbandry practices are eschewed? I couldn't say for certain why "success" comes to people who apparently skirt this basic principle of aquarium keeping. It seems odd that they'd take such a seemingly apathetic approach: Just topping off evaporated water, feeding fishes, replacing filter media, and nothing else.

On the other hand, is there something to it?

Or is this just "dumb luck?" Could it be that they have-perhaps through no deliberate effort of their own (sorry, guys)- achieved some sort of "import-export equilibrium", and that the system metabolizes all of the nutrients and trace elements imparted into the water with complete efficiency?

Arghh...I could debate and theorize this for days...Don't start me! 

In the mean time, I'll keep doing- and recommending- water exchanges. 

Oh, and speaking of water exchanges...both nitrate and phosphate are typically present in tap water...so when I espouse the use of an expensive RO/DI unit to pre-treat your tap water, I'm recommending a means to eliminate it at the source, giving you at least a good start. Reverse osmosis/deionization units, albeit somewhat pricy, are, in my opinion, an essential piece of equipment for any serious hobbyist. 

In general, the water quality of our botanical-influenced, natural systems is something worthy of a lot of research, experiments, and discussion in our community. There is so much interesting stuff happening in our tanks- and so many things we don't know...

Like, how very low pH aquariums are best kept biologically stable. That's a whole new frontier that we're really only starting to understand...

And at those extremely low pH (by hobby standards, anyways) levels? How does the nitrogen cycle function? 

Archaens. They sound kind of exotic and even creepy, huh?

Well, they could be our friends. We might not even be aware of their presence in our systems...If they are there at all.

Are they making an appearance in our low pH tanks? I'm not 100% certain...but I think they might be. Okay, I hope that they might be. 

Refresher, for those who might not know what I'm talking about here: 

Archaeans include inhabitants of some of the most extreme environments on the planet. Some live near vents in the deep ocean at temperatures well over 100 degrees Centigrade! True "extremophiles!" Others reside in hot springs, or in extremely alkaline or acid waters. They have even been found thriving inside the digestive tracts of cows, termites, and marine life where they produce methane (no comment here).  

They live in the anoxic muds of marshes (ohhh!!), and even thrive in petroleum deposits deep underground.

(Image used under CC 4.0)

Yeah, these are pretty crazy-adaptable organisms. The old sayings that "If these were six feet tall, they'd be ruling the world..." sort of comes to mind, huh?

Yeah, they're beasts....literally.

Could it be that some of the challenges in cycling what we define as "lower ph aquariums" are a by-product of that sort of "no man's land" where the pH is too low to support a large enough population of functioning Nitrosomanas and Nitrobacter, but not low enough for significant populations of Archaea to make their appearance?

I'm totally speculating here.

I could be so off-base that it's not even funny, and some first-year biology major (who happens to be a fish geek) could be reading this and just laughing...

Of course, I still can't help but wonder- is this a possible explanation for some of the difficulties hobbyists have encountered in the lower pH arena over the years? A biological instability caused by poorly functioning "conventional" bacteria and a lack of a population of these Archeans? A sort of biological "no mans land?"

Too me, this kind of stuff is part of the reason why the mystique of low pH systems being "difficult to manage" has been so strong?

Could it be that we just need to go a LOT slower when stocking low pH systems?

Perhaps. Yeah, probably.

And then- you think about the pH levels in some natural, well-populated (by fishes!) blackwater habitats falling into the 2.8-3.5 range, you have to wonder what it is that makes life so adaptable to this environment! You have to wonder if this same process can- and indeed does -take place in our aquariums. And you have to wonder if we, as a hobby, just perhaps- simply aren't working with these tanks in a correct manner.

Particularly, when they fall into what we'd call "extreme" pH ranges. I wonder if the "crashes" and fears and all sorts of bad stuff we've talked about in the hobby for decades were simply the result of not quite understanding the "operating system?"

Things just work differently at those lower pH levels- in Nature, and in our aquariums. Even the toxicity of ammonia is different at lower pH levels. It may be that these are really not all that challenging once we have the understanding, the means (ie; reliable methods/products to reduce and maintain the pH stable), and the experience. Perhaps, running low pH systems is just like operating a marine aquarium. It just takes an understanding of what to do, why to do it, and a reliable means to accomplish it!

A lot of strings to pull at here...

I think the secret is out there...somewhere.

Who's running a really low pH aquarium out there? What are your challenges, concerns, etc?

And of course, there is much to learn about the function- both biologically and environmentally- of deep leaf litter beds in the aquarium. The potential for significant developments in establishing and managing these types of aquariums is there. We're already getting a better handle on the idea of utilizing botanicals- especially, leaf litter -for multiple functions- ranging from food production to nutrient sequestration to possibly even denitrification.

Even if the processes are not "new" to the aquarium hobby, the approach that we take- and the viability and performance of botanical-style aquariums IS different. It opens up all sorts of avenues to explore.

We have taken our first tentative footsteps beyond what has long been accepted and understood in the hobby, and are starting to ask new question, make new observations, and yeah- even a few discoveries- which will evolve the aquarium hobby in the future.

Through it all, the key to success in these outer reaches of the hobby will be patience, dedication, and a willingness to move into territory that has been sort of "taboo" for many years in the aquarium hobby.

Who's up for it?

Stay methodical. Stay diligent. Stay studious. Stay experimental. Stay curious...

And Stay Wet.

Scot Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Brown water and red flags...

Hard to believe that we're closing in on 5 years of operations here at Tannin Aquatics! It's been a fun process, for sure, and we've enjoyed doing our small part to help grow the burgeoning interest in botanical-style/blackwater/brackish aquariums.

And it's growing- trust me.

Along with the growth in this unique hobby sector come new sources of materials...Some new vendors have arrived on the scene, providing options and ideas for hobbyists.

As we say here in L.A., it's rad.

However, one of the biggest disappointments I've had with this new growth is that the majority of these newer vendors are simply "pushing product", offering sexy photos, catchy lines, and little in the way of guidance on how to use them, discussions about their impact on the aquatic environment, or other important aspects of their use. 

So, yeah, before we get into the "meat" of today's topic, I need to clear my chest of a few things...and it may not be happily accepted by everyone.

Yeah, sadly, most of what you see from many vendors is essentially ad copy- hyping up the aesthetic aspects of what their botanicals can do: "Deeply tinted water! Lots of tannins...blah. blah, blah..!"

I mean, that's great and all- inspiring and exciting is important. However, what about talking about the impact of these materials on the aquarium environment? What about the practices involved in preparation, addition of the botanicals, and long-term management of botanical-style aquariums?

We as vendors have a lot of responsibility to educate AND inspire. There's more to this than just pushing your product out there in a sexy manner. Now, I'm not writing this piece to trash on would-be competitors in this sector.

Nope.

That's a cop-out. Let me make it clear for the 1,000th time:

I'm happy to see new vendors. It means the idea of botanical-style aquariums is growing- a huge thing to me, because I love this stuff.

I'm simply trying to point out the apparent lack of education about the good, bad, and ugly of utilizing botanicals in our aquariums from many of these vendors. Extolling their virtues in a hyperbolic manner is NOT educating end-users on this stuff. Sure, it's cool to promote your stuff...Yet, as a vendor, you've no doubt played with botanicals yourself for a while- so why not do more to discuss the practical applications of them?

We all need to do better.

And, what's been happening here at Tannin lately-the main point of this piece- is that I've been receiving quite a few questions from hobbyists who tell me that they've purchased botanicals from some other source, and have lots of what amount to basic questions about how to utilize them in their aquariums.

