A Sal asad C Rotel al all =i allele tI isla lt KEEPING BASICS roa er Nase) IU ES EXPLORING THE HOLIDAY PRODUCT AQUATIC MOSSES DWARF CORIES NAN Ohi s a= ga)Hey Fish Geeks :) Take a break from your tank and get excited about your holiday wishlist!Unique Exclusive Repurposed Custom?” To Find Made In USA We could go on & on, but these are a few of the words describing what you'll find at SwagDaddy.com oCOM Elie) ™ Wishing you & your family a very ‘ol Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!december?014 ur 63rd Year -Volume Lx - Number 4 - #705: features 40 Undergrowth Planting in the Iwagumi Layout Tis month the most of the Nature Aquarium reveo hs method for Creating an underbrush arangement io reinforce the ceshetic onpec! fo 1ockbosed planted loyoul. Takashi Amano 46 Corydoras in Miniature [An eccomplshed fehkeeper and reader extacrdinai looks ot the ‘ives dwart/pygmy cofes—Con/doras Nabrosus C.nasfatus and C pygmaous—wsin notes on thet proper core. Mike Hellwog 54 10 Tips for Better Guppy-keeping \Wnie they may ook fesier han ever modem-cey guppies re often shorived, but with alienfon fo some basic fundornentas hey con be kept hoppy ona healthy Bob Fenner 60 6 Basic Mistakes of the Novice Aquarist |Adediccted ferkeeper reviews some common mistakes fistime hobbyists make, ond gives some advice to reduce the i of vestock loses in ascrtor quer. Radek Bodnarezuk 68 Beauties of the Red Sea ‘diver who fds nspraton on the wots corareetsGescrbes he ‘beautiful tkh and undenvater scenery net cootvates him cs he ‘explored Foyt’ Rec Sea coos. John Robertson MA Hebron Het tanec peor to columns ‘book series fom TFH/Microces Includes several fascinating blenris ona cerana’ sutceo for a nanoveot. Seott W. Michael 18 Ask Jack 82 Bubble-Tip Anemone Basics osx toy longtime reetkeeper ond aquatics expert provides guidance on he teioction, ec, ane keeping of the beaut Entacmaee quodkcoter & 20 Cichlid World hardy anemens that oan tive in @ wal-maintainad solv, sacar Richard Aspinall 24 The Planted Tank Peron Wang 28 Into the Labyrinth ose do> 32 Import Report 36 The Salt Mix Joes Fata, Se‘uepeenaw natne chance ome longo ora Poppet spoon fotorebuattete oro ctteeraliemcer sey on adhe olay ‘ys hen gon utp cnahon feb omar olan nausea x eter Cuppy anepn oar chalenger nthe homo inpoed soc meat TFH Magazine departments an Editorial & Design Editor's Note/Reader's Forum Freshwater Q&A Saltwater Q&A ectoroacs Wore. Bases AD Holiday Product Showcase contieutng actor: Jomes athentee, MSc, Bob Fanner. Rcnara sation. Jack Watiay Amanda Wenge Advertiser Index ‘Claudio Dickinson, Mark Cenara, Charles Clapsoddl Ciessiteds Sha Hori Jeremy Goer. Yel hy Advertising Parting Shot Ceavering sotes manager: Roquet Maytele sroctord Subscriptions Vaee-e509080 ‘TFH, Publications, In. v9 dkeston:Nonev'.vadenerspublishers note Swe enter the holiday season, i the perfect time of year to reflect upon what is important in our lives, evel tat includes cr ‘apreciaion of the many bens the eur hobby hast offer ‘This month Pl ie 1o deve this space toa guest eitrial fom a Temgtime reader which recently came to us inthe mail as alter to the eto We fe his eter so much that, rather an selecting parts oft eat, we decided vo present icin ts etre, nl we ao asked eur Facebook fans 10 ell us what inspired them o get nto seeping as ela sampling ofthe over 200 replies we received follows below: We hope you find this eter as inspiring aed hoby-afirming as we do—enioy! Daa Editor, Tin 73 years old and, except forfour yeas inthe US, Navy and couple of temporary apartments, Ive had freshwater aquariums since my 10 birdy: “That was 1951, adits been a yea oy! “The best prt of thisis that in 1954 anew hd moved ito the neighborhood and be was interested in aquarums WeVe been best sends ince, sll going to pet shops and axqarium stores, although we've given up on seams, ponds, and black nose dace! ‘Of course, being oa fixed income, tng in New Jere. and witnessing all prices constanly going up, Ive had to cutback. Tin down to 11 aquartass row However, ove reading your