AMAZONAS iOS App

Earlier this month, readers and subscribers who utilize our iOS applications for CORAL and AMAZONAS magazines were at times subjected to access issues. These issues were traced back to updates that were in-progress, converting these iOS applications from free access to require paid subscription access to read.  As we shared last week, some changes happened out of sync, causing unexpected problems.  We believe those problems were resolved shortly thereafter, allowing temporary free access to the application while the updates were completed.

We received an update today from our partners that the iOS updates should now be complete. Users who have installed our iOS apps may experience the following:

• Users who allow automatic updates should see a seamless transition from the old version to the new version of our apps.
• Users who do not allow automatic updates may have to manually update or even, in a worst case scenario, uninstall the old app and download the newest version from the iTunes store.

Any users who have troubles with updates are encourage to uninstall the old version and then download the new one.  Users who are existing subscribers will simply have to provide the requested information to access content. Users who are not subscribers will need to obtain a digital subscription, available as a purchase directly through the app, or as part of a directly-purchased Digital-only, or full Print+Digital subscription.

At this time, we do not know if there is any lag between obtaining a subscription, and that subscription becoming live and accessible via our apps.  Please do not hesitate to contact us with any problems you may have; we aim to help make this transition as easy as possible.

For our readers who do not wish to have a paid subscription to CORAL or AMAZONAS at this time, but appreciated having access to our content, rest assured we still have something to offer, right here on www.Reef2Rainforest.com.  We will continue to publish excerpts, extended content (beyond what a print magazine article can hold), as well as our ever growing archive of exclusive online content.  Thought provoking content, like today’s article by Ret Talbot, Marine Aquarium Trade: A Force For Good In Saving Coral Reefs, is only an example of what we do; there’s so much of it to be had in our magazines.

For those individuals who may only be interested in a single issue of CORAL or AMAZONAS Magazines, they can always be purchased from the fine retailers of these magazines.  We encourage you to patronize the local aquarium stores that carry CORAL Magazine and AMAZONAS Magazine.

We’d like to thank you one more time for your loyal readership and support.  We welcome your feedback always!

Best Regards,

The Editors at Coral and Amazonas Magazines

customerservice@coralmagazineservice.com
service@amazonascustomerservice.com
Customer Service: 570-567-0424

AMAZONAS Magazine, the “Black Issue” – May/June 2014

You voted and it was a landslide; we’ve broken with convention to bring you the already legendary “Black Issue” as it’s become known! Print copies have been arriving around the US this week, and are available now.

We’re excited to share a first look at the hard copy of AMAZONAS Magazine’s May/June 2014 issue, featuring The Joys of Breeding, Rare Hypancistrus Plecos, The Ultimate Riparium, Malawai Cichlids and so much more. Dive in and have a look around!

May/June 2014 Table of Contents

Aquatic Notebook for the May/June 2014 Issue of AMAZONAS Magazine

FISHROOM: Shane Linder’s Catfish World – by Rachel O’Leary

Our cover feature for May/June 2014 – The JOYS of Breeding! – by Hans-Georg Evers

Breeding Fishes: Just Follow The Recipe? by Stefan Inselmann

Nanofish Husbandry: Hemigrammocharax uniocellatus – by Hans-Georg Evers

Breeding for lazy people: Danionella translucida in a continuous setup – by Hans-Georg Evers

Good food, fast current, and lots of patience: successfully propagating a Brochis species – by Hans-Georg Evers

Betta stigmosa: a charming mouthbrooder – by Richard Brode

Melanochromis: first immigrants from Lake Malawi – by Jens Hamann (and yes, no errata here, we did note that two of these species were treated as Pseudotropheus in 2002)

CHAOS in black and white – by Haakon Haagensen (a tour of black and white Hypancistrius species.)

ALIVE in TECHNICOLOR: Don Boyer’s awesome 200-gallon planted riparium – by Devin Biggs, images by Don Boyer

LEDs for Planted Aquariums – Part 2 – by Kris Weinhold

The AMAZONAS Magazine Aquarium Calendar for May/June 2014

Looking for hard copies of AMAZONAS Magazine? Try the many fine local fish stores and retailers listed in our sources directory!

Species Snapshots for May/June 2014

Our closing page: the Underwater Eye — by Mo Devlin

by Haakon Haagensen
Excerpt from AMAZONAS Magazine, May/June 2014

There is no armored catfish more popular among aquarists than the black and white Hypancistrus from the Rio Xingu in Brazil known as the Zebra Pleco. Many pleco forms are near extinction in their natural habitat; we have the unique opportunity to conserve them in the aquarium, at least on a small scale.

Would-be breeders please take note: People are willing to pay big money for these catfish.

Ever since the late 1980s, when the first pictures of a black and white striped Peckoltia (L46) were published, aquarists all over the world have enjoyed keeping and breeding these little gems in their home aquariums. It did not take long for new and slightly different forms of black and white striped plecos to be discovered and shipped out of Brazil. Although aquarium magazines everywhere provided tantalizing images of the early exports, most of those fancy and shockingly expensive plecos went to wealthy customers in Asia.

In the heyday of the L-numbers, importers clamored to present the latest sensational and exclusive catfish species. The fewer specimens were available, the higher the prices. Both L236 and L250 were supposedly caught in very difficult-to-reach areas in an Indian reservation on the Rio Iriri, a Rio Xingu tributary upstream of Altamira, but later it became clear that L236 is also found in the Rio Xingu, even in the same region as the well-known L333. (Specifying false catch sites is a practice commonly employed to prevent other collectors from visiting the true locales.) There is still controversy as to whether there are any Hypancistrus in the Rio Iriri; experienced collectors and travelers claim that there are none, but others maintain that no one has searched hard enough to find them.

In recent years, new restrictions by the IBAMA (Brazil’s conservation authority, similar to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service) have made it harder to find these fishes in the trade. Fortunately, most have already been propagated in the aquarium. Although this has partially satisfied the demands for these fishes, it has also led to a new and complicated issue: hybridization. It turns out that it is anything but easy to distinguish the different but very similar forms from one another, even those found in the same river system.

Species confusion
Given the impending completion of the Belo Monte Dam Complex near Altamira on the lower Xingu, we should all try to learn as much as we can about these great catfishes before they disappear from their natural habitats. About 15 forms of Hypancistrus are known from the lower part of the Xingu River between Altamira and Porto do Moz. Some of them, such as L250, are still shrouded in mystery, but it is likely that they, too, come from this region. Besides the many L-number catfishes, there are others that are difficult to identify. It is unlikely that they are all separate species, since they all come from a single river and are closely related.
While it is not unusual to find several forms of a species in a single habitat, the huge number of forms that occur in the Rio Xingu is confusing. Entirely different standards are needed to categorize these fishes, and it is hardly surprising that some people are so overwhelmed by the sheer variety that they just put their heads in the sand.

There is a huge amount of general information about these catfishes out there. Breeding reports, husbandry experiences, and identification guides are ubiquitous on the Internet; some sources are reliable, others questionable. What is certain is that so far, nobody has a foolproof way to identify the many types and forms.
With all this in mind, I have tried to summarize the available information here. I admit that this article does not give any definitive answers, but I hope it leads to a better understanding of this amazing catfish group.

Clearwater habitat
The various forms of black and white striped Hypancistrus are usually caught between Altamira and Porto do Moz in water 6–100 feet (2–30 m) deep. They occur in moderate to fast-flowing, soft to slightly acidic warm water. They prefer rock structures and like to hide in cracks and crevices. The water parameters, which are constant almost all year, are: pH 6.0–6.5, very low conductivity, and temperatures of 82–90°F (28–32°C). The distribution of various populations is restricted by the extreme currents and precipitous waterfalls, so they stay in their own territories.

However, one must not underestimate the vastness of the region: the Xingu River basin is larger than most people can imagine. The river is several miles wide in places and contains some islands. Large rocks that create rapids alternate with extensive sandy areas, representing distribution barriers for these littoral-colonizing catfishes.

The best-known Hypancistrus forms of the Rio Xingu
A form that occurs without the presence of another from the same genus is usually referred as a valid or emerging species. It seems that there are four of these base forms in the Rio Xingu: Hypancistrus zebra, L174, L66, and L333. The latter two are larger than the rest (6–6.4 inches/15–16 cm TL). Hopefully, detailed molecular DNA studies will soon reveal more about their genetic relationships, but there is no doubt that the forms are all closely related. A very comprehensive study is currently in progress and should shed some light on the issue.

The four main forms or species
Hypancistrus zebra is remarkably uniform and is very attractively patterned. Occasionally, H. zebra specimens with pattern variations, such as L98, do occur. Through breeding experiments, we know that this variation is not heritable. L250 may also be a H. zebra variant; all known images show specimens with silvery eyes, a feature known only from H. zebra. The blue shimmer in the fins of H. zebra is also present. However, most Hypancistrus from the Rio Xingu have brown to reddish eyes and do not show any trace of blue on the fins. Without further imports, a clarification in this case is difficult. The distribution of H. zebra includes four to six different localities between Altamira and Belo Monte. H. zebra is usually found in deep water. Based on aquarium observations, the species is more active at night. Both factors suggest that the zebra pattern is well suited for low light conditions.

Hypancistrus sp. L66 is a large and robust form with a black wormline pattern on a gray or yellowish background. While L333 is usually cream-colored, L66 is more commonly white and gray. In mature animals, the pattern is denser and finer, often breaking down into stripes or even spots. However, color and pattern are not reliable differentiation features between the two. Compared to L333, L66 is flatter and the caudal fin is more deeply forked. L66 is one of the most widespread forms in the river; it occurs from Altamira down to the huge lake located at the river’s end. This form is also found in the tributaries.

Hypancistrus sp. L174 is easy to recognize: the most characteristic feature of this deep-water species is its small eyes. There are only a few known locations, which are downstream of Altamira. L174 is, so far, the smallest known member of the genus with a maximum length of 3.2 inches (8 cm). The pattern always consists of dark dots or spots, which led to the nickname “Ocelot Pleco.” Contrary to previous reports, L174 shares no habitats with H. zebra.

Hypancistrus sp. L333 has a high-backed, compact, sturdy shape with a reverse D-shaped caudal fin. The many known variants differ in both pattern and color. Usually, the pattern of wormlines becomes narrower and shows less contrast with age. Some individuals have beautiful wide lines. This rather large species is mostly caught near Porto do Moz, but is also found near Vitoria do Xingu.

The Rest
The biggest challenge for aquarists is to identify the many other forms that occur in the river, as they are all very similar. They have a bright base color, which can vary from pale yellow to gray and white. The pattern consists of dark wormlines or spots. The eyes are brown and their size varies. Some forms have a short, compact build, while others are rather slim. The caudal fin can have long filaments or be small and non-elongated. The head shape is not uniform; it can be pointed or rounded. Most hobbyists pay way too much attention to the color pattern. This is where there is the most overlap between the various forms, which makes identification impossible. Never rely on the color pattern to identify these forms!

Hypancistrus sp. “Mimic” lives syntopic with L174 near Altamira. In the last few years, it was often mistaken in the trade for L399/L400 or L173. Hypancistrus sp. L174, L399, L400, and “Mimic” share one feature: the dark spot pattern. Hypancistrus sp. L174 and “Mimic” have much smaller eyes than the others. Hypancistrus sp. “Mimic” is larger and has a flatter body and a more pointed head than L174. Young animals are almost impossible to distinguish. Hypancistrus sp. “Mimic” babies have a striped pattern, similar to H. zebra, whereas young L174 always have a spotted pattern.

Hypancistrus sp. “Lower Xingu” is a complex group of similar forms that are very difficult to distinguish. Apparently, this group is in the process of slowly separating into individual new species. They live within a radius of just over 6 miles (10 km) of Belo Monte. Janne Ekström works there every day with these catfishes and says the following: “There are four or five variants in this complex. One of them, known as H. sp. ‘Gurupa,’ is always light gray to white and has smaller eyes relative to the head size. The body shape is compact and the caudal fin has no filaments or extensions. A second variant is black and white, with a flatter body and extended caudal. This variant is very similar to L173; some look exactly like it (not all L173 look like discolored H. zebra). The third variant is also black and white, but shares the compact body and the lack of filaments with H. sp. ‘Gurupa.’ It resembles L333, but has a pattern that varies from spots to broad, irregularly arranged stripes. L399 and L400 are from the same region and possibly also belong to this group.”

Hypancistrus sp. L287/L399/L400: These are three numbers for one and the same form, in my opinion. It is apparently a highly variable form. Although spotting is the most common pattern, there are specimens that have very broad lines or fine lines with plenty of open space. Intense captive breeding has revealed an enormous number of variations. Characteristics of coveted forms such as L173, L236, and L345 are among them. These L-numbers may be all morphs of the same form. L399 differs from L400 only slightly by a somewhat more delicate physique—L400 appears more robust.

This group consists of smaller catfishes (about 4.8 inches/12 cm) that are more elongated and a little less bulky. They have large, forked caudal fins with the longest filaments in the genus. There are variations in the anatomy. Such immense variability among loricariids is not common and is very noticeable in this case. To complicate matters, the home of these catfishes is in the surroundings of Belo Monte.

During just one dive, different variants can be caught in a single locality. They share their habitat with some of the main species in the river (L66, L333, and H. zebra). Belo Monte seems to be a hotspot for the development of new forms and species. So far, the gene flow between these forms has not been well studied, but a form like L173 suggests that there are regular natural hybridizations among some of them. The question is, to what extent is this happening?

Hypancistrus sp. L173 is a highly sought-after but controversial form from near Belo Monte. The similarity to H. zebra is striking, especially in juveniles. However, there are differences: L173 has brown eyes, a rather off-white base color, a variable wormline pattern, a taller and more compact body, and a longer caudal fin. This form also grows larger than H. zebra. In the hobby, L173 was unfortunately hybridized with H. zebra to produce more of the “L173 type.” Some L173 lines differ so much from the norm that it is hard to believe that they belong to this form. Not all individuals have the typical pattern. Some offspring of L400 show a pattern similar to L173, hence, a close genetic relationship is very likely. It is important to note that L173 is not a morph of H. zebra, as was previously assumed.

The commercially available L173b should be regarded with skepticism. (The “b” was introduced by Aquarium Glaser. Specimens that differ externally from the normal habitus were identified with the letter “b.” Individuals with a typical pattern and color would therefore be “L173a.”)

Hypancistrus sp. L236: The image from the initial introduction of L236 shows a fish with a few wide black wormlines on a pale cream background—an unusual pattern, even within this genus. Nevertheless, such individuals occur in all forms with wormlines, although it is rare. The individual shown shared many characteristics with L66, such as the flat, slender physique and the forked caudal fin. However, there are also examples known that combine the physique of L333 with the pattern of L236. These are L333, which are advertised as L236 because of their pattern. Over time, L236 has become a “brand.” Each Hypancistrus that corresponded to the original pattern, no matter where it came from or what body shape it had, was called L236.

Many catfish friends seem to forget or ignore the fact that all the wormline Hypancistrus are inconsistent in their patterns. Two parents with exactly matching patterns will not guarantee that the same pattern will show up in the offspring. With the exception of H. zebra, there is no Hypancistrus form with a consistent pattern that is found in large quantities. Even in Colombian species such as H. debilittera and L340, there are animals with a “negative pattern” (H. sp. “Platinum”). However, this is never the standard pattern of any species.

