Introduction The Emerald Catfish, known scientifically as Brochis splendens, is one of the most attractive bottom-dwelling catfish available to freshwater aquarists. Often mistaken for the more commonly kept bronze or green Corydoras species, the Emerald Catfish is a distinctly larger and more robustly built fish with a truly stunning iridescent green sheen that catches the…
Introduction The Pictus Catfish is one of the most recognisable and popular catfish species in the freshwater aquarium hobby. With its gleaming silver body adorned with bold black spots and its impressively long, sweeping barbels, this South American native has captivated fishkeepers for decades. First described by the Austrian naturalist Franz Steindachner in 1876, the…
Introduction The Clown Loach is one of the most recognisable and beloved freshwater fish in the aquarium hobby. With its vivid orange and black banding, playful demeanour, and remarkably social nature, it has earned a devoted following among fishkeepers worldwide. First described scientifically by Pieter Bleeker in 1852, this species has been a staple of…
Introduction The Adolfoi Corydoras (Corydoras adolfoi) is one of the most visually striking members of the Corydoras genus, prized by aquarists for its elegant markings and endearing social behaviour. First described by Burgess in 1982, this small armoured catfish hails from the upper Rio Negro basin in Brazil, where it inhabits warm, acidic blackwater tributaries…
Introduction The Flowerhorn Cichlid is one of the most recognisable and polarising fish in the freshwater aquarium hobby. A man-made hybrid with no direct wild counterpart, the Flowerhorn was first developed in Malaysia during the late 1990s through selective crossbreeding of Central and South American cichlid species, most notably blood parrot cichlids and trimac cichlids…
Introduction The Bronze Corydoras is one of the most recognisable and widely kept freshwater catfish in the aquarium hobby. First described by Theodore Gill in 1858, Corydoras aeneus has earned its place as a staple community fish thanks to its peaceful disposition, hardy constitution, and endearing bottom-dwelling behaviour. Often seen shuffling across the substrate in…
Introduction The Panda Corydoras is one of the most endearing and recognisable members of the Corydoras family, named for the striking black and white markings that bear a resemblance to the giant panda. First described by Nijssen and Isbrücker in 1971, this small catfish has become a staple of the freshwater aquarium hobby thanks to…
Introduction The Smudge Spot Corydoras, scientifically known as Hoplisoma similis, is an endearing and hardy catfish that has been a quiet favourite among corydoras enthusiasts for decades. Originally described by the ichthyologist Eigenmann in 1908, this species was long classified under the genus Corydoras and is still widely sold under the name Corydoras similis. However,…
Introduction The Skunk Corydoras, now formally classified as Hoplisoma granti but long known under its previous name Corydoras arcuatus, is one of the most visually distinctive members of the Corydoradinae subfamily. Named for the bold dark stripe that arcs along the dorsal ridge of its body — reminiscent of a skunk’s marking — this peaceful…
Introduction The Sterbai Corydoras is one of the most popular and visually striking members of the Corydoradinae subfamily, beloved by aquarists worldwide for its bold patterning, peaceful disposition, and entertaining bottom-dwelling behaviour. Originally described by Knaack in 1962 and named in honour of the German aquarist Günther Sterba, this species has become a staple of…