Tropical Fish Hobbyist - October 2010

from the editor
A Unifying Diversity

Robert C. Boruchowitz

With thousands of species c o m m o n l y available in the aquarium hobby, there are fish for every taste, and aquarists are necessarily a diverse group. Some of us keep one tank just to enjoy the beauty of tropical fish in our home, while others have dozens of tanks. Some of us specialize in one group of fish, and others keep a great variety of species. You could say that aquarists are united by diversity—we all enjoy certain facets of the hobby, and there is no shortage of different facets to enjoy! The theme of diversity runs through this issue, uniting a variety of topics.

Fish in the wild are found in a great diversity of habitats, but the occasional habitat stands out as truly bizarre. Case in point: Kelly Warm Springs in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park. The deep fires of a slumbering supervolcano feed a tropical-temperature spring that is home to various alien exotics, including convict cichlids and swordtails! Harsh northern winters are no match for geothermal forces, and you can stand on the wind-whipped, ice-encrusted shore of Kelly Warm Springs and observe tropical fish feeding and breeding, unaware that they aren’t in the rainforest. Join Howard Goldstein for a tour of this fascinating one-of-a-kind locale (p. 80).

The diversity among hobbyists is evident in the plants and animals we nurture, and not all aquarists stick just to fish. Once represented by a handful of oddball species, semi-terrestrial crabs are becoming more and more popular in the hobby, and more species are becoming available all the time. Uwe Dost introduces us to one of the newest, the marble crab from Thailand (p. 86).

The diversity among fish themselves is well represented by the cichlids, a group of fishes that exhibit extreme variability—so extreme that almost any cichlid generality has at least one prominent exception. For example, while the dwarf cichlids in the genus Apistogramma are generally small and should be kept in soft, acidic water with only peaceful tankmates, this month Radek Bednarczuk (p. 70) describes a significant exception: A. steindachneri, an apisto that is twice the normal size, tolerates a wide variety of water chemistries, and can be kept with other cichlids!

While diversity of colors is an attribute of all aquarium fishes, many marine species are intensely colorful, and clownfish and damselfish are arguably the most popular marine fishes for the home aquarium. We are happy to have an excerpt from Jeff Kurtz’s new book Clownfishes and Other Damselfishes: The Complete Guide to the Successful Care and Breeding of These Hardy and Popular Marine Fish (T.F.H. Publications, 2010), in which he surveys these colorful gems and describes their proper care (p. 90).

And who isn’t fascinated by sharks? The species of “sharks” that Phil Purser presents this month are freshwater fishes whose shark names derive from a similarity in appearance rather than any biological relationship. They are very popular despite the fact that they almost universally present challenges to the aquarist wanting to keep them. Find out how to meet those challenges in Phil’s overview of several favorite freshwater sharks (p. 74).

Another thread that unites us is conservation. It is hardly surprising that aquarists, people interested in and concerned about wildlife, are also becoming increasingly concerned about reducing their own impact on the environment in all areas of their lives, including their hobby. This month James Fatherree tells about his green overhaul of a large reef tank (p. 42), and roving reporter Iggy Tavares visits a German aquarist who set up a reef aquarium with conservation as a major theme and driving concern (p. 96).

It’s October 2010, and October in even-numbered years means it’s time for the All Aquarium Catfish Convention (catfish2010. com). TFH has been part of this ever-growing gathering since the beginning, and this year in conjunction with it we present two articles, “Catfish!” by Andrew Blumhagen, celebrating the diversity of this enormous group of fascinating animals (p. 58) and “Amazing Catfish Breeding Strategies” by Eric Bodrock and Bob Bock (p. 66), a survey of the huge variety of ways in which catfishes reproduce. If you have even the slightest interest in catfish, these articles should whet your palate, while the convention (October 21–24 in Fairfax, Virginia) offers a full smorgasbord for all interested aquarists.

This month also opens the last quarter of our Breeder’s Challenge, and Mike and Ted are running almost neck-and-neck toward the finish line, spawning a staggering diversity of species so far. Through our articles and our online blog, the contest has engaged aquarists around the world in a renewed interest in the spawning side of the hobby. Join in on the excitement on p. 102!

As always, I’ve run out of room before being able to do more than touch on the topics in this issue, so be sure to check out all this month’s departments, columns, and features so you don’t miss anything. Enjoy!