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The American Pet Products Association (APPA) has renamed its Hall of Fame Award to the Rolf C. Hagen Award, in honour of the company’s founder and chairman, who died last October.
New regulations could see Ireland ban the import of Koi and some aquatic plant species. Anyone found guilty risks a fine and/or jail.
The prehistoric Amphioxus, described by the Scottish Government as “elusive”, was found in waters off Tankerness in Orkney, reports The Telegraph.
A female zebra shark in Dubai has caused jaws to drop by successfully spawning pups without the presence of a male not once, but for four years in a row.
A new species of shrimp has been discovered in, of all places, a five-kilometer deep sea vent in the Caribbean sea floor!
The Australian government has announced plans to establish the world’s largest marine reserve in the Coral Sea. Environment Minister Tony Burke said the protected zone would cover an area more than one-and-a-half times the size of France.
An aggressive species of crayfish which has been invading England’s waterways is being tracked with radio transmitters in a bid to understand why they move so quickly and help control their advance.
The US-made Poly-Filter dropped off the UK’s radar when then-distributor Underworld Products ceased trading. However, Poly-Filter has made a comeback and is now available through Arcadia products.
The organisers behind the Big Fish Campaign are urging retailers to voluntarily not stock big fish for general sale.
Fish food specialist New Era has launched a new website.
A Scottish aquarium is celebrating a UK – and possible world – first with the successful birth of 19 endangered Angel shark pups (Squatina squatina).
King British has created a new range of fish treats to complement the King British complete fish foods – they are King British Variety Fish Treats, King British Tropical Fish Treats and King British Goldfish Treats.
Leading fish food, treatments and equipment manufacturer Tetra is giving away a fabulous prize pack worth well over £500 to one lucky retailer.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Shark Specialist Group (SSG) has added the Giant and Reef Manta rays to its Red List of Threatened Species. The Giant (Manta birostris) and Reef (Manta alfredi) Manta rays are among the largest fish in the world, growing up to more than seven metres across.
The new L-U-W metal halide lamps by JBL provide terrarium enthusiasts with three products in one – Light, UV and Warmth – representing a new generation of lamps.
In a craze sweeping China, goldfish are being inked with patterns and characters intended to bring their owners good fortune.
FistaFiltration has just launched a range of acrylic Nano cube tanks in the ‘Ideal’ range, in 12”, 15” and 18” sizes.
India’s scientists have voiced concerns about the indiscriminate export of ornamental fish from the country, which could lead to the extinction of many species including Puntius denisonii, commonly called Miss Kerala, despite it being included in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Tetra has launched its next generation Tetra AquaArt in a 30-litre size for goldfish and a 60-litre size for tropical fish. Both aquariums feature the EasyCrystal Filter, with two spare cartridges, Tetra fish food, Tetra AquaSafe water conditioner and a setting-up brochure. The 60-litre aquarium also includes a Tetra Heater and Tetra EasyBalance.
Midland Reefs has moved into much larger premises and has recruited additional staff in an expansion plan, which coincidently marks its tenth anniversary since its founding as a commercial coral farm in December 2001.
The Penghu Marine Biology Research Center has succeeded in reproducing thousands of seahorses in its first batch of mass breeding, revealed its director Wann-sheng Tsai.
Tropical Marine Centre’s MicroHabitat 30 tank has now been released. This feature-packed 30-litre acrylic microhabitat is suitable for small reef aquascapes, miniature corals, invertebrates and small fish, and targets the hobbyist looking to move into marine reef-keeping for the first time.
International trade association Ornamental Fish International (OFI) is organizing a three-day training event for the ornamental fish industry, to be held in Singapore.
Colombian environmental authorities have reported a huge shark massacre in the Malpelo wildlife sanctuary in Colombia’s Pacific waters, where as many as 2,000 hammerhead, Galápagos and silky sharks may have been slaughtered for their fins.
UK-based aquarium and pet lighting specialists Arcadia has entered into a joint venture with European manufacturers Newa/Aquarium Systems to launch Aquavendi in order to continue the distribution of those products in the UK, as formerly distributed by Underworld Products.
A retailer in Dorset has won an iPad after entering a competition held on the NT Labs stand during the trade show Aqua 2011.
