Introduction The ember tetra is one of those fish that quietly wins people over. At barely two centimetres long, it hardly commands attention in a shop tank, but place a shoal of ten or more into a well-planted aquarium and the effect is genuinely stunning. Their warm, amber-orange glow against a backdrop of dark substrate…
Introduction The pea puffer, also known as the dwarf puffer or Malabar puffer, is the smallest pufferfish in the world and one of the most fascinating freshwater fish you can keep. Fully grown, these tiny predators barely reach 2.5 centimetres, yet they pack more personality per millimetre than almost any other species in the hobby….
Introduction The betta fish is one of those species that has a way of pulling people into the hobby. Maybe it was the flash of iridescent blue in a pet shop, or a friend’s betta flaring at its own reflection, but something about this fish sticks with you. Betta splendens has been kept in captivity…
Introduction If there is one freshwater fish that has earned the right to be called iconic, it is the Neon Tetra. Since its discovery in the Amazonian waterways of South America in the 1930s, Paracheirodon innesi has become the single most popular tropical aquarium fish in the world, and for good reason. That electric blue…
Introduction If there is a single fish that has introduced more people to the hobby of fishkeeping than any other, it is almost certainly the guppy. Poecilia reticulata has been a staple of the aquarium world for well over a century, and its popularity shows no signs of fading. Small, colourful, hardy, and endlessly variable,…
Introduction The Corydoras catfish, specifically Corydoras paleatus, is one of the most beloved bottom-dwelling fish in the freshwater hobby. Commonly known as the peppered cory or peppered catfish, this small, armoured catfish has been a staple in community aquariums for well over a century. It was one of the first tropical fish species to be…
Introduction Few freshwater fish carry the same instant recognition as the angelfish. With its tall, compressed body, long trailing fins, and slow, deliberate movements, Pterophyllum scalare has been a centrepiece of home aquariums for well over a century. It was one of the first tropical fish bred in captivity, and its popularity has never really…
Introduction The Kribensis is one of those fish that quietly wins people over. It doesn’t demand attention with outrageous finnage or neon colours visible from across the room. Instead, it draws you in with personality, surprising beauty that reveals itself over time, and a level of intelligence you don’t always expect from a small cichlid….