"You're the expert on this stuff!" is a refrain I hear a lot in these emails...Well, why the - - - - did you buy from the other guy? 🤬

Sigh.

These people often only seem to know that some sort of vague "preparation process" is required. Well, usually. I often receive emails that include the lines, "Do I have to boil them? I've heard that I need to rinse them and..." somewhere in the body of the email.

Really?

First of all, I refer them to the many articles that we have on our site, and make an effort to encourage restraint and caution when employing these materials. We've developed quite a resource over the years by just hammering home the basics- including the good and bad of our practices. So, yeah, if you get the impression that I'm a bit annoyed at this lack of support for customers, you're right.

Do a better &%^%##@ job, guys.

Talk at least as much about technique and practices as you do about how sexy your product is. We did when we first started- and still do to this day. You have to talk about the bigger picture. I know, it is not as easy to write about all of these esoteric topics as it is to simply photograph and hype products- but it's how you foster a movement...and yeah, you can STILL build brand by doing that, trust me. 😆

In the mean time, I guess I should see it as an honor of sorts that I've apparently "got your back" as the "go-to guy" who answers your customers' basic questions on botanicals. But, you know, I've kind of got my own customers to attend to and business to run, and...well...

UP YOUR GAME!

Okay, that's the end of my lecture to other vendors...for now.

As far as adding botanical materials to your tanks- how much to add is largely based on personal aesthetic preference, or the goals that you have for your tank. In a brand new, unpopulated aquarium, from "day one" you can knock yourself out and add as many materials as you please. You don't have to think about it too much.

Be mindful of the impact of botanicals on the nitrogen cycle in your aquarium. 

Of course, in an existing, established, populated system that you're looking to incorporate botanicals in, you need to consider them as "bioload", adding to the demands on the bacterial population. You can't simply dump a huge quantity of materials into an established aquarium, which places significant demands on the system's ability to process them.

A large quantity of botanicals added to a stable, established aquarium can  potentially affect the general water chemistry of your tank in a rapid manner, including the pH- driving it down quickly in some instances, profoundly affect the fishes, and even plants, which don't cope well with rapid environmental changes.

The result, predictably, would be disastrous.

I mean, yeah, to a certain extent, this is "Aquatics 101"- you simply don't want to do anything to your aquarium that results in rapid, significant environmental changes, and using botanicals is no exception.

Think of botanicals as "bioload", which requires your aquarium's bacterial/fungal/microcrustacean population to handle them.

Bacteria, in particular, are your first line of defense.

So...

If you add a large quantity of any organic materials to an established system, you will simply overwhelm the existing beneficial bacterial population in the aquarium, which will likely result in a massive increase in ammonia, nitrite, and organic pollutants. At the very least, it will leave oxygen levels depleted, and fishes gasping at the surface as the bacteria population struggles to catch up to the large influx of materials.

"Red flags" that we should all familiarize ourselves with.

Everyone who plays with botanicals in the aquarium needs to understand this concept, and have a basic, working knowledge of the nitrogen cycle. To shun these things is not only irresponsible- it's inexcusable for any aquarist. 

This is not some sort of "esoteric" concept, right? I mean, we don't add 25 3-inch fishes at once to an established, stable 10-gallon aquarium and not expect some sort of negative consequence, right? So why would adding bunch of leaves, botanicals, wood, or other materials containing organics be any different?

It isn't.

So please, PLEASE add botanicals to your established aquarium gradually, while observing your fishes' reactions and testing the water parameters regularly during and after the process.

Take measured steps.

There is no rush.

There shouldn't be.

All additions of botanicals to an existing aquarium need to be measured, deliberate, slow, and considerate. You need to observe your fishes' reactions, monitor water chemistry, and stay alert to the changes and demands that botanicals will place on your aquarium.

And they will.

There's no mystery here.

Adding a ton of stuff into any established aquarium creates environmental changes and impacts that cannot be ignored.

Just be cautious and use common sense.

These are just some of the environmental considerations of utilizing botanicals in the aquarium.

In this piece, we didn't really touch on stuff like decomposition, biofilms, impacts on pH, etc.- all things that we've talked about a lot here over the years- and will again, no doubt.

Of course, the aesthetic implications are interrelated to some extent, but they're pretty well-trodden by now.. We have enough unique attributes about their function that we need to think about.

I think our biggest "struggle" in working with botanicals is a mental one that we have imposed upon ourselves over generations of aquarium keeping:  The need to control our own natural desire to get stuff moving quickly; to hit that "done" thing...fast.

And the reality, as we've talked about hundreds of times here and elsewhere, is that there really is no "finished", and that the botanical-style aquarium is about evolution. This type of system embraces continuous change and requires us to understand the ephemeral nature of botanicals when immersed in water.

Sure, some of the ideas we talk about- the mental shifts we ask you to make- are unorthodox and seemingly contrary to much of what we've been brought up to accept in the hobby. On the other hand, much of this stuff needs to go hand-in-hand with what we already know based on our previous hobby experience.

We just need to apply some of the same common-sense hobby "basics" which got us to this point..and maybe to pick up a few new skills along the way as well!

And that means that everyone- Vendors, hobbyists, the scientific community, and the hobby as a whole- can play a role in growing this exciting and fast-growing sector.

Stay fascinated. Stay excited. Stay measured. Stay patient. Stay disciplined. Stay progressive...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics  

Splitting hairs and pushing boundaries...

Hobbyists who breed fishes seem to have not only infinite patience, but a tremendous sense of "what to do" in many situations. Of course, sometimes, you'll end up getting awesome results without knowing exactly why things worked!

Have you ever had this happen?:

You're working with a fish that you really wanted to breed, and you tried seemingly every way possible to induce it to do so, with no success?

You tried environmental manipulation, water changes, switching up pairs, playing with the day/night cycle, switching out foods, etc., etc., etc.

Like, it seems like you've tried everything.

No luck.

Then, one day, sometime after you've thrown up your arms in defeat...BOOM!

You look into the tank they reside in, and...you have fry!

Ever had that happen?

It's one of the great mysteries of aquarium keeping...

And it's not a "bad" thing, of course.

The main "bummer" is that you often don't know what- if anything-that you did-or didn't do- was the "catalyst" for the spawning event!

It's like you're just scratching your head...

I think it just goes to show you that animals often defy our human-rationalized "processes" and do whatever they damn well please! I mean, you can do what "the books" say to get a fish to spawn, but unless the fish are up to it, you're just dreaming...

Or is there something else?

I have always felt- and still do- that one of the keys to getting our fishes to spawn is to examine the natural habitats from which they come. Not falling back on stuff like, "These guys need soft, acidic water..." or "Give them elevated water temperatures..."

Those are helpful, if not "generic" fixes. I can't help believe that so much more could be gained from really studying the habitats in which they evolved over eons.

Just doing a "deep dive" and thinking through the chemical/physical/structural aspects of their habitat can often yield some clues that you can utilize within the context of your aquarium in an attempt to get your fishes to spawn.

Obviously, this concept isn't "rocket science!" 

As hobbyists, we've done research like this before and interpreted it in a way that works in aquariums. For example- annual killifishes and the use of egg incubation in peat moss- the key to closing the life cycle on that group of fishes. It's been done for many decades- a more-or-less perfectly accurate replication of the characteristics of their natural habitat, resulting in successful spawns.

Killies are a big success story! There are others, of course. Yet annual killifishes stand alone to me as an example of a group of fishes that we've literally replicated their natural habitats in order to facilitate spawning.

However, it seems that we are often "barking up the wrong tree" by engaging in tricks and hacks that are more "generic" than specific in nature. For example, what if there are seasonal water chemistry changes which occur in the fish's habitat, like a declining pH as a result of more leaves and such in the water at certain times of the year, or greater oxygen levels, more/less organics, or an influx of trace elements or other substances  originating from water from overflowing streams?

Could we replicate this process by adding more botanicals to the water, utilizing a higher percentage of RO/DI water, etc.? Or, by slowing down water movement, changing the water chemistry in a given water exchange, etc?

We could.

Is this the right move? 

Maybe...

Now, I realize that some of the fishes we keep have been bred in captivity for generations under dramatically different conditions than they have evolved under, so attempting to replicate the natural habitats- which your particular fishes may never have been exposed to-might seem a bit "excessive" or unnecessary to some.

That being said (and I've tossed this out before...)- do you really think that fishes have "evolved" so significantly in just a few generations that attempting to keep/spawn them in their wild environmental conditions would somehow be "detrimental" to them?

I don't think so, personally.

So, where does this leave us, the aquarists who dream of breeding "that" fish?

It leaves us doing exactly what we've done for decades- giving our fish the best food and environment possible, and hoping against hope that our husbandry decisions result in a spawn. And if they don't, we just have to either "stand down" on trying new stuff, or just keep on going.

Duh.

However, I still think it's worth asking ourselves to consider the reasons why some fishes typically don't spawn in captivity...What is it- a single factor, or some combination of factors- which contribute to the spawning behaviors of our fishes?

Diet, temperature, water conditions, physical surroundings...all of these things are potential contributors to a fish's success in captivity.

We could dive deeper...

So what is it?

Why can't some fishes spawn in captivity- let alone, thrive?

What aspect of their habitat, or what physiological needs are you not currently meeting? Are their some sorts of microbial relations between the fishes and the water in which they reside? Osmotic pressures? Specific trace elements of compounds? "Stuff" which is lacking in a closed-system environment? Can we provide these things with some sort of "substitute?"

Are there diet-related issues- perhaps some specific vitamins or nutrients or other compounds which the fishes derive from particular foods- like insects- which are lacking in the foods we provide? Are there "intestinal infauna" within the gut of the fishes which are somehow not perpetuated in a captive environment?

Are probiotics an answer- a lead? Could it be that the fishes not being able to properly or fully process the compounds within their foods results in specific hormones (required to induce spawning) not being produced? 

Maybe? 

Is it some combination of these things? Is it perhaps some combination of water chemistry and the aforementioned bacteria, or...

Lots of interesting questions.

Potential answers?

Well, would it be worth trying to replicate- as closely as possible, the specific environmental factors from which the fish hail?

I mean, I think so.

Would it be worth providing the fishes the exact foods found in their wild habitats?

I don't see why not!

Would it be necessary?

Maybe, for some fishes. Maybe there are specific nutrients present in their primary foods from their habitat which provide the specific nutrition needed to induce spawning?

I mean sure, you could "split hairs" and try to hunt down the specific insect or type of insect that your fish might consume in the African stream from where it comes. Or, more likely (and practically) perhaps a substitute from the same family. (i.e.; bloodworms for certain insects, or ants, etc...)

I suppose it's a matter of how far you want to take it!

The reality is, what makes the tropical fish hobby so enjoyable is that eternal quest for knowledge- the pursuit of a goal...And to unlock the secrets of those seldom, if ever captive-spawned fishes, that likely means going beyond the "brine shrimp- blackworms- and-water-exchange" thing.

Yup.

It might involve that "deeper dive."  

Asking seemingly fundamental questions...questions which, on the surface, it seems that we've sort of tackled before- but maybe not quite in as comprehensive a manner...

It might involve setting up and managing aquariums in ways we haven't even considered before. Accepting different functions, aesthetics, and applications in our tanks.

Frustrating though it may be at times, I don't think I know a hobbyist who would take up some other pursuit in its place, do you?

Didn't think so!

Keep striving. Keep trying...Keep "splitting hairs" as necessary...

Stay curious. Stay diligent. Stay resourceful. Stay persistent. Stay bold. Stay relentless...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Hanging in for the duration- however long that may be...

Part of the joy of using natural botanical materials in our aquariums is that they serve not only as aesthetic "set pieces"- they offer physiological benefits for the aquarium as well, many of which we've discussed ad naseum here over the years!

As we know, pretty much every botanical item gradually breaks down after submersion, the degree and extent to which is dependent upon a myriad of factors, ranging from the composition of the seed pod, leaf, etc., to the water chemistry, and the activities of the resident fishes.

Every botanical has its own degree of "durability" when we look at it in this context, and it's certainly something that we need to consider when selecting the botanical materials that we want to use in our aquairums.

In fact, one of the more common questions we receive about botanicals is my opinion on the durability of specific botanicals we offe- that is, how well they stand up to submersion long-term.

It's a really good question, not only from a practical standpoint (As in- "How often am I gonna have to replace these damn things...?"), but from a standpoint of how they influence the chemical environment of your aquarium, and wether or not they can become a more "permanent" feature in your hardscape.

And of course, we're asked which particular ones are (in our opinion) the most durable?

It's such a common question that I kind of thought it would make an interesting little blog post...In fact, we have been giving serious thought to developing a "durability scale" and some sort of simple-to-understand graphic (representing a "durability factor"- high, medium, low) to go on the product description of each botanical.

Would you like that? Let us know! 

Of course, for the purpose of this brief blog post, there is simply no way I could review every single item we offer and comment on its durability and other characteristics. Rather, I can touch on botanicals that have distinctive durability features which might make them most appropriate for long-term use in aquascapes.

As we start our quick review, it's important to note that, although 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 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...

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 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 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 Cariniana Pod 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.

4) Sterculia Pods-  Of course, you'd expect these large, woody pods to be durable! And 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 hate on you...) 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) "Heart Pods"- General "aquatic botanical rule": Anything that sinks like a rock the second you drop it in water tends to last a really long time submerged.

These pods sink like a rock.

6)  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.

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.

Until next time...

Stay  Observant. Stay curious. Stay excited. Stay informed. Stay open-minded...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Laying it all out...

Have you ever heard the expression, "The Devil is in the details?"

I guess it makes sense. It sort of indicates (IMHO) that the superficial aspects- the readily apparent aspects- of something are the easy part to understand or execute. The more detailed parts- well, that's where the challenges lay, right?

Right.

Details.

Nature is full of all sorts of "details" - and the scenes that we obsess over are not as superficially simple as they might seem at first glance. There's a lot going on in habitats like streams, ponds- and the flooded forests we obsess over. A lot of material accumulating there.

A lot to consider.

I believe that an aquarium that attempts to replicate a sort of chaotic scene like the ones we're talking about starts with what looks like really artificial placement of wood, anchored by numerous details which soften, define, and fill in the scape. A sort of analog to the theater/motion picture concept  of "mise en scene", where pieces literally set the stage and help tell a story by providing context.

Yes, unlike a scape which depends upon growth of plants to fill it in and "evolve" it, the botanical-style blackwater/brackish aquarium is largely hardscape materials, which requires the adept placement of said materials to help fill in the scene. And of course, part of the "evolution" is the softening, redistribution, and break down of botanical materials over time...just like what happens in Nature.

I suppose this little rant could be viewed as a "defense" our "style", which on occasion has been criticized as "sloppy", "lazy", "undisciplined", etc...😆

Perhaps it is to some. However, I think it serves to re-examine what I feel is one of the foundational philosophies of the botanical-style aquarium "aesthetic." It's a philosophy grounded by understanding what happens in Nature when "stuff" falls into the water.

I must confess, it's an aesthetic in both Nature and the aquarium which certainly doesn't appeal to everyone. In fact, many in the "mainstream aquascaping world" tended to levy all sorts of "constructive criticisms" and "Yeah, but..." comments about our practices and ideas for a while...Much, much less these days, BTW!

Yet, accepting the appearance of biofilms, detritus, decomposition, silt, etc. runs contrary to what we have been indoctrinated to appreciate for generations in the aquarium world.

And that is part of the attraction of this the of aquarium for me. A certain degree of acceptance. Knowing our role as the human caretakers of our closed aquatic environment.

It's easier than you might have expected, and more difficult than you could anticipate.

Rather than conform thoroughly to some sort of "rules" based on design, layout, and technique, this type of aquarium tends to ask for very basic initial design, and lets Mother Nature handle a lot of the emerging details over time.

This is a slightly different approach to aquascaping than we usually think about. It requires some vision. It requires belief in one's ideas. It requires understanding and faith- as we've discussed yesterday...And it requires patience above all else.

And the passage of time.

Nature has been working with terrestrial materials in aquatic habitats for eons.

And Nature works with just about everything you throw at her.

She'll take that seemingly "unsexy" piece of wood or rock or bunch of dried leaves, and, given the passage of time, the action of gravity and water movement, and the work of bacteria, fungi, and algae- will mold, shape, evolve them into unique and compelling pieces, as amazing as anything we could ever hope to do...

This is true in both the wild habitats and the aquarium, of course.

The same processes and function which govern what happens to these materials in the wild occur in our aquariums. And, if we reject our initial instinct to "edit" what Nature does, the aquarium takes on a look and vibrancy that only She can create.

We also have to re-adjust our aesthetic preferences to accept the appearance of these processes. We need to understand why biofilms form, why terrestrial materials decompose underwater, and how this impacts-and benefits- the environment in our aquariums.

There is more to this than just crafting a look and layout.

You don't have to start with a real high concept, in terms of laying out your botanicals and leaves. A lot of hobbyists ask me about the best way to place botanicals in their tanks, and the simple truth is that there IS no "best way."  You can place seed pods and leaves and such wherever you want to in the tank, but processes like water movement, decomposition, and the activities of our fishes will sort of "re-distribute" these materials.

Again exactly what happens in Nature. In an ironic twist on the traditional way of 'scaping and running aquariums, WE as hobbyists actually have to accept a certain amount of "editing" by Nature!

Sure, again- you can place a "hardscape" of wood and/or rocks to set the "framework" for your botanical assemblage. It's just that you need to remember that the botanicals and leaves themselves must be viewed as more or less "ephemeral" in nature, and will change over time,"evolving" your 'scape and providing a different aesthetic than what you might have had in mind when you crafted the initial layout.

This is a significant mental shift that the botanical-style aquarium asks of all who create one. You can fight this as long as you want, polishing, editing, and re-arranging things to keep some design. Absolutely.

Its can be gorgeous, in a very artistic way.

However, to really appreciate this type of aquarium, it's optimal to "set the scene" for Nature to do most of the "heavy lifting" and craft the scape according to eons-old processes which we are only now beginning to understand in the context of aquarium-keeping.

Nature can do the most amazing things...

If we give her the chance. 

So, lay things out with your own unique vision...and let Nature add the details... She pretty much never messes them up!

Stay observant. Stay patient. Stay diligent. Stay excited. Stay creative. Stay awed...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Leaps of faith.

At least a few times a week, I'm asked by fellow hobbyists-those perhaps "uninitiated" to our little world- about why the botanical-style aquarium, with its tinted water, biofilms, and decomposing materials is so appealing; why it's becoming more and more popular all the time.

Since we are asked this so often, it makes sense to discuss it yet again...Perhaps from a "slightly different perspective", as I like to say- so that you can have a sort of "reference" for friends who catch you off-guard with this common question! 

When you think about it, the art and science of botanical-style aquariums tends to get heaped in along with blackwater aquariums (not a bad thing). And they do go hand-in-hand, of course. However, as we've discussed a million times here, you don't have to have tinted water. Use of activated carbon or other chemical filtration media can take care of that "right quickly" as they say!

There are lots of ways to enjoy botanicals in your aquariums, and not all of them involve the vision that we've come to associate with them. Yeah, you can keep things nice and pristine and tidy.

Of course, many of us enjoy the aforementioned decomposition, biofilms, and fauna that goes with it. And the tinted water just goes with the territory. When we consider the "function" of these habitats; the humic substances, tannins, and other compounds which are imparted to the water as a result of the botanicals, the advantages of these types of tanks go beyond even the unusual aesthetics.

We've talked about the characteristics and function of blackwater numerous times here, and how they provide conditions which lead to natural behaviors- including reproduction- in many fishes.

Of course, the aesthetics are a "primary driver" in our love affair with these aquariums for many hobbyists! Taken apart from the function, it becomes a whole different element. "Blackwater," of course, is not just an environment, it's a mood. It's also a way of looking at an aquarium and understanding and accepting the influence that natural botanical materials exert in the overall aquatic environment, just as they do in Nature.

In a hardscape-driven, blackwater-themed, aquatic botanical-influenced aquarium, the interplay between the water and the environment is not just a "bonus"- it's the whole ballgame! As soon as these materials are added to the environment, they begin to soften, break down, and impart tannins and humic acids, as well as a host of  other organic material into the water column, just as they do in Nature.

Imagine, one of the natural world's most alluring and unique aquatic environments in your home aquarium!

Amazing.

As an aquarist, a little bit of faith in the natural process, and a willingness to let go of your preconceptions of exactly what an aquarium should look like- is absolutely necessary.

Even mandatory.

Once you free your mind of  these "prejudices", you will really begin to accept and appreciate the natural beauty of what these systems are all about.

A rich, varied, and aesthetically different experience is easily within your reach. And accepting the influence and conditions created by these natural materials will make your life as an aquarist a bit easier, in my opinion.

How so, you ask?

Well, think about it.

In a blackwater, botanical-style hardscape, you're not spending your time attempting to control or manage every process that occurs in the aquarium. Picture this: You're not constantly pruning, fertilizing, or otherwise "managing" the evolution of the environment in an attempt to preserve it in it's current state.

Rather, other than selecting, placing, and occasionally replacing botanicals as needed to achieve the look and "feel" you want, you're allowing your aquarium to evolve on its own- freeing you to enjoy the process.

Leaps of faith and letting go are not themes we often associate with aquarium keeping, so it's a fundamentally different experience, a mental shift, and a completely different "vibe" when you work with a blackwater, botanical-style system.

Sure, people have played with wood and leaves in aquariums for many years, but I don't think with the mindset that we've seen lately.

And that's huge.

In other words, hobbyists who incorporate botanicals and such into their aquarium nowadays are looking at things more "holistically', embracing the natural processes, such as the breakdown of materials, accumulation of biofilms, and even the occasional spot of algae, as part of the environment to be studied and enjoyed, rather than to be loathed, feared and removed.

We're learning more about the interactions between our fishes and these unique environments, and the opportunities to share this new knowledge are endless! 

And it all starts with a leap of faith.

Stay intruiged. Stay engaged. Stay diligent. Stay curious. Stay confident. Stay faithful...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Leaves, experiments, and subtle evolutions...

The concept of botanical-style aquariums is more than just some passing "fad", or today's "hot number." Well, to me it is, anyways. The idea behind this movement is that there is more to a unique aquarium than just tossing in some unusual leaves, wood, etc. and working on a "style."

It's as much about function as anything else. And, about pushing into some new directions. The unorthodox aesthetics of these unusual aquariums we play with just happen to be an interesting "by-product" of their function.

The desire to question "status quo" and try to do things differently than the way we've always done them in the hobby often leads us down some paths that, although seemingly not that complicated or exotic, shun convention enough to be considered "evolutionary" steps. Ones that, if built upon further, may definitely lead into some completely new directions.

I'm obsessed with the idea of leaves and leaf litter beds in aquariums.

That's no secret.

From day one here at Tannin, we've talked up the idea of creating leaf litter beds in our tanks. We've touted the process, the looks, the benefits. And it all makes a lot of sense, really. Leaf litter beds are perhaps some of the most natural, abundant, and (surprisingly) aquarium-replicable habitats we can work with.

Nature provides all of the inspiration that we need to work with this idea.

My obsession with leaf litter started when I took a much closer look at these habitats, and considering how fishes live within the leaf litter in Nature. Understanding the way these habitats support the abundance of fishes and other life forms led to a real epiphany of sorts for me.. I realized that this type of habitat is not only relatively simple to recreate in the aquarium- it also performs the dual role of creating "functional aesthetics!"

One of the more fascinating scientific observations I stumbled upon in recent years concerts the productivity (in terms of food inputs) of Amazonian streams. It's long been known by science that the primary production of food in these streams has been our friend, allochthonous inputs- you know, leaves, wood, fruits, blossoms, etc. from the surrounding forests.

Now, although there is a lot of the "stuff" in these streams, interestingly, biologists tended to classify these habitats as "low in biomass."

However, recent studies of the microfaunal diversity of these streams (Walker and Feriera), it was found that the stream fauna was aggregated in submerged litter and "may reach considerable densities..." This observation suggested that the animal community within the submerged leaf litter banks was of greater importance to the productivity of these waters than previously believed.

In other words, a lot of life-and food- happens in submerged leaf litter beds!

They provide both food and shelter- two primary factors affecting population density among fishes. And, if we carry this out to its logical "aquarium interpretation", it becomes more intriguing to contemplate an aquarium with the "hardscape" (for want of a better word) consisting essentially (or completely) of leaves! 

Now, this is an idea that we have played with before. If you recall, last year, we constructed an aquarium in which the entire "structure" consisted of about a 1.5" (3.81cm) bed of Texas Live Oak leaf litter.

One of the more fascinating scientific observations I stumbled upon in recent years concerts the productivity (in terms of food inputs) of Amazonian streams. It's long been known by science that the primary production of food in these streams has been our friend, allochthonous inputs- you know, leaves, wood, fruits, blossoms, etc. from the surrounding forests.

And, although there is a lot of the stuff in these streams, biologists tended to classify these habitats as "low in biomass." However, recent studies of the microfaunal diversity of these streams (Walker and Feriera), it was found that the stream fauna was aggregated in submerged litter and "may reach considerable densities..."

This observation suggested that the animal community within the submerged leaf litter banks was found in greater abundances- and was of greater importance- to the productivity of these waters than previously believed.

And this aquarium ran incredibly successfully!

And it was interesting  too, fro man aquarium function perspective. There was virtually no traditional "cycle time"-curiously. And even more interesting, the tank stayed super "clean" in appearance. It did recruit some visible biofilm on the leaf surfaces, although it never really "bloomed" significantly after the first few weeks, and waned on its own in less than a month.

The other interesting thing about this tank is that I ran it as a sort of "proof of concept" tank, by allowing the litter to sit for a number of weeks without fishes, seeding it with a cup of decomposed leaf litter/botanicals from a different tank, some pure Paramecium cultures, some Daphnia, and some black worms to sort of "kick start" the micro/macro fauna population. I let it "run in" for about 3 weeks before adding fishes.

My goal was quite bold: To run an aquarium without any supplemental feeding of the resident fishes.

So, from day one, I didn't feed anything to these fishes. Rather, I let them do what they've done for eons in Nature- forage among leaf litter for their sustenance. 

And it worked fabulously. (if I say so, myself!)

Much like in Nature, if properly conceived and populated with an initial population of live food sources, I believe that an aquarium can be configured to create a productive, biologically-sustainable system, requiring little to no supplemental food input on the part of the aquarist to function successfully for extended periods of time. Of course, it is significantly different than a natural, fully-open system in many ways. And this is not a "revolutionary" statement or pronunciation, or some "breakthrough" in the art of aquarium keeping.

No.

It is just an idea that- like so many we encourage here- replicates some aspects of natural aquatic systems. With responsible management and continued experimentation, I really see no reason why this concept couldn't be done on a larger scale with the same great success. 

My next experiment will be to apply this idea to a tank with a significantly deeper leaf litter bed- something like 3"-4" (7.62cm-10.16cm), to see if there are different possible outcomes with a greater leaf biomass. I am very curious to see if a deeper leaf litter bed functions similarly to the shallow type if regular maintenance is employed. 

I suspect there will be not much difference in "performance."

 My hypothesis is that it will, although for some reason, I am expecting to see a greater appearance of biofilms/fungal growths on the litter mass (the "more fuel/more fire" theory!). It'll be interesting to see if nitrate and phosphate levels in a deep leaf litter system managed this way are any different.

I also have executed a few versions of this concept using a mix of leaves and twigs and small botanicals, with similar results.

These types of experiments represent a further exploration into a natural approach which embraces both the aesthetics and function of some of the compelling habitats that we love so much. My hope is that my simple efforts will inspire those far more learned/talented than I to look at Nature, and interpret many of its aspects with a bent towards pushing ourselves in terms of management, husbandry, and aquascaping. 

A marriage of ideas, form, and function. In around, and above the leaf litter bed. One that leads to an eloquent, dynamic ecosystem which can provide beautifully for all of its inhabitants.

Just like what happens in Nature.

Keep pushing.

Stay observant. Stay inquisitive. Stay bold. Stay diligent. Stay persistent. Stay creative. Stay thoughtful...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

The beauty of humility in the hobby...

The interesting thing about the aquarium hobby is that it can be kind of humbing. And it's almost always educational. And challenging. It's nice to know that you never will want for the opportunity to learn a new thing or two. And opportunities to learn new things are right there, just waiting for those who push out into new areas of the hobby.

I’d say that I’m in tune with the hobby and the market. Okay, I'm fairly in tune with the hobby and market. I tend to study a lot of "macro trends" in the aquarium world, as many of you do. However, as you also know, the sheer volume of information in our hobby that is available makes it impossible to keep up with every development in every hobby sector.

I guess being in my “coral propagation bubble” in the coral world several years back sort of  left me a bit myopic and hyper focused on one aspect of the reef aquarium hobby. I could tell you all about what coral came from where and how it grows, and what kinds of water parameters are best for growth, blah, blah…I used that knowledge daily.  Yet, once I dove full-time into our world at Tannin, it was easy to have some of that stuff fall back into "dormant" mode.

Interestingly, though, when I play with new ideas in our specialized freshwater world, I find myself drawing upon some of the information I learned over the years in the reef world. It's not really surpassing that many of the lessons have "crossover" potential.

