Table of contents for November 2024 in Practical Fishkeeping

WELCOME TO ANOTHER packed edition of Practical Fishkeeping! In this issue, we delve into the captivating world of freshwater gobies, exploring their unique behaviours and care. We also shine a spotlight on the elegant fairy cichlid and guide you through setting up the perfect biotope for the stunning celestial pearl danios. This month, we’re thrilled to feature a shop spotlight on a fish store in London that’s making waves in the hobby. Plus, we take an in-depth look at the different species of angelfish, uncovering what makes these icons of the aquarium world so special. With even more expert advice and inspiration inside, there’s something for every aquarist to enjoy. Happy fishkeeping! Stay in touch Email us at editorial@practicalfishkeeping.co.uk Watch us on youtube.com/user/practicalfishkeeping Follow us at www.facebook.com/PFKmag/…

AREMARKABLE NUMBER OF people consider fishes to be rather short-lived. Given the variety of fishes available to us in the hobby, it should come as no surprise that there is a considerable range in expected lifespans among species. From the aptronymic annual killifishes to the rumoured centuriesold colossal koi, aquarium fish may be with us for a blinking moment of our lives, or will outlive us all. Eventually, fish will reach the end of their natural lifespan. Regardless of when this might be, there can be marked changes in your fish’s life, from behavioural to physical, each impacting your pet and how it copes with its environment. I hope to outline here what you can expect from a geriatric fish, how to best care for your aged companion, and when…

“I was not planning to open an aquatic store,” Dan tells me when I ask about how it went from idea to reality. At the time, he worked for a company in an entirely different field, interested in aquatics but with only a single tank of guppies. Like many of us, it was COVID-19 lockdowns that altered his plans. Dan’s guppies were breeding, and with store closures, he wasn’t able to get more tanks, and so he took to Facebook marketplace. “I don’t know how, but I ended up having 34 tanks in my house,” He says, nonchalantly. “Because everybody was at home, I was bored, I started to post my fish on Instagram. First on my personal Instagram and then I started a fish Instagram account, which was quite…

FOR AQUARISTS IN the UK there has long been a void in the social calendar in terms of larger scale fishkeeping events. These are great opportunities to give like-minded individuals a chance to meet up, geek out and have some time face to face with exhibitors. Fishkeepers based here longingly look overseas at what other countries have available, with events like Aquashella attracting thousands of visitors at each event. It is very easy to be jealous, and maybe even unfairly compare new start-ups back home to what these established events have and think they just do not measure up. So much so that it is easy to ask yourself, should I bother going? But I do believe it’s important that we encourage small start-up events, our local clubs and even…

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

CORALS Coral health AS A THIRD-YEAR student in Marine Zoology, my love for coral reefs has always thrived in the open ocean. Yet, a year ago, I ventured into the intricate world of reef tank husbandry with twenty-one coral fragments for the first time, plunging headfirst into a new realm of challenges. One of my earliest hurdles? Deciphering the complexities of selecting the right light spectra to nurture these delicate organisms. The confusion surrounding this issue is understandable. Many coral hobbyists prefer a heavy blue spectrum, to emphasise fluorescence that make the corals “pop”, yet many experienced aquarists, such as Dr. Sanjay Joshi, advocate for a more full spectrum approach, to maximise coral growth and health. I found myself grappling with conflicting advice and varying opinions—an illustration of the delicate…

Going on holiday is wonderful, but what happens to the fish in your absence? Dan, at Fish Planet, is pioneering an in-house petsitting service, which is proving popular. We sat down to find out more about what this really entails… “It started randomly”, Dan explains of the pet sitting offering that has proven exceedingly popular. Fish Planet, a beautiful store in London, had newly opened ahead of the summer, and people began to go on holiday. He began to get questions – “Can you come to my house to feed my fish? Can you do this? Can you do that? How do I look after my fish?” He explains the traditional method to leave your fish is the holiday food. “You put it in the tank and it will last…

Email: questions@practicalfishkeeping.co.uk WIN! Our Question of the Month letter will receive a Tetra goodie bundle worth up to £100* THE EXPERTS DR PETER BURGESS Peter is our disease expert. Send questions his way if you have pathogen problems. BOB MEHEN Bob is a master of fishkeeping general knowledge and community tanks. JEREMY GAY Jeremy is more than adept when it comes to cichlids, goldfish and marine species. JORDAN STIRRAT Aquascaping prodigy Jordan is the man to go to for all your planting issues. MAX PEDLEY Max is like a living, breathing search engine. Cichlids are his speciality. NEALE MONKS Neale is the man for your technical queries. He loves brackish fish, too. TAI STRIETMAN Freshwater biologist Tai has studied habitats all around the world and is our biotope expert. MARINE…

FISH HAVE BEEN on the menu for millennia, and as humans evolved, they represented a source of food and often a livelihood. However, at some point, a shift occurred that turned their focus from being a dietary requirement to a hobby, and one that we still indulge in to this day. So, how did our illustrious pastime become what it is now? The Sumerians We begin, unsurprisingly, with the Sumerians. Sumer is one of the earliest known civilisations, lasting from the late neolithic period to the early bronze age – we’re talking circa 5,000 BC- 2000 BC, making an incredibly established settlement. They were located in modern-day southern Iraq, expanding out from the point at which the rivers Tigris and Euphrates met. Supposedly, they were the first to form artificial…