Water Colors Aquarium Gallery
Ben, owner of Water Colors Aquarium Gallery in Grand Rapids, MI is joined by his store managers Amy and Charles to discuss the aquarium hobby.
- Update frequency
- every 6 days
- Average duration
- 81 minutes
- Episodes
- 235
- Years Active
- 2020 - 2025
54. Five Fish You Didn’t Think You’d Like
Most long term aquarium hobbyists remember a particular fish species fondly as what drew them to aquariums, or as a significant step in their personal journey. This time, this podcast is not about th…
53. Why Can’t We Be Friends? Saltwater Compatibility
When venturing into saltwater for the first time, it can be easy to see the more complicated equipment or testing as the biggest mentality shift. In practice and with good guidance, these hurdles usu…
52. Our Top 5 Saltwater Mobile Invertebrates
Invertebrate diversity is one of the major advantages a saltwater aquarium has over freshwater. Most of the time, and for good reason, coral and other sessile (immobile) invertebrates get the glory. …
51. Debate: South America vs Africa
Freshwater aquarium fish come from all over the world. Most long term hobbyists tend to drift toward one continent or the other to specialize in, and their opinions on where the best fish come from c…
50. Adventures in Acclimation – From Coral to Coral Beauty
Improper acclimation is by far the most common reason that saltwater fish die soon after going home. If you skip the drip, you risk shocking your fish. Acclimate too long, and the dangers only increa…
49. Five Reasons to Hate Plecos
Plecos, or catfish of the family Loricariidae, are a group of fish that can promote some pretty strong feelings in hobbyists. Whether you’re still bitter over the common pleco that got way too big be…
48. Our Top Five Coolest Human Produced Fish
We’ve talked about genetically modified fish in this podcast before, not always in the most positive light. In this episode: Ben, Charles, and Amy flip that attitude on its head and talk about some o…
47. Our Top Five Saltwater Nano Fish
Nano tanks have blown up in popularity over the last few years, for good reason. A nano saltwater aquarium can be a more budget friendly option for the entry level marine aquarist, or the perfect sol…
46. Interview: Saltwater Wholesale and Collection with Bill Backus from A&M Aquatics
A&M Aquatics is a marine livestock importer/wholesaler located in Michigan. If you live in the midwest, there’s a good chance you’ve seen their fish in your local fish store, but their range extends …
45. Five Perfect Freshwater Fish Pairings
Sometimes selecting fish for your aquarium can seem like a daunting task. You want fish that get along, look beautiful together, and fill your tank with a variety of activity. In this episode: Ben, C…
44. Interview: Captive Breeding and Sustainability with Jake Phillips from Biota Aquariums
Biota Aquariums is one of the world leaders in captive bred saltwater fish, producing and wholesaling an amazing array of livestock including large food fish, tiny gobies, invertebrates, and the now …
43. Aquarium Books Part 2: Saltwater
In the second part of this introduction to our aquarium books: Ben, Charles, and Amy discuss their favorite reads on the saltwater side of the hobby.
42. Seasonal Tub Ponds
Summer is the season for getting outside and enjoying the weather while it lasts, but that doesn’t mean you need to leave your indoor hobbies entirely. Setting up a temporary pond outside can be the …
41. Our Top 5 Egg Scatterers
Breeding fish is one of the most rewarding aspects of the aquarium hobby. Taking something we love and making more of it for others to enjoy is often what keeps us engaged with our tanks. In this epi…
40. Aquarium Books Part 1: Freshwater
The next couple of episodes will be about books! The internet is an irreplaceable resource for finding information about your aquarium, but there’s nothing like a book when you need to take a compreh…
39. Our Five Least Favorite Cichlids
The family Cichlidae is near and dear to all of our hearts at Water Colors. Almost every aquarium has room for a pair of these devoted parents. Their fascinating behaviors and outgoing personalities,…
38. Our Top Five Freshwater Nano Fish
We talked nano saltwater last week, this week we’re shifting over to freshwater! There are so many options for tanks that are 10 gallons and under but Ben, Amy, and Charles do their best to narrow it…
37. Nano Reefs
The big trend in aquariums right now is small. Nano aquariums are easier to fit into your life, typically require less time to maintain, and are often cheaper than larger tanks. But where does this t…
36. Freshwater vs. Saltwater
In this episode, Ben sprung a surprise debate on us. What’s better, freshwater or saltwater? From the start it’s an impossible question, the disciplines are so different that comparing them seems fru…
35. Getting Started with Planted Aquariums
In this episode: Ben, Amy, and Charles take a look at what it takes to get into planted aquariums for the first time as a freshwater aquarist. In this scenario, they talk about hypothetically what it…