And, of course, no matter what side of the hobby you play in, you simply can't know every aspect of it. Like, I could tell you a whole lot about natural botanical materials and concepts, yet 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 currently makes "the best canister filter, protein skimmer or LED light?", and why, I might not have a tremendous depth to my answer. I know what works for me, but I'm doing a lot of weird stuff that is significantly out of the hobby mainstream. I use tech simply to accomplish basic stuff...so I probably under-iutilize it.

“I know what I know”, I suppose…

Last week, hanging out with sophisticated reefers for the first time in a few years, listening and participating in discussions and seeing their work was really enlightening. Some of the stuff they talk about, gear-wise, makes my head spin. Honestly. I mean, somewhere along the line, super-high-technology just settled into the reef keeping game- and to a lesser extent, the freshwater game, too- for the betterment of the hobby.

But wow, in just a few years, things have changed a LOT in the reef world! Seems like you have to be an expert at things like computers, cell phones, and "smart home" technology just to grasp how some of this stuff works- and what it actually can do!

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

And there’s really nothing wrong with that!

( I rely on my friend Jake Adams at reefbuilders.com for the latest on all things hobby tech. You should, too! )

Just a couple of weeks ago, a buddy and I ran out to our favorite LFS for the time-honored tradition of looking for fish for our aquariums. My friend was looking for some small gobies and bennies, and I was focused on finding a few Checkerboard cichlids. When we were browsing the saltwater section, I knew that I had more than just a basic working knowledge of these fishes, but the reality was that I was woefully “out of practice”, so to speak.

I was struggling on some of the finer points of some of the varieties of fishes- like ID, etc.  It took me a little iPhone searching and assistance from the girl behind the counter to steer me in the right direction! And it was a great experience, if not a bit humbling. I mean, I WAS this "player" in the reef aquarium world less than 6 years ago, and....

Not a week ago, I was giving my first reef club talk in several years, and trust me, it took me most of the day of touring reef aquariums and hanging with very hardcore reef guys to sort of "re-calibrate" my brain to "turn on" the "reef hobby database" that was lying more-or-less "dormant" for a few years! 

If you don't use it- you tend to forget a lot of the finer details.

Of course, the reef aquarium world is no different to me than the hyper-focusing we do in our freshwater niche, on things like Tetras, cichlids, botanicals, etc.. You just need to listen, learn- immerse yourself in the “culture” a bit. When haunting some of the planted tank forums and other specialty forums and discussion groups (like biotopes, livebearers, and killies), I often come to the realization that there is so much specialized knowledge out there that it’s almost impossible to absorb it all.

And I still hear a lot of freshwater people elevating the reef side as if there is some extraterrestrial-imparted knowledge everyone who keeps corals has!

Yea, I have to laugh, because it seems like everyone on this side of the "salinity line" thinks that reef people are so sophisticated (trust me, I can prove otherwise in many cases!) and super knowledgable. The reality is- just like freshwater people, there are smart, knowledgeable reefers, and incredibly clueless, ignorant ones who simply suck.

Conversely, I am frequently blown away by the incredible sophistication of the freshwater hobbyists- especially fish breeders and planted tank people. I mean, it makes 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 perspective.

And it’s all amazing, IMHO.

When I "jumped back" into the freshwater world when we started Tannin in 2015, 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.

It's a "standard" that 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?

These people have decades of experience with say, South American riverine 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 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 and never even get to 10% of what's out there!

Crazy, right?

And I think that's what's pretty fun about some of the wierd stuff we're pushing here at Tannin. We do it because it's fun, interesting and helps push the boundaries of what is possible in the hobby. You see us “enabling” fellow aquarists with new concepts- like the "Urban Igapo" idea, brackish paludariums, leaf-litter only aquariums, etc.- things that will challenge the skills we’ve developed in our “fish careers”, and compel us to acquire and develop new ones!

It's fascinating to push out there.

And sure, it CAN be a bit humbling, if you go in with an ego. So, when you push out into new hobby territory, check your ego at the door and use your previous experience as a "supplement" to what you're going to learn in the new endeavors you're moving into.

It'll really help you!

My advice, if you find yourself in a “fish rut”, perhaps 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, 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 it. But not too hard. You've gotta do stuff!

Enjoy the upcoming weekend. Play with your fishes. Spend time with your families. Learn something new. Try something that makes you a bit uncomfortable now and then. You might just change it forever with your work.

That's the beauty of humility in the aquarium hobby.

Stay resourceful. Stay curious. Stay creative. Stay diligent. Stay bold. Stay humble...

And Stay Wet!

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Fishing around for fishes...

The neatest thing about tropical fishes is that there are so damn many varieties to play with, right? And within the different varieties are all sorts of species nuances, like temperament, dietary preferences, size, and interesting behavioral aspects. These nuances can often help us "discover" fishes that are actually well-suited for the types of aquariums that we play with.

Some DO find their way into our tanks fairly regularly...

Others tend to be more elusive. 

I wonder why I've been so obsessed with eh more elusive fishes over the years.

I guess it's because I was such a prolific reader of fish books growing up- or maybe, because I'm fascinated by the habitats from which some fishes come from, which has resulted in me researching and looking for some rather obscure fishes found in them. And the crazy thing is that many of them are simply not kept in the hobby at all.

Have you ever have a fascination with a fish that you absolutely know you'll probably never even keep? Or even see in the hobby, for that matter?

Yup, that's me! 

Some are so "hypothetical" (a term I hijacked long a go to mean, "Dude, you'll NEVER find those little bastards!") as to be almost "mythical"...

You know, like some of the really rare blackwater-dwelling livebearers, of which there are a few. Of course, they're just plain dull, and have so little commercial value that they are likely angrily tossed back by the native fishers because they foul the nets as "by-catch" while they're looking for some more interesting (read that, "saleable") fishes!

Makes sense. Economic realities often supersede our geeky obsessions...

Nonetheless, there are a surprisingly large number of livebearers found in environments we might be fascinated by. At least, enough species to "keep you on your toes", waiting, Watching, and wondering if they will ever show up in the hobby.

And there are the really unusual fishes:

One example?

Well, it's more of a group, really...Knife Fishes.. These are epic fishes, with all sorts of fascinating ones. Now, the "rap" on most of the Knives is that they get really large, are nocturnal, cryptic, predatory, etc...

And I admit that.  

Some simply get too large and hide like mad during pretty much any time of day you're likely to be in front of your aquarium. I don't know about you, but paying good money for a fish whom you might see the tail of, maybe three times a year- all the while, pandering to its specialized dietary requirements- can get old after a while, right?

However, they're my weakness...if there were ever a bunch of fishes I'd break my "no large fish" rule for (yeah, I f-cking HATE keeping large fishes), it'd be these guys. However, there are smaller ones...Yeah, you heard me. Ones that reach reasonable sizes; some of which don't even spend every second of their existence hiding...

Sure, I know my fave, the Black Ghost  (Apteronotus albifrons) will often become rather tame, and come out all hours. But hey do get kind of large...I give them a pass for their cool factor. 

Yet, there ARE others out there that fit my bizarre "requirements..."

Like the Hypomidae, aka "Grass Knifefishes"- 30 some-odd species in the Amazon region, only a few of which have found their way into the aquarium trade/hobby...The neatest thing about these fishes is that they are generally considerably smaller than the big guys- the Clown Knife Fish, Banded Knife Fish, etc...