Starting with an “ideal pair,” we attempted to select out the dark parts of the body pattern. At the beginning, 10 percent of the offspring corresponded to the desired appearance. After 10 years, the yield of fishes with the desired pattern increased to 30 percent per clutch. This shows that a certain color or pattern type can be bred selectively in the aquarium. In addition, it should be noted that at the juvenile stage (1.6–2.4 inches/4–6 cm), all Xingu forms except H. zebra look very similar, so they cannot be identified by the pattern. Therefore, it is important to see the parents in order to assess whether a breeder has properly named the animals or not. The impressive pattern of babies usually becomes denser and darker with age.

Thoughts on the development
of Hypancistrus in the Rio Xingu
Currently, the Rio Xingu is the most species-rich habitat for loricariids. Among them are many forms and species that are still evolving—and not only Hypancistrus. Spectracanthicus, Scobinancistrus (at least six), Ancistrus, Baryancistrus (at least nine), and others are represented by many similar forms that differ by color pattern. This shows that this river, with its natural boundaries, contributes to the rise of new species. This may be the case for Hypancistrus, although they differ much more, not just in the pattern. The large variation is the result of specific adaptations to the environment, such as predation, food, the structure of the riverbed, water depth, flow, and intraspecific communication.

The rapids, waterfalls, and sandbars form natural barriers in the river, so it is not surprising that one finds isolated populations. This physical isolation, and the fact that the catfishes do not move very much and thus rarely overcome these boundaries, allow these populations to evolve into new, slightly different forms as they adapt to the habitat.

It seems that some forms exist very close to each other, even in the same biotope. How they differentiate to find their partners, and whether this is done by looks, smells, sounds, or ecological niches, such as water depth or rock structures, is one of many questions that remain. For example, it is not yet known whether all Hypancistrus can interbreed. Right now it looks like that is the case. The possibility that all forms hybridize is certainly greater in the aquarium than it is in nature. We do not yet know how mixing takes place in the natural habitat or what makes a fish choose a given partner.

Maintaining pure aquarium strains
Tropical fishes occurring in different morphs is nothing new, and these forms can serve as a basis for breeding new lines. One of the best-known examples is the discus (Symphysodon sp.). In this genus, even cross-species hybrids are widely accepted. However, catfish enthusiasts tend to reject that idea, and the results of hybridizations from Eastern Europe are frowned upon by serious hobbyists. In Asia, however, the creation of new lines seems to have been widely accepted. I personally hope that this view will not prevail elsewhere.

Hypancistrus belongs to the undemanding L-catfishes, and this makes the genus popular with beginners, which in turn increases the risk of unintentional hybridizations. It is well described that the various forms cross and produce fertile offspring (a list of known hybrids can be found at www.L-Welse.com). Take, for example, the hybrid offspring of L66 and L333. Such fry are simply given a number and then passed on, knowingly or not. Thus, we run the risk of creating singular hybrid strains with unknown provenance. This happened long ago with the “Common Bristlenose Pleco” (Ancistrus sp.).

It is important to know the origin of your animals. Are they wild caught, captive-bred from a breeder, or bought as individual animals? There are countless discussions on the Internet about the identity of individual animals. Many Hypancistrus from the Rio Xingu are expensive, and most fish keepers who care for them try to keep them pure, but some people do not want to know what they have in their aquariums if the truth does not agree with their wishful thinking.

Due to IBAMA restrictions in Brazil, for a long time there were no wild-caught animals available commercially. Even today, most fishes offered are tank-raised offspring. Consequently, it is all the more important for breeders to be aware of the identity of their catfishes and not simply pass them on under a name that will bring the greatest profit. While H. zebra is propagated in large numbers worldwide, some species and forms are very rarely kept. These are the species and forms we must multiply and preserve!

The Rio Xingu offers a unique display of evolution, where we can observe the formation of species within a lifetime. If we have an interest in exploring this unique group of fishes, we must act quickly. Time is running out: we all know about the Belo Monte Complex, now under construction. In a few years, the environment could be so severely degraded that many fishes might disappear. The reality is that we are destroying a treasure before we have understood it. However, we do have a breeding foundation for maintaining some black and white Hypancistrus, at least in the aquarium, for a long time to come.

Acknowledgments: This article is the result of years of personal experience and research. Still, I would not be able to present this work without the help of many knowledgeable people in the catfish world. I am grateful for their time, their dedication, their criticism, and their willingness to communicate. I am sure we will all continue to benefit from the great collaboration we have established. My thanks go to my friends Erlend D. Bertelsen, Hans Johan Mengshoel, and Bjørn Iversen (all from Norway), Janne Ekström (Sweden/Brazil), Mikael Håkansson (Sweden), Heriberto Gimênes, Jr. (Brazil), Saul Paredes, Nathan Lujan, Jon Armbruster, and Milton Tan (all from U.S.), Daniel Konn-Vetterlein, Ingo Seidel, Torsten Schwede, and Hans-Georg Evers (all from Germany).
References
Budrovcan, R. 2011. Die L236 Story—Teil 2. BSSW-Report 23 (3): 9–17.
Ekström, J. 2010. Der Belo-Monte-Staudamm am Rio Xingu—ein vorprogrammiertes Desaster. AMAZONAS 31: 8–12.
Evers, H.-G. 2005. Quo vadis, Hypancistrus zebra? AMAZONAS 2 (German): 36–8.
Evers, H.-G. and I. Seidel. 2002. Wels-Atlas, Band 1, Mergus Verlag, Melle, Germany.
Lechner, W., M. Geiger, and A. Werner. 2005. Neues aus der Gattung Hypancistrus—Teil 1. DATZ 58 (11): 6–13.
———. 2005. Neues aus der Gattung Hypancistrus—Teil 2. DATZ 58 (12): 10–17.
Schmidt, E. 2011. Die L236 Story—Teil 3. BSSW-Report 23 (2): 18–21.
Schraml, E. and F. Schäfer. 2004. Aqualog Loricariidae All L-Numbers. Aqualog Verlag A.C.S., Rodgau, Germany.
Seidel, I. 2005a. Besonderes zur Gattung Hypancistrus. AMAZONAS 2 (German): 16–25.
———. 2005b. Die Neuesten Hypancistrus-Arten. AMAZONAS 2 (German): 26–9.
———. 2007. Schon wieder ein neuer Hypancistrus aus dem Unterlauf des Rio Xingu. Aquar Fachmag 193: 30–31.
———. 2008. Back to Nature: Guide to L-Catfishes (Loricariidae). Fohrman Aquaristik AB, Jonsered, Sweden.
———. 2010. Hypancistrus-Fibel—Die schönsten L-Welse im Aquarium. Dähne-Verlag, Ettlingen, Germany.
———. 2011a. Der Rio Xingu in Brasilien—ein Paradies in großer Gefahr. Aquar Fachmag 213: 4–7.
———. 2011b. Rio Xingu—große Artenvielfalt durch verschiedene Lebensräume. Aquar Fachmag 213: 8–19.
———. 2011c. Die vom Aussterben bedrohten L-Welse vom Rio Xingu. Aquar Fachmag 213: 20–27.
———. 2011d. Die L236 Story—Teil 1. BSSW-Report 23 (3): 6–8.
Seidel, I. and H.-G. Evers. 2005. Wels-Atlas, Band 2. Mergus Verlag, Melle, Germany.
Stawikowski, R., I. Seidel, and A. Werner. 2004. DATZ Spezial: L-Numbers. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart, Germany.
Trusch, S. 2005. Bereits gezüchtet: Hypancistrus sp. “Belo Monte.” AMAZONAS 2: 30–35.

Click cover to subscribe.

Excerpted from the English-language edition of AMAZONAS Magazine @ 2014 Reef to Rainforest Media, LLC. No reproduction without written permission of the publisher.

“Sunrise in the Valley”
by Marcelo Tonon Chiovatto, Sao Paulo, Brazil. 116L (31-Gallons). Winner of the 60 – 120L Category and Best of Show. Cropped view.

Excerpt from AMAZONAS Magazine, May/June 2014
Staff Report

Olympic-class aquascaping demands a Renaissance suite of skills: mastery of aquatic technology (filtration and lighting), water chemistry, specialized horticulture, captive fish husbandry, and aquarium photography. Above all, it calls for a sense of aesthetics—or as some put it, a blue thumb and a good eye.

In announcing the winners of the 2013 AGA International Aquascaping Contest, Balin Shaw, chairman of the Aquatic Gardener’s Association competition, reports that the event drew 506 entries, a record for the 14-year-old contest. “The entries continue to demonstrate truly inspirational and original ideas and some interesting trends in aquascaping. Some categories were very difficult to judge because of the high number of quality entries.”

Once dominated by American and northern European aquarists, the  contest has taken on a truly international flavor, with entrants from Croatia to Turkey to Vietnam, with Brazil making a particularly strong showing. The most-innovative aquascape, entitled “Sky,” came from Wang Chou of Hong Kong, shown on page 58.

A number of entries employed animated effects, as in the Best of Show winner above, by Marcelo Tonon Chiovatto of Sao Paulo, Brazil, with multiple simulated waterfalls.  The judges were often critical of any sort of mechanical gimmickry, but awarded high marks when the techniques were employed effectively.
“This is a stunning tank,” said Judge Karen Randall of the tank above. “I do not usually like fake waterfals and the like, but this is beautifully done. Absolutely magical!”

Judging of the submitted photographs was done by Dave Chow (China), Luca Galarraga (Brazil), Karen Randall (USA), and Mike Senske (USA), with sponsorships from Seachem Laboratories, Brightwell Aquatics, The Hydra Forum, and AMAZONAS Magazine. A portfolio of the leading submissions assembled by Erik Olson can be found online here. The category winners follow below.

BEST OF SHOW

“Sunrise in the Valley” by Marcelo Tonon Chiovatto. Full-frame image showing scope of the aquascape that impressed judges.

“Sunrise in the Valley”
Category: Aquatic Garden, 60-120-L

Marcelo Tonon Chiovatto
São Paulo, Brazil
Aquascape Details
Tank Size: 35 x 17 x 12 inches (90 x 43 x 30 cm)
Volume: 31 gallons (116 L)
Background: N/A
Lighting: 8 x T5 Dymax lamps
Filtration: Fluval 404 and 2-L Seachem Matrix
Additional Information: CO₂ Eden, 2 bps, fertilization Seachem Excel, Potassium, Trace, Iron.
Plants: Rotala sp. “green,” R. indica, Eleocharis minima, Marsilea hirsuta, Glossostigma elatinoides, Callitriche sp., Starogyne sp., Limnophila sp. “Vietnam,” flame moss, Hygrophila pinnatifida, Phoenix moss, Nambei moss
Fish/Animals: 40 x Hyphessobrycon flammeus
Decorative Materials: Substrate Seachem Flourite, Seiryu stones, gravel
Judges’ Comments:
Karen Randall: This is a stunning tank. I do not usually like fake waterfalls and the like, but this is beautifully done. Absolutely magical!
Luca Galarraga: This layout transmits peace and tranquility—when I see it, I remember scenes from a lost untouched paradise. When your work awakens this kind of emotion, you achieve the highest level in aquascaping. This is ART! Perfect color, perfect use of space, perfect use of plants (the H. pinnatifida fits like a glove). The only point that can be improved upon in my opinion is the foreground left side. Perhaps some small details there would make it more interesting. Congratulations for this masterpiece!
Mike Senske: I am not a big fan of the waterfall look. It adds a bit of whimsy to an amazing layout, but I feel it detracts from the scape. Otherwise very nice.

“A Pocketful of Sunshine” by Paulo Victor Pacheco, Sao Paulo, Brazil. 7 gallons (25-L).

“Pocketful of Sunshine”
Aquatic Garden, Under 28-L category

Paulo Vitor Pacheco
São Paulo, Brazil

Aquascape Details
Tank Size: 18 x 10 x 8.6 inches (45 x 26 x 22 cm)
Volume: 7 gallons (25 L)
Lighting: NA Lamp 36W
Filtration: 1x Eheim Classic 2211
Additional Information: Full ADA substrate and fertilization system
Plants: Hemianthus callitrichoides “Cuba,” H. micranthemoides, Limnophila sp. “Vietnam,” Utricularia graminifolia, Fissidens fontanus, Vesicularia montagnei, Riccardia chamedryfolia
Fish/Animals: Hyphessobrycon amandae, Caridina pareparensis parvidentata
Decorative Materials: ADA Aqua Soil Amazonia, Seiryu stones, cosmetic sand
Judges’ Comments:
Luca Galarraga: Impressive work in such a small space! The use of open space and the image reflected in both side glasses is excellent! The only negative point is the position of the fishes, it could be better. Congratulations for this wonderful work!
Dave Chow: This tiny rockscape is small but detailed, the plants are growing well too, it looks very fresh and comfortable. Best!
Mike Senske: Amazing execution in such a small space.3

“Seven Falls” by Fabian Kussakawa, Foz do Iguacu, Parana, Brazil.

“Seven Falls”
Aquatic Garden, 28–60-L  category 

Fabian Kussakawa
Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná, Brazil

Aquascape Details
Tank Size: 24 x 12 x 13 inches (62 x 30 x 32 cm)
Volume: 16 gallons (59 L)
Background: Spot LED + filter orange
Lighting: LED Apoluz Fly
Filtration: Eheim 2213
Additional Information: Mbreda Amazonia extra fino. CO₂ 2 bps, fertilization NPK Mbreda

Plants: Hemianthus micranthemoides, H. callitrichoides cuba, flame moss, weeping moss, Nambei moss, Fissidens fontanus, Hydrocotyle maritima, H. tripartita, Staurogyne sp., Lobelia cardinalis, Eleocharis japan, Anubias nana “petite”
Fish/Animals: 11 Aplocheilichthys normani
Decorative Materials: Red stones, roots, sand Mbreda black blue and perlon

Judges’ Comments:
Dave Chow: This year there are many waterfall scapes in several contests. Some people commented that adding artificial materials to the scape is not appropriate, but I think if the scape is good-looking and skillfully made, like this layout, then I will accept it!
Luca Galarraga: Excellent work, with good use of space and creativity. The negative point is the weak contrast between fishes and background (the background color makes the layout a little sad…) Well done!
Mike Senske: The ratio is well done. I like the use of the red stone. It is a refreshing contrast.

“Cove” by Robertus Hortano, Singapore.

“Cove”
Aquatic Garden, 120–200-L category 

Robertus Hartono
Singapore

Aquascape Details
Tank Size: 35 x 18 x 18 inches (90 x 45 x 45 cm)
Volume: 48 gallons (182 L)
Background: N/A
Lighting: 8 x 39W T5-HO
Filtration: Eheim 2217 (1,000 L/h)
Plants: Eleocharis parvula, Fissidens fontanus, Fissidens sp. “mini,” Hemianthus micranthemoides, Ludwigia arcuata, Microsorum pteropus “Narrow,” Myriophyllum mattogrossense, Rotala sp. “Goias,” Rotala sp. “green,” Rotala sp. “Vietnam,” Taxiphyllum sp. (spiky moss), Taxiphyllum sp. (flame moss), Vesicularia montagnei (Christmas moss)
Fishes/animals: Caridina japonica, Neocaridina heteropoda var. “red,” Trigonostigma espei
Decorative materials: ADA Amazonia, Seiryu stones

Judges’ Comments:
Dave Chow: This mountain scape conveys the grandness of nature, through the use of not only small foreground plants and moss but also some stem plants. This helps give the layout a different kind of perspective!
Luca Galarraga: Lovely work, with excellent use of space, strong hardscape, and good plant choices. Excellent natural feeling, congratulations!

“Overland” by Andre Luiz Longarco, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

“Overland”
Aquatic Garden, 200–320-L category 

Andre Luiz Longarco
São Paulo, Brazil

Aquascape Details
Tank Size: 47 x 20 x 18 inches (120 x 50 x 45 cm)
Volume: 70 gallons (270 L)
Background: N/A
Lighting: 8 x 54W fluorescent T5-HO JBL bulbs
Filtration: 2 x Eheim Classic 2217 and 2 x Eheim Classic 2215
Plants: Callitriche sp., Hemianthus callitrichoides “Cuba,” Eleocharis minima, Hydrocotyle tripartita, Echinodorus tenellus “blood,” Hygrophila pinnatifida, Elatine triandra, Bucephalandra sp., Limnophila sp. “Vietnam,” Ludwigia glandulosa, Rotala sp. “green,” Rotala indica, R. rotundifolia, Staurogyne repens, Hottonia palustris, Microsorum pteropus sp., Taxiphillum sp.
Fish/Animals: 50 x Axelrodia stigmatias
Decorative Materials: Brazilian rocks

Judges’ Comments:
Dave Chow: This scape demonstrates that an iwagumi (stony) layout can use many different kinds of plants instead of just one or two species. It turns a complicated combination into a simple look with total harmony. I feel very comfortable after seeing this layout!.
Luca Galarraga: This layout is full of details and shows meticulous care. The whole aquarium is impressively healthy. The right side of the layout is very strong and natural. The left side looks a little artificial. Unfortunately, the photo was taken a few days too early, before the background stem plants had a chance to achieve their best shape. The use of space and images reflected on both side glasses is very skillful. Congratulations, great work!

“Destiny” by Senai Johor, Malaysia.

“Destiny”
Aquatic Garden, 320-L or larger category 

Sim Kian Hong
Senai Johor, Malaysia

Aquascape Details
Tank Size: 59 x 24 x 24 inches (150 x 60 x 60 cm)
Volume: 143 gallons (540 L)
Background: N/A
Lighting: 3 x MH 150W, 8 hours per day
Filtration: 2217 with ADA BioRio, 2217 with ADA BioRio, 2215 with lava rocks for CO₂ inline diffuser.
Additional Information: Fertilization with KNO₃, Seachem Trace and Iron. The small twigs used as “vines” in this aquascape are hardwoods that can last for months in water without decaying. They have been part of the aquascape since day one. This aquascape was 4+ months old when the photo was taken.
Plants: Microsorum pteropus sp., Anubias barteri var. “nana,” Bucephalandra sp., Eleocharis sp., Hemianthus callitrichoides, H. micranthemoide, Fontinalis antipyretica, Fissidens fontanus, Bolbitis sp.
Fish/Animals: 30 x Rasbora heteromorpha, 30 x Rasbora espei, 10 x Pristella maxillaris, 10 x Otocinclus affinis, 100 x Caridina sp. “Malayan”Decorative Materials: ADA Amazonia 1, lava rock as base material, river rocks collected from local waterfall, redmoor wood, river sand

Judges’ Comments:
Dave Chow: Impressive work, very natural, full of details, and a lot of work inside to keep this layout in excellent condition. The only negative point is that it isn’t an original layout, but still, congratulations for this masterpiece!
Luca Galarraga: Love it.

“Sky” by Wang Chou, Hong Kong.

“Sky”
Most Innovative category

Wang Chou,
Hong Kong

Aquascape Details
Tank Size: 47 x 24 x 20 inches (120 x 60 x 50 cm)
Volume: 95 gallons (360 L)
Lighting: 2 x 150W
Filtration: EH 2075, EH 2026

Judges’ Comments:
Dave Chow: This layout shows a different point of view that I haven’t encountered before. I appreciate this kind of originality.
Luca Galarraga: This is a very original layout! It surprises us with the unusual point of view. I can imagine the difficulty of fixing the driftwood in the right positions. Congratulations!
Mike Senske: Amazing perspective. Congratulations!

“Tuquan Meets Susquehanna” by Geoffrey Gallo, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

“Tuquan meets Susquehanna”
Biotope Aquascape category  

Geoffrey Gallo
Lancaster, PA, USA

Aquascape Details
Tank Size: 19 x 7 x 8 inches (48 x 18 x 21 cm)
Volume: 75 gallons (284 L)
Background: Black paper
Lighting: 2 x 40W T8 fluorescent lights on tank, 6 x 40W T8 fluorescent lights on sump/bio-filtration
Filtration: 54g sump with 650gph pump, 2 x Tetra Whisper 60 power filters, DIY Algae scrubber. Approximately 3 gallons (11 L) Elodea nuttallii in sump as biofilter, 5g refugium for baitfish keeping
Additional Information: My objective was to recreate the environment found along the banks of my favorite fishing hole, where Tuquan Creek enters the Susquehanna River. Everything in the tank is native and was gathered on family’s and friends’ properties in the area—the fishes were caught on hook and line, the crayfishes were hand-fished.
Plants: Elodea nuttallii (Nuttall’s Waterweed)
Fish/Animals: 4 x Orconectes virilis (Northern Crayfish), Lepomis cyanellus (Green Sunfish), L. macrochirus (Bluegill Sunfish), Ictalurus punctatus (Channel Catfish)
Decorative Materials: Substrate is composed of various sizes of local rocks, sand, and silt. Driftwood is from dredging projects near local oak-lined riverbanks. Rocks are quartz schist, abundant and predominant in only a small area of southeastern Pennsylvania.

Judges’ Comments:
Karen Randall: BEAUTIFUL representation of this habitat!
Phil Edwards: Now THAT’s what I call a biotope tank. While I don’t know the aquarist, I live somewhat near Lancaster County and am also off the Susquehanna. This looks JUST like what I’ve seen in local streams.

“Nature Resting” by Luidi Rafael de Souza Dolm, Ponta Grossa, Parana, Brazil.

“Nature Resting”
Paludarium category 

Luidi Rafael de Souza Doim
Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil

Aquascape Details
Tank Size: 67 x 24 x 14 inches (170 x 60 x 35 cm)
Volume: 94 gallons (357 L)
Lighting: 8 x 54W T5 Giesemann
Filtration: Marineland Canister C360
Additional Information: Nebulization (misting) system runs every 4 hours, 15 minutes
Plants: Hydrocotyle leucocephala, Lobelia cardinalis “small form,” Hottonia palustris, Cryptocoryne crispatula var. “balansae,” Rotala sp. “Vietnam,” Ludwigia glandulosa, Echinodorus uruguayensis, Lilaeopsis brasiliensis, Myaca sp. Ponta Grossa, Ludwigia inclinata, Staurogine sp., Bolbitis heudelotii, Samolus valerandi, Echinodorus tenelus, Scindapsus sp., Cryptanthus microglazioui, Orthophytum foliosum, Cryphaea tenella, Vesicularia ferriei, V. dubyana, Lomariopsis lineata, Fissidens sp., Pecluma sicca, Nephrolepis exaltata “Marisa,” Osmoglossum pulchellum, Selaginella kraussiana (Kunze), Sarracenia sp., Drosera intermedia, D. capensis (Darwiniana).
Fish/Animals: 7 x Corydoras schwartzi, 17 x Puntius arulius, 5 x Mikrogeophagus ramirezi
Decorative Materials: Substrate Amazonia Mbreda, river sand, natural rocks, driftwood

Judges’ Comments:
Karen Randall: LOVELY tank, and a good attention to both the land and water sections. Nice choice of fishes!
Dave Chow: Well-organized layout! The plant arrangement is good both above and under water!

 

A Nano-Slice of Lake Tanganyika – by Sumer Tiwari

Sumer Tiwari shares three videos of his current 17 gallon Shell-Dweller Aquarium, featured in the July/August, 2014 issue of AMAZONAS Magazine.

When I was planning for a cichlid tank, I wanted to keep something “not so common” and yet beautiful. My other requirement was that they should be able to live happily in my 17 gallon ADA 60-P tank.

Altolamprologus compressiceps sp. ‘Sumbu Shell’ was a perfect fit for my requirements. They are shell dwelling cichlids; in nature they live in empty snail shells. Finding these Altolamprologus was a big task in itself. After searching for over a month, I was able to find a batch of 6 adult specimens.

My 17 gallon tank which houses Altolamprologus compressiceps sp. ‘Sumbu Shell’

I also bought 5 Neolamprologus multifasciatus, often called Multies as dither fish. Dither fish are usually fast fish, able to avoid aggression from other tankmates. They also didn’t take much time to get comfortable in a tank and then they helped the main fish, the Altolamprologus, to calm down and feel safe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RS24Xh-U_mI

It all worked well at first, but soon the Multies started breeding and became super aggressive. They started beating the Sumbus, causing the Sumbus to retreat and hide. The Multies were doing the exact opposite of what I had intended.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-efjiRc5mHs

So I decided to take out the Multies. 10 days after removing the Multies, I noticed that the female Sumbu was nowhere to be seen and I didn’t see her for 4-5 days. Then while doing a water change, I noticed fry in the female Sumbu’s shell.

Here’s a video of the fry:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AGtFw89T1M

Now, after a month, the female is missing yet again. I haven’t seen her in the last 2-3 days. Did they breed again? I have yet to find out what’s going on in there.

Hoping for the best

Sumer

You can read more about Sumer Tiwari’s Shell-Dweller Aquarium in the July/August, 2014 issue of AMAZONAS Magazine

(Buy A Back Issue | More in AMAZONAS Digital | Subscribe To AMAZONAS Now)

AMAZONAS Magazine, “Giant Fishes” – July/August 2014

Another overwhelming issue of AMAZONAS Magazine is hitting mailboxes and retailers shelves – this is your first look, hot off the presses, at what’s inside the next issue of AMAZONAS. This issue is currently ready for digitial subscribers too. If you’re not yet a subscriber (whether digital or print + digital), perhaps after a peek inside you’ll realize it’s time to reconsider…ENJOY!

July/August 2014 Table of Contents

Aquatic Notebook for the July/August 2014 Issue of AMAZONAS Magazine starts off with the “First success with hatchetfish farming in Florida: Gasteropelecus maculatus”, by AMAZONAS Sr. Editor Stephan M. Tanner, Ph.D.

New Badis, Dario kajal, by Hans-Georg Evers

“Looking for the white phantom: the white Neon Tetra”, by Lisa Pfeting

Low-tech “natural” breeding tank, by Thorben Niemann

Thinking big…or even HUGE – by Rachel O’Leary & the AMAZONAS Staff

When big isn’t big enough: The crazy aquarist – by Enrico Richter

MONSTER FISHES…with matching appetites – by Enrico Richter

A 10,000-liter Fantasy – by Andi Hofstetter and Charles König

SWEET! Finding Oranges among the Lemons – 10 years of experience with Hyphessobrycon cf. pulchiripinnis – by Hans-Georg Evers

Socialization in the aquarium: Shell dwellers – by Wilhelm Klaas

A Nano-Slice of Lake Tanganyika – by Sumer Tiwari

The Outdoor Aquarist – by Rachel O’Leary

The endlessly varied Aplocheilus panchax – by Jörg Rückle and Jens Kühne

Corydoras from Boliva – by Daniel Konn-Vetterlein

Aquarium Calendar for July/August 2014 – compiled by Matt Pedersen and Ray Lucas

Looking for hard copies of AMAZONAS Magazine? Try the many fine local fish stores and retailers listed in our sources directory!

Species SNAPSHOTS for July/August 2014

Our closing page: the Underwater Eye — by Mo Devlin

Phenogrammus aurantiacus “Lefini” a rarely seen Congo tetra. Image by Hans-Georg Evers/AMAZONAS.

Phenacogrammus aurantiacus “Lefini”
Excerpt from AMAZONAS Magazine, Volume 3, Number 6

With few exceptions, tetras from the Congo River are virtually unknown in the hobby. Best-known is “The” Congo Tetra, Phenacogrammus interruptus, whose glimmering beauty has made it a staple with commercial breeders.

However, the African Tetra (Family Alestidae) includes a number of magnificent species that would also be very suitable for the aquarium. During my last visit to Pier Aquatics (Wigan, England), I discovered (in addition to a myriad of other rarities) some tetra species that the owner, Neil Woodward, had just imported from the Republic of Congo.

One “Congo Tetra,” in particular, stood out. The dominant males, with their long dorsal fins, were intensely yellow and had bright blue eyes. The fish were determined to be Phenacogrammus aurantiacus (Pellegrin, 1930). The exporter, Serge Mevellec, obtains these and other species from the drainage of the Lefini River, a tributary of the Congo to the north of Brazzaville.

Of course, I could not resist and had some fish bagged up for me. The pictured animals measure about 2 inches (5 cm) and will grow a few centimeters longer. I am curious to see how they will develop and whether I can persuade them to breed.
—Hans-Georg Evers

Reference
Ibala Zamba, A. 2010. Faune des poissons des rivieres Luki et Lefini (Bassin du Congo): diversite et ecologie. Unpublished thesis, ISBN 978-90-8649-320-3.

My aquarium basement. All the space is used. I have placed aquariums and created niches for the external filters in every nook possible.

No room for more tanks? Put them on wheels

Text & images by Hubert Selig
Excerpt from AMAZONAS Volume 3, Number 6

How do you establish an aquarium basement, if you really only wanted a beautiful living room aquarium? In my case, a defective solenoid valve was the trigger.

In 1999, we started our home construction. Of course, an aquarium was also included in the plans. “The bigger, the easier it is to maintain,” was how I argued for it with my wife.

And so it came to pass that a 1,400-L (360-gal) aquarium with the dimensions 200x100x70 cm (80 x 40 x 28 in) was included in the blueprint. We wanted it in the living room, where it would look like a picture, while an adjacent room would serve as engineering and maintenance space.

In 2000, we moved into the new house, and half a year later, the aquarium was in operation. I initially planned freshwater stingrays as the primary inhabitants. Then I saw adult Boeseman’s Rainbowfish, Melanotaenia boesemani, in a shop, and I was finally allowed to take a group home after much pleading. Thus began my passion for rainbowfish, and soon I came in contact with the IRG, the International Association of Rainbowfish.

Everything began with my living room aquarium. The equipment is hidden in the room behind.

Unfortunately, technology on my big planted aquarium failed me. A solenoid valve controlling the automatic water top-off system stuck and pumped cold water into the aquarium all night long. The resulting 9 °C (48 °F) the next morning was survived by only very few fish. We had to restock.

Following the large-tank disaster, I decided to expand into multiple small tanks for breeding.

From colleagues in the IRG I received fish, many of them rarely or never available from local dealers, and most with a known place of origin—just what rainbowfish keepers want. To have a “spare room” for new fish, I put an old 390-L (100-gal) aquarium in the basement. Because an old 54-L (12 gal) aquarium was available, I also tried to breed a few fish. That worked quite well, but where to grow out all the juvenile fish? A new tank was needed! Then it got out of hand…

The upper rows are resting on wall braces. Therefore, I can pull out the lower aquariums that rest on wheeled racks. (See below.)

…. and one turned into many.

First came the move into another basement compartment. Then came one aquarium after another. Finally, the whole room was full, so I started to tweak the system. A few smaller aquaria were replaced with larger tanks. A second, then a third, and a partial fourth shelf row were put in.

Only the largest aquariums are on a wall constructed with Ytong  (aerated concrete blocks, popular for building lightweight tank stands in Europe); the other aquariums are on shelves that rest on large self-welded iron angle brackets, which are fixed with adhesive bolts to the wall.

