With an almost tartan colour pattern that blends with the finely branching corals on which it often perches, the Long-nosed hawkfish (Oxycirrhites typus) is a popular choice for reef aquaria. Completely harmless to corals (although highly likely to perch on them) they will enjoy eating any small crustaceans or fishes and are bound to end up on the floor if placed in an aquarium without a lid. This one was amongst the incredible selection of marines on offer at Reefkeeper Rugby.

https://www.fishkeeper.co.uk/fish/marine/miscellaneous-fish/longnosed-hawkfish-

More popular as a food fish than a pet, it’s rare to see the wild form of the Kissing gourami (Helostoma temminckii) in aquaria. Large and fairly aggressive, this is a fish that needs a big tank and robust tankmates. The notorious kissing interactions are disputes between fish, and groups should be kept in order to spread aggression. This was one of a small group seen at Lechlade.

https://www.fishkeeper.co.uk/fish/freshwater/anabantids/pink-kissing-gourami

The Long-nosed fairy cory (Brochis sychri) is on the larger side of the commonly seen corys and is a great community fish for larger tanks. This batch at the Shrewsbury store were looking immaculate but those long noses are perfectly adapted for rooting around in sand. Those strong eye mask patterns enable them to keep in contact in habitats that might be turbid and as can be seen, they’re pretty social.

https://www.fishkeeper.co.uk/fish/freshwater/catfish/long-nosed-fairy-cory

A few shoaling fish need time to come into their own and are easily overlooked in stock tanks. One such species is the Copper harlequin (Trigonostigma espei) which glows like an ember once properly settled in. The perfect fish for planted aquascapes or Asian blackwater biotopes, this batch at St Mellons were looking gorgeous even before going into a furnished aquarium.

https://www.fishkeeper.co.uk/fish/freshwater/cyprinids/copper-harlequin-

Cichlids are an extremely popular group of fish and have many appealing attributes, including bags of character. Many of the most charismatic species are something of a handful and demand large aquaria and lots of dedication. For anyone after that cichlid personality in a conveniently small package, the Tanganyikan shell-dwellers such as these Neolamprologus multifasciatus, are the perfect choice. Happy in a hard water nano tank with plenty of empty shells, a pair or small group of this colonial dwarf cichlid makes for a very interesting display. Alternatively, they can be added to a shell bed in a larger Tanganyikan community set up that restricts rock work to areas at a safe distance to minimise conflict. These were seen during a recent trip to our Stapleton store.

https://www.fishkeeper.co.uk/fish/freshwater/cichlids/multifasciatus-shelldweller