Practical Fishkeeping

THE FIRST ISSUE of 2026 is here, ready to help inspire your next aquarium project. We start by looking at some incredibly rare, weird and wonderful creatures. Firstly, Michel provides an overview of Labeobarbus, before outlining how he cares for one of the smallest species in the genus that is almost never exported out of Africa. Then, Chris has a double whammy of features. Initially, he explores a goby which many may consider vile but he has a rather soft spot for before taking a look at some organisms that are 95% water… jellyfish! Sticking within the salty side, Jeremy continues his beginners guide, this time looking at the all important reef lighting. To round off the issue, we head back to the freshwater world, with the best biotopes of…

Fancy being featured in the next issue of Practical Fishkeeping Magazine? Showcase your work and share your photographs with the Fishkeeping community – if you have a tank you’re proud of, we want to see it. For a chance to be included, simply send us your tank photos with a little bit of information about you and your tank. This month’s Tank of the Month will receive an Aquadip care package!* Submit yours to us via email at editorial@practicalfishkeeping.co.uk or visit our website here: practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/gallery. WIN AN AQUADIP CARE PACKAGE AQUADIP Liquid Filter Medium - 500 ml AQUADIP Plant Food+ - 500 ml AQUADIP Liquid Carbon - 500 ml AQUADIP H2O Maker - 500 ml Plus AQUADIP Aquascaping Towel TANK OF THE MONTH - MARC WEST Here is my new…

THE GENUS LABEOBARBUS (Family: Cyprinidae) represents a diverse and ecologically significant group of freshwater fishes widely distributed across sub-Saharan Africa, with a notable presence in West and Central African river systems such as the Niger, Volta, Congo, and Sanaga basins. Traditionally considered part of the genus Barbus, members of Labeobarbus have been reclassified based on morphological and molecular analyses, which revealed a closer affinity among the large-scaled, hexaploid African barbs. Characterised by their fusiform bodies (wide in the middle, tapering towards each end), thick lips, and often well-developed barbels, Labeobarbus species exhibit substantial morphological plasticity and trophic diversity, allowing them to occupy a range of ecological niches. Many species are adapted to fast-flowing rivers, although others thrive in lakes, floodplains, and wetland systems. This genus includes both generalist feeders and…

FOR MANY AQUARISTS, their first foray into fishkeeping is entirely influenced by the shimmering shoals of brightly coloured fish darting about the local fish shop. The perennial favourites like guppies, platys, neon tetras and cherry barbs are prized for their eye-catching, in-your-face colouration, serving to light up even the drabbest of tank interiors with minimal effort. Equally, over on the salty side, it feels like every fish got the memo about dressing to impress. From the psychedelic attire of the harlequin tuskfish to the dapper flasher wrasse, marine reef-keepers are spoilt for choice. But when it comes to perceived beauty, it’s fair to say that not all fish were created equal. Anyone who has spent any time perusing the set-ups at the more specialist stores will have almost certainly come…

JELLYFISH ARE A fascinating bunch. With soft fossil records dating back 500 million years, they are one of the oldest groups of animals on Earth, yet despite this they don’t appear to possess any of the basics required for natural survival. Being invertebrates, they lack an internal, bony skeletal system, but they have also elected to forgo any form of solid exterior body protection, as well. In conjunction, jellyfish seem to have no discernible eyes, and a closer look reveals an absence of blood, brain, heart and lungs too. But while the focus tends to be on what they don’t have – after all, jellyfish are 95% water – it’s very easy to overlook how successful they have been in carving out their niche in an otherwise unforgiving world. Not…

LIGHTING IS REALLY important to reef aquaria as the corals we keep generate energy from light and use it as a food source. In the tropics, where coral reefs are associated, sunlight is pretty much constant year-round, for 12 hours per day, every day. There will be storms, cloud cover and occasional rainfall, but our corals are adapted to receive intense light at some point every day and a fixed day/night cycle. Corals even use moonlight too, not for energy, but for spawning. It’s important therefore that we try to mimic the daily sunlight that reefs receive in our aquariums, and we do that with LED lighting. Sunlight appears white, but it’s actually a spectrum of light going all the way from ultraviolet to infrared. Imagine a rainbow and light…