Rachovi Killifish, Santa Cruz Corys & Hand-Picked Arrivals | December 12th Stock Update
This week has been a bit different at Pond Life Aquatics. I had the opportunity to go down to Neil Hardy Aquatica and actually hand-pick our fish myself. What that means is our new arrivals were only in bags for about two hours before hitting our tanks. The result? Some of the healthiest, most vibrant fish we've had in a while, already settled and ready to go.
Let me walk you through what we've got.
Santa Cruz Corydoras (Corydoras cruziensis / C12)
I picked these out myself and I'm absolutely chuffed with them. The Santa Cruz Cory hails from Bolivia and grows to around 5-6cm. If you're familiar with other Corydoras species, these look like a beautiful mashup of an Adolfoi, a Sterbai, and a Zygatus - kind of like a smaller, more manageable version of the Incolicana.
For care, captive-bred specimens like ours can handle anywhere from pH 6 to 8.5, so if you're in London with our notoriously hard tap water, you'll be absolutely fine. That said, they'll show their best colours in slightly softer, more acidic conditions.
One thing I always tell people - Corydoras aren't scavengers or "cleanup fish." They're micro predators. The best way to feed them is to defrost some bloodworm and bury it directly into your sand substrate. Watch them go absolutely wild for it. You'll end up with fatter, happier Corys, and if you're looking to breed them, that's how you condition them.
Care Requirements:
- Temperature: 22-26°C (72-79°F)
- pH: 6-8.5 (softer water preferred)
- Tank Size: 80 litres minimum for a group of 6
- Substrate: Soft sand only - protect those barbels!
- Group Size: 6+, but more is always better for shoaling behaviour
Tiger Oscars - Monster Fish on Request
Now, this is a bit different from our usual stock. We cleared out our plant display tank because a customer with a 3,000 litre aquarium at home requested some monster fish. And when you've got the facilities to keep them properly, why not?
Tiger Oscars are proper South American predators. They'll hit around 35cm and can live for 15 years - these are an investment, not a casual purchase. They're full of character even at this juvenile stage, with absolutely stunning tiger patterning.
We're quarantining these for a week or two before our customer collects them, just to make sure we're not introducing anything into his system. But this is something we're happy to do now - if you've got the tank space and want something specific, let us know. I'll go down, hand-pick them, and quarantine them here ready for you.
Care Requirements:
- Temperature: 23-27°C (74-81°F)
- Tank Size: 400 litres minimum (species only unless your tank is enormous)
- Diet: Quality carnivore pellets, frozen and fresh food
- Lifespan: Up to 15 years
- Compatibility: They'll eat anything that fits in their mouth
Beckfordi's Pencilfish (Nannostomus beckfordi)
I've been wanting to get pencilfish in for ages, and I think Beckfordi's are criminally underrated. These come from northern South America - Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, and Brazil - and they're such a gorgeous alternative to the usual nano fish suspects.
They've got brilliant red bodies with blue striping and that distinctive black line running from nose to tail. The name Nannostomus literally means "small mouth" (nano = small, stomus = mouth), which tells you everything about their temperament. They're not going to nip anyone.
Here's something I love about them - at night, they sleep vertically. They line up with each other and point downwards. It's genuinely adorable to see.
For setup, blackwater is ideal. Tea-stained water with tannins really brings out their colours. Plenty of plants, floating cover, and keep them in groups of at least 10. You might see some squabbling between males, but nothing damaging - just keep more females if you're concerned.
Care Requirements:
- Temperature: 24-28°C (75-82°F)
- pH: 6-7 (blackwater ideal)
- Tank Size: 40-80 litres
- Group Size: 10+
- Diet: Micro pellets, flake, live Daphnia and Artemia
- Breeding: Scatter eggs in foliage, remove adults (prolific egg eaters), hatch in 24-48 hours
Galaxy Hybrids - Let's Talk About This
Right, this one might be controversial for some people, but hear me out.
These are hybrids of Danio erythromicron (Emerald Dwarf Rasbora) and Danio margaritatus (Celestial Pearl Danio/Galaxy Rasbora). They started being bred in America and have become increasingly popular here - and I think there's a good reason for that.
When Galaxy Rasboras exploded in popularity back in 2006, they were nearly hunted to extinction. To protect wild populations, we stopped harvesting from the rivers. Absolutely the right thing to do. But the unintended consequence is that the gene pool in captivity has been narrowing ever since.
I hear constantly from fishkeepers that their Galaxies get sunken belly, they're susceptible to disease, they just seem fragile. My theory is it's down to that shrinking gene pool. We've had the same experience - pure Galaxies can be tricky.
These hybrids? They're robust. Full-bodied when they arrive, eat well, active, and we just don't see the same issues. You still get those stunning purple bodies with golden dots. And here's the thing - these hybrids occur naturally in the wild where the species' ranges overlap. We're not playing God here.
I completely understand if hybridisation isn't for you. But if you've struggled with Galaxies before, these might be worth considering.
Care Requirements:
- Temperature: 20-26°C (68-79°F)
- pH: 6.5-7.5
- Tank Size: 25 litres minimum, 40+ ideal
- Group Size: 6-12
- Setup: Heavily planted with floating plants for security
Malay Copper Shrimp
Quick one on these - they're in with the Galaxy Hybrids and they've been demolishing algae. These are a breedable alternative to Amano shrimp.
Unlike Amanos, which need brackish water for their larval stage (making home breeding basically impossible), Malay Copper Shrimp complete their entire lifecycle in freshwater. Give them plenty of hiding spaces and moss, and you should see babies.
I'm genuinely curious what people think about these versus Amanos. Let me know in the comments on the video if you've kept them.
Rachovi Killifish (Nothobranchius rachovii) - Star of the Show
Alright, these are what I'm most excited about this week. The Bluefin Killifish from Mozambique. Absolutely stunning breeding pairs.
Now, Nothobranchius are annual fish. In the wild, they live in seasonal puddles that dry up. Their entire lifecycle - hatching, growing, breeding, dying - happens in about 6-12 months. When the puddles dry, the adults die, but their eggs survive in the substrate until the rains return.
Some people see that short lifespan as a negative. I see it as the perfect beginner breeding project.
Think about it - you can keep a breeding pair in just 20 litres. You don't need a massive investment in space or equipment. And if they die after 6-12 months, that's not failure - that's their natural lifespan. There's no guilt involved.
For breeding, I've got some coir (coconut fibre) coming in. Pop it in a little plastic tub, weigh it down with a stone, and the killifish will dive in and lay eggs. After they're done, take the coir out, dry it on paper towel, seal it in a sandwich bag, and wait 2-3 months. You'll eventually see little eyes developing in the eggs - that's when they're ready. Flood with mature tank water, add a pinch of aquarium salt, and watch them hatch.
I really think more people should get into killifish breeding. The Killifish Association are brilliant if you want advice - proper enthusiasts who'll help you get started.
Care Requirements:
- Temperature: 20-24°C (68-75°F)
- Tank Size: 20 litres for a breeding pair
- Lifespan: 6-12 months (annual species)
- Breeding: Coir/peat substrate, dry eggs 2-3 months, re-flood to hatch
- Diet: Small live and frozen foods
New Hand-Pick Service
This is something we're rolling out properly now. I can go down to our suppliers, hand-pick specific fish, and quarantine them here ready for you. Whether that's monster fish like those Oscars or something more niche you've been after, just let us know.
One of our regulars, John, has already taken advantage - he's got some beautiful Corydoras coming through this system.
Coming Up
Content might be a bit lighter over the Christmas and Hanukkah period, but I'm planning a couple of projects - a high-tech CO2 aquascape in store, and potentially a blackwater setup. We'll see how it goes.
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Pond Life Aquatics Finchley Nurseries, Burtonhole Lane Mill Hill, London NW7 1AS
Opening Hours: Monday - Saturday: 9am - 5:30pm Sunday: 10am - 4:30pm
Phone: 020 8959 2124 Instagram: @pondlifeaquatics