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Jonathan-Lee Lloyd
Store Manager
at
Blackpool
How long have you been a Maidenhead Aquatics team member?
I have been working at the Blackpool store for over 5 years, but have been in the industry for roughly 13 years.
How long have you been keeping fish?
I’ve been keeping & looking after fish on my own accord since I was about 11 years old (nearly 18 years ago!)
What was your first aquarium and what fish did you keep in it?
Well my first “aquarium” was a plastic bowl with a black moor goldfish and 2 weather loaches but very quickly my shared bedroom with my older brother had 3 bowls and a small aquarium as this hobby became both my passion and my obsession!
What species do you most enjoy keeping and why?
I don’t particularly have a favourite as such because I find beauty in every species I’ve come across but I think Angelfish will always be my classic go to species.
What pearl of wisdom would you give to first-time Fishkeepers?
Where to start? I think the main one would be patience, take your time. I know it’s difficult to not fill your aquarium with everything in the store asap but you, your fish, and your aquarium will benefit from you taking your time and watching your aquarium and pets within it grow and develop. The other one would be having live plants in your aquarium. Remember you are trying to create an ecosystem rather than keeping fish in a glass box.
What would be your dream aquarium?
Just like I don’t have a favourite species of fish, I don’t really have a dream aquarium.. I can get so much enjoyment from keeping as little as a 25 litre with plants, shrimp and nano fish. Although one day I do hope to have a raised pond with sarasa comet goldfish as I think it would look beautiful.
What’s your favourite aspect of work at Maidenhead Aquatics?
With interacting with so many customers a day, I get to share my knowledge and passion for fishkeeping with them which hopefully will either inspire them, give them new ideas or at the very least have a fellow fish nerd to share their aquarium(s) with!
What questions do customers ask you most often?
Probably how many fish can I keep in this size of aquarium? A close second is usually “My tank keeps going green, how do I stop it?”
What’s your secret fishkeeping “top tip”?
Whilst not a secret but I do find most fishkeepers don’t do this... TEST YOUR WATER! Your water test results will tell you everything about your aquarium, your fish, and your plants! It’s not the fun part of the hobby but it will make your hobby so much easier especially if you have fish health problems or even struggle to keep aquarium plants alive!
How many aquariums do you currently keep at home, and what are these?
Currently, I keep 8 aquariums at home which include; A planted 25L blue cherry shrimp tank A planted Superfish Home 45 tank with red dragon guppies, Tiger platies, and a group of Albino gold peppered corydoras A planted Fluval flex 57L with Chilli rasbora, orange cherry shrimp and a breeding pair of Royal twig catfish X2 70L planted tanks for growing out my bristlenose fry A planted Superfish scaper 90 aquarium with Albino male cherry barbs, Celestial pearl danios, emerald dwarf danios, Exclamation point rasbora, Asian rummynose rasbora, Black koi guppies, and rosy loaches A 5ft slightly planted aquarium with a Fahaka pufferfish, Torpedo barbs, diamond tetras, Blackline-Tail tetras, Congo tetras, kribensis, and panda garras And finally a 6ft planted aquarium With mainly Angelfish and different types of bristlenose catfish
What do you think is the future of fishkeeping and what developments would you most like to see?
The future of fishkeeping.. now that’s a big question! I think we will go more towards automated aquariums, and by that I mean aquarium sets will standardly come with a light timer, an auto feeder, and maybe even an auto doser for planted aquariums as most people are very busy and want the easiest path to the best-looking aquariums.
What’s the most unique species you’ve ever cared for at Maidenhead Aquatics?
The most unique species is shared between two fishes in my AquaOak 160cm wine rack display, which are Stendker discus and our Zebra plecs.. I haven’t seen fish quite as unique as them!
What is it that first got you hooked on fishkeeping?
Surprisingly the first fish that made me passionate about the hobby was weather loaches! I remember my first bowl was set up so I could keep these amazing, wriggly and interactive fish in my bedroom! (I was about 11 at the time)
What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned since joining Maidenhead Aquatics?
Probably the dedication and passion my former manager (Johannah Wallace) had for customer service as we will always try to help you, from testing your water to even trying to fix a filter you didn’t even purchase from us! We will always do our best for you