UK manufacturer Evolution Aqua has extended its range of PURE treatments with the addition of PURE Aquarium in an economical 50-ball pack size.
Can fish save coral reefs from dying? It seems so, if one is to go by an instance where the fish did help coral reefs recover from cyclones and predators.
CASCO Europe has undertaken a number of initiatives to ensure it follows a sound environmental sustainability policy and to help cut energy costs. One initiative has been to design a new decorative aluminium profile system that gives a classy look to its product, but at the same time saving over 25% in aluminium material.
Bestpets is expanding its own label with the launch of new Bestpets flake fish food for goldfish and tropical fish.
Public aquariums are receiving increasing numbers of calls from desperate owners seeking to re-home fish that have outgrown their tanks. Katy Duke, curator of Hull’s The Deep Aquarium, says The Deep receives easily two to three phone calls each week concerning species like Pangasius, Pacu, Arowana, Giant Gourami and large (over 60cm) pimelodid catfishes such as the Red-tail catfish.
Tetra has launched a 60-second dip test for ammonia with Tetra TestStrips Ammonia.
Tetra has made a number of changes to its sales and marketing teams as part of its recent restructuring and to accommodate the needs of the ‘evolving retail environment’.
Following on from the success of product training seminars this year, water gardening products manufacturer OASE has announced dates for more trade-only seminars in 2012.
CASCO has launched downloadable product specification sheets and a new version of its brochure, which is presented in four languages and is also downloadable from the website.
Take that traditional algae magnet that just sits in the top righthand corner of an aquarium, add a bit of magic, a good dose of “out of the box” thinking, and what do you get?
A new tank filled with exotic fish is brightening up a waiting room at Kingston Hospital.
Tetra has launched a range of posters and stickers to engage and interest children in decorating their tanks. The premium quality Tetra DecoArt Posters come in five themes, including Buddha, Bamboo, Santa and Snowman, just in time for Christmas.
The two-day inaugural Aquatics Live event has been hailed a huge success, and event organiser On Show Events has promised it will return next year.
Proof that fish can use tools to catch food has been revealed for the first time. Video footage shows an Orange-dotted turkfish picking up a clam shell in its mouth and repeatedly throwing it against a rock to crack it open.
Hozelock Cyprio has launched 16 products in its pond-keeping range – UVC pond filters, air pumps and a range of pond nets.
Singaporean ornamental fish supplier Qian Hu Corporation Limited announced early last month (October) a 52.7% fall in its third-quarter net profit to S$574,000 (£302,905).
A plan by Malaysia to patent the so-called Malaysian Golden arowana has resulted in protests from Indonesian breeders, who said the fish may actually be a cross-breed that originated from their country.
Pedigree Wholesale, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of pet and aquatic products into the independent retail sector, has completed the sale of its live fish and plants division to JMC Aquatics with immediate effect.
Aqua Medic has launched a range of Eco Runner pumps which can be used as circulation and return pump in saltwater and freshwater aquariums.
Sparsholt College’s Aquaculture and Fishery Management resources has been awarded £245,000 from the European Fisheries Fund (EFF) and the Marine Management Organisation (MMO).
It seemed an almost impossible task, but the 50 Pond Challenge team managed to dig a total of 50 new clean water ponds in just eight hours – all by hand, and in solid clay – creating a new world record!
Steve Welsh, of Otter Nurseries in Plymouth, was the lucky winner of a holiday worth up to £1,000 in a competition organised by Nishikoi.
Bedfordshire-based ALF Ltd has been appointed exclusive agent for Two Little Fishies.
A range of efficient, compact, high-performance air pumps have been launched by TMC.
Abandoned pet terrapins are attacking native wildlife in Cumbrian lakes and rivers, according to wildlife conservationists.
A rare juvenile seahorse, the Short-snouted seahorse (Hippocampus hippocampus), has been found in the River Thames deep into London for the first time, suggesting a breeding colony may be present.
Glasgow council bosses are urging the public not to feed fish in the Botanic Gardens after a prized koi carp was fed a pebble and died.
Population explosions in jellyfish have forced two power stations to shut down due to the fluthers clogging their seawater supplies. Both occurred within a day of each other.
Doncaster-based fish food manufacturer New Era has developed the wheel-shaped MINI MarineGrazer, a new product which is the first of its kind in the feeding of all tropical marine-grazing species.
Chris Nickson, marketing manager of Tetra UK, has been made redundant as a result of Tetra’s ongoing reorganisation of marketing across Europe. Rupert Bridges has also recently left the company to take up a significant promotion as national account manager for Novartis.
Researchers from Fife’s University of St Andrews have found that a lone female guppy can create an entirely new population if released into the wild, contributing to the loss of biodiversity in freshwater habitats.
Aquarium fishes are more aggressive in reduced environments, reports a new study from Case Western Reserve University.
Aqua has established itself as the UK’s premier trade show for aquatics, water gardening and reptile buyers, with visitor numbers up 11 per cent on last year’s inaugural show, report organisers OATA-Impact Exhibitions.
After a keenly fought contest, the judging panel have chosen their winners from more than 70 entries in this year’s Aqua New Products Awards Competition. The judges were looking for the best product or service within five categories – Aquaria, Water Gardening, Shopfitting/EPOS, Reptile/Terraria and Ancillary.
A nutritional trial carried out at Sparsholt College National Aquatic Training Centre in Hampshire has concluded that Nutrafin Max made by Hagen Aquatics produced significantly higher growth rates than other brands.
Nishikoi Natural Treat Sticks are 100 per cent natural food sticks that can be snapped to any size to give all pondfish and Koi a hand-fed treat.
Taiwan’s aquarium fish research and development centre will begin operations next February, according to a report in Taiwan Today. The aim is for Taiwan to develop its ornamental fish industry to become one of Taiwan’s major agricultural export products.
Tetra has launched four water tablets that it hopes will dramatically change attitudes towards the perceived problem of water changes and keeping water clean and clear.
A Tennessee public aquarium is being sued for $2.4 million (£1.5 million) after a child developed a bacterial infection after touching stingrays.
Tetra has introduced two additional filters – the Tetra Repto Filter RF 250 and Tetra Repto Deco Filter RDF 300 – to its extended reptile range, launched earlier this year.
Tetra is extending and upgrading its TetraPro range. The company is now bringing all its crisp foods under the TetraPro brand name and adding TetraPro Menu, a new approach to feeding tropical fish.
Midland Reef has teamed up with German aquatics company JBL to distribute its product range in the UK.
Managers at aquatics and pet products manufacturer Rolf C. Hagen were puzzled recently by a sudden upturn in the sales of one of its most powerful Fluval aquarium filters.
A pair of goldfish survived an incredible 134 days in earthquake-hit New Zealand without any fish food or electricity to power their 100-litre tank
Red Sea and Arcadia have announced that the joint sales and distribution that has been in operation in the UK market for the past two years will come to an end on September 30.
Fish will soon be able to swim up and introduce themselves to visitors, thanks to new technology at the Virginia Aquarium.
Tickets for the inaugural Aquatics Live show have gone on sale, and the organisers say demand is strong.
To help boost filter start-up and biological performance, Superfish has launched Bactuur Gel, a convenient way of adding live bacteria to an aquarium. Bactuur Gel contains millions of specially selected live bacteria.
Anglers have warned that a flood of sewage which caused the death of thousands of fish in the Thames in early June could become a regular occurrence if urgent action is not taken.
Tetra is introducing new bigger pack sizes of its Goldfish Granules and AquaSafe for Goldfish.
The Pond Conservation’s annual Big Pond Dip is now up and running, and this year the survey is backed by Britain's biggest water company, Thames Water.
More than 3,700 trade visitors from 73 countries and 8,500 public visitors attended this year’s 12th Aquarama, held at Suntec, Singapore. According to official figures released by the organisers, the four-day trade and consumer event in May also had 126 exhibitors from 23 countries including Australia, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Israel, Japan and Sri Lanka.
Tetra is inviting retailers to help celebrate its 60th anniversary with a virtual birthday party for their customers.
Tetra Pleco Wafers have received a new name and the benefit of innovative technology with the product’s upgrade, offering a better staple food for vegetable-eating catfish. Tetra Pleco Multi Wafers are now the only two-colour wafer with 100 per cent vegetarian food and high fibre throughout. Tetra Pleco Wafer Variety Mix will also change its name to Tetra Wafer Mix.
EHEIM has launched the EHEIM aquastyle, a nano tank suitable as a planted tank or for stocking with shrimps and snails.
Two new lights have been launched in Tropical Marine Centre's AquaRay solid state lighting range, the MiniLED 400 Tile and the ColourPlus LED 1000 Tile.
King British has announced it is running a national TV advert for July.
Maidenhead Aquatics has hit two milestones recently in both Wales and Scotland. In Wales, the aquatics chain has opened a 10,000 sq ft retail building at Pugh’s Garden Village in Morganstown, Cardiff, which is thought to be the largest of its kind in Wales.
A new consumer show is to launch this November, with guest speakers including world-renowned Amazon expert Heiko Bleher, crayfish and shrimp guru Chris Lukhaup and planted tank specialist George Farmer.
AQUA, the UK’s leading showcase dedicated to the aquatics, water gardening and reptile sectors, is to go biennial after the 2011 event on October 5-6 at the International Centre in Telford.
OFI has launched the sixth book in the OFI educational series at Aquarama 2011 last month. The series aims to educate and set standards in the ornamental aquatic industry.
Despite the Health Protection Agency investigating the potential risks from the new fish pedicure craze, more and more UK health and beauty centres are offering the treatment. Fish pedicures are one of the fastest-growing beauty treatments in Britain whereby customers put their feet into tanks in which Garra rufa fish nibble away at dead and hard skin as an alternative to pumice stones and foot scrubs.
It’s been a problem that has plagued new fishkeepers – and the more experienced – since time immemorial…keeping fish alive and thriving. However, new start-up company seneye, founded by some very familiar names in the industry, believes it has found a solution at an affordable price.
A type of goby rarely seen in northern Europe has been found in south Cornwall. Volunteers of the Cornwall Wildlife Trust were on a seashore marine training day when they came across the creature in a Helford River rockpool.
Tetra, the global leader in fish food, treatments and equipment, is launching a whole new range of reptile products.
A recent press report has suggested that the string of disasters that have rocked Japan have had an impact on the Koi market in Europe. Word has also been spreading that an import ban is looming, and that European suppliers are stepping up requests to dealers to stockpile Koi from Japan before this ban is implemented.
For some years now Nishikoi’s Goodbye Blanketweed has been a staple product in aquatic stores and garden centres, its distinctive blue tub a beacon for consumers.
Evolution Aqua has unveiled its new range of pond fish foods for the new season. Evolution Aqua's Premier and Wheatgerm foods are now available in 800g, 2kg and 6kg containers.
Scientists believe that the zebrafish, Danio rerio, could hold a cure in the management of heart disease, spelling an end to heart transplants.
Building on the popularity of their T8 Reptile lighting range, Arcadia has launched a new range of T5 high-performance reptile lamps, which offer significantly higher levels of visible and ultra-violet light than existing T8 fluorescent reptile lighting.
The BVA Animal Welfare Foundation (BVA AWF) has launched a leaflet on Ornamental Fish Keeping, the latest in a series of leaflets designed to assist pet owners.
The world's most miserable-looking fish is in danger of becoming extinct, say scientists. The blobfish, which can grow up to 12 inches, is in danger of being wiped out by over-fishing in its south-eastern Australian habitat.
Singapore’s biennial Aquarama aquatics show is attracting strong interest from neighbouring countries and as a new media partner.
The threat to the sale of sturgeon species has been lifted by OATA’s intervention. While some OATA members have chosen not to sell these species, they remain important and valuable to the industry as a whole.
A tropical freshwater aquarium, claimed to be the biggest in Asia, has opened at the Neyyar Dam area near Thiruvananthapuram in the south Indian state Kerala, reports the Press Trust of India.
Tetra kicks off the new pond season with its ‘Quality of Life’ campaign. The promotion is designed to drive sales of Tetra’s food and care products and this season’s upgraded products, through a prize draw promotion and advertising campaign.
Zolux Hobby has introduced its new Buddha and Zen aquatic ornaments. The Buddha range has a great zen atmosphere!
