253. The Myth of the No Maintenance Aquarium

This episode is all about loaches! The Water Colors team sits down to discuss their top 5 species, detailing their care, behavior, native habitats, and more. Loaches come in all sort of shapes, sizes, and temperaments, making this an incredible diverse top 5 list. What are your favorite species?   Sources mentioned in this episode: https://www.loaches.com/   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: Beaufortia kweichowensis, butterfly hillstream loach Botia striata, zebra loach Chromobotia macranthus, clown loach Botia almorhae,  yoyo loach Sinibotia robusta,  kansu loach Syncrosus berdmorei, Blyth’s loach Schistura sp ‘Crimson’ Schistura balteata, sumo loach Yasuhikotakia morleti, skunk loach Misgurnus anguillacaudatus, dojo loach Canthrophrys gongota,  mooseface loach Vaillantella maasi,  forktail loach Ambastaia sidthimunki, dwarf chain loach Petruichtys brevis, Lake Inle loach Pangio pangia, cinnamon kuhli loach Yaoshania pachychilus, panda loach

Cyprinidae is the largest family of freshwater fish, which makes it quite challenging to narrow down a top 5 list! In this episode, the Water Colors hosts attempt to do just that, by selecting their top 5 micro cyprinids to discuss. This family is so expansive, it contains danios, barbs, loaches and more! Which species would make your list? Sources referenced: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/399795227_Phylogenomics_of_Cypriniformes_the_most_diverse_order_of_freshwater_fishes_consensus_challenges_and_limitations 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: African butterfly barb. ‘barbus’ hulstaerti Celestial pearl danio, danio magaritatus Emerald dwarf rasbora, danio erythromicron Glowlight danio, danio choprae Asian rummynose rasbora, sawbwa resplendens Sundadanios Dwarf zipper kuhli loach, pangio cuneovirgata Dwarf green barb, pethia phutunio Rosy loach, petruichthys mango Gold ring danio, danio tinwini Dwarf amber barb, barboides gracilis Bororas b. uropthalmoides, exclamation point rasbora b. brigittae, chili rasbora b. micros, three spot rasbora Dwarf fire barb, horadandia brittani Laos pygmy multi-stripe loach, micronemacheilus cruciatus

We’re back with one of our favorite episode formats – answering listener submitted questions! These episodes are livestreamed at the time of recording on our YouTube channel – consider joining our YouTube membership for access to weekly livestreamed episodes! There is never a shortage of great questions and topics to kickstart some interesting conversations on these recording sessions. You can submit your own questions for future episodes to [email protected]   Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery

Leaves, cones, seedpods and more! In this episode, the Water Colors team discusses botanicals, and how to use them in your aquariums. There are loads of benefits to adding these to your tank, including antifungal/antibacterial properties, softening or staining water, food for fry, and more! We cover the different varieties available, when to use them, and even some tips and trick on how to forage for your own botanicals. 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

Continuing Blackwater Month, we’re back to discuss the Betta coccina complex! This complex contains arguably some of the greatest wild betta species known to the hobby. These are true blackwater gems that come in very small packages! The hosts discuss their native habitats, distribution, captive care, conservation status, and more! We’ll break down the taxonomy associated with this complex, as well as some exciting, newly described species. Have you kept any bettas within the coccina complex?   References used in this episode: https://www.sciencedirect.com/org/science/article/pii/S1313298925001922 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

Continuing the blackwater aquarium theme, the hosts discuss their top 5 fish picks that look incredible in stained water. To learn all about blackwater aquariums, refer to our previous episode (254. Intro to Blackwater Aquariums). We cover a wide variety of species native to blackwater environments. Some species are selected due to their striking coloration in these environments, while some are selected due to  amazing breeding behavior stimulated by blackwater. What are your favorite blackwater fish?   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: Bororas micros Betta persephone Trichilocharax ornatus Ladigesia roloffi Nannostomus mortenthaleri Melanotaenia jakora Betta brownorum Betta albimarginata Parosphromenus ornacaudata Parosphromenus nagyi Sphaerichthys vallianti Pteronotropus welaka Pteronotropus hypselopterus Pteronotropus signipinnis Sundadanio goblinus Taeniacara candidi Diapteron sp. Apistogramma panduro

There’s a new trend taking the hobby by storm – blackwater tanks! These aquariums often have a stained appearance, with water resembling tea. They frequently are designed with lots of leaf litter and other botanicals, minimal flow, and little to no aquarium plants. Aside from the visual appearance, these tanks will also have lower pH and hardness, replicating softer water environments where many blackwater fish are found. The hosts discuss these setups in detail, covering design elements, equipment, water chemistry, and many of the fish species that thrive in these environments. How do you feel about blackwater aquariums?   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    

For as long as aquariums have existed, there have been hobbyists looking for ways to avoid maintenance. From misleading products to “experts” online, there are numerous sources that give hobbyists the false impression that it’s OK to skip water changes completely! In this episode, the Water Colors hosts dispel these myths, while also discussing what scenarios might allow for minimal maintenance setups. 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  

In this episode, we welcome back Charles to discuss changes and trends in the marine aquarium hobby. Comparing livestock lists through the years, the hosts make note of species that have fallen out of favor, changed in price, or become unavailable altogether. Through this discussion, we make some predictions about the future of the marine fishkeeping hobby and how our choices may impact the trajectory of the aquarium industry as a whole.   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

In this episode, the Water Colors team discusses guppy strains and the history associated with some of the famous strains we all know and love. Guppies are one of the oldest, most well-known fish in the hobby – with many aquarists beginning their journeys by keeping guppy tanks. Through selective breeding, we’ve developed a variety of amazing strains. The possibilities are endless!   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