Perhaps our most controversial and passionate podcast yet. An open plea to the accomplished aquascapes of the world to open your minds to a different way of doing things. It might catch your attention. It might piss you off.. or it might just motivate you to get out of your comfort zone and change the hobby in a most profound way. Just listen...

On a practical level, how can we recreate the seasonal changes that occur in Nature, and what impacts can we expect on our fishes? Let’s get after it!

One of the most obvious, yes least-tackled aspects of Nature in our aquariums is...change. Specifically, seasonal changes, which impact wild aquatic habitats. What types of secrets, discoveries, and breakthroughs will come to the aquarium hobby if we approach this dynamic a bit differently?

Some of us crave those seemingly obscure-in-the-hobby, yet abundant-in-Nature fishes. We wait. We search.. and we dream. Why aren’t some of these fishes common in the hobby?

With all of the variables in our aquariums, is there some “grand recipe” for achieving the perfect conditions in your botanical-style, blackwater aquarium?

We’ve all had that ONE “it” fish.. you know- the one that keeps us engaged, actively searching for; inspiring us to create an entire tank for. Here’s a story of my personal “It” fish- Chrenuchus spiritus.. the “Guardian of The Spring.”

I used to be one of those fish people who would simply freak out at every speck of algae; every leaf that was slightly askew...that sort of stuff! Then, I found myself attracted to the “earthy” vibe of natural, botanical-style aquariums, and those little things bothered me no more...

Many are drawn to our unique little niche in the aquarium hobby. Yet, as a beginner, can you succeed in our deeply tinted, earthy world of decomposing leaves and such? Let’s talk about it...

Don’t you just geek out when you order something fish related online, and it’s going to be delivered TODAY? Of course you do. You’re a fish geek!

We realize that a lot of you might love some aspects of botanicals and blackwater aquariums, but you’re not ready to go “all in” on a full-on natural look. What to do? Here are a few simple ideas to fuse “high concept, artistic” aquariums with our laid-back, more literal interpretation of Nature.