To further compound my theory, I needed only to a few aisles slip over in the shop to admire the (very grey!) “Tanganyika Lampeyes” that they received not too long ago. Okay, on the surface, these grayish Rift Lake killifish are about as unexciting (is that a word?) as a fish can get- a poster child for the freshwater “haters”…But wait a minute. Have you ever even seen one? Probably not that often. Probably because they are rather…well, bland, and collectors toss ‘em back.  But man- that’s what’s so cool about them!  They are different!  Subtle. Imagine how awesome they’d look as contrasting players in a tank full of colorful African Cichlids!

Think about the humble “Blue Streak Cardinalfish” Apagon leptocanthus of the marine aquarium hobby trade. This little Indo Pacific fish looks for all the world like a freshwater Tetra from the Amazon, yet it’s a 100% marine…Subtly colored, yet somehow compelling. It sells out really fast. Why? I don’t know. I mean, why is a “Pokerstar Montipora” so hot? To each his own, I suppose.  Could it be that we really, truly love the creatures of the sea for what they are? I believe we do!

The beauty of the aquarium hobby is that there really IS room for all sorts of fishes, plants and inverts. Pretty much every animal out there gets at leastsome love from the reef masses! Admit it- you’ve occasionally stared longingly at a brown coral in your LFS and wondered, right? You’ve contemplated purchasing that grey-brown Barb with the cute eyes before, huh? You may have even owned a Giant Danio once!

There is hope for the hobby after all…Long live the dull! Who loves the grey fishes? WE do.

Until next time…

Stay Wet

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics