Curator’s Column
Welcome to the Curator’s Column — where I (Adam) give you a weekly look behind the glass at what’s really going on with our inventory. It’s not a sales pitch. It’s a rundown of what I’m seeing in the tanks every day — the fish that surprised me, the oddballs that stood out, and the quiet stunners you’d miss if you weren’t paying attention.
Curator’s Column – July 24, 2025
Theme: Flashy, But Friendly
Not every bold-looking fish is a troublemaker. This week, I kept noticing how many of our most colorful and eye-catching fish are also some of the most peaceful. These fish bring the drama in all the right ways. They catch your eye with their color and pattern, but stay calm, compatible, and genuinely enjoyable to keep.
Whether it's wild coloration, a pattern that jumps out, or fins that move like silk, each of these fish is built to stand out without stirring up trouble.
Koi Tuxedo Guppy
Bright orange tails, metallic blue bodies, and even orange-headed females in this batch. These guppies have flair, but they’re still peaceful and play nicely in mellow tanks.
Golden Dwarf Barb
Subtle but brilliant. These small barbs shimmer gold under the light and school tightly, adding movement without chaos. They’re perfect for planted aquascapes.
Norman’s Lampeye
Want color without intensity? These tiny fish stay low-key, but their glowing blue eyes catch the light just right. Great for shrimp tanks and nano setups.
Denison’s Barb
That red racing stripe and yellow tail are hard to miss. With enough swimming room and a good group, they’re just fast and vibrant, not aggressive.
Electric Blue Jack Dempsey
You’d think a cichlid that looks this bold would be a handful, but this one’s a surprise. With proper care and tankmates, it’s a solid solo showpiece with personality.
Cherry Barb
The males in this batch are glowing with rich red. They add serious color without causing any trouble. Quiet, peaceful, and easy to pair.
Tiger Barb
These get a bad rap, but in the right numbers they’re all fun. Active and full of personality, their bold stripes and playful energy make them a joy to watch.
Green Cobra Guppy
The males have electric green and yellow snakeskin markings, and even the females have colorful tails. They’re confident but calm and make a great addition to a peaceful tank.
If your aquarium could use a little more life without the stress, this lineup proves you don’t have to choose between beauty and balance. These are the fish that show off without showing out.
Until next week,
– Adam
Curator at Aquatic Arts
Curator’s Column – July 18, 2025
While walking the rows this week, I noticed something all these fish had in common—each one brings both color and movement to the aquarium. Some shimmer when the light hits just right, others school with precision, and a few simply demand your attention with bold contrast or flowing fins. They don’t just sit pretty—they add life and energy to a setup. Here are a few standouts I couldn’t help but share:
Gold Ring Burmese Danio – A bold little swimmer with vibrant golden tones and a leopard-like pattern. These danios are hardy, fast, and love to shoal—perfect for both small and large tanks where motion matters.
Kurorame Ricefish – An underrated gem with sparkling, rainbow-like scales. Their beauty is best appreciated from above, making them ideal for a shallow aquascape or even an indoor pond. They're also easy to breed, which makes them a great project fish.
Opaline Gourami – A striking centerpiece fish with a sky-blue body and inky black patterning, like clouds drifting through a bright sky. Best kept in singles or small groups in larger planted tanks.
Lavender Gourami – Photos don’t do this one justice. In the right light, it shimmers with purples and blues, scattered with white dots like stars. Think of it as an aurora borealis swimming in your tank.
Super Platinum Guppy – One of the most vibrant guppies I’ve worked with lately. Females have a reflective blue-metal sheen, while males dazzle with shimmering yellow-gold accents. They light up under the right lighting.
Red Lace Guppy – Elegant and eye-catching, these males have a long, flowing orange tail that moves like a flamenco dancer’s dress—full of drama and grace
If your tank needs a little extra spark, any of these would make a lively, colorful addition.
– Adam
Curator at Aquatic Arts
Curator’s Column – June 26, 2025
Notes from Adam
This week has been all about contrast—color versus calm, flash versus subtlety. Here are a few standouts that caught my attention:
Fire Red Agassizii
The mature males in this group are looking fantastic. Their bright orange dorsal and caudal fins really pop in a planted aquarium. Definitely an eye-catching choice for any aquascape with greenery.
Rhombo Barb
A slightly larger community fish with a striking, diamond-like pattern across the body. These barbs add both size and visual interest without overwhelming a peaceful setup.
Aru II Gertrude
In my opinion, the superior variety among Gertrude’s Blue Eye Rainbows. A group of these, especially when paired with Luminatus Rainbows, creates a brilliant display of movement and color in tanks large or small.
Bulgarian Seal Point Angelfish
One of my favorite angelfish. It may not be the flashiest, but the soft blue-green body paired with rich brown-black fins gives it a refined, natural look. These really shine in a densely planted jungle scape or blackwater tank.
Pearl Gourami
An excellent centerpiece fish for a larger planted tank. The delicate spots running down the body and fins, paired with their warm orange belly, are visually stunning. Watching a group of Pearl Gourami feels like staring at a sky full of stars.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re drawn to soft tones or bursts of color, this week’s standouts show how a thoughtful mix of species can bring depth and personality to any aquarium. As always, the best tanks aren’t just about individual fish—they’re about balance, contrast, and finding combinations that make the whole tank come alive.
Curator’s Column – June 19, 2025
Notes from Adam
We’ve had some real standouts this week—fish with bold color, rock-solid hardiness, and some unique traits you don’t often see in the trade. A few of my personal highlights:
Red Cap Medaka
This ricefish has a really interesting two-tone pattern—bright orange on the head and upper body that fades suddenly into a soft pearl white. It’s not a look you see often, and they’re incredibly hardy. A great choice if you’re interested in breeding something low-maintenance but eye-catching.
Ember Tetra
If you want a starter fish that’s practically unbreakable, this is it. Second only to the common pleco in terms of hardiness, in my opinion. They’re vibrant, peaceful, stay small, and are super easy to feed. A great fish for beginners and experts alike.
Mustard Halfmoon Betta (Male)
All of our bettas are looking sharp right now, but this one really caught my eye. That bold blue body with yellow fins gives off a mustard-y pop that would look amazing against some lush green plants. It’s a classic color combo that stands out without being too flashy.
Green Hornet Endler
USA-bred and packed with personality. These little guys have a key lime coloration that’s rare in the hobby. They're energetic, colorful, and full of variety—there’s a lot going on in a small package, and it works beautifully.
—
That’s what’s caught my attention this week. If you’re looking to build a community tank or just want something that pops with personality, these are worth a second look.
– Adam, Curator
Curator’s Column – June 12, 2025
Notes from Adam
This week has been all about personality—both from the fish and the tanks we’ve been working on. A few standouts worth mentioning:
Chinese Barbs
I didn’t expect much, but these guys surprised me. They swim right up and eat from my hand. Super hardy and surprisingly interactive—definitely not your average barb.
Alleni Rainbowfish
These are so underrated. They’re still maturing, but if you’ve never seen what a fully grown male looks like, do yourself a favor and look it up. They’re absolutely worth the wait.
Snow White Bristlenose
Bred here in the U.S., these look like little ivory sculptures. That soft white body with the bright blue eye really pops—like dropping a pearl into your tank.
Congo Tetras
People sleep on these until they see them in person. Mature males show off rich blue and orange tones and those elegant trailing fins. They look incredible in a well-planted setup.
Black Bar Endlers (Male & Female)
Another USA-bred batch, and the quality is outstanding. Clean markings, vibrant colors, and great energy. As someone who loves livebearers, I’m really happy with this group.
Opal Borelli Apistogramma
We got a mature group this time, and they’re stunners. The males in particular are absolute showpieces. Perfect for a blackwater or planted tank where they can really shine.
Two Stripe Apistogramma
These are fascinating. The males have a bold dorsal fin that reminds me of a little dinosaur, and the tail has this crazy spiderweb pattern. Hypnotic when they display.
Daisy’s Ricefish
Beautiful contrast on these—blue body, red fins, and that piercing blue eye. Easy to keep, peaceful in a community, and even easier to breed. Just an all-around great little fish.
—
Adam
Curator at Aquatic Arts
Curator’s Column – May 30, 2025
by Adam
A few fish have really settled in and started to show their full potential. These are the kinds of species that reward patience—color deepens, behavior evens out, and you start to see what they’re really capable of in the right tank.
Forktail X-Ray Tetra
These have proven to be tough and consistent. No issues in the group, and they’ve been feeding well from the start. The tail pattern is distinct and easy to spot even in motion—makes them a nice option for someone building out a low-stress, high-activity tank.
Black Tiger Badis
Color has come in nicely. That black-to-red transition is especially noticeable when they flare or interact. They stay calm overall, but there’s a quiet intensity to them. They’ve been solid during feeding and aren’t shy about exploring once they know the space.
Schuberti Barb
These continue to show sharp color—metallic green bodies with that signature orange-red tail. Good group behavior. They’re active without being chaotic, which isn’t always the case with barbs. Definitely one of the cleaner and more balanced barbs in the room.
Lake Kurumi Rainbowfish
Holding bright color and staying active. These are already showing the traits people usually hope for months down the line. Good size, smooth swimmers, and they fill space in a larger tank without crowding it. Still one of the better rainbows to add movement and flash.
Blackline Tail Tetra
I’ve spent some time watching these school and there’s something about that tail mark that always catches the light. It’s subtle, but when they’re grouped, the motion creates a glint that’s hard to describe. Not flashy—just smart looking.
That’s it for now. These are the ones that have stood out for behavior and condition—not just looks. Always more to watch.
- Adam
Curator’s Column – May 24, 2025
by Adam
CPD x Erythromicron hybrids got listed. This group looks like a tank full of snowflakes — no two the same. Some have only spots, some only stripes, and a few are somewhere in between. The blue-green shimmer and tan body from the Erythromicron side really makes the patterns pop. Strange little gems. Worth a closer look.
Blue Diamond Head Neons are in. These always hit harder in groups. Especially when viewed from above — that’s where the glow really comes through. Bright, clean, and fast. They’ve colored up quickly. Definitely worth a second look.
The Platinum Veil Angels came in strong. Ethereal’s probably the word I’d use. That long fin movement in a dark tank with a black background—kind of haunting. Good size, steady swimmers, and not too pushy.
Rainbow Shiners — still underrated. These are tough fish. Clean eaters, no fuss. When they settle in and start flashing color, they can go toe-to-toe with rainbows and danios in brightness. Great in cooler water too.
Tiburon Limia are bold this week. Striking contrast—electric orange and metallic blue. Not a pairing you see often. Good shape, active group. They’ve been eating well and exploring the tank constantly.
Red Honey Gouramis — active little busybodies. Always moving, always watching. Seem to be especially curious about anything outside the tank. Hard not to like them. Peaceful and entertaining.
That’s all for now.
I’ll be back next week with more notes.
