The continuing allure of “blackwater livebearers”- if they exist, that is!

Wine has it. Coffee has it. Terroir- Environmental conditions- specifically soil and climate, which give grapes and coffee beans unique flavors and aromas. Does this same idea apply to the aquatic habitat which we admire- and to the botanical method aquariums that we create to replicate them? I think so!

In this installment, another plea to get you to consider a botanical method BRACKISH WATER aquarium! A little rant about why most current brackish water aquarium ideas suck, and other stuff likely to piss you off!

The aquarium hobby is filled with risks. Aquarists who take calculated risks are often rewarded, and those who flagrantly ignore Nature’s laws get spanked.. sometimes!

Welcome back to The Tint podcast! Let’s ease back into things with a little discussion about something I’m really good at: Doing NOTHING when your tank doesn’t quite look the way you want, or as it’s evolving…Let’s get into this and celebrate patience and observation!

Yeah, another obsession of mine... I’ve poured through scientific literature, hoping to find a live bearing fish which naturally comes from a blackwater habitat... and here are some of my top candidates! This was the last “Tannin aquatics”-branded episode of “The Tint”! My New “v2.0” episodes will drop soon! Enjoy!

There is something amazing about going to the LFS and stumbling upon fishes that you’ve read about for years, but have never seen.. or just acquiring that fish you’ve been coveting for so long.. hers to the “romance” of our hobby…

When we create aquariums based on that idea in our heads- or that natural ecosystem that we’re enthralled by, we sometimes need to grasp restraint. We need to hold ourselves back.. let’s discuss this and other great ways to bring your dream tank to life!

We as a hobby don’t do enough to share the basics.. there, I said it. We’re too caught up in making cute social media posts without disseminating more than superficial information. There’s a real hunger- and need- for us to go beyond the basics…

Reversing course, changing direction, and rethinking our aquariums are par for the course in the hobby. When is it appropriate to hold on.. or to switch direction?

I have thousands of tank ideas. Why am I not able to find execute on them?