Practical Fishkeeping October 2024

WELCOME TO THE OCTOBER issue of Practical Fishkeeping! As the seasons change, so does the diversity of our aquatic explorations. This month, we dive into a range of topics that will hopefully intrigue, educate, and inspire fishkeepers of all levels. First up, we explore alternative hardwater fish for your aquarium, offering fresh ideas for those looking to expand their collection beyond the usual suspects. For those fascinated by group dynamics, we delve into the magic of schooling fish, revealing the captivating behaviour of species that thrive in numbers. Our global journey takes us to unexpected places as we investigate the rise of feral fish populations in the waters of Singapore and Hungary—a phenomenon that’s both surprising and concerning. We also shine a spotlight on the rare and resilient Coptodon rheophilia,…

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 our Star Letter will receive a £25 Amazon e-gift card and 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 STAR LETTER -…

HABITAT Singapore & Hungary SINCE MY EARLY childhood I have been fascinated with aquatic creatures and used every opportunity and tool to learn more about the underwater world. I kept my first fish – a group of Bitterling – in an old bath tube on our balcony to observe the males’ "spawning dance". I can spend hours beside and under any suitable bodies of water as I strongly believe that it’s one of the best ways to become closely acquainted with various fish species. You can learn a lot about their behaviour and gain first-hand experiences you wouldn't get otherwise. You can also have surprising encounters as you will soon read. In this article I’ll take you on a virtual tour visiting two countries which are geographically far away from…

THE REPUTATION of some fishes precedes them, and rightly so. Oscars. Jaguar cichlids. Discus. Hypostomus plecostomus. Even, arguably, the cosmopolitan Carassius auratus. But, away from the ranks of tankbuster behemoths, there are fishes whose reputation is such that they are now, if they can be found at all, vanishingly rare within the trade. So, when I saw that Wharf Aquatics of Pinxton, Nottingham, had acquired some Ctenops nobilis, hellfire itself would not have stopped me ordering some to see if they merited their fabled status. Ctenops nobilis, the so-called frail gourami, has a relatively wide distribution across India and Bangladesh, being especially frequent in the Brahma-putra region. The ninth longest river in the world with a drainage encompassing almost 275,000 square miles, it should be no surprise that C. nobilis’…

TROPICAL Hard water fish FOR MANY NEW aquarists, their first exposure to fishkeeping, certainly in the modern world, is being encouraged to research and understand the water hardness that they have coming out of their taps. After all, it’s always easier to work with what you have, rather than having to jump headlong into the complexities of Reverse Osmosis water, or Buffers, because you want to keep a species that isn’t likely to thrive in your default conditions. Whilst adjusting water hardness is somewhat of a formality for a more seasoned aquarist, certainly at the beginning, the old adage of “keep it simple, stupid” very much applies. This means for a lot of UK fishkeepers, at least those in areas like the South East, London, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, and a few…

BEHAVIOUR Schools THE MORE THE merrier – as they say – as well as safer and generally better. And there you have it – at the very start I have already revealed the whole great secret of schooling. However, I invite you to read the article anyway, because there are still many interesting facts about schools to be discovered. Let us begin by explaining what a school is – it is simply a group of fish swimming together in order to increase safety, the likelihood of finding "the other half" (pairing off and of course the availability of food (when the fish are merely keeping together, and not swimming in an organised formation, such a group might also be called a "shoal"). Schooling enables more effctive use of the food…