Water Colors Aquarium Gallery

Amy, Ben, and Calder talk about blennies and, boy, was there a lot to say and how they could have gone on for hours. With 6 families, approximately 130 genera and 900 species and counting, there is a lot of information in this week’s podcast. Blennies have amazing personality, colors, and adaptations. Let us know what blennies you have in your aquariums now and tell us about the ones you wish you could too!



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Sources mentioned in this episode:

Live Aquaria – https://www.liveaquaria.com/?srsltid=AU7gw4VM5elUthzXzVaptIEeesFCcAlnX6rTtZrbd0OMDCXs4Y8EzNFb

Fish Base – https://www.fishbase.se/search.php

Seriously Fish – https://www.seriouslyfish.com/



Species mentioned in this episode:

Order: Blenniiformes

Sub-family: Blenniinae

Meiacanthus – Fang Blennies

Meiacanthus grammistes – Striped Blenny
Meiacanthus kamoharai – Kamohara Blenny
Meiacanthus nigrolineatus – Blackline Fangblenny
Meiacanthus oualanensis – Canary Blenny
Meiacanthus atrodorsalis – Forktail Blenny
Meiacanthus smithi – Disco Blenny
Meiacanthus mossambicus – Mozambique Blenny
Meiacanthus bundoon – Bundoon Blenny

Plagiotremus – Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides and others) Mimics

Plagiotremus tapeinosoma – Piano Fangblenny
Plagiotremus rhinorhynchos – Bluestriped Fangblenny
Plagiotremus ewaensis – Ewa Fangblenny
Plagiotremus azaleus – Sabertooth Blenny
Aspidontus – Fang Blenny (Meiacanthus) Mimics

Xiphasia – Snake Blennies

Ecsenius – Clown Blenny

Ecsenius gravieri – Red Sea Mimic Blenny
Ecsenius namiyei – Black Combtooth Blenny
Ecsenius stigmatura – Tailspot Blenny
Ecsenius bicolor – Bicolor Blenny
Ecsenius midas – Midas Blenny

Other – Miscellaneous Genera

Enchelyurus flavipes – Flametail Blenny
Petroscirtes mitratus – Floral Blenny
Exallias brevis – Leopard Blenny
Blenniella chrysospilos – Orange Spotted Blenny
Scartella cristata – Molly Miller Blenny
Hypleurochilus pseudoaequipinnis – Alantic Oyster Blenny

Sub-family: Salariinae

Salarias ramosus – Starry Blenny
Salarias fasciatus – Lawnmower Blenny

Sub-family: Chaenopsidae

Acanthemblemaria balanorum – Clubhead Barnacle Blenny
Acanthemblemaria paula – Dwarf Spinyhead Blenny

Blackwater is a term thrown around in the aquarium hobby and has many different meanings. Blackwater can mean heavily stained, tannic water, or it can mean water that is soft and acidic that receives little light. Today, the team focuses more so on the second definition, referencing environments such as the Rio Negro in South America and plants that grow well in these unique places. Special thanks to Craig this episode for filling in last minute for Calder. We appreciate your adaptiveness and scientific background.

Craig’s Amendments:

Because I had such a limited amount of time to get my research and can’t leave an incorrect stance out there, I have a couple of items as “corrections”. The leaves aren’t breaking down they are getting washed away. Fungus, bacteria and shredders are all inhibited by the low pH as we had previously agreed on.

After digging into the other underwater flowering plant it was actually Utricularia australis that I skipped because it was covered with all of the carnivorous plants that was my other underwater flowering plant not the nymphaea.

I also went and found a bug bat sarracenia. This is a hybrid but has been reproduced locally by being outside during the summer and brought into a semi heated green house during the winter.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/394784938_Hydrological_and_ecological_drivers_of_leaf_retention_under_urbanization_in_a_Central_Amazon_Headwater_stream?fbclid=IwY2xjawUiNeRleHRuA2FlbQIxMABwZG9mBWJyaWQRMUN4aVk5OGdoSHZxdFZBa2tzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEerNOwnXRyKwZUSll1oHIUDxLD7NtHwG9wpnHyw_xqQOCSLShtzciHG_cZJMk_aem_n0ixAkB8Ynf4D-LmXrxliQ

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Sources mentioned in this episode:

Christel Kasselmann – https://www.instagram.com/christel.kasselmann/?hl=en
Karen Randall – https://www.sunkengardens.net/
Aquatic Gardeners Association – https://www.aquatic-gardeners.org/

Species mentioned in this episode:

Bucephalandra
Echinodorus grisebachii
Echinodorus ‘Altlandsberg’
Helanthium quadricostatus
Helanthium tenellum
Helanthium bolivianum
Helanthium angustifolium
Barclaya longifolia
Cryptocoryne × purpurea (Cryptocoryne cordata × Cryptocoryne griffithii)
Cryptocoryne siamensis or Cryptocoryne blassii
Cryptocoryne alba
Cryptocoryne nurii
Cryptocoryne striolata
Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia
Cryptocoryne wendtii
Cryptocoryne undulata
Cryptocoryne lucens
Cryptocoryne lutea
Cryptocoryne beckettii
Cryptocoryne beckettii ‘Petchii’
Cryptocoryne parva
Eleocharis acicularis
Eleocharis montevidensis
Sarracenia leucophylla
Pinguicula – “Pim”
Utricularia australis
Nepenthes
Drosera – “Sundew”
Plagiochilaceae sp. “Cameroon”
Microsorum pteropus ‘Needle Leaf’
Nymphaea nouchali
Nymphaea lotus
Nymphaea dimorpha
Poecilia picta
Syngonanthus sp. ‘La Lindosa’
Eriocaulon lineare
Eriocaulon sp. ‘Feather Duster’
Anubias barteri
Anubias barteri var. coffeefolia
Tonina fluviatilis
Bolbitis heteroclita
Bolbitis heteroclita ‘Difformis’
Cabomba caroliniana var. ‘pulcherrima’
Cabomba furcata
Proserpinaca palustris
Phyllanthus fluitans
Lomariopsis lineata – Süsswassertang

Amy, Ben and Calder are here this week to talk about freshwater gobies. This group of fish is so diverse, unique and goofy. There is definetly a species of goby out there for you. For the meantime, tune in and listen to the team talk about some of their favorites!



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Names and Resources coming soon.

*** We apologize for some of the electrical pops and noises, we are working out the bugs but unfortunately we record our episodes a few weeks in advance and will take some time to reflect in real time. All suggestions and feedback is welcome any of the ways you can get in touch with us. ***

In previous episodes, Water Colors staff and listeners have asked Amy, Ben and Calder questions. This episode is a little different. This week, the team has decided to ask each other questions; one question personalized for each individual host and two questions for both hosts to answer. Cuddle up, grab a glass of beer or maybe a hot cocoa, and listen to the more personal sides of the team you have grown to know and love.



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Amy, Ben and Calder bring us back to the basics this week. Filtration is an essential part of keeping a healthy aquarium and is a topic that often gets over complicated and becomes confusing to beginners. Between the different types of filters, different types of filtration (biological, mechanical, and chemical), and popularity of “filterless” tanks; what is the right option? What is ideal for my set-up? The team explores these topics and more.



Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery

Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/

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