Can I aquascape my coldwater aquarium?

The term "Aquascape" has become attached to the rather "designer" Iwagumi layouts where fishes are often secondary to the overall aesthetic of the aquarium. In these tanks, small species are favoured and some of these, such as Whitecloud Mountain Minnows (Tanichthys albonubes) and Celestial Pearl Danios (Danio margaritatus) are perfect for these displays and are also a first rate choice for unheated tanks.

For many people, the term "coldwater" is associated with goldfish and these big, messy fishes can really wreak havoc in a delicately-arranged aquarium. Despite a talent for demolition, these fishes deserve to live in an attractive, stimulating environment and there's no reason why the all-too familiar coloured gravel and plastic plants can't be replaced with sand, bogwood, pebbles and robust species of plant. Just ensure that the copious amounts of solid waste associated with these little 'cows with fins' can be easily removed without too much disruption.