Water Colors Aquarium Gallery – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, we discuss invasive species education and outreach with Paige Filice of RIPPLE. This campaign aims to work with aquarium retailers to ensure Michigan’s waterways are protected against invasive species. We’ll learn all about some of our state’s species of concern, as well as what we can do as a retailer to better inform our customers. We also hope this episode can share how hobbyists at home can get better informed.

You can learn more about the RIPPLE campaign at https://www.canr.msu.edu/invasive_species/ripple/

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

Let’s face it – the aquarium industry causes a lot of harm. From invasive species to over harvesting, the need for regulation in this industry is greater than ever. In this episode, the Water Colors team discusses some recently passed and proposed regulations, as well as dissecting some of the process behind their creation and implementation. Often, hobbyists panic at the thought of being regulated – with some of the loudest voices calling for outrage and opposition. The reality is that we need regulation; for the sake of our planet, the animals we love, and the longevity of the aquarium industry.  We hope to encourage listeners to not only accept this concept, but also learn how we can all have a seat at the table and discuss our opinions.

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 joins Charles as we tackle the huge topic that is fish anatomy! Specifically, we are looking at the biology and physiology of teleost fishes, and how we can use this information to better understand our fishy friends and become better aquarists. Join us as we learn about some incredible evolutionary adaptations, specialized organs, and more!

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

Another Top 5 episode where the team discusses beginner mistakes in reef aquariums. There are a handful of mishaps that can be easily avoided with a little research and the right advice. Listen in to find out how to save yourself from a ruined tank with a few easy tips.

“What do you mean you don’t want to do it right?!” – Ben

In this episode, the Water Colors team discusses the complicated topic of conservation within the aquarium hobby. We owe it to the animals we keep in aquariums to ensure that our hobby isn’t contributing to the loss of the organisms we claim to love. Let us know in the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook Group how you feel about conservation in the aquarium hobby!

Corrections: – PIJAC (Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council) has rebranded itself as the Pet Advocacy Network.

Fishes Mentioned in this Episode: – Running River rainbowfish (Melanotaenia sp. “Running River”) – Killifishes (Nothobranchius spp.) – Pacu (Colossoma macropomum) – Clown Knifefish (Chitala ornata) – Northern snakehead (Channa argus) – Common Plecostomus (Pterygoplichthys pardalis) – Yellow tang (Zebrasoma flavescens) – Iridescent shark (Pangasianodon hypophthalus) – Tiger Shovelnose catfish (Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum) – Zebra pleco – L46 (Hypancistrus zebra) – Apistogramma spp. – Betta spp. – Licorice gourami (Parosphromenus spp.) – Goldfish (Carassius auratus) – Cardinal tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi) – Cockatoo Cichlid (Apistogramma cacatuoides “Super Red”) – Pelvicachromis kribensis “Moliwe” – Chili rasbora (Boraras brigittae) – Pea pufferfish (Carinotetraodon travancoricus) – Denison barb (Sahyadria denisonii) – White Cloud Mountain minnow (Tanichthys albonubes) – Tequila Splitfin Goodeid (Zoogoneticus tequila) – Betta unimaculata “Ancam” – Betta stiktos – Strawberry rasbora (Boraras naevus) – Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus) – Swordtail (Xiphophorus hellerii) – Bristlenose pleco (Ancistrus sp.) – White-Spotted Bamboo shark (Chiloscyllium plagiosum) – Sunadanio spp.

Aquarium Clubs and Projects Mentioned in this Episode: – Australia New Guinea Fishes Association (ANGFA) – Project Piaba – German Victoria Cichlids Study Group – American Cichlid Association (ACA) – The Parosphromenus Project – Goodeid Working Group – American Livebearer Association (ALA) – Cambodia Wild Betta Conservation – American Killifish Association (AKA) – Missouri Aquarium Society – Greater Seattle Aquarium Society – Guy Jordan Research Fund via ACA – Paul V. Loiselle Conservation Fund via ACA – George Meier Fund via AKA – North American Native Fishes Association (NANFA) – Conservation Education Grant via NANFA – Gerald C. Corcoran Education Grant via NANFA – Northeast Council Aquarium Societies – CARES Preservation Programs

In this episode, the Water Colors team interviews professional aquascaper Jeff Miotke! Jeff is a friend of the store with a very successful career in aquascaping competitions, demonstrations, and public speaking events. Listen in to learn about his journey into the hobby and to pick up a few tips and tricks from the perspective of a decorated aquarist known around the world.

In this episode, the team discusses designer clownfishes. Through selective breeding and careful manipulation, there are some stunning “fancy” clownfish available in the aquarium trade. We discuss some of our favorites variations, and some true abominations of nature.

Fishes Mentioned in this Episode: – Flowerhorn cichlid (?) – Blood Parrot cichlid (Amphilophus citrinellus × Vieja melanurus?) – Xcalibur clownfish (Amphiprion sandaracinos) – Clark’s clownfish (Amphiprion clarkii) – Maroon clownfish (Amphiprion biaculeatus) – Percula clownfish (Amphiprion percula) – Ocellaris clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) – Red Sea clownfish (Amphiprion bicinctus) – Spotcinctus clownfish (Amphiprion bicinctus) – Blue-Stripe clownfish (Amphiprion chrysopterus) – Pearl-Eye Clark’s clownfish (Amphiprion clarkii) – Domino clownfish (Amphiprion cf. ocellaris “Darwin”) – Longfin clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) – Naked clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) – Platinum clownfish (Amphiprion percula) – Picasso clownfish (Amphiprion percula) – Onyx clownfish (Amphiprion percula) – Nebula clownfish (Amphiprion percula) – Snowflake clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) – Addison’s Quest clownfish (Amphiprion percula) – Domesticated Betta (Betta splendens) – Gladiator clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) – Black Ice clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris X Amphiprion cf. ocellaris “Darwin”) – Wyoming White clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) – Frostbite clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) – Blacker Ice clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris X Amphiprion cf. ocellaris “Darwin”) – Black Snowflake clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris X Amphiprion cf. ocellaris “Darwin”) – Darwin clownfish (Amphiprion cf. ocellaris “Darwin”) – Black Ocellaris clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris X Amphiprion cf. ocellaris “Darwin”) – Snowcasso clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris x Amphiprion percula) – Mocha clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris X Amphiprion cf. ocellaris “Darwin”) – Blood Orange clownfish (Amphiprion sp. “epigrammata” X Amphiprion ocellaris) – Gold-Stripe Maroon clownfish (Amphiprion sp. “epigrammata”) – Mai Tai clownfish (Amphiprion biaculeatus X Amphiprion ocellaris) – Tomato clownfish (Amphiprion frenatus) – Lightning Maroon clownfish (Amphiprion biaculeatus) – Gold Lightning Maroon clownfish (Amphiprion biaculeatus X Amphiprion sp. “epigrammata”) – Morse Code Maroon clownfish (Amphiprion biaculeatus) – Goldflake Maroon clownfish (Amphiprion sp. “epigrammata”) – Gold Nugget Maroon clownfish (Amphiprion sp. “epigrammata”) – Peacekeeper clownfish (Amphiprion sp. “epigrammata”) – Deluxe Clark’s clownfish (Amphiprion clarkii) – Royal gramma (Gramma loreto) – Neon dottyback (Pseudochromis aldabraensis) – Orchid dottyback (Pseudochromis fridmani) – Springer’s dottyback (Pseudochromis springeri) – Yellow tang (Zebrasoma flavescens) – Kole tang (Ctenochaetus strigosus)

Today, the Water Colors team investigates the topic of schooling fish in saltwater aquariums. We’ll dive into several species that are commonly sold as schooling fish, and why they DON’T WORK! Listen to today’s episode and see why the concept of schooling fish in saltwater aquariums is largely a myth.

One tank turns into two, which turns into a few more… Before you know it, you have a dedicated room to house all your aquariums (and a hefty electric bill). This week, we discuss the concept of fish rooms, and how to manage Multiple Tank Syndrome. Let us know what your dream fish room looks like!

In this episode, the team at Water Colors discusses their Top 5 CARES fish species. The CARES Preservation Program (Conservation, Awareness, Recognition and Responsibility, Encouragement and Education, and Support and Sharing) is based on conservation efforts and public education. Let us know in the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook Group what rare and endangered fish species you’re breeding at home.

The goal of the program is to “encourage hobbyists worldwide to devote tank space to one or more species at risk and distribute offspring to fellow qualified hobbyists, while forming an information network where possible between aquarists, scientists, and conservationists.”

–Claudia Dickinson CARES Preservation Program Coordinator

Addendum:  We recorded this episode before our recording session for the Lacey Act Amendments (Episode 67). In this podcast you will hear us referring to an upcoming “Lacey Act Amendments” podcast, despite that episode having already been released. The content discussed in our Lacey Act Amendments episode includes many potential ramifications for the future of our hobby. At the time, it was decided that we should prioritize getting that information to you as quickly as possible.

Fishes Mentioned in this Episode: – Pacu (Colossoma macropomum) – Redtail shark (Epalzeorhynchos bicolor) – White Cloud Mountain minnow (Tanichthys albonubes) – Buffalo-Head cichlid (Steatocranus casuarius) – Soda cichlid (Alcolapia alcalica) – Cherry barb (Puntius titteya) – Betta macrostoma – African Red-Eye tetra (Arnoldichthys spilopterus) – Betta albimarginata – Betta splendens – Betta persephone – Betta channoides – Betta brownorum – Powder Brown tang (Acanthurus japonicus) – Chocolate tang (Acanthurus pyroferus) – Cherry Red Zebra cichlid (Metriaclima estherae) – Red Swordtail (Xiphophorus hellerii) – Nothobranchius korthausae – Nothobranchius foerschi – Nothobranchius rubripinnis – Nothobranchius rachovii – Dwarf angelfishes (Centropyge spp.) – Mandarin dragonet (Synchiropus splendidus) – Trigonostigma somphongsi – Lambchop rasbora (Trigonostigma espei) – Harlequin rasbora (Trigonostigma heteromorpha) – Giant krib (Pelvicachromis sacrimontis) – Apistogramma spp. – Pelvicachromis kribensis “Moliwe” – Common krib (Pelvicachromis pulcher) – Celestial Pearl danio (Celestichthys margaritatus) – Corydoras sterbai – Nanochromis splendens – Enigmatochromis lucanusi – Angelfishes (Pterophyllum spp.) – Discus (Symphysodon spp.) – Pelmatochromis spp. – Blue Gularis killifish (Fundulopanchax sjoestedti) – Clown killifish (Epiplatys annulatus) – Great White shark (Carcharodon carcharias) – Gold Nugget pleco (Baryancistrus xanthellus) – Luminatus rainbowfish (Pseudomugil luminatus) – Forktail Blue-Eye rainbowfish (Pseudomugil furcatus) – Parosphromenus nagyi – Parosphromenus juelinae – Parosphromenus kishii – Parosphromenus parvulus – Highland Swordtail (Xiphophorus malinche) – Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus) – Sheepshead Swordtail (Xiphophorus birchmanni) – Tequila Goodeid (Zoogoneticus tequila) – Brass Swordtail (Xiphophorus kallmani) – Yellow Swordtail (Xiphophorus clemenciae) – Denison barb (Sahyadria denisonii) – Dwarf Chain loach (Ambastaia sidthimunki) – Black Skirt tetra (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi)