In this episode, the Water Colors team discusses their top 5 favorite fish that are not safe to keep with coral. The average reef aquarium in 2026 has a variety of mixed corals. Many of the most interesting fish in the aquarium trade are unsafe to keep with corals. This means there’s a whole world of fun and unique species that get overlooked, simply because they’re not compatible with the average reef tank. Many of the species mentioned in this episode will eat corals, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a place in the hobby! What are your favorite non reef safe fish?   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/ Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/ Join our growing community on Discord! https://go.watercolors.shop/discord   Species mentioned in this episode: Scribbled boxfish, ostracion solarensis Yellow clown goby, gobiodon okinawae Red Sea cleaner wrasse, larabicus quadrilineatus Orange spotted rabbitfish, siganus guttatus Eibli angelfish, centropyge eibli Lemonpeel angelfish, centropyge flavissima Regal angelfish, pygoplites diacanthus Brownband butterflyfish, roa modesta Threadfin butterflyfish, chaetodon auriga Chocolate chip starfish, protoreaster nodosus Peppered butterflyfish, chaetodon guttatissimus Undulated triggerfish, balistapus undulatus Caribbean longnose butterflyfish, prognathodes aceleatus

We all love bettas, but what other anabantoids need some time in the spotlight? In this episode, the Water Colors team discusses their top 5 species from the suborder anabantoidei. This includes many beloved fish such as gouramis, paradisefish, badis, and even channa! Discussions include native habitats, captive care, breeding reports, and more! What’re your favorite anabantoids?   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/ Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/ Join our growing community on Discord! https://go.watercolors.shop/discord   Species mentioned in this episode: Blue paradisefish, macropodus opercularis Spiketail paradisefish, pseudosphromenus dayi Gollum snakehead, aenigmachanna gollum Noble gourami, ctenops nobilis Ornate paradisefish, melpulatta kretseri Peppermint pikehead, luciocephalus aura Crossband chocolate gourami, sphaerichthys selatanensis Honey gourami, trichogaster chuna Giant sparkling gourami, trichopsis schalleri Leopard bushfish, ctenopoma acutirostre Black paradisefish, macropodus spechti Rainbow snakehead, channa bleheri Banded bushfish, microtenopoma fasciolatum Red flame badis, dario hysginon Strawberry licorice gourami, parosphromenus nagyi Moonspot licorice gourami, paosphromenus linkei

In this episode, the Water Colors team takes a trip back in time. The early aquarium hobby has some fascinating origins, some good and some not so good. Much of what we know about aquariums has changed through the years, but one thing remains constant – people are enamored with fish. In this discussion, we’ll go through some of the earliest fish species to be imported and kept in the US, as well as aquarium styles, equipment, and care through the years. Do you own any retro aquariums?   Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery   Sources used in this episode: The Aquarium, Mulertt, Hugo Handbook to the Fish House, E. W. H. Holdworth The Way We Were: 1973: Breeding The Clownfish Amphiprion ocellaris, Martin A. Moe Guppies, The New York Times

In this episode, the Water Colors Team discusses their top 5 aquarium plants found in Africa! When in comes to plant diversity, Africa is hard to beat! Some of our absolute favorites come from this region. This discussion revolves around our favorite species, their native ranges, care, and more! If you’re interested in designing a biotope to this region, this episode is a great place to start! What are your favorite African plants?   Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery   Species mentioned in this episode: Ammania gracilis Ammania capitellata Nymphaea zankeri Nymphaea micrantha Eleocharis dulcis Eleocharis minima Eleocharis wallichii Eleocharis huperiana Eleocharis atropurpurea Hygrophila odora Ottelia ulvifolia Bolbitis heudelotii Aubias heterophylla Anubias gigantea Aponogeton madagascarensis Crinum calimastratum Aponogeton ulvaceus

In this episode, the Water Colors team is once again quizzed on their fish knowledge! Using the worst commercial wholesale fish list we can find and a random number generator, we roll a random species from the list and test each host to see if they know the species based only on the common name alone. Each turn, they can score points by correctly naming the genus and species. This game is made even more challenging due to the blatantly wrong or outdated information on this wholesale list! Try playing along at home and see if you get as frustrated as we do!   Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery

Once again, we are joined by our good friend and algae expert Dr. Jordyn Stoll! In this episode, we narrow down our focus and discuss ornamental marine algae, sometimes referred to as macroalgae. Aquascapes utilizing ornamental algae often resemble planted aquariums, and share some similarities, yet the species used in macroalgae tanks span across multiple kingdoms and can vary vastly in care. We’ll discuss some of the common varieties and attempt to categorize them, while also sharing our experience with obtaining and growing different species. Have you ever kept a macroalgae tank?   Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery  

In this new episode format, the Water Colors team sits down to discuss the current display aquariums within our store in Grand Rapids, Michigan! The display tanks in our gallery serve as examples to inspire others. The staff will take turns designing and maintaining the various show tanks across the store. In this discussion, we’ll go in-depth on all the setups, including the dimensions, equipment, stocking, and more! From nano planted paludariums, to massive reef tanks, we’ve got a diverse array of aquariums you are sure to love!     Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery    

In this episode, the Water Colors Team sits down to discuss corallimorphs, or the cnidarians within the order corallimorpharia. This includes fun species from the genera discosoma, rhodactus, ricordea, and more! We discuss some of the available varieties in the aquarium trade and their care, as well as some other unique species that aquarists don’t typically see! Which corallimorphs are your favorite?   Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery

For this Halloween episode, we asked our listeners, friends, and fellow hobbyists to share their spookiest aquarium horror stories. We received some shocking tales about aquarium-related injuries, losses, and more. We hope by sharing these experiences, we can all learn from the tragedies and discuss how to prevent future disasters. What’s your scariest aquarium story?   Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery

Once again, we are joined by our good friend and algae expert Dr. Jordyn Stoll! In this episode, we attempt to tackle the complicated world of marine algae, but quickly find that this topic warrants multiple episodes. The tricky nature of discussing saltwater algae sends our hosts off on dozens of tangents, to no surprise. From ornamental macroalgae to pesky nuisance algae, join us as we learn just how complicated this topic can be! Special thanks to Jordyn for joining us on this fun episode!   Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery

In this episode, we welcome a good friend of the store in for an interview! Craig Forist is an accomplished aquarist with an impressive background in the aquarium hobby. He is the president of two aquarium clubs, an active BAP competitor, and most recently – the proud owner of a trio of epaulette sharks. We sit down with Craig and hear all about his aquarium experiences, from early inspirations, to the founding of a brand new saltwater club (West Michigan Marine Aquarium Society). Join us as we discuss aquarium clubs, fish rooms, epaulette sharks, and more!   You can learn more about the West Michigan Marine Aquarium Society (WMMAS) here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/298576849030426/ You can learn more about the Grand Valley Aquarium Club (GVAC) here: https://gvaquariumclub.org/ Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/ Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/ Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery

The 55 gal aquarium is a notoriously disliked tank, with many hobbyists avoiding it like the plague. At 48″ long, 13″ wide, and 20″ tall, it can be a very limiting tank to work with! Despite it’s reputation, it’s still a frequently sold model. In this episode, the Water Colors team discusses their top 3 concepts surrounding the dreaded 55gal tank. We have some very unique suggestions that may inspire you to try one out yourself!   Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery

We’re back with one of our favorite episode formats – answering listener submitted questions! These episodes are livestreamed at the time of recording on our YouTube channel – consider joining our YouTube membership for access to weekly livestreamed episodes! There is never a shortage of great questions and topics to kickstart some interesting conversations on these recording sessions. You can submit your own questions for future episodes to info@watercolorsaquariumgallery.com   Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery

In this episode, the Water Colors team discusses their top 5 most bragworthy aquarium plants! Some of these species are challenging to find or grow, and having a healthy specimen can show other aquarists that you’re a hardcore hobbyist. Other examples on this list are simply impressive to see, whether you’re an aquarium geek or not! From giant swords to flowering crypts, we love an opportunity to brag about impressive plants. Which plants are you most proud of?   Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery    

In this episode, the Water Colors team discusses what to do when you encounter an aquarium emergency. From leaks to power outages, food dumps to broken pumps – what can you do when disaster strikes? We’ll talk about the common issues, how to troubleshoot, and how to prepare. What are the worst aquarium disasters you’ve experienced? You can send your stories into info@watercolorsaquariumgallery.com and they may be shared in a future episode!   Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery

In this episode, the Water Colors team is once again quizzed on their fish knowledge! Using the worst commercial wholesale fish list we can find and a random number generator, we roll a random species from the list and test each host to see if they know the species based only on the scientific name alone. Each turn, they can score a point by successfully proving they know the species. They can also earn a bonus point for guessing the correct Water Colors retail price. This game is made even more challenging due to the blatantly wrong or outdated information on this wholesale list! Try playing along at home and see if you get as frustrated as we do!   Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery

In this listener-suggested episode, the Water Colors team comes up with a few of their favorite concepts for nano tanks that can live on your desk! We are accepting votes on which of these concepts we will be setting up in the shop! Whether you work from home, or have a corporate desk job, there’s room for a mini project tank in your work space. We’ll discuss ideas that range from simple and hands-off, to complex designs with rare species and high end equipment. A few fan-favorite species will be mentioned, along with some surprising suggestions that are sure to get your ideas flowing! Your coworkers will either love you, or avoid you – depending on what type of tank you put on your desk! What desktop aquariums would you like to setup?   Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery

In this episode, we are joined once again by freshwater ecologist and algae expert Dr. Jordyn Stoll! Jordyn studies algae in natural environments, and with her expertise, we hope to discuss some of the common algae varieties we encounter in our aquariums. The big question is – how do we treat it? Algae issues typically stem from nutrient imbalances, both in our aquariums and in nature. Identifying the species of algae is a great first step in learning how to eradicate it. Dr. Stoll and the Water Colors team will discuss algae identification, possible treatments, and share plenty of fun facts along the way.   Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery

After wrapping up our official Killifish month, the Water Colors team concludes by sharing their top 5 killifish of all time! March 2025 was full of non-stop killi action, including episodes on dirt-spawners (208), mop-spawners (207), and killifish biotopes (206). What better way to round it off than a classic top 5 list? For more in-depth discussion on killis, refer back to these previous episodes. Which killifish are in your top 5?   Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery   Species mentioned in this episode: Fundulopanchax gardneri Lucania goodei Epiplatyus annulatus Aphyosemion australe Diapteron fulgens Paraphanius mento Jordanella floridae Lamprichthys tanganicanus Nothobranchius rachovii Nothobranchius reubripinnis Additional sources mentioned in this episode: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1055790322000951

In this episode, the Water Colors Team discusses their top 5 non-armored catfish species! This excludes a lot of fan-favorite cats, such as corydoras and plecos, and forces the hosts to study up on some unusual species! It’s impossible to generalize catfishes, as they comprise nearly 10% of all known fish species. We’ll share some of our favorites, ranging from tiny, dwarf acts – to large, electric catfish! What are your favorite species?   Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/   Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/   Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery   Species mentioned in this episode: Wasp catfish, akysis vespa Marbled hoplo cat, megalechis thorocata Gulper cat, asterophysus batrachus Banjo cat, bunocephalus caracoideus Eel-tailed banjo cat, platystacus cotylephorus Bumblebee cat, microglanis iheringi Glass catfish, kryptopterus vitreolus Ornate pim, pimelodus ornatus Pictus cat, pimelodus pictus Dwarf upside-down cat, synodontis nigriventis Stargazer catfish, astroblepus mancoi Synodontis lucipinnis Synodontis petricola Dwarf anchor cat, erethistes jerdoni Small-mouthed electric catfish, malapterurus microstoma Gold hovering cat, chandramara chandramara   Sources referenced in this episode: https://www.planetcatfish.com/ https://www.scotcat.com/ https://seriouslyfish.com/