Table of contents for April 2025 in Practical Fishkeeping

THE FIRST TIME I visited Thailand I was immediately struck by the sheer biodiversity in every body of water. I went there on holiday, but as an aquarist it was impossible to resist looking into every pond, stream, and flooded field I came across. At the time, I had not done any research on Thailand's native fish species or their habitats, nor did I have any underwater filming equipment with me. It quickly became clear that I had to return, this time properly prepared. After months of research, I decided that my first target would be the beautiful bettas, one of the most iconic aquarium species and certainly the most popular fish in Thailand. However, it turns out that the bettas we see in the stores labelled as Betta splendens,…

IN MY MIND, there aren't any fish that are as environmentally-intermediate as the mudskippers. Positioning themselves firmly between the freshwater and marine realm, as well as the border of the aquatic and terrestrial domains, these trying-to-be-transitional species check all the boxes for an “odd fish”. When out of the water, mudskippers truly test the limits of the definition of amphibious. These aren't just excursions to our dry realm - these fishes do nearly everything topside, from feeding, to dancing, to construction, and even fighting. Heck, some species are on record for even breathing slightly better once they're out the water. These odd, clever, and endearing fishes make wonderful wet pets, however, they have particular needs that, if not met, may mean their early demise. Who are they Mudskippers are specialised…

LAST YEAR I was delighted to be asked to participate in the 25th Brazilian Ichthyological Congress by my friend Dr. Fernando Carvalho. He suggested I provide a day-long workshop on using underwater observation to study freshwater fishes and present a lecture on my Masters research. I suggested that as we were only around nine hours from the Araguaia River basin, we should also go and hunt for its most famous aquarium-hobby resident, the ember tetra! Ichthyological Congress In January of this year, I joined around seven hundred ichthyologists from Brazil, Peru and USA, during the week-long congress held at the Federal University of Tocantins in the city of Palmas. As well as presenting and lecturing, I was able to enjoy fascinating talks by people such as Leandro Sousa, specialist on…

MALAWI CICHLIDS HAVE always fascinated me. Their intelligence, social complexity, and bold personalities make them some of the most rewarding fish to keep. Over the past six years, I've watched my Chindongo saulosi develop unique behaviours, establish territories, and even breed, all within a carefully balanced planted aquarium setup. My journey into keeping Malawi cichlids began in early 2019 when I visited Kev's Rifts to pick up 10 juvenile C. salousi for my newly aquascaped OASE HighLine 175. Initially, I opted for a rock-only setup, focusing on a more traditional mbuna-style aquascape. However, my love for planted tanks soon led me to experiment with incorporating hardy plants. I introduced Anubias, propagated from my 400-litre planted tank, carefully positioning them within rock crevices to prevent uprooting. By 2021, the fish had…

HEY THERE, IT'S me again— Courtney! You know, the fish-obsessed, aquarium-loving, British ex-pat now living in Toronto, Canada. I've been away from the Practical Fishkeeping scene for a couple of years, but like a boomerang that refuses to stay in one place, I'm back to write about the underwater world once more. When I moved to Toronto, I left behind many things: Steak bakes (I'll never forget you, my flaky pastry friend), quick European getaways, and the magical phenomenon of cheap pints. But, fish-keeping? Oh, no. That was staying with me. At this point, I don't even call it a hobby anymore. It's a lifestyle. It's as crucial as a kettle or the telly, which are basically British national treasures. In fact, after I moved to Toronto in January 2024—…

KILLIFISH MAY BE among the most resilient freshwater fish, but even they are struggling against the relentless pressures of habitat destruction, invasive species, and climate change. Many species, particularly those with highly restricted ranges, are now Critically Endangered or even Extinct in the Wild. However, targeted conservation efforts are offering hope. Organisations like the Bristol Zoological Society and Whipsnade Zoo are leading vital projects to study, protect, and restore populations of these imperilled fish. The conservation of Greece's native killifish species has been significantly advanced through collaborative efforts led by the AFRESH project, the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), the University of the West of England, and the Bristol Zoological Society, notably through the contributions of Brian Zimmerman. Since 2005, Zimmerman has been actively involved in fieldwork across Greece,…

I HAVE LOST COUNT of how many times I have proudly shown my newly acquired rare/special/unusual fish to my wife just to be brought back to Earth by her complete lack of excitement. She often criticises the dull colours (despite me pointing out the yellow dots on the fin) or the invisible nature (meaning they are too small to see unless your face is pressed up against the tank) of the subjects of my admiration. The fish that are the focus of this article, however, were a completely different animal. My wife took only a few seconds to come up with the verdict that these fish were alright. Her reasoning was that you don't need a magnifying glass to be able to see them and they have gorgeous colours. I…

I'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER the first time I encountered a moray eel in the wild. Hovering above a particularly large coral bommie on the reef flats of the Wakatobi National Park, Indonesia, I was spending my summer observing the resident and transient fish species interacting with these coral habitats for the conservation organisation, Operation Wallacea. With a multitude of unfamiliar species darting above the reef and just an A3-size dive slate to record my findings, I was engrossed in the task and oblivious to the goings on around me. Having had to register the coral cover type for each outcrop, I was well aware that we were firmly in hard coral territory and so the swaying movement in my peripheral vision really should have triggered more than a dismissive glace, but…