Water Colors Aquarium Gallery

In this episode, the water colors team welcomes not one, but TWO special guests to join in on the fun! We’re happy to be joined again by aquatic ecologist Jordyn Stoll, as well as long time friend of the store and Victorian cichlid guru Justin Sarns! With the help of the experts, we discuss Lake Victorian cichlids, travel stories, and general ecology. Victoria is Africa’s largest lake and is home to some of the most unique fish in the world. Which Victorian species would you like to own?   Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery

We often see hobbyists who are fixated on “bad ass” fish. Sometimes they’re looking for big, aggressive cichlids, other times they may be looking for toothy predators like pike cichlids. In this episode, the Water Colors team discusses a variety of “bad ass” fish chosen by Ben and how one might keep them responsibly. Spoiler alert: some of these fish are best left to public aquariums – stop trying to keep them at home! What bad ass fish are your favorites?   Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery   Species mentioned in this episode: Channa, snakeheads Hoplias malabaricus, Wolf fish Astronotus ocellatus, Oscar Tetraodon lineatus, Fahaka puffer Parachromis dovii, Wolf cichlid Chitala ornata, clown knifefish Asterophysus batrachus, Gupler catfish Pike cichlids Osteoglossum bicirrhosum, Silver arowana Belonesox belizanus, Pike killifish Exodon paradoxus, Bucktooth tetra Pygocentrus nattereri, Red-bellied piranha Aphyocharax nattereri   Honorable mentions Jack dempsey, red devil, lima shovelnose catfish, datnoids

Maintenance breeding, conservation breeding, inbreeding, and outbreeding – what does it all mean? Charles returns to the podcast to discuss selective breeding and population genetics. It’s important to consider these concepts when taking on any breeding projects. Join us as we take a deep dive!   Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery

In this episode, the Water Colors team discusses their favorite soft corals. We have loosely categorized soft corals using the hobby’s distinctions, but keep in mind this is not based on any scientific classifications. Corals in this category are often very easy to keep, many of which propagate very quickly in home aquariums. They are often more forgiving, making them great additions to reef tanks of all styles. What soft corals are your favorites?   Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery     Species mentioned in this episode: palythoa grandis zoanthidae sarcophyton cladiella rhodactis ricordea discosoma sinularia brassica sclerophytum anthelia grogonians plexaura homomalla briareum asbestinum antillogorgia bipinnata pinnigorgia flava briareum violaceum unomia stolonifera sympodium conglomeratusclera coerulea   References used in this episode: https://www.marinespecies.org/ https://www.coralsoftheworld.org/page/home/

In this interview, the Water Colors Team chats with special guest Dr. Jordyn Stoll, an accomplished aquatic ecologist with an expertise in algae! Jordyn’s formal interest in aquatic ecology began during her undergraduate work at Cleveland State University, where she helped with research using diatom fossils to understand changes in lake conditions over time. From there, she pursued a PhD at Kent State University, where she studied the effects of various nutrients on algae in the Great Lakes, Lake Victoria in Kenya, and the Cuyahoga River, specifically aimed at better understanding harmful algal blooms. Now as an aquatic ecologist with her own business, she hopes to continue researching and preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species such as Didymosphenia geminata, while also working to improve freshwater habitat through restoration efforts. We are honored to have Jordyn on the show to share her expertise!    Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery

Here at Water Colors, one of the most common topics we get asked about is “what’s wrong with my betta?” Bettas are one of the most commonly kept fish, so it makes sense that we hear about a lot of betta issues. But why are they so prone to problems? In this livestreamed episode, the Water Colors team discusses the common issues with bettas, the possible causes, and our recommended treatments. Often, issues with bettas are simply due to bad genetics as a result of overbreeding. We love bettas, and we want to help you ensure your betta lives a full and comfortable life!   Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery

Lake Tanganyika is home to an astounding diversity of fish, nearly 350 endemic species! This makes narrowing down a top 5 list extremely challenging! In this episode, the Water Colors team discusses their favorite species that reside in Africa’s second largest lake, as well as their care, behavior, and availability in the hobby. Some of the species mentioned include small goby cichlids, while others are akin to freshwater barracudas! Which Tanganyikans have you kept? What are your favorite species?   Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery   Sources mentioned in this episode: https://www.tfhmagazine.com/articles/freshwater/breeding-neolamprologus-caudopunctatus   Species mentioned in this episode: Neolamprologus pulcher Neolamprologus helianthus Tropheus sp. ‘Black’ Bemba Tropheus moorii ‘Firecracker Red’ Neolamprologus multifasciatus Neolamprologus brevis Neolamprologus caudopunctatus Boulegerochromis microlepis Xenotilapia melanogenys Xenotilapia flavipinnis Xenotilapia sp. ‘Papilio Sunflower’ Lepidolamprologus Nkambe Ophthalmotilapia ventralis Altolamprologus calvus Neolamprologus leleupi Eretmodus marksmithi Eretmodus cyanostictus Callochromis pleurospilus Telmatochromis vittatus Cyphotilapia frontosa Neolamprologus tretocephalus Paracyprichromis nigripinnis Benthochromis horii  

In this research-heavy episode, the Water Colors team discusses various aquascaping styles and how they differ. The history of aquascaping goes back nearly 100 years, with the earliest competitive style originating in the Netherlands. All of the various categories branch off from each other, with some similarities shared across the board. Biotope, Brazilian, jungle, and nature style – the list can be shorter or longer depending on who you ask! Which aquascaping styles have you experimented with?   Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery   Sources referenced in this episode: https://www.aquatic-gardeners.org/Articles/Vin-Dutch/ AGA article by Vin Kutty https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/a-brief-and-incomplete-history-of-aquascaping.57890/ History of Aquascaping article on UKAPS https://online.fliphtml5.com/hwppk/nvsi/?fbclid=IwAR1SeUMjpw_ePb7lySWroCWLFlKp_POfa8-GYtyoW0_EE71Prp_vNrzIBTw#p=12 NBAP official Dutch Aquascaping rules

To wrap up our official Killifish Month, the Water Colors team welcomes Dave Hemmerlein as a special guest! Dave is a lifelong hobbyist, killifish expert, and 40+ year aquarium club member. He is active in both the Michiana Aquarium Society and the Southwest Michigan Aquarium Society. We are honored to have Dave join us for an interview, where he shares his diverse experience in keeping, breeding, and collecting killifish of all varieties.   The Killifish Karnival/Tropical Magic show: https://mas.fish/society-events/killifish-karnival/     Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery     Michiana Aquarium Society: https://mas.fish/     Southwest Michigan Aquarium Society: https://www.swmas.club/

To continue Killifish Month, the Water Colors team is back to discuss dirt-spawning killis! These varieties of killifish spawn in or over substrate. Hobbyists often use small containers of bark or peat to encourage this breeding behavior. Many of these varieties of killifish are incredibly easy to keep, and can be remarkably beautiful. The team discusses species profiles, care, and shares stories of their own experiences. Which varieties of killifish do you want to keep?   To learn more about the upcoming Killifish Karnival/Tropical Magic event (3/29/2025 – 3/30/2025) visit: https://mas.fish/society-events/killifish-karnival/   Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery   Resources mentioned in this episode: https://aka.org/ https://wildnothos.wixsite.com/wildnothos https://www.killiclubdefrance.org/ https://killis.org.uk/