Hikari has relaunched its best-selling Algae Wafer in an improved formula, which now contains even higher levels of vegetable matter, making them even more appealing to Plecostomus and other algae eaters.
For customers who dread cleaning their tanks, EHEIM believes it has the solution. The Gravel Cleaner Set is the ideal piece of equipment for safe and easy cleaning of the aquarium bottom together with a partial water change.
Following the success of its original Tadpole Food, Ecopond has developed a new product to feed tadpoles in the later stages of development. Ecopond Late Stage Tadpole Food was launched at Aqua2010, where it received strong interest.
Tropical Marine Centre has launched two new products in its AquaGro for Planted Aquaria range.
At Japan’s recent Nishikigoi show, the largest Nishikigoi show in the world, a seven-year-old, 95cm Kohaku was crowned the All Japan Grand Champion. Owned by Thailand’s Kris Kasemsarn and bred by the Sakai Fish Farm Company, it was fed a selection of Saki-Hikari Koi diets.
Leading UK aquarium designer Reef One has successfully defended its intellectual property rights in one of Europe’s most prestigious courts.
Tetra celebrates 60 years of innovation and expertise this year with a consumer sweepstake to promote its best-selling innovative products.
A ‘killer’ shrimp, the gammarid shrimp, has invaded UK waters and is feeding on native fish and insect larvae, a water company has warned.
New from Nishikoi is the Natural Range initially consisting of three products: Shrimp Mix, Silkworm Pupae, and Shrimp & Mealworm Mix. All are packaged in 1.15-litre clear PET jars that are foil sealed for freshness.
New from Nishikoi, Micro Clear is an advanced algae and blanketweed treatment. However, triple-action Micro Clear will do more than just control blanketweed.
The US Fish and Game Commission has approved a network of Marine Protected Areas that will stretch from Santa Barbara to the Mexican border in southern California.
A Japanese salmon species thought to be extinct for 70 years is alive and well in a lake near Mount Fuji. The black kokanee was thought to have died out in 1940, when a hydroelectric project made the water more acidic in its native lake in northern Akita Prefecture.
The Pond Conservation has launched the second edition of its 'The Pond Book: A Guide to the Management and Creation of Ponds', a comprehensive guide for the creation and management of clean water, wildlife ponds.
Two Japanese men have been arrested at Los Angeles International Airport after trying to smuggle more than 50 live turtles into the US.
Readers of Koi Magazine have once again voted Evolution Aqua the Number One Filter Manufacturer in the annual magazine awards.
A Reef Aquarium Training Course, written by Tim Hayes of Midland Reefs and organised by SAI Global, is being offered to marine retailers.
The first AQUA trade show for the water gardening, aquatics and reptiles sectors proved such a success that nearly 60 per cent of the exhibition space has been earmarked by exhibitors keen to return in 2011.
It’s official – December 2010 was the coldest December across the UK since the national series began in 1910. With such bad weather – and more expected before the end of winter, national charity Pond Conservation is already hearing about amphibian mortalities countrywide, and is concerned that there will be a repeat of the large numbers of dead frogs and fish that were seen in ponds last February.
Scottish marine scientists have discovered an entirely new species of fish living more than four miles below the surface in a deep ocean trench previously thought to be devoid of life.
Aquatic veterinary medicine is a fast-growing field in the US with an estimated 2,500 vets involved in the field. About two per cent of fish owners paid for veterinary expenses for fish in 2006, an increase from 0.6 per cent in 2001, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association’s 2007 US Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook.
A circus act featuring the swallowing and regurgitation of a live fish has been banned in Australia.
NT Labs launched a unique range of reef-safe medicines, treatments and test kits at the recent Aqua 2010 trade show in Telford.
Malaysia's ornamental fish industry is expected to grow 20.4 per cent next year to RM1.06 billion (£215 million) from the RM820 million (£166 million) expected this year, said the Malaysian Fisheries Department.
David Keeley, who ran well-known aquatic and reptile company Underworld Products, died suddenly last month.
Great Yarmouth Sea Life Centre has scored another conservation victory after securing a third African dwarf crocodile’s future at the centre.