Many come from small rainforest streams, rivulets, even flooded forest areas and other habitats that we're kind of into around here...so, yeah! They tend to spend most of their daylight hours hiding in leaf litter (we can offer 'em that, huh?) and come out at night to go after the lights go out...And they like to eat insect larvae and small crustaceans, so providing the right kinds of foods isn't that hard.

The tricky part is obtaining the fishes to begin with...acclimating them, getting them to overcome their natural shyness- and feeding them at the right time of day (or night, typically)! I'd imagine that creating an aquarium for these fishes would be challenge free...it's the ability to enjoy them (ie; see them) when we want that could be problematic!

Nonetheless, the possibilities are tantalizing, huh? 

My "dream species?" A fish called Microsternarchus bilineatus. It reacts a length no larger than 4.75 inches/12cm...Can you imagine?

(Image by John P. Sullivan)

Yeh, I admit, I've NEVER seen this species in the hobby...likely never will. However, it's that chance of stumbling upon one that was collected as "by-catch" or whatever, which keeps busy geeks like me excited and "on the hunt" for years.

I am also strangely fascinated by the Prochilodontidae- Like, the families Curimatidae, Prochilodus, etc. Larger, kind of "neurotic" fishes, some members of which can reach impressive sizes (like up to 30 inches/80cm or more!). They're found throughout the Amazon Basin. And I'll be the first to tell you that they aren't the most colorful fishes you could keep, either! 

They are often associated with marginal lagoons, and flooded grassy areas, which, as we all know by now, form when the aforementioned larger rivers overflow during the rainy season. 

Are these good fishes to keep?

I mean, people keep Prochilodus species, and Semiprochilodus (the "Flag Tails"), and they do reach "respectable" sizes (like 15 inches/40cm) or more, making them possible long-term residents of truly large aquariums. I generally dislike large fishes...Or should I say, keeping large fishes in aquariums. I just have this thing about smaller fishes in larger tanks...

(Prochilodus insignis -Image by Jutta234, used under CC-BY S.A. 3.0)

So, why do I have even the remotest interest in this group?

I like what they eat.

I love how they are serious detritivores.

I find this type of feeder to be really, really interesting as a resident of a botanical-style aquarium, because they are adapted to processing the decomposing/mineralizing botanical materials as they are broken down by microbial and fungal action. 

This is a perfect type of fish to include in one of our systems, right? If only there were a smaller version!

Well, there ARE smaller fishes which consume detritus. What about the Hemiodus? These are social fishes, typically attaining much smaller size (like 6 inches/16cm or less), which feeding largely- though not exclusively- upon detritus, mud, filamentous algae, and some aquatic plants as well.

And, they're typically found in smaller forest streams, as opposed to larger rivers and tributaries...perfect residents for larger versions our style of aquarium, right?

They have been observed in nature following fishes like Sting Rays, snapping up various foods as the Rays displace the substrate with their activities. Oh, THAT could make for an interesting aquarium display for anyone who is into Rays (And, as you might surmise- I have like, zero interest in Rays, myself)!

Yet, there are some smaller ones- some, like Chilodus punctuatus, the "Spotted Headstander", reach no more than about  3.14 inches /80mm in length! I've kept this species before In a botanical-style aquarium and really found them fascinating- and useful!

What I find fascinating about these little fishes, which tend to occur in both larger bodies of water- like rivers and streams, as well as the flooded forests and little blackwater tributaries we generally obsess over, is that they are typically very specialized feeders- detritivores, to be specific. And they also pick at biofilms on wood, rocks leaves, etc. 

Interesting....

I guess you might liken them to carp- fishes that will essentially eat just about anything...And some of them, like the little Headstanders I just mentioned- are social, and tend to shoal together as they feed!

It's fun to occasionally muse and consider the possibilities of smaller, or more "accessible" versions of some of these unusual fishes...

There are so many out there...

What's the one that keeps YOU looking, hunting, searching? Or, what are the available "analogs" that you keep?

Something fun to muse about, right?

Stay hopeful. Stay on the trail. Stay relentless. Stay dedicated...Stay studious...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Welcome (Back) to "The Jungle..."

Ever since I was a kid, with my first aquarium in my bedroom, I had this vision of the underwater environment as a complex tangle of aquatic plants, branches, twigs, etc.

This idea was probably put in my head from some reading I did on jungle streams and such, and the "vision" never really left me. And curiously, as I look back on some of the memorable tanks and experiences that I've had in aquariums over the years, I couldn't help but think back to all of the ones that held a special fascination for me. 

There was a sort of commonality to them all; I think it was the "complexity" of the aquariums' "structure." It's something that I continue to play with to this day in some of my most successful aquariums.

Factors other than "planning", however, were the catalysts of my earliest learning experiences with this concept:

We all have a life outside of aquarium keeping (well, we should!), and sometimes, it impacts our aquariums.

I know that growing up, there were a number of times over the decades that, for one reason or another, I simply let the tanks "run themselves", save an occasional water change or filter media cleaning, and of course, regular feeding (that consisted of tossing in a chunk of frozen brine shrimp, or whatever was on hand at the time).

A particularly fond memory of this type of "practice" comes from my Senior year in high school, when I was seriously into breeding killies (in addition to keeping saltwater, cichlids, tetras, and of course, the usual high school-dude pursuits of girls, surfing, and socializing). As a junior AKA member, I obtained a group of killies- Epiplatys dageti "Monroviae", and was determined to breed them.

Of course, they were very "easy", by killie standards, and had a reputation for being a bit of a "beginner's fish", requiring basic care, feeding, and the usual measure of patience. As a busy kid, I had little patience (although more than the average high school guy- after all, I was a fish geek!), and even less time-so I was delighted to learn that some hobbyists found that these fishes were able to do okay in "permanent" and "natural" setups (fish-geek "code" for "set and forget", IMHO)- granted, with a smaller, but regular production of fry... So of course, this was a perfect fish for my busy lifestyle at the time!

I set up 1 pair and a few extra females in a 5-gallon tank, planted with Water Sprite, Hygrophila, and Rotala. Given moderate light from a small fixture, and a sponge filter providing filtration/circulation, this tank looked good and ran just fine with little intervention on my part. In fact, I'm embarrassed to admit that I would sometimes go a week or more without so much as looking at the tank long enough to toss some food in there!

One day (I think it was during Spring Break), I took the time to really stare into the tank, to see what was going on...Sure enough, upon close examination, I saw several tiny fry and juveniles flitting in and among the Rotala! I was elated! Rather than panic and start hatching brine shrimp, I made the very "mature and level-headed" decision to simply...leave them alone, as I had been doing for months. I resisted the temptation to net them out, "power feed" them, and otherwise intervene.

I reasoned that I could hardly do better than what they were apparently being provided by Nature, as they have done successfully for...well, eons! I ultimately ended up with a pretty stable population of around 12-15 individuals, in a tank I "maintained" for around 3-4 years. Ironically, the difficulties started when I had the time to really get into "taking care" of the fishes, and took more initiative and control of the breeding. I ultimately slowly lost the entire colony.

Sad.

But a valuable lesson. Sometimes, what we would classify as "benign neglect" is actually the best thing we could do..the closest imitation to Nature that we can offer fishes in captive environments! I experimented with this recently in my "no-scape" leaf litter tank for Paracheirodon simulans, which was set up in the hopes of "passively feeding" the fish via organisms living in, and produced via the layer of decomposing leaf litter which provided the entire "hardscape" of the aquarium.

It worked. And it worked well.