For example, there are two tanks, each with 240 L (60 gal) capacity on three brackets. I am of course my own structural engineer and hope these shelves will hold in the long term.

Tanks on wheels

I filter the larger aquariums with external filters because, for my purposes, the “Mattenfilter” foam filters take up too much space. Then I had the next problem: What to do with all the filters? Well, the bottom aquariums received wheels, so I could hide some filters in the corners. To clean the filter, I can now roll the tank to the side when they are half emptied.

Mobile stand in center of basement. Click to enlarge.

The smaller breeding tanks are all equipped with air-driven foam filters. Overall, I now run a system with a total capacity of about 10,000 L (2,600 gal).
In this system, I keep and breed 60 to 70 different species and forms, the majority are rainbowfishes, with some wild betta species, gobies, Corydoras, and whatever else tickles my interest.

However, since the space for the fish is never enough and the walls were filled to capacity, a solution for the center of the room had to be found. A regular aquarium would be in the way, so I needed a movable tank.

First, I bought an old office desk, reinforced it with some square timber, and put it on two moving dollies, each with a capacity of 250 kg (550 lb). This became the mobile unit for an aquarium with the dimensions 80 x 80 x 50 cm (32 x 32 x 20 in). I love aquariums with more depth.

The power for the filter and the lighting comes via a highly flexible 5-pin cable from the ceiling. This makes it possible to push the aquarium from one side to the other in order to work unobstructed. The filter moves along. I illuminate and heat the entire system with T5 fluorescent lamps.

This aquarium I wanted to illuminate with LEDs. To light only the central part, I chose two strips of “Econlux Solar Stinger Sun Strip” (8 watts each), which I positioned over the center of the aquarium   of course mobile too.

Anyone who visits me will find that the relatively small room (3.7×3.5 m; 12×11.5 ft) is used to the last centimeter. The hobby is not just about cleaning aquariums. Real fun means breeding, but also the conversion and construction are fun. Not to forget the relaxation factor…

Figure 1. Three banding patterns in the Tiger Barb. Half-banded (upper left), incompletely banded (upper right), and completely banded (lower right). Image: J. Frankel.

How a Banded Barb gets its stripes
by Jack S. Frankel, Ph.D.
Excerpt from Notebook, AMAZONAS Volume 3, Number 6 (November/December 2014)

I was quite interested to read Dr. Paul Loiselle’s article “Tetra-, Penta, Hexa-: A Review of the Banded Barb” in the September/October 2014 issue of AMAZONAS. The banded species of the Puntius complex have certainly attracted their share of attention in the aquarium hobby, not only for their colorful and varied banding patterns, but for the confusion surrounding their classification as well.

Dr. Loiselle’s examination of the banded barbs clearly provides a useful guide to all hobbyists, and particularly to those not familiar with these cyprinids. My laboratory at Howard University became involved with several species of Puntius as a result of studies designed to ascertain maternal and paternal contributions toward the development of hybrid barbs (Frankel and Wilson, 1984; Frankel, 1985a).

In the course of these investigations, we maintained and bred literally hundreds of Tiger Barbs (Puntius tetrazona). As anyone who has had the opportunity to observe large numbers of this species can attest, Tiger Barbs exhibit variation in the length of the second vertical band. This ranges from individuals exhibiting a full band to those in which the band extends from the dorsal margin of the body to only halfway down the side.

To the casual observer, it would appear that an infinite variety of band lengths occur. However, such is not the case and, by scoring hundreds of Tiger Barbs, we determined that fish could be categorized as having a complete band (band extends from dorsal to ventral margins), a half-band (band never extends more than 50 percent down the side), or an incomplete band (band extends more than 50 percent but not fully down the side).

We proceeded with a series of controlled matings; the phenotypic data of all progeny were recorded and subjected to statistical analysis to determine the mode of inheritance of this banding pattern (Frankel, 1985b). We conducted 30 separate crosses, beginning with those involving presumptive homozygous parentals, through F1 x F1 and backcross matings. All of our matings resulted in a satisfactory fit to expected proportions. So, what is the genetic basis for the variation in the length of the second vertical band?

It appears that two autosomal gene loci control the band length in Puntius tetrazona. Individuals with at least one dominant gene at both loci (A_B_) exhibit complete banding, while those lacking a dominant gene (aabb) exhibit half-banding. Fish with at least one dominant gene at either locus (A_bb or aaB_) are genetic intermediates and, indeed, express an intermediate banding pattern.

REFERENCES

Frankel, J.S. 1985a. Ontogenetic patterns of enzyme locus expression in Barbus hybrids (Cypriniformes, Teleostei). Comp Biochem Physiol 82B: 413–17.
Frankel, J.S. 1985b. Inheritance of trunk striping in the Sumatran tiger barb, Barbus tetrazona. J Hered 76: 478–79.
Frankel, J.S. and R.V. Wilson. 1984. Comparison of the spatial and temporal expression of supernatant malate dehydrogenase in Barbus hybrids. Comp Biochem Physiol 78B: 179–82.

Slavkov’s Bulgarian Green Gene Bulgarian Seal Point Pearlscale at left (D/Gm – S/+ – p/p – bg/bg), and Bulgarian Seal Point (D/Gm – S/+ – bg/bg) – images copyright Raiko Slavkov

In honor of the first importation of “Bulgarian Green” Angelfish genetics into the US by David Labell of AngelfishUSA, we present some background information in this excerpt from “Angelfish: Genetic Transparency Changes Everything” by Matt Pedersen, originally published in the January/February 2013 issue of AMAZONAS Magazine.

The next big [Angelfish] gene?

Perhaps the most interesting new development is the emergence of what some are calling a new mutation, currently termed the Bulgarian Green (bg) gene. This potentially unique mutation was discovered by Raiko and Ilia Slavkov, proprietors of Malavi in Bulgaria, in a phenotype that has been dubbed the Bulgarian Seal Point. Many questions have arisen. Is it really something new? Is Bulgarian Green recessive? Is it on a new locus? Or is it a new allele on the highly complex Dark locus?

Raiko is convinced that what they’ve found is a previously undiscovered recessive gene, exposed through 10 years of inbreeding with Dark Gold Marble (D/Gm) and Hybrid Dark (D/g) lineages. Assuming that our current understanding of the Dark locus and Gold Marble allele is correct, the Slavkovs performed a test cross of a Blushing Bulgarian Seal Point to a wild-type angelfish. The results revealed offspring that had either the Dark allele or the Gold Marble allele, both of which are thought to occupy the Dark locus. Since the Silver angelfish would have neither, the conclusion is that the Blushing Bulgarian Seal Point parent is contributing either a Dark allele or a Gold Marble allele to the offspring of this test cross. Raiko explains, “It is not possible to have a third gene in this locus.” In other words, the allele that drives the Bulgarian Seal Point cannot be on the Dark locus.

Raiko states that “the crosses I’ve made showed that Bulgarian Green is a new recessive gene in a new locus. The effect is that the new gene hides the black color in the body area (stripes, spots, or completely black body) [in] the phenotypes we know. The black color in the area of the fins does not change.”

It has taken a couple of years of breeding, with the capacity of a hatchery, for Raiko to come to these conclusions. It will take hard data provided to the Angelfish Society for the Bulgarian Green gene to be added to the genetic canon. Even if the Slavkovs don’t furnish such data, someone else might. There is a possibility that Bulgarian Green will be the next big gene making its way into the tanks of angelfish breeders; the Slavkovs report that they are selling their angelfish “on the local market,” so there is “no risk of losing the gene.”

A new mutation like Bulgarian Green always starts as a mystery. It is the diligent breeder or amateur scientist who may be able to figure it out and further our understanding of designer angelfishes.

You can read Matt Pedersen’s full article on Angelfish genetics in the digital archives, or buy the back issue.

Wild Guppies in the Mail: cover of AMAZONAS Magazine, Volume 6, Number 2, ENDLER’S LIVEBEARERS! On the cover: “Red Scarlet” Endlers: Poecilia
wingei x P. reticulata hybrids. Images by Hans-Georg Evers.

The March/April 2017 Issue of AMAZONAS Magazine is printed and now on its way to print magazine subscribers, local aquarium shops, and better bookstores.

On sale February 7th, 2017.

Readers of the Digital Edition can access it now: AMAZONAS DIGITAL EDITION
Paid subscribers can log in with their email addresses for instant access. The AMAZONAS digital version is available for desktop and laptop computers and tablets.

To gain access to the current issue and an archive of back issues, become a subscriber by following this link:

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE!
Get your personal subscription coming and don’t miss this big issue—just $29 per year. Save 40% off the newsstand price.

The Table of Contents: a first look at the comprehensive Endler coverage and diverse content throughout the issue. Read the TOC online here.

“[Endler’s Livebearer] has become a big deal in the aquarium world in the last few years, even competing with its larger, highly bred cousin, the fancy Guppy…AMAZONAS author Claus Osche…keeps in close contact with Endler enthusiasts around the world, and in a series of candid interviews they offer a good look into the aquarium life of this fish. I am very happy that Claus agreed to work on this issue, and I think you’ll find it a really special one.” -AMAZONAS Editor-in-chief, Hans-Georg Evers, introducing the new issue.

Aquatic Notebook starts off with a historical perspective from author Nico Röhrs, “Remembering the first imports of Betta splendens.”

Aquatic Notebook roams the world, here featuring a Rio Xingu update from Andreas Tanke reporting “Bad news from Brazil.”

Be ready to be wowed by some of the gaudiest little fishes you’ve ever seen, as authors Claus Osche and Katja Tyka introduce you to “ENDLER’S LIVEBEARER—From wild forms to hybrids.”

Meet Michael Kempkes of Bocholt, Germany, one of the most distinguished livebearer experts in the world and one of the describers of Poecilia wingei. He is the author of the two-volume monograph The Guppies, published in 2010—reason enough for AMAZONAS writer Claus Osche to interview him for this issue.

Anyone searching the Internet for premium Endlers and their variants will inevitably land on the websites of breeders Jef Pedro and Paul Eijkhout, as well as the Endler forum EndlersRus.eu and their group on Facebook. Claus Osche talked to Pedro and Eijkhout in Amsterdam and returned with insights from these prolific European breeders, shared in the interview “Endless Endlers.”

AMAZONAS Senior Editor Mike Tuccinardi takes readers on a tour of Sri Lankan and Vietnamese Guppy farms, which provide the vast majority of mass-produced fancy Guppies and Endlers to the world’s aquarium shops. Look for “Beyond the Flash & Fins” in the current issue of AMAZONAS Magazine.

In what has become an annual tradition, AMAZONAS showcases the winning aquascapes from the Aquatic Gardeners Association’s annual Aquascaping Content. The 2016 pictorial is introduced by the AGA Contest Chair, Bailin Shaw.

When Johannes Graf received an invitation from the Australia New Guinea Fishes Association (ANGFA) to speak at their meeting, he took the opportunity to get out into the wild streams of Australia, collecting rainbowfishes with the goal of introducing many new species to the aquarium hobby.

Breeding the Hairy Pufferfish (Pao baileyi) is a remarkable feat, and author Dr. Ralf Britz returns with fresh insights that at times contradict his initial observations from a few years ago.

Sergey Anikshteyn introduces readers to the Captivating Callochromis: The lovable sand cichlids of Lake Tanganyika.

Think locally-bred fishes can’t compete with inexpensive imports? Hans-Georg Evers’s visit with NK Tropical Fish, as shared in “LOCALLY BRED: A new movement toward quality fishes,” offers proof that it can be done, and done amazingly well.

Find out what’s happening and where in the aquarium world. Have an event coming up? Send Janine Banks an email to make sure it gets posted online and in print.

AMAZONAS Magazine’s must-read Species Snapshots keeps an eye on the newest and most interesting freshwater fish coming into the aquarium trade. In this issue: Lizard Tetras (Iguanodectes spp.), the Eyespot Rasbora (Brevibora cheeya), the Pygmy Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia pygmaea), the Fasin Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia fasinensis), Regan’s Mouthbrooder (Chromidotilapia regani), and the Gabon Dwarf Mouthbrooder (Chromidotilapia nana).

• Already a subscriber? ACCESS this issue now!
AMAZONAS subscribers can log in with their email address and read the Digital Edition and App Editions immediately.

• SUBSCRIBE and never miss an issue of AMAZONAS. Paid subscribers receive the classic Print Edition, as well as Free Access to the Digital Edition.  

Or check out AMAZONAS Apps for mobile devices—via iTunes, Google Play for Android devices, and the Amazon Kindle store.

A slice of “The Trip,” first place winner of the Aquatic Garden, 200–320 L category. Yang Yufan, of Chongqing, China, created this masterpiece. See the full aquascape below.

“The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.”
—JOHN MUIR

“Simply awesome,” said one veteran observer. “Even Takashi Amano himself would have been stopped in his tracks by this aquascape.”

With a strong sense that the boundaries of underwater gardening are continuing to expand, the Aquatic Gardeners Association International Aquascaping Contest wrapped up another successful year in late 2016. The contest showcased many beautiful works of living aquatic art from around the world. Contestants from more than 40 countries entered over 500 aquascapes; entries from Europe and Asia were especially competitive. The passion inspired by the late Takashi Amano is clearly alive and well, despite the master’s untimely passing in 2015.

There are nine categories in the AGA Aquascaping Contest. In each of the six main categories, which are based on size—from nano tanks to the largest aquascapes—the number of entries increased over the previous year, attesting to the growing popularity of planted tanks. Each year, new trends and styles are presented for the public to admire and emulate. In the three specialty categories—Paludarium, Biotope, and Dutch—there was excellent participation, as exemplified by the first place winners shown in these pages.

AMAZONAS Magazine, March/April 2017 with this article featuring Aquatic Gardening Association Winners in print or digital editions. See bottom of page for ordering link. Click for enlarged view.

“Dream”: Best of Show
The 2016 Best of Show winner (pictured above) was a 370-liter (98-gallon) aquascape called “Dream,” designed by Wang Chao of Beijing, China. All of the judges admired this stunning display comprised of wood and mosses. As Domenico Losciale of Anubias, Italy, said, “Excellent work on building an impressive aquascape. The driftwood, the aquatic moss, and the lighting are superb. The whole aquascape is very well balanced.”

Judges & Volunteers
This event would never be as successful as it is without the efforts of our esteemed judges: AGA’s own Karen Randall (Massachusetts, USA), André Longarço (Aquabase, Brazil), Balbi Vaquero (Fish Corner, Spain), and Domenico Losciale (Anubias, Italy). I would also like to acknowledge Marco Aukes of the Netherlands for providing his expertise and judging acumen for the Dutch Aquascape category. I also extend hearty thanks to our one-man technical crew, Erik Olson, who manages the entries and creates and maintains the website for a contest that has grown in size and competitiveness every year. For more information on the aquascapes, judges’ comments, and entries from previous years, visit http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/.

—Bailin Shaw, AGA Contest Chair

AGA AMAZONAS GALLERY
All images Copyright © the AGA 2016 entrants. Click image for larger view.

AQUATIC GARDEN, smaller than 28L (7 US gallons) category

“Follow Me,” 2016 Winner of the Smaller than 28-L category. Aquascape by Herry Rasio from Malang Jawa Timur, Indonesia

Aquascape Details
Tank size: 30 x 18 x 24 cm (12 x 7.1 x 9.4 inches)
Volume: 13 L (3 gallons)
Lighting: ADA Aquasky Moon LED 301, Sunsun HW-602B
Plants: Bucephalandra, “Mini Christmas” Moss, Vesicularia ferriei (“Weeping Moss”), Riccardia sp., Anubias nana var. “Petite”
Fishes/animals: Paracheirodon axelrodi (Cardinal Tetras)
Decorative materials: Garang stone, Pemphis acidula wood

Judges’ Comments
Domenico Losciale: “There are some astoundingly beautiful aquascapes among these tiny tanks. However, they ARE tiny tanks, and I wish more people would take that into consideration before including fishes in their layouts. If fishes are used, they need to be very carefully chosen. Most fishes are just not suitable for this size tank.”
André Longarço: “Very strong and unusual. A little bit more work in the white sand would look better and more natural.”

AQUATIC GARDEN, 28-60L (7-15 US gallons) category

“Flow,” 2016 Winner of the Aquatic Garden, 28–60 L category. Aquascape by Jirawong Laopiyasakul from Pattaya Chonburi, Thailand

Aquascape Details
Tank size: 45 x 30 x 30 cm (18 x 12 x 12 inches)
Volume: 41 L (11 gallons)
Lighting: Chihiros A-Series (A451) x 2 | 6 hours a day
Plants: Vesicularia ferriei, Hyophila involuta, Fontinalis antipyretica, Plagiomnium trichomanes, Taxiphyllum sp. “Flame,” Riccardia graeffei, Fissidens fontanus, F. nobilis, F. splachnobryoides, F. zippelianus, Taxiphyllum sp. “Spiky,” Crepidomanes auriculatum, Limnophila heterophylla, Rotala wallichii
Fishes/animals: Boraras urophthalmoides (Least Rasbora)
Decorative materials: Local driftwood and rocks, Black Earth Premium substrate

Judges’ Comments
Domenico Losciale: “Stunning! The very fine textures and extensive use of several aquatic mosses work brilliantly in this aquarium.”
André Longarço: “Great layout! Very powerful. Nice balance and naturality. Good perspective, but if the woods in the back were thinner, the sense of depth might be stronger.”

AQUATIC GARDEN, 60-120L (15-31 US gallons) category

“Nature Colors,” Winner of the Aquatic Garden, 60–120 L category. Aquascape by Carlos Souza from São Paulo, Brazil

Aquascape Details
Tank size: 60 x 40 x 25 cm (24 x 16 x 9.8 inches)
Volume: 60 L (16 gallons)
Lighting: T5 14W Phillips x 6 lamps
Filtration: 2 Eheim 2213
Plants: Anubias nana var. “Petite,” Callitriche sp., Eleocharis minima, Glossostigma elatinoides, Echinodorus tenellus “Blood,” Hemianthus callitrichoides “Cuba,” Hydrocotyle tripartita, Ludwigia sp. “Red,” Staurogyne sp., Nambei Moss, Fontinalis antipyretica “Willow Moss,” Riccardia chamedryfolia, Hygrophila pinnatifida, Microsorum sp. “Spoon,” Rotala rotundifolia, R. wallichii, Rotala sp. “Green,” Cabomba caroliniana, Myriophyllum mattogrossense, Limnophila sp. “Vietnam”
Fishes: Paracheirodon axelrodi (Cardinal Tetra), Corydoras hastatus (Pygmy Cory)
Decorative materials: Rocks and driftwood, Mbreda Nature Sand

Judges’ Comments
Karen Randall: “Lovely trimming technique on a vibrant tank.”
André Longarço: “Very impressive job. Classical layout with good proportions and colors! Natural atmosphere. Maybe the trimming could be better, mostly in the stem plants, and some movement in the surface could be welcome, but anyway, awesome job.”

AQUATIC GARDEN, 120-200L (31-52 US gallons) category

“Harmonious,” Winner of the Aquatic Garden, 120–200 L category. Aquascape by Pan Yuecheng from Foshan City, China.

Aquascape Details
Tank size: 90 x 45 x 45 cm (35 x 18 x 18 inches)
Volume: 182 L (48 gallons)
Background: Aqua Soil – Africana
Lighting: Opnova EZ-600
Filtration: Eheim Classic 2213
Plants: Anubias nana var. “Petite,” Taxiphyllum sp. “Flame,” Crepidomanes auriculatum, Riccardia graeffei, Taxiphyllum sp. “Spiky,” Taxiphyllum sp., Fissidens splachnobryoides
Fish: Hyphessobrycon amandae (Ember Tetra)

Judges’ Comments
Balbi Vaquero: “Exceptional work! I love the endless depth. The effects of light and shadow give a lot of character in an aquarium full of details, inviting you to gaze at it for hours. Congratulations!”
André Longarço: “Amazing work! Very natural and strong layout. I like the mosses, but in my opinion you could take out 20 percent of the wood and it would still be wonderful.”
Long Tran Hoang: “Using a typical layout in a charming and clever way and positioning the fishes well, the owner has created a very fresh and attractive natural scene.”

AQUATIC GARDEN, 200-320L (52-84 US gallons) category

“The Trip,” Winner of the Aquatic Garden, 200–320 L category. Aquascape by Yang Yufan from Chingquing, China

Aquascape Details
Tank size: 150 x 45 x 45 cm (59 x 18 x 18 inches)
Volume: 300 L (79 gallons)
Lighting: 150W metal halide lamps x 2
Filtration: EH600 x 2
Plants: Riccardia chamedryfolia “Coral Moss,” Vesicularia sp. “Small Triangle Moss,” “Tears Moss,” “Moss Mei Feng,” “Aoki Fern,” “Pepper Young, “Xiaorong”
Fish: Paracheirodon axelrodi (Cardinal Tetra, as furnished “Lotus Lantern”)
Decorative materials: Azalea roots, ADA black mud, Dragon Stone, driftwood, sand

Judges’ Comments
André Longarço: “Awesome! Great job, very strong. Good balance and flow. The gravel scaping could be more detailed and natural. One of my favorite layouts.”

AQUATIC GARDEN, Biotope Aquascape category

“Cryptoheros in Rio Lancetilla,” Winner of the Biotope Aquascape category. Aquascape by Tomislav Sobota from Zagreb, Croatia

Aquascape Details
Tank size: 136 x 57 x 60 cm (54 x 22 x 24 inches)
Volume: 465 L (123 gallons)
Background: Black tape
Lighting: DIY lighting, two LED spotlights, cool + warm white
Filtration: Sump filter filled with ceramic rings, different aquarium filter sponge + refugium inside sump with aquatic plants, such as Anubias sp. and Microsorum sp.
Fishes: Cryptoheros cutteri (Cutter’s Blue-Eyed Cichlid) x 6
Decorative materials: The aquarium decoration comprises fine river sand mixed with river gravel for substrate, large round stones and pebbles collected on my local river banks, and some branches collected in the forest.
Additional Information: This aquarium represents the small part of Rio Lancetilla in Honduras. Lancetilla river is native Cutteri river. It flows in the Lancetilla botanical garden, which is the second largest garden in the world. It is a natural rocky river with roundish grey, white, and brown stones with rarely any plants, the water is hard, and the pH is around 7.5.

Judges’ Comments
Balbi Vaquero: “Rating this category certainly has been a big challenge for me. The entrants must have a lot of knowledge and talent to be able to create such faithful and realistic reproductions.”

AQUATIC GARDEN, Paludarium category

“Double Day,” Winner of the Palundarium category. Aquascape by Lang Zehua from Beijing, China

Aquascape Details
Tank size: 130 x 70 x 80 cm (51 x 28 x 31 inches)
Volume: 728 L (193 gallons)
Lighting: 59W, 6–8 hours a day
Filtration: AT1200
Plants: “Chiba Blue,” “Perak,” “Golden Years Grass,” “Mosaic Implement,” “Iris,” Pellaea rotundifolia “Button Fern, Fern “String Lines,” Round Watercress, Vesicularia sp. “Small Triangle Moss”
Fishes/animals: Thayeria boehlkei (Penguin Tetra), Neocaridina denticulata (Black Shell Shrimp)
Decorative Materials: Pumice, red jade soil, sand, Dragon Stone

Judges’ Comments
Karen Randall: “This year’s paludarium competition included some of the most beautiful, innovative paludariums I’ve ever seen. Unfortunately, it also included too many ‘terrariums with a little water in the bottom.’ In a good paludarium, a significant amount of care and attention are put into the aquatic section as well as the terrestrial part.”
André Longarço: “Amazing work! The way the entrant resolved both underwater and terrestrial scenes is very interesting. I particularly love this category—it’s a different way to bring nature inside your house.”

AQUATIC GARDEN, Dutch Aquascape category

“Fall is Coming,” Winner of the Dutch Aquascape category. Aquascape by Gabor Vereb from Debrecen, Hungary

Aquascape Details
Tank size: 120 x 45 x 45 cm (47 x 18 x 18 inches)
Volume: 243 L (64 gallons)
Lighting: T5 39W x 6
Filtration: Hydor Professional 600
Plants: Heteranthera zosterifolia, Alternanthera reineckii “Mini,” Penthorum sedoides, Glossostigma elatinoides, Lobelia cardinalis, Monosolenium tenerum, Pogostemon helferi, P. erectus, Ludwigia palustris, L. repens “Rubin,” Hygrophila pinnatifida, Myriophyllum mattogrossense, Blyxa japonica, Limnophila hippuridoides, Proserpinaca palustris “Cuba,” Microsorum pteropus “Trident”
Fishes: Trigonostigma hengeli (Glowlight Rasbora) x 20, Pehtia padamya (Odessa Barb) x 4
Decorative materials: Cypress driftwood, rocks, and substrate from the river where these fishes live
Substrate: Tropica Soil Powder

Judges’ Comments
Marco Aukes: “A standard trick when looking at Dutch-Style Aquascaping is to squint. If you can still see strong contrasts between the different plant groups, it means you have done a great job. This tank, while the best this year, still has too many groups of plants that lack that contrast. In addition, the strong red plant that draws all the focus is placed right in the center of the tank.”

AQUATIC GARDEN, 320L or larger (84 US gallons and larger) category
BEST of SHOW Winner

“Dream,” Winner of the Aquatic Garden, 320L or larger category, and Best In Show. Aquascape by Wang Chao from Beijing, China

Aquascape Details
Tank size: 150 x 55 x 45 cm (59 x 22 x 18 inches)
Volume: 370 L (98 gallons)
Lighting: ADA 150W x 2 metal halide
Filters: 600 x 2 Dry Iraq
Plants: Riccardia chamedryfolia “Coral Moss,” Vesicularia sp. “Small Triangle Moss,” “Tears Moss”
Fishes: Paracheirodon axelrodi (Cardinal Tetra), Trichonostigman heteromorpha (Harlequin Rasbora)
Decorative materials: ADA mud, driftwood, Azalea root

Judges’ Comments
André Longarço: “Stunning composition! Layout is meticulously assembled. I would take a little more care with the thickness of the horizontal pieces of wood. The section with white sand could be designed with more little rocks, gravel, and plants; the way it is, the layout will not look natural to most people. But it is absolutely gorgeous.”
Domenico Losciale: “Excellent work building an impressive aquascape. The driftwood, the aquatic mosses, and the lighting are superb, and the whole aquascape is very well balanced. Congratulations!”

CREDITS
AMAZONAS Magazine
March/April 2017 (English Edition)
Order this Issue (Print Edition)
Subscribe to AMAZONAS

Cave mouths, as seen in this view from a Chinese cavern, are fantastic photographic opportunities to convey both the scale and mystery of large cave systems.

LIFE IN THE DARK
EXPLORING CAVE RIVERS
• article & images by Dante Fenolio, Ph.D.

Excerpt from AMAZONAS Magazine
May/June 2017, Volume 6 #3

Groundwater wildlife: communicating science and conservation through photography

Dr. Dante Fenolio with his customized cave river photography rig.

A crisp morning in the Ozarks found us sitting in the cab of an old, idling pickup truck, waiting for a couple of cavers to meet us. The heater’s fan rattled through the vent and pushed warm air out from the sun-cracked dash. Through the windshield I scanned the rugged landscape. Limestone cliffs rose hundreds of feet above the valley floor. Thick vegetation grew on the tops and sides of the peaks, but the trees had already dropped all their leaves and their bare branches swayed in the wind. One of the massive rock faces had an opening at its base with a stream flowing out of it. A thick cloud of mist rose from the cave mouth, steam swirling upward from the stream: at this time of day, the air temperature was a good 20 degrees cooler than the water. I wasn’t excited about getting into the waterway, even with a wetsuit, but this was an opportunity I had been waiting for for a long time.

The team arrived and we pulled on layers of cave gear: a polypro heat-capturing underlayer combined with a ballistic nylon oversuit to prevent damage or injury from sharp limestone edges. Over the years, I’ve found that this two-wetsuit system helps me remain warmer for a longer window of time while swimming in groundwater. With the remainder of our gear in hand—helmets with at least three lights, snorkeling gear, packs with water, some food, and other basic supplies—we began our hike into the mouth of the cave.

Landscapes where cave formation is common—like these limestone karst hills in Southern China—are often times rugged and wild. These peaks continue for mile after mile and are riddled with caves.

The stream inside wound through a corridor that it had carved from the block of limestone over thousands of years. The walls had been worn smooth by countless floods and strong currents. Most of the passage was several meters in width, and the water was 6.5 feet (2 m) deep or deeper in places. Just getting into the water is often the worst part of these surveys. Groundwater at roughly 55°F (13°C) trickles into your wetsuit. Before your body heat can warm the water, the temperature shock is…well, unpleasant.

One of the most famous of the cavefishes is the Waterfall Climbing Loach (Cryptotora thamicola) from Thailand. The stark background can force the viewer to look at the fine details of the subject.

One must snorkel to survey the cave system for a species of cave crayfish—our target. In the beam of a submersible flashlight, these paper-white crustaceans almost appear blue. They are delicate and without eyes. This species is a treasure found only in the subterranean waterways of the region. Regular counts of these invertebrates are included in our annual surveys for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. We found a healthy number of crayfish that morning, and as I watched them scuttle across the floor of the cave I began to think about photographing this fauna in a different way than I had seen before. Watching cave crayfish move over the substrate on the bottom of the cave stream was amazing. I realized that few people had ever seen what I was witnessing, and I wanted to capture those images in situ somehow, in hopes that sharing such moments with others would help impart the value of these unique animals.

Author and caving partner observe an endangered blind groundwater crayfish in an Oklahoma cave. Subterranean communities are some of the least known but most threatened ecosystems on earth.

Years later I found myself in another cave stream on the opposite side of the planet—in South China. By this time I had photographed cave fauna in situ on several continents, and capturing subterranean species in the habitats that I have had the privilege of visiting had become something of an obsession. I had refined my underwater camera housing and strobes and now had a rig that wasn’t quite as heavy as the systems I had used prior; carting these rigs into and out of caves is a lot of work, and a lighter system really makes a difference. But the techniques were basically the same: lots of snorkeling and observation of cave fauna, lots and lots of images taken. I have found, however, that I prefer a combination of in-situ and photo tank images to photographically depict any given species. Years of refining my method have led me to a relatively simple system—I like to shoot a given species against a background of stark black, forcing the viewer to really scrutinize the centerpiece species.

Snorkeling through the cave rivers in south China, I’ve found many beautiful and endemic species, such as this curious-looking cyprinid known as the Small Eye Golden-line Fish, Sinocyclecheilus microphthalmus.

In addition to my photography technique, something else has changed over the years. The group of organisms that I have spent so much time studying and photographing has become more and more imperiled. The majority of subterranean species have small, restricted ranges, and more than 95 percent of obligate subterranean species are listed by the Nature Conservancy as vulnerable or imperiled. A small range results in a greater susceptibility to extinction, and the potential for human disturbance of subterranean systems is high. One way contaminants can reach groundwater is through chemical spills—for example, a liquid fertilizer spill in Missouri contaminated an aquifer and killed hundreds of obligate groundwater organisms, including Grotto Salamander larvae, blind groundwater fishes, and blind crayfishes.^2,3 Agriculture poses another major risk—through chemical or waste-laden runoff entering groundwater systems and through excessive use of groundwater for irrigation. When a groundwater system like an aquifer is contaminated by runoff or chemical pollution, the fauna living there have no place to take refuge—the entire habitat has been affected.    

Capturing subterranean species in situ depicts the microhabitats where the species are found. This is the Palace of the Dragon God Loach (Oreonectes macrolepis), endemic to a small area of Southern China.

When I refer to the “importance” of groundwater inhabitants, there are several points that I wish to stress. First, although they rarely come into direct contact, humans and cave river fauna are actually inextricably linked, and contamination or over-harvest of groundwater threatens both subterranean species and humans living on the surface who rely on this water.^{1,2,3,4,6,7,8} Furthermore, the health of cave fauna populations reflects the quality of the groundwater in which they live. Groundwater communities include organisms such as amphibians and invertebrates, which are sensitive to environmental contaminants—particularly fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemicals.^{11,12,13,14,15,16,17} These animals are the proverbial “canaries in a coal mine,” and closely monitoring and watching for changes in their populations can provide early warning signs of impending ecological disaster.

Management of groundwater as a renewable resource is becoming more important than ever before. Well over of 50 percent of all US citizens, and millions more globally, now rely directly on groundwater for their freshwater needs.¹⁸ The risk of groundwater contamination in the United States is greatest in agricultural areas where, ironically, an estimated 95 percent of local residents depend on the resource.¹⁸ A similar pattern is observed in other regions of the world. And if this isn’t enough reason to care about wildlife living in groundwater, contemporary research indicates that we have much to learn from species that live in aquifers and what we learn can have profound impacts on our understanding of human issues. For example, studies of cavefishes are providing a better understanding of autism and schizophrenia. Undoubtedly, we can discover countless secrets through the continued study of these organisms.¹⁹

A cave loach from Southern China in its clear-water habitat. Like most loaches, it uses its sensitive barbels to find food.

This brings me at last to the importance of introducing groundwater fauna to the public. If people don’t know about something, they won’t care about it—this is the truth underlying all the conservation and education efforts undertaken by zoos, aquariums, and documentary filmmakers. There is no better way to teach the general public about the unique but imperiled life found below ground than through photography.

The denizens of cave rivers represent an odd and fascinating community of organisms—lack of eyes and pigment in many species creates bizarre, alien-looking life forms. But is also important not to forget the deeply-rooted mystery and awe surrounding caves that has drawn humans to them for millennia. This is an important part of my approach as a photographer and conservation biologist—to incorporate “the cave” into my images of cave fauna and to include humans into those images. I think depicting the surrounding environment (and not just the animal) is critically important to instill an appreciation for the habitats themselves. After all, it is not merely the remarkable blind cave salamanders or crayfishes that are threatened, but also the waters and magnificent cave systems they call home.

Below: The Delaware County Cave Crayfish (Cambarus subterraneus). This obligate groundwater crayfish is known only from the subterranean waters of three cave systems in Oklahoma and is considered critically endangered.

I hope you enjoy the images I have shared here, and that they get you thinking about the animals that, although they live life in dark, isolated habitats, are nevertheless threatened with many of the same issues facing freshwater fishes and invertebrates worldwide. As aquarists, most of you already have a particular knowledge of the fragile diversity of the underwater world, but if any of the earth’s biodiversity is to be saved, those of us with a passion for these special species and unusual places need to step up and advocate for them while there is still time.  

Online
San Antonio Zoo Conservation
https://sazoo.org/conservation/field_conservation

Print Edition of this AMAZONAS article: Order Direct from Publisher.

Related Reading
Keeping Blind Cave Fishes (or not), by Michael J. Tuccinardi
Excerpt from AMAZONAS Magazine
May/June 2017, Volume 6 #3

References

¹ Culver, D.C., L.L. Master, M.C. Christman, and H.H. Hobbs III. 2000.  Obligate cave fauna of the 48 contiguous United States. Conserv Biol 14 (2): 386─401.

² Crunkilton, R. 1982. Bitter Harvest. Missouri Conservationist, Nov.: 4–7.

³ ———. 1984. Subterranean contamination of Meramac Spring by ammonia nitrate and urea fertilizer and its implication on rare cave biota. Proceedings of the 1984 National Cave Management Symposium, J Missouri Speleol Soc 25: 151–58.

⁴ Fenolio, D.B., M.L. Niemiller, M. Levy, and B. Martinez. 2013. Conservation status of the Georgia Blind Salamander (Eurycea wallacei) from the Floridan aquifer system of Florida and Georgia. Rep Amphib Conserv Nat Hist 20: 97–111.

⁵ Nolan B.T., B.C. Ruddy, K.J. Hitt, and D.R. Helsel. 1998. A national look at nitrate contamination of ground water. Water Conditioning and Purification 39 (12): 76–79.

⁶ Gunn, J., P. Hardwick, and P.J. Wood. 2000. The invertebrate community of the Peak-Speedwell cave system, Derbyshire, England.  Pressures and considerations for conservation management. Aquat Conserv 10: 353–69.

⁷ Wood, P.J., J. Gunn, and J. Perkins. 2002. The impact of pollution on aquatic invertebrates within a subterranean ecosystem—out of sight out of mind. Archiv für Hydrobiologie 155 (2): 223–37.

⁸ Graening, G.O., D.B. Fenolio, and M.E. Slay. 2012. Cave Life of Oklahoma and Arkansas, pp 1–228. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, OK.

⁹ Mace, R.E., R. Petrossian, R. Bradley, and W.F. Mullican III. 2008. A streetcar named desired future conditions: The new groundwater availability for Texas, Chapter 3.1. The State Bar of Texas 7th Annual Conference “The Changing Face of Water Rights in Texas,” San Antonio.

¹⁰ Margat, J. 1994. Groundwater operations and management. In: Gilbert, J., D. Danielopol, and J. Stanford (eds), Groundwater Ecology, pp. 508–22. Academic Press.

¹¹ Cole, L.M., and J.E. Casida. 1983. Pyrethroid toxicology in the frog. Pest Biochem Physiol 20: 217–24.

¹² Hecnar, J.S. 1995. Acute and chronic toxicity of ammonium nitrate fertilizer to amphibians from southern Ontario. Environ Toxicol Chem 14 (12): 2131–37.

¹³ Sparling, D.W., G.M. Fellers, and L.L. McConnell. 2001. Pesticides and amphibian population declines in California, USA. Environ Toxicol Chem 20 (7): 1591–95.

¹⁴ de Wijer, P., P.J. Watt, and R.S. Oldham. 2004. Amphibian decline and aquatic pollution: Effects of nitrogenous fertilizer on survival and development of larvae of the frog Rana temporaria. Appl Herpetol 1: 3–12.

¹⁵ Relyea, R.A. 2005a. The lethal impacts of Roundup and predatory stress on six species of North American tadpoles. Arch Environ Contamin Toxicol 48 (3): 351–57.

¹⁶ ———. 2005b. The impact of insecticides and herbicides on the biodiversity and productivity of aquatic communities. Ecol Appl 15 (2): 618–27.

¹⁷ ———. 2005c. The lethal impact of Roundup on aquatic and terrestrial amphibians. Ecol Appl 15 (4): 1118–24.

¹⁸ USGS (United States Geological Survey). 2005. Pesticides in Groundwater. http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/pesticidesgw.html.

¹⁹ Pennisi, E. 2016. Antisocial cave fish may hold clues to schizophrenia, autism. Science, DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf5813.

Online
San Antonio Zoo Conservation
https://sazoo.org/conservation/field_conservation

References
See online edition of this article for full references and to post comments.
https://sazoo.org/conservation/field_conservation

Large shoal of Mexican Tetras, Astyanax mexicanus, in Car Wash Cenote, Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico. This species occurs in three forms: fish with normal eyesight in pools having access to sunlight; cave forms with degenerated eyesight; totally blind and eyeless tetras living in total darkness. The different forms are reported to be able to interbreed successfully. © Steffen Binke/SeaPics.com

by Michael J. Tuccinardi

While cave fishes may seem like blind, curious creatures from another world, many of us in the aquarium hobby had our first encounter with the strange world of subterranean fishes when we saw real, live examples in our local aquarium shop.

I remember staring at a school of pale white, eyeless Blind Cave Tetras (Astyanax mexicanus) as a child and feeling equally fascinated and repulsed. Years later, when I found myself working the fishroom at that same shop, despite this species’ bizarre appearance they came to seem so commonplace as to barely merit a second glance.

Actually, the almost ubiquitous cave-dwelling form of A. mexicanus is probably the only cavefish that is seen in the aquarium hobby with any regularity. This fish (which, interestingly enough, has a surface-dwelling, fully pigmented form, complete with eyes!) hails from cave systems in northeastern Mexico and made its appearance in the aquarium trade as early as 1949. Proving hardy and relatively easy to breed, it is now commercially produced all over the world and can be found in nearly every retail shop that sells aquarium fishes.

The Blind Cave Tetra is found in cave river systems in Tampico, San Luis Potosi, and Guerrero states in Mexico, although the surface-dwelling variant is much more widespread. Interestingly, it appears that populations of the fish have evolved into sightless, unpigmented forms independently on several occasions, and there is some variability in the cave-dwelling morphology (pigmentation, reduced vs. missing eyes) among populations. The cave habitats they are found in are primarily limestone formations, in some cases, ancient coral reefs that rose up from the sea in the middle cretaceous. Many of these caves were formed as surface waters eroded the underlying limestone formations to spill into the complex network of subterranean hollows and pockets, forming cave rivers and possibly introducing surface-dwelling fish into a novel environment.

Mexican Blind Cave Tetras, Astyanax mexicanus, in a
biotope aquarium. © 2013 Jeff Whitlock/Courtesy the online zoo.

A subterranean biotope tank

Due to the limestone-based caves and formations, the groundwater streams that Blind Cave Tetras inhabit are typically hard, alkaline, and mineral-rich. Although extremely adaptable in the aquarium, those interested in keeping them under close to natural conditions would do well to maintain a pH over 7.5 and add salt to the water. Given the nature of their strange but beautiful underwater habitats, A. mexicanus would make for an ideal focal point of a biotope-style aquarium that should appeal to any creative aquascaper. Utilizing a selection of distinctive rock (the right pieces of lace rock can serve this purpose well), a mixed substrate of fine rounded gravel with a sand or clay base, subdued focused spot-lighting, and perhaps a custom background made to look like the walls of a cave, an aquarium centered around a school of these fascinating cave-dwellers would make for an unforgettable display.

There is an incredible diversity of fish species that have evolved to survive in lightless subterranean environments—many have lost their eyes and pigmentation entirely. But while the natural inclination for aquarium hobbyists who have seen spectacular photos of new and bizarre species is to imagine them in their own home aquariums, I want to echo Dr. Dante Fenolio’s advice to take a moment to consider why these fish do not belong in the trade. He says:

“I’ll ask for a favor here—if you ever see cavefishes on a list for sale, please do not buy them. Populations of cavefishes are typically small and are vulnerable to this kind of collection, owing to the ready attraction of many species to bait in traps. No population of cavefishes can withstand commercial harvest for the aquarium trade or for any other commercial endeavor.”

Other species in the previous article on cave rivers already have been negatively impacted by harvesting for the aquarium trade. Although the bulk of these specimens have wound up on the Asian market (I have not yet seen any enter the trade in the U.S.), perceived demand and the high prices these rare fishes can fetch will continue to fuel unsustainable harvest. Dr. Fenolio, a member of the Chinese Cavefish Working Group, has documented several cases in which collection for the aquarium trade in China has caused significant declines.

In short, with the exception of the commercially bred Mexican Blind Cave Tetra (Astyanax mexicanus), I urge hobbyists to resist the temptation to buy these beautiful but threatened fishes, should they become available as wild-collected specimens. I have researched and often written about the positive aspects of wild-capture aquarium fisheries, but, given the extremely isolated and often tiny populations of most cavefish species, I have to agree with Dr. Fenolio’s conclusion that there is simply no room for wild collection when it comes to most (if not all) species of obligate cave-dwellers.   

Get the AMAZONAS issue with this article direct from the publisher.

References

Cave Rivers: Subterranean Aquatic Life by Dr. Dante Fenolio
Amazonas Magazine, Vol. 6, Number 3, May/June 2017
http://www.reef2rainforest.com/2017/03/17/subterranean-aquatic-life/

Benthic Beauties in the mail: cover of AMAZONAS Magazine, Volume 6, Number 3, Beguiling Gobies! On the cover: Vietnamese Rhinogobius sp. Images by Friedrich Bitter.

The May/June 2017 Issue of AMAZONAS Magazine is printed and now on its way to magazine subscribers, local aquarium shops, and better bookstores.  On sale April 4th, 2017.

Readers of the Digital Edition can access it now: AMAZONAS DIGITAL EDITION
Paid subscribers can log in with their email addresses for instant access. The AMAZONAS digital version is available for desktop and laptop computers and tablets.

To gain access to the current issue and an archive of back issues, become a subscriber by following this link:

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE!
Get your personal subscription coming and don’t miss this big issue—just $29 per year. Save 40% off the newsstand price.

HEREWITH, A sampling of articles and opening pages for readers curious about what the issue will bring.

The Table of Contents: a first look at the comprehensive Rare Gobies coverage and diverse content throughout the issue. Read the TOC online here.

“Many aquarists think that freshwater gobies are of interest to only a few enthusiasts, but this is a misconception.” – AMAZONAS Editor-in-chief, Hans-Georg Evers, introducing the new issue.

“In a group of young tank-bred Corydoras trilineatus, we noticed a fish with a black spot on its right side. On closer inspection, this ‘spot’ turned out to be a second dorsal fin on that side.” Aquatic Notebook begins with the curious tale of “Siamese twins in Corydoras trilineatus,” as told by Dr. Klaus Horn and Wolfgang Dittmann.

Aquatic Notebook continues with “Rainforest Buying Power: New products that support Project Piaba and sustainable fishing in South America.”

Aquatic Notebook highlights a newly described small tetra with the potential to become popular with breeders and mainstream aquarium keepers.

Hans-Georg Evers takes a closer look at some spectacular and unusual juvenile green Silver Dollars that have been spotted in recent import shipments.

“Some aquarium animals are encountered unexpectedly. This is exactly what happened to me in a remote mountain stream when I pulled up some species of fish in my net more or less by accident.” Join Friedrich Bitter on a species-finding expedition to northern Vietnam.

Meet the Timika Gobies: “…excellent subjects for aquarium-keeping. They’re fascinating to observe and fairly easy to breed, but not much is known about their reproductive biology.”

“The African sleepier gobies in the genus Kribia are lovely predatory inhabitants with endlessly watchable behaviors for species tanks and nano-aquariums.” Stanislav Kislyuk shares his experiences.

“The ‘Nature Aquarium,’ that enchanting artist’s garden of stone, wood, and aquatic plants introduced by Takashi Amano, is today drawing newcomers into the freshwater aquarium hobby as never before,”  says Steve Waldron in starting his new series, Creating Nature, to help AMAZONAS readers find a path to planted tank success.

“Get way outside your comfort zone and experience,” says cave river explorer Dr. Dante Fenolio, with a introduction by Michael J. Tuccinardi.

AMAZONAS Editor Hans-Georg Evers documents the potential of Brazil to provide endless exciting new fish species discoveries—if the country doesn’t desecrate its own aquatic natural resources in a rush to build dams.

Are you up to the challenge? Holger Zinke shares his experiences with a fiercely territorial African cichlid, Neolamprologus pectoralis.

Pleco lovers, get acquainted with Ancistrus sp. “Inambari Dwarf”: A new pygmy bristlenose cat from Peru that has caught the attention of amateur breeder Anna-Sophie Hawranek.

Get to know the legendary “Wessy,” whose breeding aquariums fill every nook of his Bavarian home—even the family bathroom, where the author spotted courting catfish during an unforgettable afternoon visit.

This issue’s must-read Species Snapshots zeroes in on new animals coming into the aquarium trade, among them: Black Neon Ricefish (Oryzias woworae “Black”), the new Blue Punk Ram (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi “Blue Punk”), the Samurai Puffer (Dichotomyctere etythrotaenia) and others.

Closing the issue is a beautiful Tiger Stripe Silver Dollar as photographed by Morrell Devlin, who says this peaceful shoaling species looks spectacular when kept in groups in a large aquarium—something for the rest of us to dream about.

• Already a subscriber? ACCESS this issue now!
AMAZONAS subscribers can log in with their email address and read the Digital Edition and App Editions immediately.

• SUBSCRIBE and never miss an issue of AMAZONAS. Paid subscribers receive the classic Print Edition, as well as Free Access to the Digital Edition.

Or check out AMAZONAS Apps for mobile devices—via iTunes, Google Play for Android devices, and the Amazon Kindle store.

The new aquascaping series from AMAZONAS Magazine starts in the May/June 2017 issue.

Subscribe to AMAZONAS – Never Miss an Issue

Don’t miss this ongoing series by Steve Waldron, Amazonas Senior Contributor and editor of Takashi Amano’s English biography, Origin of Creation.

Finding the path to Nature Aquarium success

article & images by Steve Waldron • The “Nature Aquarium,” that enchanting artist’s garden of stone, wood, and aquatic plants introduced by Takashi Amano, is today drawing newcomers into the freshwater aquarium hobby as never before. A well-executed Nature Aquarium—a living, magical world you can create in your own home—has a mesmerizing effect on many of us.

The author’s 65-gallon Nature Aquarium featuring an Unzan stone hardscape mounted with Bucephalandra varieties, a carpet of Eleocharis acicularis, and Cryptocoryne petchii “Pink” is a simple but effective layout based on traditional Nature Aquarium style principles.

However, enchanting as it is, a planted aquarium in the Nature style can be a real challenge for the beginning aquascaper. There are very few definitive how-to resources on this topic available in the English language, and most of the useful information is scattered all across the Internet. I know my early attempts at Nature Aquarium design failed to meet my hopes and expectations; the result of my efforts was an aquarium that resembled a primordial stew more than a Zen masterpiece. I am now a decade or more along the Nature Aquarium path, and though I would not yet consider myself a master, I have learned a few things that might help those just starting out to avoid some frustration, expense, and struggle. I hope this series of articles will make the Nature Aquarium more accessible to aquarists of every experience level. Let’s begin with some thoughts on aquascaping philosophy.

Excursions into wild nature, such as this old growth temperate rainforest trail in Washington’s North Cascades National Park provide the seed for aquascaping inspiration.

Spend time in nature

It was Takashi Amano’s love for the natural world and wild beauty that first inspired him to develop the Nature Aquarium. Getting back to the source of this inspiration by spending ample time outdoors in quiet meditation of the natural patterns and processes that have inspired artists for eons is a great way to enrich your aquascaping style. Even if you don’t have the resources to travel to exotic locales like the Amazon rainforest or the peat swamps of Borneo, you can most likely find an open space or forest nearby and take quiet, contemplative walks. Soak in the natural patterning surrounding you, walk down a wooded trail, make sketches, take snapshots, and, most important, just simply be. Do this often and let nature infiltrate your senses and sensibilities. These experiences will inform your aesthetic intuition, give natural authenticity to your work, and find their way into your aquascapes down the road.

You must learn to grow aquatic plants before you can design an aquascape

I think some of my early failures with aquascaping were the result of the discouraging truth that I simply did not know how to grow aquatic plants and had invested very little research into aquatic horticulture. I had kept aquarium fishes at a high level for decades, and had even created some nice fish habitats using plants like Anubias, Java Fern, and Java Moss, but it’s possible that my years of aquarium experience had given me just enough knowledge to get me into trouble (and just enough aquarist’s ego to make me dangerous).

I had never really thought about my aquatic plants beyond their role in cycling the byproducts of fish metabolism. Plants get all their food from fish waste, right? Other misconceptions bumbled the process. Assuming that a powerful aquarium light with all the bells and whistles would be the key to healthy plant growth, I left my light on for 12 or more hours a day, mimicking the influence of the tropical sun (can you hear the algal time bomb ticking?). After I had committed to the aquascaping path and had a few failed layouts under my belt, it was obvious to me that I need to get down to basics and learn how to grow aquarium plants successfully.

The author’s 65-gallon “farm tank” is a wild stem-plant jungle of diverse colors and form growing for future use in display aquascapes.

Set up a farm tank

For me, the greatest tool for understanding aquatic horticulture has been what I call the “farm tank.” A farm tank is a simple aquarium stripped down to the basics, focused on the single-minded goal of growing aquatic plants well. There is no hardscape (rock or driftwood) in a farm tank. There is no artist’s attempt at orchestrating a harmonious ode to the golden ratio. Fishes, shrimps, and snails do not belong in the farm tank, because this where you are going to experiment with elevated CO₂ and nitrogen concentrations that could be harmful to delicate animals. There is a refreshing simplicity to the farm tank’smantra: “Grow!”

In the farm tank there are plants basking in light, plants rooted in nutrient-rich substrate, and plants bathed in a concoction of nutrients, and nothing more. The farm tank is the place where you can learn the basics, earn your chops, and develop the confidence you need to ascend to the next level. A quick note on what I learned from my farm tank experience: my plants responded best to a moderately intense aquarium light left on for eight hours per day, a soil-based substrate like ADA’s Amazonia Aqua Soil (as opposed to inert sand or gravel), a complete cocktail of macro and micro nutrients dispensed on a daily, dilute basis, and injected carbon dioxide. Even now, I always make room in my aquarium collection for a farm tank; I find it really fun to watch the plants grow, and I use it to house the latest plant rarities that my collectoritis invariably causes me to accumulate.

Don’t skimp on equipment

I would like to say that aquascaping is easily accessible to those with even the slimmest of budgets, but the truth of the matter is that this hobby requires some investment. You have to plan on spending money on the right equipment, hardscape materials, substrates, and plants. Nice equipment—like the beautiful, high-clarity rimless aquariums popularly used by aquascapers—will really add to the impact of your aquascape and become a source of pride and living art in your home. If your budget is limited, start out by saving enough money to buy the most beautiful aquarium you can afford. Even if you can’t immediately buy all the lighting, substrates, and filtration that your aquascape requires, you will have this beautiful aquarium in your home to inspire you. You can meditate on your empty vessel and envision all its creative potential. Even if you can afford to outfit your Nature Aquarium from the outset, it is a great exercise to just sit with your empty aquarium for a while rather than rushing to build a layout you might regret later.

When healthy plants are actively performing photosynthesis in the presence of supplemental carbon dioxide, beautiful bubbles of oxygen can be seen streaming from the leaves.

Subscribe to AMAZONAS – Never Miss an Issue

Carbon dioxide is essential to the execution of a fine aquascape

Plants harness the sun’s energy via photosynthesis, transforming carbon dioxide and water from the environment into carbohydrates and oxygen. Photosynthesis is the process plants use to energize their growth. This fundamental truth of nature is often forgotten by aquarists. It’s well known to most people that plants need light, but a plant’s need for carbon dioxide is less obvious. You don’t have to be a scientist to see or understand the benefits of carbon dioxide in the planted aquarium: Aquarium plants grown with carbon dioxide supplementation grow quickly, displaying perfect leaf form, vibrant colors, and less of that ragged appearance you see in plants that are struggling to survive without enough CO₂. The vibrancy and vitality emanating from well-grown plants is what makes a Nature Aquarium aquascape so compelling and enchanting. Carbon dioxide is as essential to a good aquascape as an artistic layout or a beautiful aquarium vessel. Injected CO₂ aquariums also are less likely to have nuisance algae. I am not going to go into a deep discussion of CO₂ technology, but I will say you definitely need it. If you are planning to stay in the planted aquarium hobby longer than a year, spend the money to invest in a quality regulator with a solenoid and a pressurized gas cylinder; it’ll pay off in years of satisfactory results.

Balance is found in this Nature Aquarium’s shoal of Cardinal Tetras swimming through an underwater forest of Rotala sp. “Vietnam,” Ludwigia arcuata, and Anubias nana “Bonsai.”

Keep it simple

It’s easy to get overwhelmed when starting out along the aquascaping path. The fun (and the frustration) of the planted aquarium is that it is equal parts science and art. You must have both enough knowledge of biology and technical equipment to grow aquarium plants and the creative instincts to compose something beautiful. Good advice on the Internet can often get buried under layers of contradictory information. If you find yourself getting overwhelmed, I suggest stripping your aquascaping goals down to the basics.

Early on, I noticed that Takashi Amano selected mostly simple plants, such as Java Fern, Anubias, Cryptocoryne, Riccia, mosses, and Dwarf Hairgrass (Eleocharis acicularis), for his aquascape layouts. These plants were all staples in his compelling early masterpieces, which launched the whole Nature Aquarium phenomenon. A lot of them are dead easy to grow—they just need be kept wet and get a little light to survive. If you are struggling with growing delicate stem plants or carpets of needy foreground plants, try a basic layout consisting of wood, moss, Crypts, hairgrass, and Java Fern. Enjoy the satisfaction that comes from simplicity. If you are having trouble creating a killer hardscape layout, gather a pile of rocks at a local stream and play outdoors all day, letting the energy of the natural world inform your experiments with the stones and wood you find. Keep it loose and fun, and some fresh energy might make its way into your design.

A Wabi-Kusa is a simple and charming miniature expression of the Nature Aquarium philosophy.

One of my favorite simple aquascaping exercises is making a Wabi-Kusa. Another of Takashi Amano’s innovations, it consists of a small glass vessel and a simple collection of aquarium plants growing emersed on a ball of soil with just enough water to keep the roots of the plants wet. If you find my earlier suggestion that a good aquascape requires carbon dioxide to be too complicated and expensive, you will be relieved to know that a Wabi-Kusa requires none of that, as the emersed-growing plants gather CO₂ from the air. The point is to have fun and make use of nature—there are infinite ways to do that, even using the simplest techniques.

Study the works of a master

The Nature Aquarium concept is now a few decades old and has attracted aquarists from all over the world. We are in a golden age for aquascaping, and specialized aquarium products are becoming ever more available. There are a number of aquascapers out there who, in my opinion, have mastered the Nature Aquarium and create work at the highest level. Study these aquascapers and their bodies of work. The two large aquascaping contests—Aqua Design Amano’s International Aquatic Plants Layout Contest and the Aquatic Gardeners Association’s International Aquascaping Contest—attract some of the best aquascapers in the world and can be a great source of inspiration for beginners.

One of the cool things about aquascaping is that many top-notch aquascapers are still just average mortals like you and me and can be easily approached for advice or friendship. Social networking is a great way to strike up connections with some of the greats in the field. I find some of my best inspiration in the works of the original master, Takashi Amano. There is a magical harmony and deceptive simplicity in Amano’s work that never fails to blow my mind. Not a day goes by that does not find me flipping through the pages of one of his photo books, astounded with reverence for the man’s talent. A personal goal for my aquascaping path is to continue working in the traditional Nature Aquarium style envisioned by Amano.

An experimental design anchored in Java Fern clumps, Micranthemum “Monte Carlo,” and with Pogostemon stellatus growing vertically out of the aquarium.

Lose yourself in the process—don’t think about the end result

Most beginning aquascapers will not be able to create masterpieces on the first try—especially without a lot of research or the help of a good mentor. That’s okay. It’s okay to fail or fumble, as long as you are learning skills and improving along the way. Instead of focusing on a pre-formed notion of how amazing your aquarium will look, have fun with the process. Aquariums are dynamic entities that change from day to day—that photo of a beautiful prize-winning aquascape you see plastered all over the Internet is only a snapshot in the lifetime of an aquarium that is constantly changing and evolving.

I find that once started, an aquarium takes on a life of its own, and my most successful aquascapes have been the ones where I have focused on what is working successfully and discarded what is struggling to grow. For example, if the aquarium light that all the Internet “experts” recommended isn’t growing that perfect golf course–like mat of Dwarf Baby Tears and, no matter how many times you attempt it, your underwater bonsai tree looks more like a stick engulfed in a green blob than a wizened old tree sitting atop a mountain pass, that’s all right—you are gaining experience. Show compassion for yourself and your creations; enjoy the process and the research. Try new types of plants when others decline. Experiment with a new layout when the old one fails to excite you. Don’t be afraid to tear everything down and start over. Enjoy simple tasks like doing water changes and trimming plants. The aquascaping process is very therapeutic, and I find that one of the best ways to unwind during stressful times is to turn on some music, tune out the world, and meditatively dive into my aquascape. Even in 20 gallons of water or less, there is an endless well of creative potential in a Nature Aquarium and a path rich enough for a lifetime of discovery.

Steve Waldron is an AMAZONAS senior contributor and the co-founder of the retail aquascaping shop, Aquarium Zen in Seattle, Washington. He is the editor of the English-language edition of Origin of Creation, the official Takashi Amano biography (Aqua Design Amano, 2016).

Subscribe to AMAZONAS – Never Miss an Issue

Don’t miss Steve Waldron’s writing in AMAZONAS—get your own personal subscription, published in handsome, lifetime-reference print and digital editions—free delivery to your home or office.

This Myloplus sp. from the upper Río Tigre has strikingly elongated first anal fin rays. It was the only fish in the group that had this feature.

by Hans-Georg Evers • When Martin Mortenthaler, our correspondent in Iquitos, recently sent me an email, it had a spectacular attachment: photos of young Silver Dollars that are bright green, like children’s toys, during their first months of life. They are juveniles of a Myloplus species, and will surely change color as they grow, but their coloring is so unusual that we just had to share these pictures with our readers.

A young Myloplus sp. from the upper Río Nanay.

These fish were captured in the upper reaches of the Río Nanay and the Río Tigre, both left-sided tributaries of the Amazon in the Peruvian state of Loreto. Interestingly, these Silver Dollars have not been caught in the Río Itaya, which flows between these two rivers. Martin exported the fish, and so he unfortunately did not have the opportunity to raise the juveniles in order to determine how they developed during their lives. So if you happen to have purchased any of these Myloplus babies this summer, please let us know how they look after being in your aquarium for a while! We will report in a future issue if a hobbyist shares his or her experiences with us.

Young Myloplus sp. from the upper Río Tigre.

Fair Weather Ponding by Mary Sweeney, as originally published in the May/June 2012 issue of AMAZONAS magazine.

by Mary E. Sweeny

This article first appeared in the May/June 2012 issue of AMAZONAS Magazine; get the back issue now!

Often, in the warming days of spring, when those pondering instincts kick in (and a real dug pond is completely out of the question), I find myself struggling to do something decorative with barrel halves, water jugs, and a motley collection of other non-leaking vessels that will serve to give my favorite fishes a “vacation” in the great outdoors. Sometimes, I allow an aquarium to go au naturel on a screened porch, and an Amazon Swordplant (Echinodorus sp.) will grow up and out of the tank and down to the floor, drooping with flowers.

Self-contained ponds can have great appeal with a small footprint, and many small tropical fishes will respond to sunshine and live foods such as mosquito larvae by spawning. Image by Aquascape Inc., www.aquascapeinc.com

A small group of Dwarf Flag Cichlids, Laetacara curviceps, might glitter in the filtered sunlight, and soon there are fishlets at every stage of growth, from well-tended eggs to fry and juveniles and sub-adults. Snails are welcome, as their little droppings feed the infusoria that feed the fry. For various reasons, spawning happens in outdoor water gardens and small container ponds with nary a trace of encouragement from the keeper.

Dwarf Flag Cichlids, Laetecara curviceps, pair in courting mode. This species takes on iridescent colors and goes into spawning mode in the author’s patio water gardens. Image by Christian Piednoir.

Water gardening with a patio pond is like the aquarium hobby in summer easy mode. Where there is a fishkeeper, there will be some water and some fishes, and when summer arrives, some fish can move outdoors along with the rest of the family. The art of keeping fish in water gardens is as ancient as the Babylonian-style hanging variety, and no self-respecting fishkeeper will be happy without some water about, some monument to the fascinating sights to be found in aquatic microcosms. Maybe in the summer, when the days are long, there will be a little time to relax and reflect in the quiet, with the fishes. I can’t count how many of those handy, dandy 5-gallon water jugs I’ve decapitated in the name of spawning a favorite species. Moved to observe the spawning ritual of the shy Celestial Pearl Danio (Celestichthys margaritatus), I decided to set a jug on a bench among the conventional flowerpots that adorn our entryway. Filling a clean 4-inch clay flowerpot with aquarium gravel, I planted a single Madagascar Lace Plant (Aponogeton madagascariensis) bulb, tip showing, in the clay pot and placed the pot in the center of the clear jug. A shallow layer of aquarium gravel covered the bottom of the jug and helped to anchor the pot. I slowly filled the jug halfway with a combination of aquarium water and aged tap water.

Within days, the green tips of the Lace Plant could be seen emerging from the substrate. Several days later, I introduced a trio of two females and one male of the tiny danionins to the container. A little fresh water was added to the container every day or so, and I would remove some of the water to use in the flowerpots nearby. Over the course of the summer, the male could often be seen displaying for the females, and eventually fry did appear, but I never saw the fish spawn, only the evidence that they had done so.

Panda Cory, Corydoras panda: a candidate for a summer out-of-doors. Image by Aaron Norman.

Summertime and the breeding is easy

The benefits of fresh air and sunshine are not limited to people. Fish that are kept in the aquarium year ’round are often pale and lethargic when compared to their brothers and sisters that have spent some time in one of the various homemade and portable ponds. If the water turns green, no problem; the glittering colors of the fishes more than make up for the slight murk. Besides, the fish grow fat and happy as live foods eventually appear like manna from heaven, the mosquitoes dutifully laying rafts of eggs that are the natural foods of so many small aquarium fishes. Other “no-see-ums” also appear to be good sport for the sharp-eyed fishes, who can be observed snapping at the waterline, especially at dawn and dusk.

With all the ready-made aquatic patio ponds coming on the scene, it is simple to create a little space for a water feature. Most garden centers now offer a range of virtually plug-and-play self-contained ponds, ranging from inexpensive black barrel liners and automatic animal waterers to some very handsome and elaborate water features with cascades and multiple interconnected pools of water. Many of these pieces can be very attractively crafted, durable, and lightweight, and some have the durability of fiberglass/powdered stone composites.

In a very nice marriage of form and function, many have special integrated plant shelves and space for power cords, submersible filters, heaters, and water pumps in case you choose to add a small waterfall. When the inside is black, the interior of the pond has a nice, uniform color and the contrast makes the fishes practically glow in the dark. These patio pond containers and bowls commonly range in size from about 10 gallons to 50 gallons, although much larger systems are available.

If you plan to use a flowering water lily in your patio pond, remember that they require still water. Splashing from a fountain will allow water to settle on the surface of the leaves, causing them to break down and rot. This does not mean that you must forego the fish, however. Just keep the population down to two or three small fish, like Platies (Xiphophorus maculatus)—colorful, hardy little fellows that are not as inclined to take a flying suicide leap as Swordtails, which are notorious jumpers.

Species selection

In fact, in choosing fish species for small water gardens, it is good to know that certain groups are particularly prone to the outdoor version of carpet surfing— the tendency to fling themselves out of the water, usually during occasions of frenzied mating activity. Hatchetfish, most gouramis, Bettas, and Elephant Nose are all known leapers, as are the various loaches. None of this is carved in stone, and jumping is minimized if the surface has a goodly covering of plant life: water lily pads, Water Hyacinth, duckweed, and the like. (Banana plants do well in a small summer pond, quickly throwing up new shoots with miniature lily-like pads in green and red.)

Some people have good luck with guppies and love the sight of fry and juveniles in the pond in mid-summer, but frenzied males will sometimes overextend their drive to reproduce. The nonjumpers’ list includes Corydoras spp., White Cloud Mountain Fish, Otocinclus spp., small rasboras, tetras, and small danios. Any athletic, fast-swimming fish is probably not a good bet, especially those that move about in the upper layers of water.

In my own experience, the American Flag Fish (Jordanella floridae) is among the best fishes for the patio pond. Swimming among the plants, this hardy fish species flashes its tantalizing fins in the dim water. These small native American fishes are very curious, and feign shyness for a while, only to end up tame and hand-feeding in a very short time. Use primarily Java Moss (Vesicularia spp.) and Java Fern (Microsorum pteropus) with these fish, as they will make salad out of soft-leaved plants like Water Wisteria (Hygrophila difformis). Let nature work its magic, and Flag Fish young will sooner or later be spotted hiding in the vegetation.

Jordanella floridae, the American Flagfish, can show magnificent coloration and is an ideal candidate for small outdoor pools. Image by Matthew Wittenrich/Aquatic Pixels.

Koi are out, unless the pond has a minimum capacity of 300 gallons and a good water filtration system. And what about goldfish, those quintessential pond fish? If overstocked, they will quickly exhaust the oxygen and pollute a small pond. Plan on at least 50 gallons for one small pair of goldfish. And while they may seem perfect for summer, what happens in the fall, when the party moves back indoors? Few aquarium hobbyists have ever seen an adult goldfish, which are sometimes measured in pounds rather than length, as with most aquarium fishes. One of the most beautiful aquariums I’ve ever seen was about 70 gallons and home to three adult red and white Fantail Goldfish. Any more fish, and the tank would have been overcrowded. So this is what happens when goldfish grow up, which is what they do when we take good care of them. The adult size of goldfish isn’t a problem in the traditional dug pond, where the fish remain year ’round, but if you plan to move the fish inside, be prepared to dedicate a substantial aquarium to their keeping.

A classic pond species, the Goldfish, Carassius auratus auratus, demands a pond of 50 gallons or more and a place to spend the winter indoors. Neither goldfish nor koi are recommended for small water features. Image by Bluefand/Shutterstock

Some aquarists like to use emersed growth plants to add height and interest and shade for the fishes. The rules sometimes get broken, but some of the plants we see as marginals, like Peace Lilies, Spathiphyllum spp., are quite willing to grow in a small container with inert media in the patio pond, raising their white flowers like flags of peace above the water. Irises, too, planted just before bloom, will surpass all expectations. Most serious garden centers now have a selection of aquatic plants that will grow emersed, while your local aquarium will have a mixture of those that stay submerged and those that reach toward the sun.

In the summertime, when the weather’s fine and the days grow longer, the evening ritual moves to the outdoors. Regardless of accommodations—whether a cozy patio of stone or brick, a wooden deck, a high-rise urban balcony, or even the ubiquitous city fire escape—the lure of a long, relaxing evening ahead, in one’s favorite company and among the fishes, is a suitable reward for a hard day’s work.

CONTAINER POND BASICS

• Choose the location carefully. Most aquatic plants will do best with at least several hours of full or filtered sunlight per day.
• Lightly stocked ponds can operate without filtration or heaters, but having access to electricity allows better water quality control and extended seasons in temperate climates.
• Add water to a new pond first, letting it age for several days or adding dechlorinator.
• Next add plants and substrate. Bioseeding with water or filter squeezings from an established aquarium will speed the development of populations of beneficial bacteria. After several days or longer, introduce fishes gradually.
• Smaller species do best in smaller water gardens. Goldfish and koi will die of oxygen starvation or fail to thrive in small ponds. Snails, bottom feeders such as Corydoras catfishes, and small shrimps will assist in natural maintenance.
• Feed lightly at least twice a day. Add and/or change water as needed. Be sure that lawn and garden chemicals are never allowed to contaminate the pond.
• Fishes should be able to keep a small pond from becoming a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
• Be prepared to take livestock and plants indoors for overwintering when temperatures drop in the fall.

Floating plants and water lily pads provide shade during the heat of the day and also discourage fishes from jumping during spawning frenzies. Image by Aquascape Inc., www.aquascapeinc.com

Mary Sweeney is the co-author of A PocketExpert Guide: Tropical Fishes (2009, Microcosm/TFH Professional Series).

Want More? Expand your personal library today!

Before you dive into keeping tropical and temperate fishes in patio ponds this summer season, make sure your library is complete.

• Forever preserve Mary Sweeney’s Fair-weather Ponding in your reference library when you order the May/June 2012 issue of AMAZONAS Magazine, WILD & DOMESTICATED AQUATIC PLANTS. Click the cover below to order this issue.

  Click cover to order this back issue for your AMAZONAS collection.

   

• Rachel O’Leary’s look at large scale outdoor aquatics is a must read. Check out  The Outdoor Aquarist in the July/August 2014 issue of AMAZONAS Magazine, GIANT FISHES. Click the cover below to order this issue.

  Click cover to order this back issue for your AMAZONAS collection.

   

Learn more about a convenient and personal subscription to AMAZONAS, the world’s premier freshwater aquarium magazine. Current subscribers can log in now to access all this and more in the digital archives.

Still Want More?

Explore Matt Pedersen’s successes and failures with container ponding in his online series Tropical Outdoor Whiskey Barrel Ponds, Part I, Part II, and Part III.

A cornucopia of wisdom is headed your way: cover of AMAZONAS Magazine, Volume 6, Number 4, Aquarium Wizardry! On the cover: Discus pair, Symphysodon aequifasciatus, with clay spawning cone. Image by Hans-Georg Evers

The July/August 2017 Issue of AMAZONAS Magazine is printed and now on its way to magazine subscribers, local aquarium shops, and better bookstores. On sale June 6th, 2017.

Readers of the Digital Edition can access it now: AMAZONAS DIGITAL EDITION
Paid subscribers can log in with their email addresses for instant access. The AMAZONAS digital version is available for desktop and laptop computers and tablets.

To gain access to the current issue and an archive of back issues, become a subscriber by following this link:

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE!
Get your personal subscription coming and don’t miss this big issue—just $29 per year. Save 40% off the newsstand price.

HEREWITH, A sampling of articles and opening pages for readers curious about what the issue will bring.

The Table of Contents: a first look at the diverse content and in-depth features in this issue. Read the TOC online here.

“Many aquarists evidently have the “DIY Gene”—at least that’s the impression I get when I visit friends in the hobby…I have been looking forward to this issue for a long time. It is full of gadgets and introduces some very clever ideas from aquarists, for aquarists.” -AMAZONAS Editor-in-chief, Hans-Georg Evers, introducing the new issue.

New scientific descriptions of Loricarids start off the Aquatic Notebook. Hans-Georg Evers notes: “We can finally call L25 by its scientific name and enjoy knowing that there are ichthyologists who work well with serious aquarists and value our findings. Contrary to radical ‘pets’ rights activists,’ we ‘consume’ no animals, but strive to observe, breed, and appreciate them. By the way, descriptions of other new species from the Rio Xingu are expected. Stay tuned!”

“Aquascaping does not always have to be constructed using only natural materials. With a bit of craftsmanship, you can make use of artificial materials to create a realistic element that makes a nice centerpiece in the finished tank.” Learn more in the feature article “Gollum’s Cave: An Aquascaping Project,” by Johnny Jensen.

Have you ever heard of the Gerd Box? This, and many other practical gadgets for the most beautiful hobby in the world, go back to the ideas, developments, and inspired wizardry of a true tinkerer. AMAZONAS had many questions for Gerd Arndt, the “chief gadgeteer” of the German hobby scene. Read more in “Aquarium Wizard: Interview with Gerd Arndt, ‘Chief Gadgeteer.'”

CO2 fertilization in a nano tank? Why not? Petra Fitz explains how to build your own mini-diffuser.

Mike Tuccinardi explains the inspiration behind his latest aquarium designs: “The tannin-rich waters of the Negro are hotbeds of diversity for cichlid, characin, and catfish species (among others). My own travels to this fascinating river system have inspired a shift in my approach to keeping aquarium fishes from this region at home—a shift toward replicating their natural habitats as closely as possible.”

Steve Waldron’s “Creating Nature” series returns with the second installment, “Implementation.”

Although they are not nearly as common as their relatives from Asia, there are some exciting African labyrinthfishes. One of the true classics is a feast for the eyes, especially a variant from southern Cameroon. Stanislav Kislyuk introduces us to the Banded Bushfish, Microctenopoma fasciolatum.

Lovers of Corydoras catfishes have a new reason to be happy. Suriname, a small country in South America, is a hotspot for these fishes, but for many years very few were exported from the former Dutch colony. This all changed in 2016. Learn more from Hans-Georg Evers.

Holm Arndt introduces Crenichchla saxatilis as an ideal Pike Cichlid for a large tank. Keeping and nurturing them is not difficult, and their brood care is fascinating to watch.

Simon Forkel, well known for breeding the Altum Angelfish, Pterophyllum altum, returns to share his experiences breeding one of the most exciting wild-type Angelfish in the aquarium hobby at this time, the Santa Isabel Angelfish.

“I presumed this species would be similar to my Altifrons and Tapajos, but my experiences had not prepared me for the beauty, challenges, and surprises of the Mirabilis.” First-time contributor John Lambert alluding to the challenges he faced in producing the still-hard-to-find Geophagus mirabilis “Aripuana.”

Find out what’s happening and where in the aquarium world. Have an event coming up? Send Janine Banks an email to make sure it gets posted online and in print.

Find AMAZONAS Magazine for sale as single issues at the BEST aquarium retailers. View this list online as well.

AMAZONAS Magazine’s Species Snapshots provide an insightful glimpse into what’s new and hot in the aquarium trade. In this issue: Limbochromis robertsi, Barbus walkeri, Wild-type Variatus Platies (Xiphophorus variatus), Epiplatys chaperi schreiberi, Eugnathogobius siamensis, and Pao cambodgiensis.

• Already a subscriber? ACCESS this issue now!
AMAZONAS subscribers can log in with their email address and read the Digital Edition and App Editions immediately.

• SUBSCRIBE and never miss an issue of AMAZONAS. Paid subscribers receive the classic Print Edition, as well as Free Access to the Digital Edition.

Or check out AMAZONAS Apps for mobile devices—via iTunes, Google Play for Android devices, and the Amazon Kindle store.