maggzine renew my subscriptions without {question orhesation Ive gen gift subscriptionsand pass ll my copies tomy friend of the lst 60 yeas. Keep up the good work! “The pint want to make that this hobhy of beau hobby at whic to look, hobby to watch, All he new species and bres of sh ana plants keep the fascination alive, and all the new technology should enhance the ease of| ‘mantenace. One can get stn aogring new things and in achieving goals, bouche mos: important itr in this hobby isthe chain fron of te aus, ‘No one should mis the ballet of schoo of harlequin rashors svimming pasta school of Blak tetas while the angelshstically watch and the betta ‘oul care ss. ears ceed ose this, No one should miss a romantic male guppy chasing a female dhrough the plans and around the rocks with illite, ues, ofcourse, there’ something oat Thisalls lor achat! A plture perfect aquarium stu a ight to behold, but not beter than the harmony ofa healthy aquarium. Watching alfanch, young Convdras cones oftheir 3+ to inch parenis mimic those parents exaet mations ells for a Falance, healthy aquarium. And a ea! ‘We shouldnt get oat inthe accomplishments and iss the beauty read all the latest technology and miss the ancient poetry’ or count how rauch has been accurate bur mis the pre tut in our ft environmen, We dent need 200 fish if 25 amuse us, We dont need nine tanks if our will keep us happy. ‘We dont need o spend alt of money ifall we need iachair o wins what weve created In 1951, 1 spent hours watching the guppies play sing the zebras Indescence in the sunlight, oe watching the Corydoras sf the san fr dinner Jeane. And enjoyed leaming ‘Whether eshte or sl, this an extraoninary hobby of beauty sence, technology romance, balk, wath, and poetry and time should be spent ‘enjoying it just watching it. dont think that point shouldbe overiooked (Ob, andif alo of aquariums are involved get acai with wheels! Raymond E. Willams [East Brunswick, New Jersey We couldnt have said it beter ourselies—a heanfel thane you, Me Williams. And to all our readers, from all of us here at TFH, we wish you the wery best of holiday, and heath and happiness for you a your om OAS: a 4 Albert J. Connelly, J Publisher Tioplcal Fish Hobbyist TFH Facebook Poll Who or what inspired you to get into the fishkeeping hobby? My fouryearold son wanted fish tank for Christmas lst year, Wher 1 vent to ou local fish sore, Twas so pressed that | was tnspied to become all Rslged hobbyist. Ten months later (have four fs tanks! ‘Stephanie Herts “Takashi Amano lyouts in his planted ans Aiexendre Mri " Alsen gave me aa ina ery tiny bowl 0 T went out and go 10gallon tale soe mou be happy ad ely “om Davie Calzada Severe science teacher He sid Iwas mat Dale Sigal My granlfather He abways had big 6-60 tank, use ost an watch i for hours In my own litle underwater worl wll Allan My soventh- grade homeroonvckence teacher He put 10gllon tank in the ‘ison, al eboenhookel helt Oyun 7 Crios Water Pereyra {vas just fscnated with ish, tres, and snakes ever since 1 can remember. {ype ew ton ink or Chesmas in 1977 TN a a eer ne ips {ou gosh ot the aground nd neve ely eked act 1s dean when Lg Ty a vos nd rai ‘emember the only eon would cooperate and goss tose the (Mike Bernard * Love ofour environmen nd animals, When L moved to Fla vite the LS Tal sh shop bought an electric white crac, and developed a terminal case cof Muliple Tank Syndrome. [hope to get my own LIS i de nea future ie Chateau Aquaria {moved in with en, ane adn TY, excep vido ges, Tid He ‘deo games so we sured ah anand ended up having =o ight of he ‘Now (have lob gallon eshvater nd two 10galion sate take Jlery pan ‘An ad for dart seahorses in Boys Life Magazine. set up my first 5¥gallon marine tank. They were amazing! ‘Ted Moker ‘When sy fier passed aay when Las 15, my der ther gave me a copy cf Wl nest beck Tei ad ined to prnnte lin names Taal ave the Boake We would ays buy TFH a ou acl wep sh store Gaye tent Langione Be sure to follow TFH Magazine on Facebook! wwwacebook com/ithmagazine 4 vwoevefhmagazine com December 2014