And, as part of the experiment, I did not feed these fishes during the entire 7-month duration of the experiment, and they not only were as fat and happy as any "Green Neon Tetras" I'd ever seen, but they spawned repeatedly in this tank. They subsisted entirely on food sources produced by the aquarium.

As I've reiterated previously, the tank was "pre-stocked" with some small crustaceans, paramecium cultures, and some worms and such, and allowed to "break in" for a month before fishes were even added.

It was set up to succeed in this fashion.

And it did.

I am currently repeating a variation of this with my prized Tucanoicthys tucano- and having similar good results!

Now, I'm not suggesting that you abandon all care of your fishes, but I am suggesting that you reconsider the way that you might care for some of the more demanding varieties (from a breeding aspect, anyways). Sometimes it's best to simply "monitor" and not intervene so much. Hard to do for us 'hands on" fish geeks- particularly for a hardcore reefer like myself- but it often times works far better than our efforts to take "control" of the situation, IMHO.

In a well-established, properly cared-for aquarium, fishes will find sustenance among the resources already present in their environment. In many cases, the tank itself may not produce enough food to sustain an entire population of mid-sized adult fishes...However, it might be able to supplement whatever feeding you're actively doing as an aquarist, and very likely could do the same for fry, until they are caught and moved to a "proper nursery" tank.

I was reminded this years later when I checked out the office aquarium of a friend, who had a pretty heavy travel schedule. I went to feed his fishes while was out of town for the month (of course, he didn't ask me to until over two weeks into his trip...).

His tank was the typical planted tank- CO2 and all that stuff. 

Of course, much like in our youth, with the craziness of schedules and running businesses, sometimes we can't  maintain our tanks as "steadfastly" as we would like. This was certainly the case with my friend's tank. When I popped my head in one day, the tank was just packed with plants...And the fishes were healthy, active, and solid.

In fact, his Angelfish had paired off, and at least one young pair had a small clutch of eggs!

It was just another reminder to me that there is more than one way to keep an aquarium and have fishes reproduce.

I saw this again more recently on in my friend Dave's "Jungle Tank" in his home. Now, he's a rock-solid, ultra-DIY, high-tech-loving, super-talented reefer (and he has a coral propagation facility in his backyard!)- but he keeps this freshwater tank packed full of plants and assorted livebearers...just does water changes and the occasional (I mean occasional) thinning of plants- and that's it! 

And it's an amazing tank! I could stare at it for hours...

Elegant. Simple by design, yet utterly complex in its function. A case study for ceding control to Nature.

Welcome back to the "jungle."

There's something to be said for this sort of "style" of tank...It's a more modern, better-equipped, slightly differently-executed homage to the "Leiden Style" planted tanks of the early 20th century; a way to create a densely-planted, intricate underwater world which leaves the system largely to it's own devices, with minimal human intervention. Although the true earliest "Leiden Style" tanks didn't have pumps and filters and such...

The "common element" in the tanks I referred to in this piece was that they all have/had reasonably manageable fish populations, fertile substrates, adequate lighting- and an outrageous amount and variety of plants- or, in the case of my recent experiments- significant "biodegradable" hardscape in the form of twigs, leaves, or botanicals! 

Set up for success. A significant quantity of food-producing/supporting materials is the common denominator among these tanks.

And in these days of intricately-planned, tightly-executed "high-tech/high concept" planted aquariums, it's fun to see what happens when they're left largely to their own devices...Yes, most serious "competition" aquascapers would simply lose their shit at the mere thought of this kind of thing.

Yet, there is something oddly refreshing about this idea: Plants not in perfectly-manicured form, with occasional bits of algae and awkward, untended growth...

Kind of like what happens in Nature, actually. 

And I refer you to the much-discussed "Urban Igapo" tanks that we've been playing with lately. The idea of a cyclicly-flooded terrestrial display, with rich soils, submersion-tolerant grasses and plants, and botanicals, becoming home for annual killifishes whos' eggs incubated in situ- this is a very compelling concept, IMHO!

The potential to serve as a sort of "nursery" for many types of fishes with this kind of tank is there. We're still in the early experimental phases of the concept, and we'll see how it goes!

There are numerous examples of this sort of habitat in Nature that we draw inspiration from; each hosts a large population of fishes, insects, and other aquatic organisms, existing in a unique, seasonally-controlled habitat.

Like so many things in the natural world, there is often more to it than meets the eye upon first glance.

Much more.

I think you could perhaps even envision viewing "jungle-style" or "urban igapo"-style aquariums much like the abandoned lot down the street, which is filled with patches of weeds, a few hardy shrubs, and soil. Perhaps unattractive and disorderly upon first glance (at least to the uninitiated!), yet oddly compelling and even beautiful in its own way upon, closer examination.

A unique microcosm of life.

I'm not suggesting to abandon husbandry and care protocols in favor of neglect.

I'm not suggesting that we look at our aquariums as "patches of weeds" and accept the aesthetics as "high concept" or anything. However, the term "natural" does sound more applicable in this case, right?

What I AM suggesting is that sometimes, well-thought-out, decently-maintained closed systems can regulate themselves a bit with minimal intervention on our part. This is not some recent discovery. Rather, it harkens back to the dawn of fish-keeping. And of course, the "science" behind it is as old as Nature itself.

Plants and animals whose needs are being met will thrive and come to dominate the closed ecosystem, for better or worse, just like in Nature. We could allow the plants to grow in a manner that they "want" to. We could allow some algae, some biofilm; some decomposition...Some more accurate representation of what occurs in Nature...

In fact, one could probably make the argument that- at least on a superficial level- the "benignly neglected" aquarium- or more precisely- the "minimal intervention" aquarium- may be the closest imitation of Nature that we can present!

With botanical-style, blackwater aquariums, the emphasis has been much more on the overall "scene" than on a specific component. And long-term functionality, in terms of creating a stable, biologically active and diverse system, has been the next big step we've taken after merely creating workable blackwater, botanical-style aquariums.

Plants, "active substrates", "cryptic zones", refugia, and deep leaf litter beds are becoming-and will continue to become- more and more a part of our scene, and it would be interesting to see how a "benignly-neglected" Botanical-Style system fares over time!

Something akin to what we see in Nature, I suspect.

Although I certainly wouldn't advocate running every single botanical-style, blackwater aquarium, especially one devoid of plants, in this fashion, there are aspects of the idea that I find intriguing. There is much to learn from this idea...one that me seem a bit unorthodox- even radical- yet is something that reaches back to the earliest days of aquarium keeping...

Truly "working with Nature"- not in the cliche'-ridden, aquascaping contest fanboy  bullshit sense, mind you. Rather, embracing the mindset that if we help create conditions for life to exist, Nature can work with what we offer to create conditions for life to thrive.

There are many ways to practice this craft of devotion to Nature, too.

The concept of creating our own "flooded forest"- including a rich, substrate and a mix of leaves, botanicals, and terrestrial/marginal/aquatic plants is another logical step to embrace as we continue to push the boundaries to create truly "natural style" aquariums! I think this idea will provide a lot of "unlocks" in multiple facets of the aquarium hobby, as more an more aquarists experiment with it.

So, the idea of ceding some control of our aquariums to Nature again in order for them to provide for our fishes rears its head- and it's simply not a crazy idea, is it? Nope. It makes a ton of sense, given Nature's ability to "find a way" to support life almost whenever possible.

Yeah, Nature's got this thing down!

The question is...are you down with Nature? 

We've done it before in the hobby. We can do it again.

Welcome back to the jungle.

Stay open-minded. Stay focused. Stay determined.Stay on top of things...or not!

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics