Water Colors Aquarium Gallery

*** Summary coming soon. This episode was recorded on new equipment, please provide your feedback using any of the platforms below to give us your feedback***   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/ Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/ Join our growing community on Discord! https://go.watercolors.shop/discord   Sources mentioned in this episode: https://www.canr.msu.edu/people/zach-johnson https://www.canr.msu.edu/people/paige_filice

This week, the Water Color’s team invites Ali to pick up the microphone and give us her take and experiences with SPS corals. What makes a coral a SPS or a LPS? Is the care similar for most species of SPS or LPS? What’s a good beginner SPS coral that is hardy? How often do I have to test my tank and what should I focus on? Amy, Ali, Ben and Calder help us understand how tricky these aquarium classifications can be and how it can make keeping certain types of corals seem a little more intimidating. Join us the discussion and let us know some of your favorite SPS corals.   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/ Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/ Join our growing community on Discord! https://go.watercolors.shop/discord   Sources mentioned in this episode: Corals.com – https://www.corals.com/ World Wide Corals – https://worldwidecorals.com/ Top Shelf Aquatics – https://topshelfaquatics.com/ Tidal Gardens – https://tidalgardens.com/ Species mentioned in this episode: Hydnophora – Horn or Velvet Coral Cyphastrea – Brain or Meteor Coral Leptoseris – Wrinkle or Porcelain Coral Acropora millepora – Staghorn Coral Acropora hyacinthus – Brush or Red Planet Coral Montipora digitata – Velvet Branch Coral Sarcophyton – Toadstool or Leather Corals Leptastrea – Crusting Coral Halimeda – Cactus Algae Caulerpa brachypus – Mini Caulerpa Acropora yongei – Green Bali Slimer Acropora carduus – Red Dragon Acropora Pavona – Cactus, Lettuce or Potato Chip Coral Echinophyllia, Mycedium, Oxypora, and Echinopora – Chalice Corals Pocillopora – Cauliflower or Cat’s Paw Coral Stylophora – Cauliflower or Cat’s Paw Coral Stylophora pistillata – Purple Milka Stylo Seriatopora – Needle or Finger Coral Seriatopora hystrix – Bird’s Nest Coral Anacropora forbesi – Briar Coral Stylocoeniella – Thorn Coral Acropora sp. ‘Stuber Stag’ – ORA Stuber Stag Acropora Tubastraea coccinea – Orange Cup Coral Pachyseris – Elephant Skin Coral

Amy, Ben and Maddy have breeder lab updates this week. We have learned a lot and are learning more everyday. It’s been really interesting to listen back to our “Water Color’s Next Step – Breeder Lab Brainstorm” episode and see how the ideas have grown and changed. We are excited to share what we have been up to in the basement and hope you are too. Let us know about your current breeding projects and successes.   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/ Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/ Join our growing community on Discord! https://go.watercolors.shop/discord Species mentioned in this episode: Aphyosemion riggenbachi Nothobranchius guentheri Aphyosemion splendopleure ‘Tiko Green’ Aphyosemion striatum Epiplatys dageti monroviae Rivulus sp. Colombia Nothobranchius korthausae Nothobranchius rubripinnis Epiplatys annulatus Nothobranchius rachovii Betta macrostoma Betta pallifina Betta patoti Betta dennisyongi Betta antuta Betta enisae betta ocellata Betta iaspis Betta coccina Nanosphronemus gemma Limia tridens Limia perugiae “Gold” Mogurnda mbuta Tigrigobius multifasciatus

This week on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast, we got a little weird and had a lot of fun. Since Ben wasn’t here, we got to talk about what we wanted and this time it was aquatic insects. Calder takes the lead and talks about many different types of bugs that could and should be part of the aquarium hobby. From diving beetles to dragonfly nymphs, there are many great options for that spare five gallon tank you have lying around, just be sure to have a tight fitting lid.   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/ Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/ Join our growing community on Discord! https://go.watercolors.shop/discord   Sources mentioned in this episode: AMAZONAS Magazine – https://www.amazonasmagazine.com/ Bug Guide – https://www.bugguide.net/node/view/15740 iNaturalist – https://www.inaturalist.org/ Benthic Macroinvertebrates Survey – https://www.epa.gov/national-aquatic-resource-surveys/indicators-benthic-macroinvertebrates Species mentioned in this episode: Orders: Odonata – Dragonflies, Damselflies, etc. Coleoptera – Beetles Hetetoptera – Stink bugs, Assasin bugs, Water Striders, Giant Water Bugs, etc. Tenodera sinensis – Chinese Mantis Anax junius – Common Green Darner Dragonfly Thermonectus marmoratus – Sunburst Diving Beetle Darner Dragonflies Skimmer Dragonflies Diving Beetle Aquarius remigis – Water striders Dytiscidae – Predaceous Diving Beetle Elytra Dytiscus marginalis – Great Diving Beetle Cybister fimbriolatus – Fringed Diving Beetle Gyrinidae – Whirligig beetles Belostomatidae – Giant Water Bugs Lethocerus americanus – Giant Water Bug Ranatra fusca – Brown Water Scorpion Hellgrammite – Dobsonfly larvae Notonectidae – Back swimmers Corixidae – Water Boatman Dolomedes – Fishing Spiders Argyroneta aquatica – Diving Bell Spider Terminology mentioned in this episode: Ootheca – a hardened, foam-like egg case produced by certain insects—most notably praying mantises and cockroaches—to protect their developing eggs Eclosion – biological term for when an insect hatches from an egg or emerges from its pupal case as an adult Stridulation – the act of producing a high-pitched, creaking, or chirping sound by rubbing specialized body parts together; one structure acts as a “scraper” or plectrum (a sharp ridge, lip, or set of pegs), while the other acts as a “file” or stridulitrum (a finely-ridged surface)

Amy, Ben, and Calder talk about blennies and, boy, was there a lot to say and how they could have gone on for hours. With 6 families, approximately 130 genera and 900 species and counting, there is a lot of information in this week’s podcast. Blennies have amazing personality, colors, and adaptations. Let us know what blennies you have in your aquariums now and tell us about the ones you wish you could too!   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/ Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/ Join our growing community on Discord! https://go.watercolors.shop/discord   Sources mentioned in this episode: Live Aquaria – https://www.liveaquaria.com/?srsltid=AU7gw4VM5elUthzXzVaptIEeesFCcAlnX6rTtZrbd0OMDCXs4Y8EzNFb Fish Base – https://www.fishbase.se/search.php Seriously Fish – https://www.seriouslyfish.com/   Species mentioned in this episode: Order: Blenniiformes Sub-family: Blenniinae Meiacanthus – Fang Blennies Meiacanthus grammistes – Striped Blenny Meiacanthus kamoharai – Kamohara Blenny Meiacanthus nigrolineatus – Blackline Fangblenny Meiacanthus oualanensis – Canary Blenny Meiacanthus atrodorsalis – Forktail Blenny Meiacanthus smithi – Disco Blenny Meiacanthus mossambicus – Mozambique Blenny Meiacanthus bundoon – Bundoon Blenny Plagiotremus – Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides and others) Mimics Plagiotremus tapeinosoma – Piano Fangblenny Plagiotremus rhinorhynchos – Bluestriped Fangblenny Plagiotremus ewaensis – Ewa Fangblenny Plagiotremus azaleus – Sabertooth Blenny Aspidontus – Fang Blenny (Meiacanthus) Mimics Xiphasia – Snake Blennies Ecsenius – Clown Blenny Ecsenius gravieri – Red Sea Mimic Blenny Ecsenius namiyei – Black Combtooth Blenny Ecsenius stigmatura – Tailspot Blenny Ecsenius bicolor – Bicolor Blenny Ecsenius midas – Midas Blenny Other – Miscellaneous Genera Enchelyurus flavipes – Flametail Blenny Petroscirtes mitratus – Floral Blenny Exallias brevis – Leopard Blenny Blenniella chrysospilos – Orange Spotted Blenny Scartella cristata – Molly Miller Blenny Hypleurochilus pseudoaequipinnis – Alantic Oyster Blenny Sub-family: Salariinae Salarias ramosus – Starry Blenny Salarias fasciatus – Lawnmower Blenny Sub-family: Chaenopsidae Acanthemblemaria balanorum – Clubhead Barnacle Blenny Acanthemblemaria paula – Dwarf Spinyhead Blenny

Blackwater is a term thrown around in the aquarium hobby and has many different meanings. Blackwater can mean heavily stained, tannic water, or it can mean water that is soft and acidic that receives little light. Today, the team focuses more so on the second definition, referencing environments such as the Rio Negro in South America and plants that grow well in these unique places. Special thanks to Craig this episode for filling in last minute for Calder. We appreciate your adaptiveness and scientific background. Craig’s Amendments: Because I had such a limited amount of time to get my research and can’t leave an incorrect stance out there, I have a couple of items as “corrections”. The leaves aren’t breaking down they are getting washed away. Fungus, bacteria and shredders are all inhibited by the low pH as we had previously agreed on. After digging into the other underwater flowering plant it was actually Utricularia australis that I skipped because it was covered with all of the carnivorous plants that was my other underwater flowering plant not the nymphaea. I also went and found a bug bat sarracenia. This is a hybrid but has been reproduced locally by being outside during the summer and brought into a semi heated green house during the winter. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/394784938_Hydrological_and_ecological_drivers_of_leaf_retention_under_urbanization_in_a_Central_Amazon_Headwater_stream?fbclid=IwY2xjawUiNeRleHRuA2FlbQIxMABwZG9mBWJyaWQRMUN4aVk5OGdoSHZxdFZBa2tzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEerNOwnXRyKwZUSll1oHIUDxLD7NtHwG9wpnHyw_xqQOCSLShtzciHG_cZJMk_aem_n0ixAkB8Ynf4D-LmXrxliQ Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/ Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/ Join our growing community on Discord! https://go.watercolors.shop/discord   Sources mentioned in this episode: Christel Kasselmann – https://www.instagram.com/christel.kasselmann/?hl=en Karen Randall – https://www.sunkengardens.net/ Aquatic Gardeners Association – https://www.aquatic-gardeners.org/ Species mentioned in this episode: Bucephalandra Echinodorus grisebachii Echinodorus ‘Altlandsberg’ Helanthium quadricostatus Helanthium tenellum Helanthium bolivianum Helanthium angustifolium Barclaya longifolia Cryptocoryne × purpurea (Cryptocoryne cordata × Cryptocoryne griffithii) Cryptocoryne siamensis or Cryptocoryne blassii Cryptocoryne alba Cryptocoryne nurii Cryptocoryne striolata Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia Cryptocoryne wendtii Cryptocoryne undulata Cryptocoryne lucens Cryptocoryne lutea Cryptocoryne beckettii Cryptocoryne beckettii ‘Petchii’ Cryptocoryne parva Eleocharis acicularis Eleocharis montevidensis Sarracenia leucophylla Pinguicula – “Pim” Utricularia australis Nepenthes Drosera – “Sundew” Plagiochilaceae sp. “Cameroon” Microsorum pteropus ‘Needle Leaf’ Nymphaea nouchali Nymphaea lotus Nymphaea dimorpha Poecilia picta Syngonanthus sp. ‘La Lindosa’ Eriocaulon lineare Eriocaulon sp. ‘Feather Duster’ Anubias barteri Anubias barteri var. coffeefolia Tonina fluviatilis Bolbitis heteroclita Bolbitis heteroclita ‘Difformis’ Cabomba caroliniana var. ‘pulcherrima’ Cabomba furcata Proserpinaca palustris Phyllanthus fluitans Lomariopsis lineata – Süsswassertang

Amy, Ben and Calder are here this week to talk about freshwater gobies. This group of fish is so diverse, unique and goofy. There is definetly a species of goby out there for you. For the meantime, tune in and listen to the team talk about some of their favorites!   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/ Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/ Join our growing community on Discord! https://go.watercolors.shop/discord   Names and Resources coming soon.

*** We apologize for some of the electrical pops and noises, we are working out the bugs but unfortunately we record our episodes a few weeks in advance and will take some time to reflect in real time. All suggestions and feedback is welcome any of the ways you can get in touch with us. *** In previous episodes, Water Colors staff and listeners have asked Amy, Ben and Calder questions. This episode is a little different. This week, the team has decided to ask each other questions; one question personalized for each individual host and two questions for both hosts to answer. Cuddle up, grab a glass of beer or maybe a hot cocoa, and listen to the more personal sides of the team you have grown to know and love.   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/ Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/ Join our growing community on Discord! https://go.watercolors.shop/discord

Amy, Ben and Calder bring us back to the basics this week. Filtration is an essential part of keeping a healthy aquarium and is a topic that often gets over complicated and becomes confusing to beginners. Between the different types of filters, different types of filtration (biological, mechanical, and chemical), and popularity of “filterless” tanks; what is the right option? What is ideal for my set-up? The team explores these topics and more.   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/ Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/ Join our growing community on Discord! https://go.watercolors.shop/discord

Charles leads the Watercolors team on an exploration of the Betta splendens complex. With new scientific data being published, the topic of which bettas belong in the complex and which don’t gets a little muddy (pun intended). One thing we can all agree on is that bettas are amazing fish and should be preserved and cherished in both our tanks and the wild. Are you keeping any domestic or a wild (wild-type) bettas? Are you working on any cool new domestic hybrids or intensifying the colors of wild-type line? Let us know on any of our platforms found below. We would love to have you join in on the discussion.   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/ Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/ Join our growing community on Discord! https://go.watercolors.shop/discord   Sources mentioned in this episode: Betta International Congress – https://www.ibcbettas.org/ Species mentioned in this episode: Betta antuta  Betta splendens Betta imbellis Betta symanmorantalis Betta smaragdina Betta stiktos Betta smaragdina sp. guitar Betta mahachaiensis Betta brownorum Betta ocellata Betta coccina