Magazine

Fish are incredibly diverse and sophisticated animals. We’ve domesticated a few of them and still underestimate them - even when some of them have found a way to live in areas where’s there’s no water for months of the year...

It may be winter outside but in our hearts, it’s spring - especially when we have sights to cheer us from the autumn koi harvest. Our livestock expert once again shares the top picks that he has found in stores that are available for you to purchase and allow you to add to your set ups.

Welcome to a new year! Traditionally a time of resolutions and change, as well as freezing weather. After the usual feasting and merriment, those who make resolutions will be joining gyms, giving up smoking, trying to swear less (or at least only under due provocation!) and perhaps be better fish keepers. Having done most of the above at some point, I can tell you that the last one is probably the easiest of the lot...

Now's the perfect time to grab a great deal on an aquarium in many of our stores across the UK. Find out more about our local store clearance sale.

For many fish keepers young and old, Christmas can often bring the gift of a new aquarium but new aquaria are hazardous places for fish to be with traditional bacteria-powered removal of fish toxins takes a while to get established and in the meantime your pets can be poisoned by their own waste products. Check out our top tips to help speed up the process. 

The tropical season is in full swing and it seems that even the fish know it. Check out Paul Tapley’s selection of top finds in store this month. 

It’s been the same ever since I first walked into a fish shop, there’s so many choices that even when I had fifty tanks on the go I didn’t have enough room. With the prospect of another few weeks at home, now is a great time to look at some wish list fish.

The health of any aquatic animal is limited by the quality of the water in which it lives but how do you go about finding out more about this complex (but rather watery) soup that is home to your pets? Paul Tapley explains all. 

Treatment of White Spot (Cryptocaryon irritans) in marine fishes is often complicated by the presence of invertebrates, it’s fairly logical that medications are harmful to them as parasites are inverts after all. It then becomes a question of dose rates, with some chemicals such as copper being particularly deadly. Paul Tapley explains everything you need to know. 

Aquarium plants have much in common with the garden or house plants that you may be more familiar with. There’s a historical myth that they’ll thrive on the waste products of the fish and whilst there’s some truth in this, the reality is a bit more complex. Find out more.

With the long nights upon us, it’s good to know that the aquarium season is here to brighten our days. Paul Tapley shares some of his top finds for this month.

White Spot (Ichthyophthirius multifiliis) is one of the most common diseases in ornamental fish. Find out everything you need to know to care for your freshwater fish along with products you can use to treat this condition.

We’ve put together our top tips to help you get the most out of your pond this autumn and to make sure your fish are well-prepared for the onslaught of winter.

Check out the latest news in the fishkeeping industry as we all attempt to get back to some form of normality and find out about a number of new products to hit our stores very soon including a new product in our AquaCare range of treatments and a couple of fantastic new aquariums to look out for.

As the pond season starts to give way to the trops, it’s a glorious cross-over time of year in the stores and Paul Tapley shares some of the livestock that has caught his eye during his recent travels.

It’s that time of year again, as the days start to shorten and the water lily leaves begin to fade, the new season of tropical imports begins. As expected, freight charges and other costs have increased, which means that the many catfishes which have been quietly growing-on in our stores during lockdown are at prices that are unlikely to be seen again. Read on...

Fishkeeping is a fantastic hobby that can often last a lifetime. When starting with Fishkeeping sometimes less is more, and this is why the Fluval Flex is a great starter aquarium, making it ideal as the centrepiece of our Fishkeeper Fry programme. Not only does it allow you to learn the tricks of the trade, but it can allow you to have a wide array of choice of livestock to keep. 

It’s been a funny old year, as usual though, the weather has given us some highlights and the usual late summer storms have given us classic ‘Orfe on the lawn’ weather. It’s time to contemplate what’s going on in our water gardens and what motivates orfe to go wandering.

Everybody knows about koi, they’re the expensive pond fish that are worth thousands of pounds. Only this is wrong most of the time. Paul Tapley explains why...

After weeks of lockdown and disruption on a global scale, and with things starting to return to a ‘new normal’, Paul Tapley offers some insight as to what to expect in our stores as lockdown starts to ease.