With their good looks, small size, and hardier nature, Endler’s guppies (Poecilia wingei) are becoming a popular alternative to highly bred pedigree Guppies. They will happily cross breed, so unless you want to see some very interesting hybrid progeny it’s best to house them apart. This stunning batch at our Thornbury store would earn their keep in any suitable aquarium.

https://www.fishkeeper.co.uk/help-and-advice/freshwater/livebearers/endlers-guppy

Pond plants are appearing in our stores up and down the country and bring spring with them. Those which are first up are usually among the most robust and can be relied on to add structure and form to more glamorous varieties which prefer a late start.

Although they’re often stunningly colourful, much of the charm of a reef aquarium comes from the fascinating inhabitants that aren’t fish. Cleaner shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis) have always been popular with reef aquarists and earn their keep by grooming their fish tankmates. Like many full-time fish cleaners, they advertise their barber services with bold stripes, which in the blue light of the reef echo the black and white pattern seen in many different species. This batch at Reefkeeper Moss End were looking in great shape.

https://www.fishkeeper.co.uk/help-and-advice/marine/crabs-shrimp/cleaner-shrimp-

Having recently been given a scientific name, the Redhead Tapajos eartheater (Geophagus pyrocephalus) has now followed the path of many popular aquarium cichlids and developed an albino strain. Like the normal form, these are excellent fish for a larger community and make very good neighbours when kept as a decent group. These youngsters at our Mere Park store were just starting to show some colour.

https://www.fishkeeper.co.uk/help-and-advice/freshwater/cichlids/redhead-tapaj%C3%83%C6%92%C3%82%C2%B3s-eartheater

Anyone who’s ever kept them properly will know that Oscars are a lot of work but make very rewarding pets. Amongst the many forms of domesticated Oscars, a few of their rarer relatives can occasionally be found and the Bumblebee Oscar (Astronotus crassipinnis) is one such treat. With a maximum size of 25cm these are slightly smaller than their more common kin and being closer to their wild ancestors, should be kept in softer, more acidic conditions. Their core requirements remain similar – huge tanks and big water changes to keep things fresh and clean. This fish was one of a batch at our Sanders store.

https://www.fishkeeper.co.uk/help-and-advice/freshwater/cichlids/oscar

It certainly feels like spring, as our pond systems are filling with fishes ready to explore new surroundings as temperatures rise. These batches of mixed goldfish varieties showcase the diversity of this hardy species and compliment one another beautifully.

https://www.fishkeeper.co.uk/help-and-advice/freshwater/pond-fish