The Tint

Bumps in the road? Nah, just part of the journey. Don't sweat the small stuff.

It's nice to reflect upon the journeys we take as hobbyists now and then, to gain a little perspective. Our office aquaria, which is over a year old now, has been a real "testbed" for a lot of our crazy ideas...we deliberately pushed it hard to sort of "demonstrate" all of the stuff that happens along the way from startup to maturity, and how none of the 'problems" are as bad as we make them. When people contact me and are concerned because of biofilms, algae, or whatever, I just reflect upon this tank.

The aquarium was set up with the intention of allowing the tannins and such contained in the wood and botanicals to be released "in their own time", and in as natural a fashion as possible. I also made the "command decision" to "cure" my Manzanita wood inside the display aquarium rather than in an external vessel of some sort- something I have always been hesitant to do in years past. This set the pace for the aquarium, so to speak.

Why? Because the wood will release a lot of bound-up organic material, in addition to tannins and other chemicals, not to mention good old fashion detritus and such- bound up on and within its structure. This has a direct impact in the water in a number of ways- not the least of which is the "bloom" of bacteria which arise as the wood becomes saturated.Natural consequences of a deliberate action on my part.

Couple this with the breakdown of a significant number of other botanicals as well, and the result was about 3 weeks of pretty cloudy water, which is never a fun thing to deal with. Yet, for this aquarium, I decided to stick it out, to demonstrate first hand that you can get through all of these things with time, patience, and a few "tweaks"- not big moves or panic.

With patience, frequent small water changes with prepared RO/DI water, and the use of modest amounts of chemical filtration media (I love SeaChem Purigen), I "endured" this cloudiness and began to see the wonderful brown color, clarity  and richness that I've come to expect from a blackwater system.

Yes, I had to endure the "yucky biofilm phase" with my botanicals, just like many of you do. I had to remove a few pieces that got that nasty, hydrogen sulfide smell. I did some "aesthetic edits", removing what I felt were pieces that either detracted from the appearance I was trying to achieve, or were otherwise incongruous with the rest of the 'scape. 

What I never did- in fact, what I never DO- is to make knee-jerk "panic decisions" and take extraordinary measures to "correct" what appear to be "problems" in the system. It pays to reevaluate and analyize just what made these "problems" arise in the first place, so you can decide what, if any- action you SHOULD take. In my case, I knew what I was in for: Cloudiness caused by my decision to "cure" the wood in the aquarium proper, and  the biofilms and such that you see from using large quantities of aquatic botanicals in the system from the outset. 

Rather than panic, I did water testing, which revealed no detectible nitrite, phosphate, or ammonia during this period. The pH was stable and the fishes that were present were perfectly fine. I decided to embrace all of the process that were occurring within my system, and understood that the aquatic environment was evolving.

That being said, did I enjoy the "yucky biofilm phase" or cloudy water? Of course not. However, I DID understand why they were occurring, and appreciated the natural processes, helped by my regular maintenance procedures (standard weekly 10% water changes) that were letting the system "do its thing." Perhaps that patience, borne from decades of reef keeping, where you simply have to let things evolve if you want long-term success- has become the key ingredient in my aquarium management philosophy with botanical-style aquariums.

And the "evolution" doesn't take as long as you think...

About five weeks after the aquarium was set up, things had truly "evolved" past what I call the "Initial Phase" (where everything is still kinda new and sterile) and evolved into the "Living Phase", when an aquarium starts to literally take on a life of its own, becoming less dependent upon the "management" of its owner to overcome issues like nuisance algae, cloudiness, etc. You started seeing the richness of the aquatic environment starting to emerge: The botanicals softened and saturated, the wood had a minimal coverage of biofilm or nuisance algae of any kind, and the water had that clarity and clean, "earthy" smell of a healthy aquarium.  Environmental parameters were stable. And of course, the "tint" caused by the release of tannins was increasingly evident!

The fish population increased gradually (I'm a FISH GEEK, for goodness sake!), and with it, the biological demand on the system. However, I've learned a thing or two over the years, like most of you- the most important lesson being to be patient and add fishes slowly. In a "New Botanical Style" system, with little or no higher plants to help uptake the nutrients released into the system by the botanicals, wood, and fishes, it's more important than ever to go slowly and take that "it's a Marathon, not a sprint" mentality of tank management. And dealing with the occasional "bumps" in the road...even ones we caused through our own decisions- by just enduring them as part of the journey makes it so much easier.

This embracing of what is happening in the aquarium, and taking it all into consideration as part of the evolution of this ecosystem, has made the experience of starting this tank more enjoyable than virtually any freshwater or reef system I've set up previously, despite me deliberately "pushing the envelope" in a few areas.  As I see and hear from more and more of you working with this "New Botanical Style" system, I realize that we are actually at a sort of interesting time in the hobby: We have all of these amazing technical advantages, yet we are at a point where we can sit back, embrace, and appreciate all of the amazing work that nature does.

So, don't sweat the small stuff...enjoy the journey. A message and theme you will continue to hear from us.

Enjoy.

Stay calm. Stay fascinated.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Avoiding shiny objects...

It had to happen eventually: Someone asked me on a forum a few days back if I could provide some sort of "hack" to get their new botanical tank "looking like the one you shared on ________ more quickly."

And if you read my stuff, you kind of know where I stand on "hacks", right?

(Oh- and your tank should look like...your tank- no need to try to duplicate the exact work of someone else, right? Different rant for another time, lol)

With all of the cool stuff going on in our little "tinted" corner of the aquatic world, and all of the cool blackwater/botanical tanks starting to show up in forums and social media worldwide, it's easy to lose sight of the "now" and go off looking for the "stairway to heaven" that's going to propel your tank to a "mature" state rapidly like the crazy cool ones you see being shared all over. We know that there are no shortcuts in this hobby, yet we find ourselves tempted at times. It's a classic crossroads we find ourselves in with the botanical/blackwater world- a lot of cool inspiration and a desire of many to share in the fun. 

And it's great that you are! But you need to enjoy each step of the journey and savor the unique experience of a blackwater tank without being distracted by a quick jaunt over to the perceived "finish line." Every phase is very fun, actually. And you're contributing to a state of the art and body of knowledge that's going to benefit hobbyists all over the world-even when your two-week-old botanical tank is growing craploads of biofilm and such.

I think with a blackwater aquarium, you end up playing a different sort of game than you do with many other types of systems, with the possible exception of maybe planted tanks or reef aquariums. These tanks require time and patience, in addition to vision. Vision to see how each stage of the journey is intriguing and fascinating in its own right, and the "mature" phase is merely the next stop on a long journey- not the "destination." The key here is that you can't make radical, quick moves. It's one thing to "finesse" changes to say, the water chemistry, amount or type of botanicals, or your fish population. However, it's quite a different thing to go clear off in another direction because your tank isn't looking like an Amazonian igarape in three weeks. 

Now, we've discussed the "mental shifts" many times here, and botanical aquarium fans know that you simply don't "freak" and yank every pod and leaf out of the tank as soon as biofilms and fungal growth and decomposition start appearing. That reflects not only a lack of understanding of how a botanical-influenced aquarium works, but more important- it reflects a lack of patience that can undermine your aquarium's success!

You're way better than that.

The key point here is that there is no "magic bullet" to get you to the perfectly natural, "broken-in", enriched look. You need to allow the botanicals to settle in, recruit microbial growth, begin to decompose, and soften up a bit first. You need to allow the tank to progress through these stages, and understand that a great botanical aquarium- like a great reef tank or planted tank- evolves. Nature dictates the pace, the look, and the extent.

The tank will have a significantly more "aged" look after a couple of months, with both the water darkening from the tannins as the botanicals break down. If you take pics of your tank when it first starts out, with all of the botanicals "crisp" and "fresh-looking", and contrast it with the look of the tank after say, two months, you'll be blown away at the difference! And you don't have to do a whole lot to get it  there...other than to stay on task, and not be distracted by those tempting "shiny objects"- you know, thoughts of "shortcuts" and quick fixes...There are none.

As the aquarist, your "job" is to set the basic 'scape and look the way you want it, place the bulk of your botanicals where you want them to remain, and add the more "ephemeral" leaves last, knowing that they will decompose more rapidly, and possibly be distributed in other places throughout the tank at some point. You just need to monitor the water quality, follow a regular maintenance schedule, observe the health of the fishes...and relax and enjoy the progression; the evolution- of your little underwater microcosm. 

There is no hard and fast formula here...only some guidelines for setting the stage, and an admonition to relax and enjoy the ride all the way. Botanicals will soften. Leaves will decompose. Water will darken.

All in time.

Nature is your "pilot." Patience is your traveling companion. Time is your ally. 

Enjoy all of them.

Stay patient. Stay observant. Stay calm.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Guest Blog: Another look at “functional” aquascaping: Enrichment in the Aquarium by Mike Tuccinardi

What's for dinner? Disrupting the fish food game. Another plea to you budding fish food manufacturers out there...

Yeah, the question that has plagued moms around the world for centuries is one that we give more than just a little bit of thought to in the fish world, right?

Now, before I get too deep into this, I issue the heads-up that this is one of those pieces that will possibly piss off a tiny few my friends and colleagues who work in the aquatics industry. It will no doubt show a level of obliviousness or lack of understanding of how things work in the aquarium foods sector, and perhaps a ridiculous naiveté that only an outsider would display. So be it. (Of course, I really don't give a crap if I offend you, just in case you must know. My skin is plenty thick, the world will keep rotating, and my wife will still love me even if you don't. )

The world of tropical fish foods is pretty amazing. It's an industry that has some of the hobby's most respected and dominant companies in the game. And some of the newer brands that have come along in recent years, particularly in the marine food sector, have delivered remarkable breakthrough products that have changed the game. We're talking things like live and frozen rotifers, copepods, mysids, micron-sized coral feeds, etc. The number of foods for aquatic animals on the market today is crazy! I'll bet its a high multi-million dollar industry!

I mean, a recent scan of a major online aquatics retailer's Food section yielded a remarkable 280 plus varieties of fish food. I mean, that's crazy cool! But what I found interesting is that, in the freshwater world, other than the frozen and dried  foods that were things like "Blood Worms", "Tubifex", and "Daphnia", most of the foods intended for freshwater species are sort of "adopted" to our needs, a la Brine Shrimp. Now, I'm not "dissing" the venerable frozen brine shrimp, the poster child for the aquarium food industry. Nor any of the hundreds of quality dry and freeze-dried foods out there. No, sir. These foods have made the modern hobby convenient, dynamic, and accessible for millions.

However, what makes me curious (and probably shows my ignorance, too) is why there are so very few foods that are simply- well- the stuff that freshwater fishes eat in the wild? Yeah, really. I mean sure, there are a few...but they're far in between, really. Think about it for a moment. If you really want to feed your fishes "authentic" food- you know, the equivalent of fish "health food", you either have to culture your own-not something everyone wants to do-or somehow source foods that are not commercially available. To me, pellets are convenient and all that jazz- but they're kind of...souless, if you know what I mean?

Yeah. 

Of course, you can use any of the fine 400-odd fish foods on the market and just "deal with it", in which case, my work is done here.  :)

Pressing forward, following that lengthy preamble-and with much love and respect for the fish food industry- I must ask again, "Why do we not see "whole foods" on the market that are representative of what freshwater fishes consume in the wild?"

I mean, the information about what fishes consume in the wild is readily available for those who take the time to look. Gut content analysis has been part of ichthyology for many years, and yields remarkable information about the habitat- and habits- of freshwater tropical fishes. And what are the most common "menu items" for many non-herbivorous freshwater fishes? Insects, insect larvae, copepods, crustaceans, fish eggs (and fish). Of all the foods we see on the market, only a handful come to mind that are more-or-less highly representative of the type and "form factor" that freshwater fishes consume in the wild: Blood Worms, Tubifex, Daphnia, and Fish Eggs (shameless shout out to one of my fave foods, Doc's Eco Eggs), and harpactoid copepods (used for marine fish feeds). Oh, and wood-containing foods for Plecos and such.

Now, these are all fine foods, and feeding a combination of almost any one of them will do the job and keep your fishes fat and happy for a lifetime. We should feed combinations of these foods a lot, and I think we do. However, my point here is that I can't help but wonder (much like I do about replicating wild habitat water conditions for fishes, rather than "acclimate" them to ours) if our tropical fishes would be just a bit better off if they were fed foods that literally were close counterparts or exact specimens of what they have evolved to eat in the wild? Such as aquatic insects, like Diptera pupae, Coleoptera and Trichoptera larvae and adults, and a variety of Harpacticoidae copepods. 

Okay, this begs the next question: "What the @#$% are Diptera and Coleoptera, etc. anyways?" Well, Diptera is an order- a big old assemblage of lots of species of...flies! Now, I'm not talking about using the annoying nasty ones we like to swat...but I suppose that's a start...Well, anyways- Trichoptera are larger insects known collectively as "Caddis Flies." Species of them are found worldwide. Hmm...

And then the next question is...How do you get this stuff? Is it even economically viable or safe, or?  How many people would really buy this stuff? (they MUST have said this about Brine Shrimp, too at one point, right?) Well, I don't know. I'm not in the fish food industry, and I haven't made the effort to try to disrupt it. Yet.

And believe me, I understand...Me, "Mr. Aquatic Botanical Guy", who's sourced all sorts of exotic stuff from all over the world, literally has to tell my suppliers in the tropical regions of the world, "Just pick up some of the dried leaves that fall in the jungle...You know, the stuff near the streams?" I can name the species, even. And they still continue to supply me with the "everyday" Catappa and such...because, well-  that's what they know. That's what sells to the industry. That's how it's done. Thinking outside the box for these guys is a bit risky, less cost-effective initially, and entirely full of unknowns. And as we know, most businesses eschew the unknowns and risks associated with going "off the board" on stuff. I get it. I don't like it. I don't believe in it. But I totally get it.

And with foods like insects and such from tropical aquatic environments, there are obviously other things to overcome...like the fact that some harbor parasites and disease that may infect both fishes and humans. Yeah, I know, you're thinking about the absurdity of importing wild mosquito larvae that may be carrying the Zika virus or whatever...I hear ya'. I mean, getting "assorted South American insect larvae" through customs might be a bit daunting.

What I am suggesting is that there may very well be "pure," disease-and-parasite-free laboratory-grown specimens of many tropical insects that can fill the role as "supply" for the fish food industry. Or, substitutes-species in North America, Asia, or Europe that are easier to obtain. Okay, like Wingless Fruit Flies, right? YES! Hobbyists have been culturing them for decades, and pure cultures are available in labs. They're readily available from both hobbyists and biological supply houses. Couldn't they be incorporated in a "fresh" preserved state-not freeze-dried and incorporate into a flake with fish meal and dozens of other "things" we find in fish foods? I mean, perhaps kept concentrated  in some sort of nutritive solution that preserves both their form and freshness? Perhaps refrigerated? 

I know that I'd pay good money for concentrated, preserved disease-free wingless fruit flies, or cultured, lab-grade Caddis Flies... Yeah. Wingless fruit flies are more-or-less utilized already in the hobby...just that no one, to my knowledge, has made them available in a more "pret a porter" fashion- ready to feed without the hassle of culturing the damn things. Wouldn't that make a few more people try them? Oh, I know that some exotic stuff has been available in the past from good companies- frozen Mosquito larvae, Glass Worms, Cyclops...However, in this exploding new age of aquarium hobby enlightenment, perhaps it's now time to go after marketing these food items more seriously and in a more coordinated fashion (Pay me the $200 consulting fee if you want my hour's worth of ideas and input on this, lol) Some budding aquatic food entrepreneur out there could literally build an "Empire of the Flies" if he or she wants to take a crack at this stuff! You could be the "Uber of exotic aquatic feeds" or something...

And of course, as previously mentioned, we do have marine species of copepods, as well as Daphnia, so we've sort of got that covered. I am sure that the nutritional profile of these is somewhat different than their freshwater counterparts, but it couldn't hurt to try these foods, right?  Although I wonder if anyone is working with culturing freshwater copepods on any large scale? Something again that I have not looked into just yet. 

So what would a "dream fish food" look like to me? Some form of minimally preserved, refrigerated, squeeze-bottle-feedable combination of Fruit flies, Caddis fly larvae and adults, Daphnia, and small Blood Worms. Talk about a "buffet in a bottle" for fishes, right?

Okay, fish food entrepreneurs- I've given you a minimal framework to do more research and develop a product. Many of you have advanced degrees in biology and other backgrounds that could really give you an advantage when looking to disrupt this market! There is a ton I didn't touch on, forgot to touch on, glossed over out of ignorance, etc., and much more I could have said on the subject, but for those of you who are "picking up what I'm putting down", I think that the gears are already spinning. I mean, YOU have to do some of the work on this, right? And I didn't even ask for royalties in this rant, either. Of course, if you're offering...

Well, seriously- there are possibilities here. They are not easy to execute at scale, no doubt. They involve sourcing, manufacturing, preserving, packaging, and possibly certifying. The payoff, if any, will no doubt be "down the line"...and who knows? It may NOT prove to be viable at scale. On the other hands, a convenient, easy-to-use combination or "a la carte" items from this "natural selection" of foods might prove to be a huge thing to public aquariums, hatcheries, and hobbyists worldwide. You don't know until you go for it, right?

So, maybe I once again pissed off some of you...bored a handful, turned off a bunch...but maybe...just maybe- one or two or three of you read this and thought, "Ya' know, I might just look into this..." in which case this rant was wildly successful! You've got this. 

Where else are you going to read THIS kind of stuff, anyways, right?

So, until next time...

Live the dream...Or dream about living the dream...

Stay innovative. Stay creative. Stay in your blissful force field of benign ingrnarance...the one that makes you dare to ask, "Why?"- and gives you the courage to change stuff...

And stay wet!

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics  

The blackwater breakthrough: You are the evolution.

‘We cannot solve our problems using the same thinking we used when we created them." - Albert Einstein

Isn't it sort of amazing how the hobby seems to go in "cycles" a bit?

I mean, in the 1950's and 1960's, a "golden age" of new fishes being both collected and bred throughout the world was enabled, largely because of the advent of fast air transportation around the world, and the booming Florida tropical fish farms, as well as global print media sharing the ideas and technique with a hobby world hungry to try something new. It was a time of great excitement, new ideas, and tremendous breakthroughs.

In the 70's and 80's, the hobby expanded considerably, but sort of fell into a "rut", without any really remarkable breakthroughs/developments, until the late eighties, when the modern reef aquarium sector, as we know it now, burst forth onto the scene. Like many developments in the aquarium hobby, the explosion in popularity and availability of new equipment, technique, philosophies...and information- harkened the dawn of this new era.

The explosion continued into the 1990's, and in the freshwater sector, many other developments came about, such as the breeding of new varieties of fishes, the birth hobbyist "expeditions" , in which hardcore enthusiasts went out to the wild habitats and explored for new species of fishes, such as catfish, killies, cichlids, etc. We also saw the explosion of the modern planted aquarium, which took on new life when injected with Japanese design principles and concepts. With the internet reaching pretty much every corner of the globe, ideas, images, and personalities spread like wildfire in the aquarium world.

And here we are in the early 21st century, powered by the enthusiasm of a globally-connected social-media-fueled generation of hobbyists, who can share ideas and information, and new approaches with a speed and level of detail previously only dreamed of.

This trip down "memory lane" as I see it wasn't to recap a half century of hobby growth- it was to give context to what I see as kind of a cyclical thing we have in the hobby world. As I see it, the hobby as a whole has changed significantly in just the past 15-20 years. Many ideas once thought to be crazy, "stupid", or just plain reckless are now considered "best practice", particularly in the world of breeding fishes, and in the coral propagation sector, which I experienced firsthand. 

I personally see the freshwater hobby as ripe for another round of change. Another period of growth, fed not only by the amazing new discoveries being made every day by hobbyists worldwide, but by revisiting ideas from the past, some of which were considered "novelties" for decades.

Yeah, enter the blackwater/botanical aquarium. As I say virtually every time we talk about it, this is not a "new" concept. Hobbyists have been tossing in leaves and such into aquariums for many years to initiate breeding and facilitate health of some challenging fishes. Yet, for some reason, the whole concept of utilizing these materials to create not only healthy chemical environments for out fishes, but to create aesthetically fascinating, remarkably faithful replications of wild habitats is being given some new life. The idea of blackwater aquariums being seen as a "side show" curiosity is falling by the wayside, as hobbyists are utilizing these types of tanks to keep even fishes which have been with us for decades, and achieving remarkable results...and discovering a new aesthetic and enjoyment in the process. 

Every day, I'm being sent pics and videos from hobbyists around the world, eager to share the work they've been doing in this fascinating arena- often in relative obscurity, simply because they felt that they were the only ones who enjoyed this stuff- and the "body of work" in the blackwater/botanical world continues to grow and inspire others.

And, much like some of the other aquascaping sectors which have been dominating the attention the hobby, we get new inspiration from seeing each others work. However, what's even more exciting to me is that, every time we see underwater shots of tropical rivers, Amazonian Igarapes, and Asian streams, we get some new ideas. Not just aesthetic ones, mind you- but ideas to understand the dynamics and embrace some of the things we see in natural systems- like deep leaf litter beds, all-botanical bottoms, extreme acidic habitats, peat swamps, blackwater sand bed rapids, etc.

Here are a few of the "projects" which you are working on, that I see being very interesting and important in this "new age" of blackwater/botanical-style aquariums:

-Simulating the Amazonian Igarapes- We're learning more and more about this fascinating environment every day. These seasonally flooded areas create a remarkable chemical and physical habitat for a huge range of tropical fishes. And the aesthetics are undeniably compelling and simply haven't been widely replicated before. Rather than simply viewing it as a pile of disorganized, decomposing leaves and seeds, we're realizing that it's a complex, surprisingly organized environment, which provides many of the essentials for fishes to grow, reproduce, and thrive.

There is much to learn, from the composition of the fish population, to the chemical and physical properties of the igarape- which can translate well into aquarium breakthroughs. I think we'll see some fishes that were previously seen as uninteresting- such as leaf litter-bed-dwelling "Darter Characins", certain catfishes and even Knifefishes, making more and more frequent appearances in hobbyists' aquarium. And more important, I think we'll see these fishes being bred in captivity, quickly alleviating the need for mass importation of wild populations of these fishes, because we will be able to provide them with a very faithful representation of their natural habitat. A case of us having figured out how to replicate and manage a captive version of their natural habitat over the long term,  and THEN bringing the fish into our aquariums...a radically different dynamic than we've played with in the past, right? By learning more about this habitat, we're unlocking new secrets about managing the long-term health and reproduction of a wide range of fishes. 

-Replicating food webs- As we've looked at previously, the leaf litter zones in tropical waters are home to a remarkable diversity of life, ranging from microbial to fungal, to crustaceans. These are the basis of complex and dynamic food webs, which are one key to the productivity of these habitats. By researching, developing, and managing our own deep leaf litter/botanical beds in aquaria, we may be looking at new ways to create "nurseries" for a variety of fishes.

At least upon superficial examination, our aquarium leaf litter beds seem to function much like their wild counterparts, creating an extremely rich microhabitat within our own tanks. And initial reports from hobbyists who've bred fishes in their intentionally leaf-litter-"outfitted" aquarium systems are that they're seeing better color, more regularity in spawns, and higher survival rate of some species. We're at the beginnings here, but the future is wide open for huge hobby-level contributions that may lead to continued breakthroughs.

Understanding the management of low-pH environments- We've talked a lot about the many cautions and even "myths" surrounding keeping fishes in low-pH environments. We've learned that by simply not being afraid because "they" have made them seem so scary and unmanageable for years. Rather, we're revisiting these parameters and trying to learn exactly what happens. It's been scientifically documented that humic substances contained in blackwater environments are essential to the health of almost all fishes. We're starting to discover that the low pH aquarium is entirely functional, if one learns the dynamics. Much like the previous generations' discoveries about the aquarium "functionality" of African Rift Lake habitats and coral reefs, we're discovering that these are simply different types of environments which can be replicated and managed long term in the aquarium.

Our understanding of the nitrogen cycle and the toxicity of ammonia versus ammonium, and the importance of "stability within a range" is starting to yield some results. I firmly believe that the next few years will bring about significant change-and even breakthroughs- in the way we as a hobby manage, care for, and spawn fishes such as Altum Angelfish, which have long been though problematic and difficult because of their specialized needs. It's as much about accepting a different way of thinking as it is about actually learning what's going on and attempting to replicate the function of these unique habitats.  It's always been there for us to examine...we've just been approaching it with a jaded mindset. Now, we're looking at them for what they are, the benefits they provide our fishes, and just how to replicate them properly in the aquarium. And that is a HUGE leap that is happening right now...with YOU! 

And of course, there are many, many more elements to the "blackwater/botanical evolution" that is going on right now. The evolution that YOU are creating, contributing to, and growing. So many ideas, projects, and theories to be acted upon. It is truly a wide-open, incredibly fascinating area of the hobby that I think is on par with any of the other specialties out there (i.e.; Rift Lake Cichlids, "high tech" planted tanks, reef aquariums, etc.). With the energy, talent, and desire to focus on some new frontiers, the future is very bright. This is no mere "fad" or trend" to play with a new aesthetic of leaves and botanicals- it's a shift towards a more realistic replication of some of natures' most successful and unique habitats.

And judging by the amount of sharing of new information that we're seeing on the internet, and the number of hobbyists getting into the game, I think the blackwater/botanical sector can create a model for hobby-level contribution to the body of knowledge about these highly fascinating, remarkably diverse, surprisingly pervasive, and incredibly compelling habitats.  YOU are at the center of this evolution in modern aquarium-keeping...and the world is not only noticing- they're benefitting for your efforts. And even more important, understanding these wild habitats will give us even more information on how to protect and preserve them for future generations to enjoy.

 Until next time...

Stay excited. Stay adventurous. Stay diligent.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Tempting fate...rolling the dice...trying to beat the "sure things" of our hobby.

“They” say that there are no “sure things” in aquarium keeping, and on the surface, I’m inclined to agree. However, there are some things that you can do that will simply tempt the “Aquarium Gods’ to kick your a-- more than others, trust me. Things that seem normal, but when you go below the shiny surface, have "tempting fate" written all over 'em.

Over my lifetime as a fish keeper, I've experienced some of them, as no doubt you have. Here are a few things, as experienced by myself and others, that you will no doubt find can lead to exceptionally bad outcomes if you’re not careful and try one of these risky maneuvers with your aquarium:

*Never move “just a couple of rocks” or "that one driftwood branch" around in your aquascape within, say,  an hour of going to sleep at night- particularly on a week night, or before a morning when you just have to wake up early! Trust me, you won’t be getting restful sleep any time soon. It’s almost a certainty that moving even one rock with the intention of “opening up space” or making a minor “tweak”, will lead to you pulling out a dozen rocks, or even the whole aquascape before the job is done, which could take hours and hours without completion. In fact, the job may not be done for days! At some point, after numerous attempts to “correct” things, you’ll throw in the towel, and try to just make things “the way they were” before your started this futile endeavor…And guess what? You’ll NEVER be able to re-create what you had before…total bummer, which will take hours and hours to correct. Just don’t do it, trust me.

Changing light bulbs, settings, or lighting systems before a trip- This one is like the “kiss of death!” I mean, really, changing light bulbs is no big deal, right? Oh, trust me, it is, especially when the new bulbs are a different spectrum (like T5’s), or if you’re changing lighting formats from Halide to LED, for example. Not only will the plants (or corals, if you're a reefer) react a bit differently than you expect- they will undoubtedly demonstrate their apparent displeasure at the worst possible time (like when you are away), and you may come back to a disaster in the making, or worse! Yeah, it really happens…Don’t ask me why, but it’s nerve-wracking enough just doing such a change when you’re going to be home…but if you’re leaving town- be ready to replace some plants or corals upon your return…yikes!

(My friend Marc is a world class reefer. He'll change his reservation before he changes a controller setting when leaving town...)

Tweaking controller/light timer settings…Or, for that matter, installing a controller! -Oh, sure, controllers and timers are great tools for aquarium management, and I think highly of them…But tweaking settings must be done: a) Very early in the day, on a day when you’re not going anywhere, b) for only one or two parameters at a time (like temp or light timing), and c) Never within 2 days of leaving on any kind of trip…(sensing a theme here?) Bad idea- really bad- to make any kind of controller change before leaving town. Inevitably, you’ll realize that you had the wrong start time for your lights, or forgot to properly program the max intensity time, or…whatever. The upside is that most of the better controllers and even some timers allow you to correct or tweak remotely (which is good and bad!). Again, controllers= good. Changing things on controllers when you don’t have time to monitor= BAD.

Turning the flow adjustment valve on your filter output when you’re in a hurry, because you want to make a “quick adjustment.” -You’re sooo screwed! I mean, there is no such thing as a “quick adjustment” to these things…Regardless of brand or quality- no matter what you htink-they’re totally finicky, and a sure ticket to headaches when you’re in a hurry…Or even when you aren’t, right? The same caution applies to making adjustments to your CO2 solenoid or feed valve on a reactor or air/water mix on a protein skimmer…ridiculously small adjustments are the only way to go…I mean, almost non-existent changes…Air/water mix ratios, chemical feeds, and other dynamics can just get screwed over so easily it’s not even funny. Subtlety and time are everything with these kinds of changes. If you rush them, have plenty of Tylenol or your other pain reliever of choice available- it’s a virtual certainty that headaches will be waiting for you when you’re done. 

Taking a chance on that fish that was a perfect citizen in your buddy’s tank. Are you KIDDING ME? SERIOUSLY? NO! NO! NO! It’s a virtual guarantee that, say- the innocuous cichlid that resided in your buddy’s 200 gallon assorted Mbuna tank for 4 years without incident will suddenly develop a great appetite for little fishes. Your really rare, pricy ones. I mean, you can practically take it to the bank!  You can adjust this little "rule" for almost any kind of fish- Catfishes, Bettas, whatever. Same goes for  reef tanks. Like, the anemone that your buddy offered you...the one that "never moved" in your friend’s reef. Ask yourself, if the animal is such a model citizen, why is he or she getting rid of it? Prepare for knocked-over corals- or worse. Why on earth reefers even think of tempting fate by trying these sorts of “additions” is beyond me sometimes!

Skipping quarantine with that new addition- This isn't just superstition talking- it’s firmly grounded in reality..Skipping quarantine with one fish can open up your entire system to a limitless number of diseases or other maladies that can create dire consequences for your reef. You know this, of course. Totally not worth it. Quarantine is a vital, logical practice that is employed by every public aquarium on the planet, and scores of successful hobbyists everywhere. You definitely  are playing “Russian Roulette” with your aquarium if you skip this practice. Even if you know the source, have observed the fish repeatedly at the store or in its prior owners’ tank, it’s not worth it. Trust me. Totally not worth it.

Going to a club auction with the intention of just “checking stuff out”- Please, seriously? You have  just about guaranteed that you’re going to leave with bags full of something. In fact, you’ll probably leave with bags of several “somethings”. Club auctions and coral swaps are irresistible to fish geeks, and the generosity of hobbyists is well documented. “Oh, you’re a newbie? Here- have a  few of these Acara fry. They're not really mean at all, and they're super easy to keep…Can’t lose!” Even if you didn’t bring money, you’ll leave with way more than you intended. I have seen numerous times where hobbyists even ended up borrowing from their teenage kid to grab a bag of fish (because he was determined not to tempt him/herself by bringing cash to the event). So my advice if you’re attending a club auction? Bring cash. Bring a cooler. Bring teenager. Leave restraint at home.

Okay, so that was just a quick rundown of “sure things” in the aquarium hobby. I mean, there aren’t that many certainties in this game, are there? Well, actually, there are. Sure, I focused on a few with some potentially bad consequences…There are no doubt countless others with the possibility of better outcomes…but it’s far more fun to highlight the bad ones, isn’t it? LOL

So, let’s hear your “Sure things” in the aquarium hobby? I know that you’ve got way many more examples of this that you can add to our “Sure things” database!

As always, we appreciate your opinions, ideas, input, and humor. Thanks in advance for your participation!

Stay cautious. Stay respectful. Stay careful.

And Stay Wet,

Scott Fellman

Botanicals: Coming and Going! More observations from nature and how they might impact our botanical aquaria.

If you follow our ramblings here in "the Tint" and in social media, you know that we seem to have endless discussions on the merits of leaving in or removing leaves, pods, and other botanical materials as they break down. All things being equal, my current state of thought is to "leave 'em in", and I am fascinated that many of you feel the same!

Now, we've probably beaten this subject up quite a bit over the last year, but it's still our most "asked" topic. And there is still much to learn and discover about it. By looking once again at the wild habitats- truly "nature's aquarium"- you can gain a few insights, and perhaps apply some of the observations to our practices and ideas in the aquarium world.

Now, I realize that an aquarium is a closed system, and unlike nature, has artificial, clearly defined nutrient inputs-outputs, water influx, etc. However, I have always believed that when you really think about it, the practices we engage in with our aquariums are quite a good analogy to the things that happen in nature. 

Let's get back to the idea of decomposing leaves.

Interestingly enough, in field studies of rain forest streams in the Amazon, it has been noticed that entire leaves are frequently found buried in the sediments within the streams, leading some scientists to initially postulate that coarse organic matter is degraded really slowly in these streams. However, subsequent observations determined that most leaves are actually shredded by various aquatic insects and creatures; in this case, chironomids (relatives of the adult version of the "bloodworm!") -and that material is selectively removed from the leaves, lending the appearance that it is intact.

So, what this means for those of us who enjoy replicating these unique habitats is that the leaves and botanical materials are initially broken down by smaller insects and such, then acted upon by microbial life forms. Fungi and bacterial biofilms are though to be the dominant forms of life at the base of the food chain in these streams.

Indeed, due to the higher concentrations of structural compounds (e.g., lignin and cellulose) in leaf litter in Amazonian stream systems, microbes (mainly fungi, due to their greater ability to degrade structural compounds) are more important for leaf breakdown in relation to the invertebrate community, because they sort of "soften up" the leaves for the "shredders." Yet, biological decomposition and high fungal biomass were of secondary importance for leaf litter breakdown rates, together with chemical decomposition.  An interesting focus was placed on "leaf quality" (chemical and structural components of the leaves), assigning it the single most important factor in leaf breakdown.

And here is another killer tidbit about leaf breakdown from wild observations of Tank, et. al: "In tropical stream systems, leaf litter with high concentrations of labile compounds (e.g., polyphenols and tannins) and nutrients (e.g., nitrogen and phosphorus) generally exhibits a higher leaf breakdown rate than leaf litter with a high percentage of structural compounds (e.g., lignin and cellulose) and high degree of leaf hardness..."

So, where does that leave us, as hobbyists?

Does this observation mean that the more tannin-imparting leaves, like Catappa, for example, tend to break down faster when submerged? Well, yeah, right? Catappa leaves are generally the fastest-decomposing leaves we use. Leaves like Magnolia, Jackfruit and Guava, for example, tend to be "harder" and less prone to fast physical breakdown underwater, usually acquiring biofilms and some fungi and slowly softening over many weeks.

So, the much-feared "pollution" that people who've never worked with leaf litter in aquariums before love to scare us with may not be such a menacing factor, as the breakdown of the leaves either occurs very quickly, as in the case of Catappa, or over a very long term, with the aforementioned "harder" leaves. Most adequately filtered aquariums, managed by hobbyists with solid, consistent  husbandry skills, should be just fine, IMHO. It also goes to show you that there are tangible benefits of having a diversity of leaves and other botanicals in your aquarium, right?

This new data from nature tells me that we're doing a lot of things right by letting nature run its course and having these materials beak down in our aquariums. Now, sure, there is "stuff breaking down" slowly, and then their is full-on "pollution", brought about by lack of responsible husbandry (overfeeding, overstocking, etc.). Two totally different things, IMHO. I've had more than one aquarist over the years take a rather confrontational stance and accuse me of advocating sloppy husbandry under the guise of "being natural" when discussing botanical-influenced aquariums.

This, of course, is absolutely NOT what we're advocating, and I think is based on some incomplete or even outmoded thinking. The point is that, with regular water changes, managing feeding and fish stocking levels, it's certainly not an issue leaving these materials in the aquarium until they break down.  There are too many variables to make a blanket statement that leaving botanicals in until they break down is an invitation to "pollution."

Granted, we likely don't have "primary" shredders like chironomids and such populating our leaf litter beds (though I'd like to), but we do have populations of beneficial microbial life, fungi, and perhaps even a small population of crustaceans, like Gammarus, Daphnia, etc. However, maybe a few of us keep ornamental shrimp in our tanks, and grazing fishes, like Plecos and such, which help fill this role, right?

And in my experience and the experience of many of our fellow "tinters", the fear of a chemically unstable, "dirty" tank is largely unfounded, IMHO. With leaves breaking down at different rates in the aquarium, I don't think that "mass pollution" becomes an issue.  In fact, in aquariums, as in nature, I believe that some of the slow decomposing species are important to fishes,  invertebrates and microorganisms as substrates and sources of particulate organic matter. 

As previously mentioned, phosphates and nitrates have always been essentially undetectable in my botanical, leaf-litter-dominated aquariums. I simply have not had issues with nitrate and phosphate. Now, your experience may differ, and a lot of other factors could contribute to this. On the other hand, what detrimental effects have you observed in a leaf-litter or botanical-dominated aquarium when detectible (notice I didn't say "higher") levels of nitrate and phosphate are present? Massive algal blooms? Fish death? I'm not being sarcastic, actually...I'm curious, because these observations are important!

I have nothing other than my personal experience with my tanks and some theories to go on, but I can't help but wonder if some denitirifcation occurs in deap leaf litter beds much as it does in sandbeds in a reef tank. Again, taking into account the processes that occur in natural streams, rivers, and lakes, one can only assume that similar ones occur in our aquaria.

All of these things are very interesting, and so much is yet to be learned and experienced by us as hobbyists in relation to leaf litter and botanicals in our aquariums. Yet, one can only hope that many of the positives which occur in natural habitats comprised of leaf litter and botanical cover will occur in our thoughtfully-managed closed system aquaria. The day will come when we have a better understanding of what's really going on in leaf litter systems in our tanks, and that these materials won't be coveted just for their ability to impart tannins and humic substances for lowering pH and tinting the water, but for the true biological "richness", diversity, and utility they provide.

Here's to YOU- working on this stuff every day. 

Stay on top of things. Stay observant. Stay open-minded. Stay curious. 

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Your question...Our philosophy...Our hobby...Our culture.

We receive a lot of email, as I tell you constantly.

Some of them are asking for more details on a product, others are getting our opinion on a project, some are requests for us to give our bank account number to an exiled African diplomat so that they can transfer $16 million to us to hold and split when the diplomat is released from captivity. Others are questions, statements, or affirmations on how we do stuff. Some of those affirmations are like oxygen for us. They feel good. We also get constructive criticism, and the occasional hater who tells us that we have a bad attitude and they hope we fail! Nice!

And sometimes, we'll get a question that makes us think about why we do stuff the way we do. Questions that make us ponder our own core values, motives, and ideas. 

Someone asked me a few days ago how I keep coming up with esoteric or unusual subjects for "The Tint" every day. Like, how we think of new stuff for hobbyists to play with, or asking questions about stuff that, on the surface, everyone seems to know, but that in actuality drives everyone crazy! Stuff we don't usually talk about in the hobby. "Taboo" stuff, or just things that are usually left unsaid. 

Now, the answer, of course, is not that I am some brilliant hobby visionary. Most of you have forgotten more than I'll ever know about fish stuff. I'm pretty old-fashioned, really. The short answer is that I think that much of the stuff we talk about in the hobby has had the element of "wonder" or curiosity stripped away from it, which is sad. And we need a few people to look into the neglected corners of the fish world now and then, so I might as well be one of 'em. In other words, we have a lot of "How to breed____", or "How to arrange your rocks to comply with someone else's rules...", or "Selecting an aquarium heater" and we simply need some other stuff.

Not that these aren't needed and very good topics, and well written, too. They are needed. However, when you do a google search and find 11,232 articles on "How to select a lighting system for your planted tank", it makes me realize that no one is covering topics like "Functional diversity" or "Why a little algae is okay", or "Fish geek complication syndrome" or what not. Stuff that provokes more thought and discussion. I believe in my heart that the hobby still cherishes stuff like that. I mean, hell, we started a company that specializes in blackwater aquariums. Doesn't get more "niche" than that!

The hobby has also coexisted in a world where all of the "basic" stuff has been whittled away for us, and- in our case- it's thought that we simply want a chart to tell us which filter to select, or what the best scavenger is for your 40-gallon tank. We want the fast answer...or, at least that's how those who present and curate information seem to view it. And I tend to disagree. So I don't write that way.

I don't always like fast answers. It's why we have long product descriptions, romantically describing the texture of a botanical. Or an extensive section on how to prepare said botanicals for aquarium use. It's totally anti -"web 2.0", but it's how we are. Sure, I could have made a simple chart. But that's not how I think. Rather, I believe- and I'm wagering on the fact- that people obsessed with a specific topic- like, using botanicals to create blackwater aquariums, for example- will want to be "romanced" a bit. They'll want to be given not just the "how to", but the why about a topic. Maybe not all of it, mind you- but enough to get the juices flowing and the wheels turning!

Provoking thought is equally as important as providing the quick answer, IMHO. And you've proven me correct, day in and day out with your embrace of "The Tint!"  We don't do "fast" here...usually! Those of you who don't like this stuff don't stop by. Or you look at the pretty pics and bail. I get it. No problem. We're not about "fast" here, as you probably gathered (although when you find all the typos and editing errors, you might think so, lol).

And aquarium keeping has never been about doing things quickly. Yet, in the interest of-what-maybe selling stuff(?)-we don't preach enough patience, both as a hobby and industry. "Turnkey" aquariums are one thing, but "aquarium by menu" stocking and aquascaping is quite another. I  personally don't need or want someone telling me how to arrange wood to conform with some "established" way of doing stuff so that I get the nod from some company or group of aquarists I've never even met.

Rather, I want to know how wood falls down into the streams and rivers in tropical regions and what happens to the water when it does. I want to know why sand accumulates the way it does in an Amazonian Igarape, and what the implications are for the fishes who end up there. I want to know what happens to the loaches in an Asian stream when rocks accumulate along the shoreline. The "whys."

And you do too, I think. 

It's just that there have been less alternatives lately, and we tend to digest what's there. Human nature. A cultural thing.

Now, at first glance, all this comes off as a big "diss" against, well- everyone. And that is NOT the case. There are many amazing hobbyists and hobby authors who "get it", and are turning out amazing, informative, and thought-provoking stuff daily. The problem is, a lot of their work is lost in the "cultural climate" of charts, graphs. FAQ's, and uber-fast, instant answers. 

It's kind of insulting. Even in this world of 15 second videos and tweets, you can still provide decent, though-provoking stuff, I think. Many do. It's just that culturally, the standards have fallen. Do you, as a hobbyist, find the video of the guy diving into the garbage can in a dress more interesting than the 15 tendon video of the 50-tank killifish breeding room with all sorts of cool tanks? Yeah, didn't think so. We as a group don't typically like "dumbed down" stuff.

Hobbyists are a bit different. We want- and offer- more. So yeah, this isn't a disrespectful attack on the state of the hobby world...It's sort of a middle finger to the cultural attitude that says we're too stupid, busy, impatient, or whatever to thing for ourselves. It's an observation that we as hobbyists are-well- a bit better than everyone thinks!

It's actually a big call to everyone in the hobby to simply be more of themselves. You. Yeah, not a day goes by when I don't talk to a hobbyist that's trying some crazy idea that I've never even contemplated, or working with some fishes that are popularly thought to be impossible to keep, or whatever. It blows my mind how much cool stuff is going on out there in the basements and fishrooms of hobbyists around the world. And we hear so little about what's really going down in the hobby..It's kind of sad. 

So, in summary, the reason why you read numerous articles here about throwing leaves in aquariums and why biofilms are okay and collecting and preparing your own oak leaves and how Neon Tetras got their stripes and stuff like that is not just because we're trying to sell you our stuff. No. It's because we're trying to provide value, inspiration, and "sell" you on the idea of doing stuff that maybe you wouldn't normally do. Pushing yourselves out of the comfort zone.

Encouraging you to do things a bit differently. And sharing your results.

Because when serious hobbyists do cool stuff and tell others about it, we all win.

And it's a hell of a lot more interesting than a 15-second cat video.

Long answer to a seemingly simple question. On a Sunday morning. I'm way too opinionated.

Stay unique. Stay thoughtful. Stay creative.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

The refugium revisited?

I received an email from a customer the other day that sort of triggered a recollection of a "thing" I was working through over the past few months..

He was talking about an interesting diversity of life forms he was seeing in his aquarium after a few months of operation with a variety of botanicals. This reminded me of some thoughts I had about both the potential biodiversity within the botanical aquarium itself, as well as the possibility of creating a "botanical refugium" of sorts to foster said biodiversity!

Now, the idea of a "refugium" is not at all new to the reef aquarium world, although you see less of them these days than you did in the early 2000's..a shame, because their benefits are numerous. Yet the idea has been little discussed in the context of freshwater, other than a scant mention or two in Discus discussion groups that I've stumbled on. Essentially, a refugium is a dedicated space (typically a vessel separate from the aquarium), which performs multiple functions to support the display aquarium it's associated with.

These include nutrient processing via plant or macro algae growth, or organisms such as worms, copepods, etc. which consume uneaten food and act upon organics (nutrient export). A refugium, as its name implies, provides a "safe haven" for life forms which would otherwise be consumed by the resident fishes in the display aquarium. And, these animals will often reproduce, and some of them are swept into the main aquarium, providing a natural food source. Typically, a reef refugium employs live rock and sand, as well as macro algae. Being essentially another aquarium, a refugium also adds to the stability of your display by adding overall capacity to the system, and can provide additional circulation and oxygenation.

Now, in a blackwater, botanical-style system, I can think of a number of cool uses for a refugium, playing on the theme above, but thinking it through a bit further.

A refugium could be used as THE source of botanicals for the display aquarium in situations where you're, I dunno- weird- and don't like the aesthetics of decomposing leaves and botanicals in your display, but dig the blackwater and other benefits. You could throw all of your pods, leaves, and other stuff into the refugium, and let them do their thing, influencing the environment in the main aquarium.

You could also use it for keeping some specialty fishes which might otherwise be lost in the main display. For example, if you like small "Darter Characins" which live among the leaves, and would be lost or in danger in your 120-gallon cichlid display, a refugium could provide the perfect place for you to keep them. Or to keep Neocaridina shrimp, which would otherwise be a part of someone's meal plan...

Or as a nursery of sorts for Apisto fry, killies, etc. Kind of like a built-in excuse to get another tank, under the guise of it being a "piece of support equipment" for your main display. Genius!

And of course, you could grow live plants in there! Yeah, let's suppose that you like live plants and want to grow them in your blackwater tank, but you keep a group of rowdy cichlids..or other fishes which refer the diffused lighting found in blackwater habitats- conditions that make keeping some of the high light-loving plants a sketchy proposition. So, you set up your inline refugium just like a typical planted display tank, with rich substrate...and light the crap out of it with LED, T5...hell, even metal halide, and run it on a "reverse daylight" schedule, so that the plants are producing oxygen during the aquarium's "dark" period. Or, you could just be "conventional"  and simply run it on the same lighting schedule as the display...

And the whole "food culture" idea utilizing a refugium is awesome to me! I mean, you could grow Daphnia, copepods, worms...all sorts of aquatic crustaceans that are tasty supplements to your fish's diets. And, with an abidance of botanical materials present, they will reproduce rapidly.

I noticed this as an incidental thing in my awesome top-off reservoir made by my reefing buddy Marc Levenson of Melev's Reef (shameless plug)... I keep some catappa/guava leaves in there, as well as a few other botanicals, to sort of keep the "tint" going in my topoff water. And a few months back, I tossed in- on whim- a small starter culture of Daphnia, just to see how it would go.  Well, when you shine a light in there, you can see a whole bunch of 'em swimming around! And a few of them no doubt get drawn into the little pump which meters some water to the display as it evaporates, providing my voracious characins the occasional surprise treat.

Sort of an "auto feeder", if you will! And of course, if you actually incorporate a legit refugium into your system for the purpose of cultivating supplemental food organisms, you could either harvest directly with a net, or allow some of the creatures to be swept up into the pump and distributed into the aquarium incidentally.

Could it be possible to create a large and populous enough refugium to provide all of the food for your fishes, without the need for supplemental feeding? Crazy-cool experiment, right? I'm sure there is a "tank-to refugium" ratio that someone figured out to make that work..or not. But a cool thought and interesting experimental project for the intrepid botanical/blackwater aquarist!

Are the wheels spinning in your head yet?

Yeah. I'm getting excited just writing about this!

Oh, and we've talked repeatedly here about the concept that a botanical/blackwater system itself, with the decomposing leaves, botanicals, biofilms, algae, etc. is essentially a very good mimic of nature, with a surprising amount of biodiversity present. So, you could really forgo the idea of a dedicated refugium and just stock the hell out of your display with leaves and botanicals and enjoy many aspects the aforementioned vessel..It's simply one of the many collateral benefits of running a botanical system. 

I think it would be a really cool idea to revisit the concept of a refugium, and incorporate it into your blackwater/botanical system. The discoveries, benefits, and just plain enjoyment from creating another little world within your system is ultra-compelling, huh?

Until next time...

Stay creative. Stay daring. Stay engaged. Stay "geeky!"

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Predatory tendencies? A real "fish story."

Someone asked me the other day about setting up an aquarium for predatory fishes...Pike Chiclids...She had a really cool idea planned out and the tank will be amazing.

(Crenicichla punctata- pic by Claudo D. Timm, used under CC by SA-2.0)

However, it made me reflect a bit on my personal fish keeping taste, and I admit it:

I've never been a huge fan of predatory fishes.

You know, the ones where it's "suggested" that you have to feed them other fish. I just can't bring myself to do it. Once I got out of the typical male post-pubescent sadistic period, the thought of feeding fishes to other fishes just made me...uncomfortable. I mean, even the term "feeder guppy" is just kind of depressing to me.

I mean,  it's not like I have this high moral code or something that keeps me from keeping big, predatory fishes in my tank, or that I'm somehow "squeamish" or something...Although my wife laughs at me when I find a cricket in the house and carefully take it outside and tell it, "You can live. You just can't live HERE!" Because she knows that the cricket wouldn't stand a chance if she found it first!  So it goes without saying that I'd "wuss out" on the idea of having to feed my fish other living fishes. 

Yeah, I'm the kid who would go the fish store and attempt to select "breeding stock" from a tank of feeder guppies (the LFS employees LOVED that), or who had more than his fair share of "feeder goldfish" as pets growing up. Now, my apparent "Gahndi-like" compassion doesn't seem to spread to creatures like brine shrimp, Daphnia, worms, and assorted flies. I hate flies; vile creatures...I'm happy to feed a freshly-swatted fly to my characins...See, I can be selectively harsh!

A few of my closest geeky fish friends and I had this running joke for a while, which we stole from a scene in a TV show, that we'd use at a restaurant  when the server would ask if anyone had any "special dietary requirements." One of us would say, "I'm a pesca-pescatarian. I only eat fish that eat other fishes.." With a perfectly straight face. It usually got us a puzzled look and was good for a laugh among us geeks, but then again, we're an easy bunch to entertain.

Yeah.

And hey, if you've ever been on the other side of the menu before, you'll understand my "anti-feeder fish" stance better.  it sucks to be prey. As a lifelong surfer, I've seen a few sharks before. In fact, I remember surfing in Moorea, French Polynesia, a bunch of years ago, and being taken out on a launch to surf my own stretch of reef. Well, me and this Aussie guy about 1/2 mile away.

I remember at the last minute that my Tahitian boat driver made a casual mention in broken French-English, just before I jumped into the water; something like, "Don't worry about the sharks. They stay to themselves and are friendly. I'll pick you up in two hours. Stay lined up with the group of Palms on the point and you'll be fine." Okay, yeah, here I am, this surfer from L.A., bobbing around in a lagoon almost a mile out, with the nearest other idiot 1/2 mile away!  "Friendly" sharks? Really? This cool surf getaway suddenly wasn't that cool! Looking down at the assortment of 6-foot Grey and Blacktip Reef Sharks swarming 20 feet below me, no doubt thinking about their next meal, was powerful incentive to catch as many waves as possible, even ones which broke precariously over a nearly exposed reef...Yeah. That was probably the longest 2 hours of my life...and well worth every infected coral cut I received on that trip!

(Black Tip Reef Sharks...Image by gyerks)

And years later, I found myself in the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta after a talk at reef aquarium conference, a licensed SCUBA diver, given a free pass to "swim with the sharks" in their 6,000,000 gallon, 30-foot deep aquarium. Now, in the interest of full disclosure, the main attractions were the aquarium's Whale Sharks, which are truly the fish world's equivalent of a stuffed plush toy, but there were a lot of other sharks in there without the cozy rep. It was a cool experience, swimming with an assortment of fishes which, let's be honest, if they weren't literally "stuffed to the gills" like aquatic pampered poodles by diligent husbandry staff, would be probably enjoying the thought of snacking on a few hapless, neoprene-clad divers slogging about in their tank- the human equivalent of a sushi bar...Yeah. 

So I understand what it feels like to be...hunted!

(Oh, and to the reader on tumblr who wrote that "A recent article ( in this blog) talked about sharks wanting to eat people! Entirely false."- do you understand that this an attempt to make my point while being humorous? And yeah, dude (?)-although sharks are not the terrors Hollywood and pop culture likes to portray them as...and they don't try to "eat people"- they can and do attack and bite people on a fairly regular basis- they are predators, and we're invading their world. And people have been eaten. Not too many...but it has happened. They need to be respected and given a wide berth. Disagree? Please feel free to go for a splashy little swim out near Monterey Bay in California after a Great White sighting, if you are so confident of this...In California alone since 1900, there have been 187 unprovoked shark attacks. Sooo..please don't think I'm trying to spread myths here...just trying to make a point..Sorry you didn't care for the presentation...And yes, I read comments! )

And this mindset has denied me the experience of keeping some cool fishes that I really liked, such as certain puffers, Oscars, and the uber-cool Amazon Leaf Fish- one that I almost broke my code to try and keep recently.

Now, don't get me wrong. I have attempted to keep carnivores before, albeit with mixed results. I can embarrassingly recall this experience: Several years back, I stupidly purchased a Frogfish, Antennarius maculatus- a decidedly sedate, patient, and comical-looking marine ambush predator. He was pastel yellow-orange, like 2" long, and lived in a little nano-sized aquarium, and I'd have to feed him...gulp- "feeder guppies"- at least for a time, so my enabling friends told me, until he "adapted to frozen food." Have you ever tried to "train" a goddamn ambush predator to eat frozen food? Really? The frogfish will stay in one spot- perfectly still- for like 2 days! Insanely patient. Or really optimistic. Or maybe just lazy (I do respect that). It looks to me just like a McDonalds "Chicken McNugget",  and has the ability to change it's color to blend into the environment..like any color it needs to.

And of course, my friends were like, "Yeah, just outfit your tank in any color you want..he'll change!" So, like any self-respecting fish geek, I excitedly outfitted my little tank with the most horrific fluorescent pink and purple gravel, Clear glass "rocks", and awful, garish plastic plants that even "Sponge Bob" would have issues with, hoping that my little guy would go 1980's "Dayglo Pink" or whatever, to camouflage himself. And of course, my fish attained a lovely "puke grey" color and stayed that way.  Forever. And sadly, "Nugget" lived a rather short life under my care, less than a year- failing to really "adapt" to taking frozen food, and barely eating any live food, for that matter. A bad outcome that, despite the homorous aspects...really sucked.

So, that may have been the extreme on the bad end of the spectrum, but it's just sort of my view on predatory fish: They're just not for me. Now, I know, some nerd out there is going to tell me that my "Flame Tetras" are technically carnivores, because they eat flies and aquatic insects and...I know, nerd...that's not what we're getting at here! I'm talking about fish that you (in theory) are supposed to feed other fishes as their primary diet...and I can't seem to get over that fact. 

I really, really, really want to keep a group of Amazon Leaf Fish in my leaf litter aquarium; I think it would be the coolest display ever. Of course, I also think that, based on past experience with specialty feeders, it would be incredibly difficult to get these fish to eat anything, even live fishes, in a large leaf litter display. Let me re-phrase that: "Live fishes that are INTENDED to be food!" I'm sure they'd  efficiently and happily dispatch rare characins and other small, treasured fishes like nobody's business, yet wouldn't touch the "feeder guppies" that would be grudgingly supplied to them...I totally see it unfolding that way.

(Amazon Leaf Fish, Monocirrhus polyacanthus by my mentor, Bob Fenner)

See? That's how I talk myself out of stuff. I know and admit freely that I don't want to put the work in, trying to feed live fishes to even a personally much-admired, much desired fish!

And I suppose, that's a form of wisdom or at least, self-awareness as a hobbyist: Knowing that you don't have the "fortitude" to take on a project. It's a very good attribute to have as a fish geek.

So, getting back to carnivorous fishes...Those of you who keep them, and keep them well- I admire you. Me, I'm just not into it. I'm the guy who flips the channel when the BBC documentaries about the animals of the Serengeti Plain comes on, and you'll have that inevitable scene of the Cheetah taking down a baby Impala or whatever...

Yeah. Can't do it.

But a mosquito larvae, brine shrimp or a copepod...baby, juvenile, or adult...not a problem. Fish food.

And of course, being only "quasi-vegan" (like pretty much everyone else here in L.A.), I'm totally fine indulging in sushi, seafood, and rarely, a steak. Yeah..so as long as I don't have to see it being killed, I'm cool with it.

Awful.

What a dichotomy of inconsistency I am!

So, that's my (weak) "Case against carnivores." 

But man, those Pike Chiclids are so cool!

Sigh.

Until next time. Stay true to your values, no matter how warped they are. Stay consistent..or inconsistent. Stay bold. Stay adventurous.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics