Nature Aquariums & Beauty. Fishkeeping Cults & Tribalism: Father Fish v. Walstad v. Amano Aquascapes

[@claywise43]

When I first started into this hobby 5 years ago, I heard a lot of “do what you like or what works for you”. But as I got deeper into it I found the infighting, insults and right vs wrong issues. I’ve since shortened the groups I visit and the channels I watch. And I am back to doing what I like so long as the living creatures in my care are actually cared for. What I like may not be what you like. But if what you like brings you joy, then do it. And if what I like brings me joy, then that’s what I’m going to do.

[@Fishtory]

I think that's a good way to approach it - focus on what works for you and enjoy it!

[@AquaticMoose]

Awesome reminder that we are not recreating nature straight up, we are recreating a slice of a moment in time, of controlled and directed nature. Every setup is different and unique, there is obviously no one way of doing anything. The ownership of ideas is one of my gripes with the whole kitten caboodle. 🐈

[@AquaticMoose]

Side note, the babbling brook sound made me check to make sure I didn't have an out of control water change I somehow forgot about 😂

[@Fishtory]

Exactly. There's so much to be learned from everyone's methods and approaches to keeping fish.

[@missyflutter5562]

@@Fishtorythere’s a wealth of knowledge if you look for it for sure

[@accionhero]

I like my own method which is learning and improving my tanks! That’s why I like this channel so much! It’s about learning and making your fish and yourself happy!

[@Fishtory]

I agree! There's nothing better than improvement of ones self...and hopefully the world around us or at least our comprehension of it... oh, and joy! Cheers. Thank you

[@thomaslytje8656]

I was lucky enough to find Father Fish right when I started. So I am heavily inspired by him. But I think I am more like you, Alex, I play, I try, I do something and sometimes I succeed. And when I don't I try to learn. I actually have an aquarium which collapsed a month ago. I have put a few guppies in and a betta - and I am doing as little as possible. And see how it recovers. It's not nature - for a lot of reasons. But it does show nature work and show processes. And I love it. Though I love when my tanks don't crash too!

[@Fishtory]

Very wise. You will learn far more with that mind set :) good luck!

[@maddfries]

I wasn't so lucky( was a heavy believer in Amano styled sterile tanks). After a studied FF method just recently, im slowly transitioning my tank.

[@cliffnorman8153]

I have had otocinclus successfully breed twice on separate tanks , allegedly a difficult thing . Was delighted by this.

[@TheQuailYouHail]

Ayyy! Heck yeah ive heard of a Few Success stories but they end up dying a lil later on due to Not being enough bio film for them to eat. Thats Great you have them breed and survive though!

[@Fishtory]

That is quite cool! ( apparently it is common if you have dozens, but almost no one does that!)..congrats!

[@Bio-Folks]

I’m doing a documentary on my 75 gallon lang and water tank and everything you said in this video gave me a whole new perspective of my small ecosystem

[@Fishtory]

That's awesome! I'd love to see your final video and hear about your journey and revelations or discoveries! Best of wishes, my friend

[@ashenwalls3558]

I haven't really thought about what I'm trying to create with my tanks, I just go with what makes me happy to look at.

[@angeroth]

you've created it ! because it make you happy

[@Fishtory]

Right on

[@DavidNewsham-r2o]

Good to hear somebody talking about what matters and not just promoting their methods, I think take a bit of info from many sources and then just do what pleases your eye and what's best for the health of the fish. Just getting back into fish keeping after a 25 year break, fish room under construction.. I can't believe the hostilty people have for others who at the end of the day are all into the same basic hobby...

[@Fishtory]

Right?! You wouldn't guess that this point of view is some radical or revolutionary idea ...but alas, 2025 is upon us 😆

[@IndigoBellyDance]

If u go online, unfortunately there is hostility. Do what u feel is right /works for u

[@DavidNewsham-r2o]

@@Fishtory I'm in France, there is still a large group in the hobby who are stuck with one idea of fish keeping, it's the same thing I saw 25 years ago, shops and garden center's promoting one method, so glad to see the massive change and advancement in the hobby, but alas aways negativity and hostilty turns up.!

[@brendatraub1161]

You are rare and unusual 😊 That's why I love your channel!

[@Fishtory]

Thank you for noticing! 🙂 I'm so glad you think so! Haha

[@denisesanders3983]

I have realized that aquascaping and fish keeping are two different hobbies. In aquascaping the goal is the "look" and a few fish are thrown in for the sole purpose of enhancing the scape. Fish keeping is all about the fish and plants are thrown in for the sake of the fish. So, I decided that I am about the fish. I still try to scape a pleasing look but mostly I am concerned about the fish.

[@Fishtory]

Very true, excellent point! Thank you

[@alekkoomanoff7281]

Thanks,Alex, for the heart to heart. Tolerance is needed on the internet; too mary didactic opinions. Whatever floats your boat and brings you those fleeting moments of joy. " Follow your bliss" as the sage Campbell said

[@Fishtory]

Totally! It's a beautiful thing when people can share something they love and enjoy it in whatever way works for them.

[@jared1838]

Find the fish you want and appropriate tank size. Find the plants they like and load it up. A little trimming goes a long way and you can have a jungle with a great viewing area. Make the inhabitants happy and you will be pleased with the outcome. Natural and purposeful can be one in the same

[@danielingalls8980]

Nature Aquariums are required to be ugly. The more plants and algae the better. Here here🎉

[@Fishtory]

Haha

[@n8nkqrp595]

This presentation is utterly beautiful, Alex. This is from the heart, from the soul, and from the mind of a genius biologist. This is honesty at it's best. This is much more than an exploration of beauty in nature. This video is a study in what it means to be human. Thank you Alex, and be well Sir :)

[@Fishtory]

Wow, that's really kind of you to say

[@RabbiSpruceTech]

Glad you brought up the tribalism, it's really ugly and ubiquitous online. Plenty of valid ways and subjective tastes in keeping aquariums where the stock is perfectly happy and healthy

[@Fishtory]

It's always flaring, but lately I see lots specifically within a niche that's small enough it really doesn't merit squabbling between people who have similar goals and beauty standards, let alone fishkeeping or aquascaping being fairly small groups of the population lol

[@kenshinhimura9387]

Every hobby on Earth has this problem. Look at the car hobby. Those people would stab each other over an argument of Mustang VS Camaro

[@andicarson1339]

I love all styles! It's crazy thinking about my personal evolution in the hobby. I started out being told what it's "supposed to be ", and believed it. Then, I discovered that the hobby isn't necessarily what the companies promoting whatever makes them money is what is what we should, or could, do. I started figuring out what might be possible, like not needing to replace filter media inserts with new filter media inserts. I began thinking about WHAT was happening in the little ecosystem, and use that to experiment and learn to move forward. I have learned so very much! Just because something worked for someone else doesn't mean that it is the only possible path to proceed with for success. As you said, success depends on what the goal is. The goal doesn't have to be the Fatherfish or Walstad (or Alex) way. It is what you want it to be. If something isn't progressing the way you had hoped it would, try something different and see if that might work. Some people might think, 'Well, duh", but not everyone is at that point in their personal evolution within the hobby. Sometimes we need to hear someone say it to give us the the 'okay' to think outside the commercially stated guidelines. Thanks, Alex! You are appreciated.

[@thomaslytje8656]

Yeah - except for plastic plants and pirate ships and stuff like that. I do too. And I think Alexander attracts these people. He does different things. He try different methods. And he reads - and learns - and tell the important lessons. I love this channel. I am probably more inspired by Louis than by Alexander. But I am more like Alexander. I want to play. I want to try out several things.

[@Fishtory]

I appreciate your far more concise summary of my feelings haha 😄 thanks my friend. Cheers

[@robdavinroy1761]

It’s your tank, it’s your home, and in many cases it’s your wife or partner. In my opinion it should be about what your household likes to look at everyday. Do you like to look at thick mud substrate and a jungle with fish in there somewhere? Great, but the people in your house better love that too. My household likes looking at a school of adult discus with cardinal tetras, a few catfish, hatchet fish, driftwood, some plants, and a customized background, with crystal clear water. So yeah that requires multiple canister filters and many water changes. Definitely not too close to nature, but a setup we all love looking at it everyday.

[@Fishtory]

Definitely something to consider! Thank you for pointing that out

[@kongkongball1]

Man your videos are always on point. Very balanced views. Keep up the good work!!

[@Fishtory]

Thank you so much, I appreciate it!

[@Scaperoot79]

The best thing that's happened to me in the hobby is realizing that I don't need to strive for competition-worthy scapes. My introduction to aquascapes was IAPLC, so I thought that's what a 'good aquarium' looked like. Now, my focus is on the health of the fish beyond what the tank looks like. I still care about the scape, but I'm ok with having what most would consider 'ugly' tanks.

[@metasymphony]

I totally agree! If they need algae to eat/keep the water clean, I’ll let it grow. If they need medicine or a stronger filter, that’s important too. I like beautiful aquascapes but not if the fish who would hide in nature are swimming around under bright light and too exposed.

[@Fishtory]

It's great to see the hobby evolve, and it's inspiring that you've embraced what works for you and your fish.

[@SpinsterSister]

Alex, thank you for addressing this issue in the fish keeping hobby. We have seen down right youtube channel(s) war of words over opinions, fact keeping and popularity/ethical views. Can't we just learn what is out there and make our own minds up? If one person uses plastic plants, colored gravel and under gravel filters - so be it. As long as they are taking care of their fish and other aqua critters, who are we to bully each other up on tanks that we don't keep? You're a good egg and I am so glad I am a subscriber!

[@Fishtory]

Well I'm glad you are here in the community as well! We need all the intelligent and compassionate people that we can find! Cheers

[@ashleyjohnson976]

Thank you for sharing your aquariums with us.

[@Fishtory]

You're welcome! 😊

[@Moteb208]

You really make me think a lot, that’s what makes content good. Thanks for this

[@Fishtory]

Glad I could spark some thoughts hehe. Cheers and merry Christmas & Splendid Solstice!

[@suewestby824]

Good one Alex.

[@TNKrisinNM]

This is why I like you so much. Do what works and what makes you happy. I think that everyone should do it that way. If it's successful for them, keep doing it. If I try it and it just does not work, I'll try something else. I share your stuff with everyone I can because it's so PRACTICAL and it makes so much sense, at least to me. I stopped using HOB filters and switched to sponge and biofilters because of you and KFS. I struggled so bad with slimy globs of algae with the HOB. Since switching, all of that stopped. Your advice and the way you teach is perfect for ME. I don't believe in one way of doing things. I believe in trying all kinds of things and mixing stuff up to find the right concoction, so to speak. Doing this, I have lost a minimal amount of fish, and had only to deal with fin rot on a fish I bought that was already compromised - I knew it when I bought him, it was the reason I bought him. I just do what keeps my aquarium residents happy and healthy, and what makes me happy. Isn't that all we should strive for in life?

[@Fishtory]

Aww that makes me happy to read! I'm so glad I can be a tiny part of the journey you are on in the hobby. Do what works for you and your goals! As always THANK YOU for the kind words of support, shares and for being a rad human haha 😄

[@TNKrisinNM]

@@Fishtory You definitely have my support! It's not much but it's 100% of what I have. Oh, you're not a TINY part of my journey, you're a big part of it. Sounds creepy, it's not creepy. You're a big influence for me. There, that sounds better.

[@merriwinkle7631]

Holy crumb! I admire all kinds of tanks that support the life inside. Thriving is beautiful.

[@Fishtory]

Right?! A healthy tank is a beautiful tank.

[@globalist1990]

What I got from father fish was, the dirtied substrate as I wasn't familiar with it before, the suggestion we should feed diversity to our fish and let them scavenge as well (and create that opportunity) and practical tips on creating a symbiotic ecosystem (something I was looking into), natural or not (in the way we're putting species together that would probably never meet naturally). But I took advice from very different sources, even looked into anoxic filtration as the main filtration method. I found this channel who was very helpful. Another one that made tests on thick substrates. So I take any advice and put it into practice if I end up thinking it's a good idea. I adapt and change for my purpose. A resilient fish tank, with redundant systems that make each other stronger, with as much biodiversity as I can have in this little space, I try to create an environment that the critters will like, with safe havens and space to go about. Loads of plants, some algae (free food). No foul smell at all. Years ago, as a kid, I used to have a fish tank with an under gravel filter. We used to boil the gravel periodically. That tank stank, tbh we didn't knew much how to do it. We got a little book from the fish shop and got all they said we needed.

[@Fishtory]

That is a lovely summary and goal set. (I agree with your goals and ideas as well)

[@kenshinhimura9387]

I've found that fish stores give the absolute worst advice because they are desperate for your money. They will intentionally give you bad advice knowing that you will keep coming back and buying more gear and more fish.

[@TheSimmpleTruth]

It sounds like you are from the old school. I started in 1981 with all available livebearers. Although, we had a tank in my house for all of us when I was younger. But that tank wasn’t mine. Back then all you could get for info were booklets (tiny books) with very general info. The advice from the pet store was to watch the tank ever week. I so dismantled my tank every week and clean everything with Clorox and started all over again. I was in the Pet store every week buying meds and fish, you guess why. I did not know what was wrong with this fish.

[@globalist1990]

@@TheSimmpleTruth it was about 10 years later, i'm not in the us and from a small town. We kept goldfish, we had like 5 in small tank. Eventually we moved them (the survivors) outside to a big tank, and they lived for like 20 years and got big. No more mosquitos in that small area 😅

[@DashDrones]

Nature aquariums are beautiful!

[@Fishtory]

I agree! .. Well usually

[@TheSimmpleTruth]

2:01 This is the reason why I alienated myself from other aquarists and, especially, from aquarium fish groups.I am not longer a member of any of them and I plan to continue like that, on my own. I do whatever I please with my tanks and my fish and I don’t care is someone comes to my house and dislike my tanks. My opinion is the only one that matters and whether I like it or not.

[@Fishtory]

Totally

[@AlinefromToulouse]

I like the unusual message here, about accidents, surprises and the beauty we can always find somewhere. There is place for all kinds of ways and people, and that more and more with the development of available sources thanks to the internet. To finish, I think there is something with the fear of problems and uncertainty, but as soon as it's about nature, it can't be otherwise.

[@Fishtory]

Very wise. Thank you

[@LindersueHarrison]

YAY!!!! Wasn’t expecting to see a video but what a treat!

[@Fishtory]

Why thank you

[@estherabrams7274]

I’m back in the hobby after a 20 year hiatus, and during that time, I kept my gardening hobby; it just travels easier. My aquarium is an underwater garden. It’s about gathering together the pretty and the unusual plants from nature and arranging them with each other in a finite space so they look attractive. Along the way, one attracts those rare happenings. My aquarium doesn’t need to have 4” of substrate at the front for me to discover some interesting creature I’ve never seen before, and it doesn’t need to be perfect Iwagumi for most of the people who see it to consider it beautiful. I believe that it is deeply human to gather up the most beautiful things we find to create a new beauty that we can call our own. When we arrange beads on a string, or paint on a surface, or find a beautiful rock and carve it into something we consider to be more beautiful, we express this impulse. We know we’re doing it right when it makes us happy.

[@Fishtory]

That is so well put. You're completely right! I have a lot of respect for that approach.

[@kdr1048]

Yeah i dont like the fancy aquascapes I'd rather replicate the "ugly" nature scapes and let it run for a long long time. Leaf litter, bio films, algae. All of it. I love watching my fish interacting with an environment they would be familiar with. Very satisfying. Good chat Alex. 👍🏻 One more thing, I love walking out in nature and looking for items for my aquariums leaves, twigs, rocks ect. Nature has everything we need to succeed. I even involve the kids and they help me at the local park/pond.

[@Fishtory]

So true, and i couldn't agree more my friend!

[@dellseasandoval8187]

Perfect as always. Keep up the good work, Alex.

[@Fishtory]

Appreciate that my friend

[@eveningclicks7767]

New scaping idea. Take a top down picture of your empty tank. Draw a grid and label the squares. Use a random number generator to pick where your rocks, plants, and driftwood will land. :) haha

[@Fishtory]

Chaoscape!

[@Bunny-ns5ni]

Honestly, that's one of my biggest gripes with father fish, imo. He's always so serious with how an aquarium NEEDS to be HIS way and if you aren't doing anything HIS way then you're doing everything completely wrong. FFs way of keeping aquariums is certainly great, beneficial and interesting, but not the only way. There are many methods that different people prefer to use for what they aspire for their tanks. I pushed him on some things in some of his videos, and my god, he cannot answer things honestly or without assumptions. He's a great guy, but not good at representation. He's definitely a gatekeeper for old and new hobbyists. Anyways, great video as usual, Alex. I missed your last stream, but won't miss the next :D Edit: have you bred your S. axelrodi? I saw your other video on them, but I'm wondering if there's any more specific info with breeding conditions.

[@Fishtory]

Well put, and yes I agree with the notion that FF ... especially in his edited video form has become very black and white...or left v right...and he knows the answer best...he sometimes ascribes evil or malace to things that are merely not the way he does it...or different. Which is silly...and largely he does it because being that way has caused his channel to go from 15k subs to over 200k in a mere 2 or 3 months. Drama and Tribalism are what feed many people....especially in the current social climate of America right now.

[@tigerbokken6922]

We put nature in boxes. But our head are looking outside those boxes, if not we drown without being able to admire the many ways Nature adapt to all those news ecosystems, in our fishrooms and in those of others.

[@mikefisher4834]

I grew up with cichlids so I didn’t start gettin’ into live planted aquariums until about 10 years ago but even before that I hated a tank with fake ass brightly colored decorations The only thing I cared about as a kid is that my tanks didn’t look fake

[@Fishtory]

I agree. As a kid I hated like hot pink fake plants or neon rocks

[@JasPR1000]

I’m usually a guy of many words. But for this video I’ll say- BRILLIANT ( the end)

[@Fishtory]

Whoa. Thank you kindly

[@mauchu7]

An aquarium is a blank canvas. An artist need to prepare a foundation for their art to manifest. likewise, an aquarist or aquascaper need to prepare a foundation in a tank to support life both for plant and whatever fish or animal in it. with this knowledge in mind, we can create any type of aquascaping we can imagine. I appreciate anykind of creativity that people can come up with. nature style, iwagumi, dioramas style, biotope etc nothing is gross to me. All are appreciated. it is what keeping the hobbies alive. no one idea is the absolute right and the rest are wrong.

[@Fishtory]

I agree , I shouldn't have phrased it like I did off the top of my head in this video... I was saying the overly artificial... because it glofish, mini houses and figurines, or plastic plants, all of it kind of suddenly became unappealing to my eye, as did imitations of nature that just don't quite look natural...ie the "uncanny valley" effect with computer graphics or video game human characters.

[@cathyhendrix7552]

THANK YOU ALEX. A new person is going to search many fish channels for help and insight into the hobby and before they know it they're so confused about it that they give up before they even get started. I've been fish keeping for years and hell, I still get confused after watching a bunch of different channels. LOL. But I know what I like so I just do me and I don't sweat the rest of it. C'est la Vie.

[@Fishtory]

There's a lot of information out there...unfortunately 😄 😉. Thanks

[@FishCapadesProductions]

Nature isn't ugly... brutal maybe but ugly nope❤😅❤

[@AquaticMoose]

@@FishCapadesProductions beautiful ugliness 😅

[@Fishtory]

Fair, but no one clicks on a statement they agree with 100% haha

[@Ih8bureaucracy]

Beautiful words, thank you

[@Fishtory]

Glad you found them of interest. Be well

[@PRINCESSDREAMYLYN]

The best fish keepers thinks less about themselves and more about the fish and what they need. They do not care about what others think. Fish are not people and have much different needs. I have found that isn't the way most people keeping fish think, it's more about themselves. The lies out there is over whelming at times. There are many ways to do something and fish live in many places and situations in nature, you are right about that. I've done many things even used rain water, pond water as well as lake water adding it to my tanks over the years. I feed tanks from cattle water tanks loaded with all kinds of larva that many would say I over fed my tanks but my fish were happy and beautiful and non ate themselves to death one of the biggest lies in keeping fish. Ready made fish food fouls the water if over fed. So it's the water condition that causes the problem. I'd take a big 32 oz butter tub out scoop some water and turn it black with larva netting out larva with a fine mesh net, collect so many it was thick you couldn't see the bottom of it and come in my house and dump all that mostly mosquito larva into my 55 gal aquarium. then set back and watch my fish go completely into a feeding frenzy. lol... fun to watch. With in few hours there was nothing left but maybe some blood worms hiding in the gravel that the Cory's would find those. My tank was full of a mixture of fish i was told shouldn't be in my community tank together, was told the aggressive fish shouldn't be in it like my sharks. but everyone was happy. I did these feeding about 4 to 5 times a week from spring to fall. My tank had live plants, stacked rocks for swimming thru and hiding in. Baby's were born all the time i had to remove so many because i didn't need the tank getting over crowded. I kept plants in think bunches so there was places for the smaller fish to hide and wide open spaces for swimming. by doing that is why i think all the different fish were able to live together and not be eaten by the other fish. My filtration was under ground filter with a 3 or so inch fine natural gravel. and a hang on the back filter with the entry pipe down in the up pipe of the under gravel filter. My tanks was very active big fish and little fish all getting along and no one hiding for long periods of times like they were scared. i had one bully rainbow shark who thought he would bully the others I'd stick my hand in the tanks and give him a good flick with my finger the first few days and he learned not to bully the others after a few times of that. lol So if keeping fish is something anyone wants to do consider the fish and what they need not your own needs. Don't let others tell you what to like or what fish to keep.

[@Fishtory]

Practical advice! I love the live larval foods...fish go so wild for it! So many behaviors and moments you would never catch otherwise. Also fish coloring up and having that protein and fat reserve enough for eggs! Vvery cool

[@tolgarupture]

And we appreciate you. Good speech.

[@Fishtory]

Why thank you! * picks up soap box and walks away*

[@gracebromfield9070]

Beautifully said!!!🙏👏💚🌿🐟

[@Fishtory]

Thank you very kindly Grace. Cheers. Merry Christmas

[@gracebromfield9070]

@@Fishtory Merry Christmas Alex🎄🙂

[@AH-Aquatics]

I can't believe I only just found your channel. Very insightful. You can take inspiration from a lot of people but I think in this hobby you will enjoy it more if you just do what you want to do with your tanks, my preference is planted low tech tanks, not really aquascaped as such but I do try and make them look as nice as I can. I also find that a lot of high tech setups have more plants and less fish and that isn't what I want either. I'm a fish keeper I want more fish and more plants. I'm not entirely sold on the nature aquarium style because I don't want to recreate nature as such because as you say it can be ugly but I do want to take some aspects of nature and incorporate those within my aquarium which is why I am slowly starting to enjoy using botanicals in my tanks for example. What a beautiful hobby fish keeping is whatever angle you come from and it is for everyone to enjoy. New sub :)

[@Fishtory]

Welcome! I have many years of content now....nearly a decade haha. But nature tanks and trying to understand the natural "nerdy" processes is finally trending online hahaha. Anyhow, welcome my friend 🙏

[@Thekaysun]

Love the life lessons and love you are trying to spread

[@Fishtory]

Why thank you. I need reminders too!

[@victoralba6796]

I've had people that keep African cichlids come see my planted natural aquariums and they say they are beautiful , some even take videos of my tanks, then they ask me how do I keep the water so clear all the time if you don't clean the small filter. What catches my attention about them is that they can't stand algea but yet they were amazed how beautiful my tanks look despite that the back and side glass panels are covered in algea, despite that the some areas of the substrate had hair algea, i bring it to there attention , I tell them that algea is not ugly ,work with it and it will work with you by staying off the plants

[@Fishtory]

Wonderful :)

[@msbranen6261]

A lot to think about! Thanks Alex!

[@Fishtory]

Right?! There's a lot going on in the aquarium world!

[@JaguarAudio]

Greetings to Alexander from Bellevue. Glad you got through your recent fishroom reset. I have a FF tank in a fluval spec V. He would advocate for leaving it alone but I like to suck up the muck in the foreground at least once a month with a 1 gal water change, because I like to see the beautiful silver Puget Sound sand and to get rid of the brown wood tanins. I may eventually go to every 2 months. The idea of permanently topping off the water with a nearly self-sustaining tank is attractive.

[@Fishtory]

It sounds like you've got a great system going with your tank, as long as you are enjoying it and seeing the healthy fish and or plants... challenge yourself and try out your goals of only top offs... or push it to every 2 months... so how it goes and you can always go back if you change one thing at a time. Cheers my friend!

[@dax8753]

Ive took bits and pieces from everywhere , even watch reef keeping videos , green aqua type videos have great algae advice .

[@Fishtory]

Yeah, totally. Do what works for you 😉

[@neurosp]

On my nano tank, a very small nano tank, I just try to make something that I like at it, I try to “paint” with the plants and the hard scape, I kinda did it but I made something that errors (not achieved the look that I wanted) I like photography and I like the Takeshi Amano approach, I also like the no filter method, so I’m not really fully in to the hard scape art.

[@Fishtory]

I totally understand. I always make a hard scape that I love.... then realize I'm going to cover most of it with plants lol

[@pattys_aquatics]

Completely loved this video. It’s a lot of what I have been thinking lately, in my opinion it’s not possible to completely recreate nature within our aquariums but I guess my goal always has been to do it as close as I can within my abilities and every hobbyist obviously like you stated have their own version of what that is. I also agree on the stupidity in my opinion of arguing that this isn’t natural enough and find that a lot on some Facebook pages and it drives me crazy. Great video Alex 😁

[@Fishtory]

Why thank you Patty! Cheers my ol friend! Merry Christmas and a Sacred Solstice, to you!

[@pattys_aquatics]

@ Merry Christmas to you and yours as well Alex

[@randlben]

Fantastic reminder. Thanks.

[@Fishtory]

My pleasure! Thanks for listening

[@adambohlin5112]

I think each to their own is a good rule of thumb, as long as the animals are well taken care of I do not really care what style you practice. What gets me going is to see a person being passionate no matter if that concerns fish that are easy to keep or difficult ones as long as you see that person being happy, curious about the hobby it is all fine with me. The worst persons is the ones trying to impose their own way/style upon others I think out government to an absolutely "fine" job of that anyhow I do not need anymore from my fellow hobbyists, experienced or newbies.

[@Fishtory]

I hear that for sure

[@funstock2965]

Well said. So funny that people over how to keep up a fish tank. It's like arguing about house design or which car is better.

[@Fishtory]

Totally. Annnd, Thank you!

[@FloorJosephine91]

Love this video and point of view. You’re a beautiful openminded person, keep on spreading your knowledge💪🏼🐟🐟

[@Fishtory]

I appreciate your words greatly. Thanks 😊

[@mikefisher4834]

My dad is the one that got me into the aquarium hobby and the student has surpassed the teacher My dad doesn’t know anything about live planted aquariums He also didn’t know an aquarium can sustain itself without a pump but he does now since he’s seen my bowl aquarium

[@Fishtory]

Very cool. My mom is on a similar journey as we speak... she used to wash out my aquarium gravel with soap and water, monthly when I was like 5 or 6 hahaha 😆

[@hkk3656]

My wife wouldn't do well if I went to a "natural aquarium." So, a happy wife is a happy life. I keep all three clean and do a good job in respect to keeping them healthy.

[@Fishtory]

I can understand that! Good for you!

[@darrylmoore5847]

Excellent video

[@Fishtory]

Thank you very much!

[@dejannisic9770]

I have some interesting examples from Cambodia, dry season has started and there are many isolated leftover ponds that are slowly drying out at this time of the year, so I took aquarium net, and did a 3-4 scoops, I've got 7-8 flying barbs, around 20 dwarf rice fish, around 10 half beaks, some gouramies I came back tomorrow, but that pond already dried out, birds have eaten most of the fish, that's something that happens every year it's the part of natural cycles of floods and dry periods, most of the fish was in their younger age about 3 months, so this year's spawn, by the way water smelled like sewer

[@dejannisic9770]

I can say that I'm lucky because I can take whatever plants, mud, sand, directly from the place I where collect the fish, most of the time those are not most beautiful plants or stones, but it gives quite realistic view on natural behavior and instincts

[@Fishtory]

That is so amazing. Very fortunate, my friend 🧡 id love to see images of this if you are on our discord or Facebook group 😀

[@hydrocooledcarrot]

Nature can be absolutely hideous. But we can't truly appreciate beauty without at least the threat of disgust

[@Fishtory]

Very true. Also depending on our mood and culture...our bias etc sometimes decomposition or rot can even look beautiful...but I think some things we just are averse to, due to evolutionary and cultural taboos due to hygiene and health

[@j.t.cooper2963]

I'm just going to keep doing it the way I have for 36 years. I'm not changing because some cultish "nature" tank guru says his way is better. My tanks have thrived for decades and my fish breed like crazy and live long, healthy and productive lives in clean, clear and pristine environments.

[@Fishtory]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

[@mr.octopus6972]

There are no more >put someone's name here< tanks. I speak with hundreds of people about their tank and NO ONE has the exact same setup and behaviors. Therefore every tank is unique. It would be like trying to find two snowflakes that are the same. A >someone's name< method is full of guidelines but there is always a "wait a minute" moment where you take or leave a certain aspect of it.

[@mohammedbilaluddin2630]

At the end of the day it's just make what you enjoy. The identification of things and categorizations are just internet things people do.

[@Fishtory]

Very true

[@boilabum]

Really love your channel dude! 😎 I could talk to you for houuuurs but I'll keep it short. I've been growing a few plant species for a few years now. First for beauty then for bulk (offload to craigslist lol) mostly out of curiosity, and along the way I found channels like father fish, walstad method and yours ranks up there with them from what I've seen so far. Anywhoodles, from my just under a decade of experience now I'll just say this. Natural aquariums don't have to be ugly. Neither does your yard if you mow the grass :) it just takes effort and a plan. First you need to know what look you want to maintain, and then understand each plant well enough to predict how the sprawl will meander. Beyond that yeah keeping any aquarium style is gonna be work. Natural is less work if you don't care about manicured looks, and more work if you don't mind the extra work to have a static manicured aesthetic. Wow I really suck at keeping things short. Probably why I avoid commenting on my favorite channels haha :) Keep up the fantastic content. Some day soon I'll be visiting WA to see my brother and nephew. It will be so cool to see up close where you forage all this beauty :)

[@Fishtory]

Thanks for the kind words! Haha it's funny that what you wrote, I basically also said and agreed with too 😄 😉 cheers thanks for coming by and dropping a line

[@victoralba6796]

I think the l co2 aquariums are beautiful , will i set one up just because they are stunning beautiful, maybe one day but I doubt it. Those tanks look like something you see at the flower shop or the home depot seasonal flowers section, but they are beautiful

[@hydrocooledcarrot]

100% TRUTH!! 🎉

[@Fishtory]

Thanks buddy

[@AquariumOdysseys]

This was a fantastic video, I really appreciate the honesty.

[@Fishtory]

Glad to be of entertainment hah. Cheers friend!

[@ubermausse306]

My tank is in a bizarre "season" right now... For whatever reason all my plants aside from the valisnaria and two swords became fully coated in a thick, dark green fuzz algae, and are now decaying slowly... It's an absolute feeding frenzy for my cherry shrimp whose population has exploded, and my bettas and dwarf frog are feasting on all the guppy fry that are becoming more exposed... So even though it's "ugly", i'm letting it go. Now i'm turning the rim into a flower pot for a bunch of different houseplants and some tomato plants instead, to get the same filtration and just let the valisnaria take over the rest until something else is capable of taking hold again

[@Fishtory]

Perhaps some aquatic isopods would eat all the moldy funky stuff, if you wanted to give them a try haha

[@unseen370]

I'm a practitioner of low-maintenance tanks, but have no notions of a correct method. I've learned from a lot of different sources (you are a major one of those sources) and synthesized information that those sources agree on with ideas that I've tried and tested myself. If I have a 'method' it's just deep substrate (the type of substrate doesnt matter), floating or terrestrial plants (as nutrient sinks), low stocking and patience (the most important thing in the hobby). I've treated my last 4 years of fishkeeping as an ongoing set of experiments. Trying different things, comparing and contrasting, getting some fish to breed, trying out different plant species, and while I've learned a lot in that time I also think I've lost focus on what exactly I want out of having tanks since I now have a lot of knowledge, a lot of tanks (by my standards lol) and not a lot of investment in any of them. They're all so low maintenance that they hardly need my hand anymore, which is great, but also has made me, over time, feel almost feel disconnected from them. They exist without me and beyond me. I'm a few months out from moving house and it'll give me a chance to reset my aquariums. I've currently got 6 tanks, and I think I'm going to pare down to 3 when I move. One for my warmer water fish, one for my cooler water fish, and I also think it's time for a goldfish as I haven't kept one since I was a kid and I've got a 40 breeder that would be perfect for one or two of them. I think 3 tanks, out in the open (a bunch of my tanks are in my closet rn, hidden away from the world) with each fulfilling a specific role, will be good for my hobby long-term.

[@Fishtory]

That's a great way to approach your hobby - experimentation is key to discovering what you truly love.

[@darkshireaquatics]

Awesome video Alex, tanks for sharing💚✌

[@Fishtory]

Of course. Cheers

[@IndigoBellyDance]

Valid convo : let the person decide. I’ve got my faves & reasons But others can b right as well:)

[@Fishtory]

Totally, and there's so much room for everyone.

[@mikefisher4834]

I don’t even talk to other hardcore aquarium hobbyists about what I do with my tanks anymore because someone always wants to argue🙄😒

[@Fishtory]

Sorry to hear that. I understand the feeling though

[@evertbrand]

My 'nature' tank is not ugly. It's not a detergent add like some aquariums are, but definitely not ugly. ❤

[@Fishtory]

I'm sure YOURS is beautiful haha.

[@Sebastian-v3y]

Thank you for sharing that moment of your life Alex❤🐠🌱🙂

[@Fishtory]

Thanks for sharing in on it, and listening. Cheers 🙂

[@ObraumDziemniaka]

IMO FF method does not cancel the possibility of having beautiful aquascape and filters and co2 and o2 any actually anything. What I think it is great base for stable environment. I am preparing myself for setting up a tank for a betta and shrimps and what I like about FF is the base. That it gives the possibilty to plants to thrive. Will I trim them? Sure I will. Will I try to make an aquascape in the best way I can? Absolutely. I want to have a fun. Will I bring co2? If there will be need for it - of course. Will I have filter? Sure thing. Will I have bubbles with o2? Who gonna stop me? Will I invest in cosmic miracle expensive substrate? I don't think so. I will do dirt and sand. Because I don't want to add weekly expensive potions to make plants thrive.

[@vampgaia]

What @AquaticMoose said. Great points. 👍🏻

[@Fishtory]

Thank you! 😊 hugs

[@precise3291]

Regardless, it's better than fake weird color plants and ornaments from the CO's and Marts.

[@Fishtory]

I personally agree as well...but to each their own i suppose. I want to highlight things beyond the flashy man made design in this media however ✨️🙏

[@michaellavella2377]

Well I like a carefully crafted tank that will never exist in nature. My next tank will include a floating island and glowing trees and crystal deposits. I think I'm firmly on the side of nature can keep itself outside. My tanks will be living art for my home.

[@Fishtory]

That’s an awesome idea and I think that’s perfectly fine!

[@davebnsfnscale4433]

Truth ,I just try to minimize mantainence and find plants that I can keep alive

[@Fishtory]

Hey fair enough!

[@florentincioaba7989]

Bravo from Romania Dracula land 😂

[@Fishtory]

Thank you ...BLAH!

[@peaoat3608]

Today I removed some Asian plants from my South American tanks. That's about all I can do and I enjoy my OCD abut it but I accept the fact that my tanks don't resemble the bottom of the Amazon river even in the slightest. It's still nice to strive for something.

[@Fishtory]

It's about the journey, not the destination! Sometimes it's a rainy day or clouds block the sun in your destination .... but the journey is made of countless images, moments and connections. Find your bliss 😊

[@Freedom77761]

Awesome vid, thanks much!

[@Fishtory]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@FishCapadesProductions]

Great points for sure ❤ am I a terrible person when you were explaining how natural disasters accure and or weather and such the whole time I was picturing someone trying to replicate all that just shaking the tank violently screaming EARTHQUAKE 😱 😅😅😅😅😅

[@Fishtory]

Hahaha epic

[@AndNowThis..]

I like to take inspiration from everyone’s style but I wouldn’t recreate it unless it’s what I wanted. If I was rich I would love to have a huge salt water aquarium and recreate a shipwreck but make it out of the same material that a ship is made from for authenticity. Anyway, great video.

[@Fishtory]

Oh that WOULD be very cool 😎

[@wobblyfox]

Great video

[@Fishtory]

Thank you!

[@puliraja4801]

Worst part is that beautiful fish always hide somewhere. You are able to see them only once in a while.

[@Fishtory]

Haha that's the joy of nature tanks! It's like a little game of find the fish.

[@kurtbrutting5118]

Great video! I love your content!

[@johnnybest6386]

Good content alex

[@Fishtory]

As always.... Thank YOU johnny

[@ColossalSwordFormAndTechnique]

I like my bare bottom ranchu pond, with clear orchid pots with plants ☝️ It isn’t natural. But looks much better 😤

[@Fishtory]

Well there you go! ... that is a very unique set of organisms you are combining, and both can be very lovely... so working out a way to enjoy both in the same place is very cool 😎

[@csharpe5787]

I thought I wrote a supportive comment on LRB’s channel. He took great offence. All I said was, I didn’t see what the big deal was about having no filters. I’ve had tanks like it for years. I didn’t think it was an issue and was shocked.

[@Fishtory]

Many youtubers take every comment as a person attack. I hate to say it, but that's clearly an insecurity issue on his part if that offended him.

[@kerrypickett3770]

I tried the father fish method and threw that mess out. You bring things in from the outside and you get unwanted creatures in the tank. Snails start taking over and it's a mess. I want something clean to look at.

[@Fishtory]

Yeah I hear that. It's a gamble and not for everyone. I prefer a bit different fishkeeping style.

[@curvingfyre6810]

Ugliness is in the eye of the beholder. Both natural and manmade. You can construct natural processes in a layout that is beautiful, by popular standards. Plant selection, hardscape placement, etc. In nature, there *are* some places that have this kind of diversity. If that's where we're replicating, then that's still nature. But at the same time, nature is everything and nothing at once. The inclusion of "natural processes" is the thing people actually mean when they talk about this, and some tanks absolutely do this better. Biotopes are a whole other thing, replicating something so specific. These are 3 very different things that can be achieved to very different degrees in each practice. The best tanks incorporate all of these things to sone degree, and often, the worst tanks go too far in one direction. Are you keeping the tank for the livestock to gawk at? Focus too much on that and you're in 'chinese restaurant aquarium' territory. Are you keeping the tank to show off scaping? Take that too far and you're building one-day tanks full of sparkling water with fish and plants that are actively suffering for that photoshoot. Are you a biotope purist? You may get carried away and put fish with a natural predator, let things get algae choked, add in random hazards, and other things that are really just bad husbandry. The best tanks include all the good, stabilizing natural processes, without the dangerous ones. They have beautiful livestock that are safely selected for the conditions achieved by those natural processes. And both the natural processes and livestock are elevated, and actively provided for, by a good and *functional* scape, designed to encourage health as much as make things look better.

[@Fishtory]

Fair enough 👏

[@salcanzonieri]

i have about 40 large tanks, each one a different country or areas. I get the plants, types of rocks, type of wood, species of fish etc etc that are found in a specific area. And I aquascape it to look beautiful to the eye and enjoyable. Not boring and unremarkable. It's authentic to the area, but looks better than it really would be. I don't mix the fish or plants etc from other areas of the world. Most common biotopes are just broken sticks, mud, and algae. Ugly and boring.

[@Fishtory]

I like your approach, that's pretty awesome!

[@salcanzonieri]

I started doing this in the 1980s and I started using a decent size sand bed when everybody else was only using big gravel. Myplants thrived. And the fish were very happy because they lived a long time ha ha. I think if you get overly anxious about everything I think that just makes everything worse and eventually things just collapse.

[@Ingu.z]

Sounds a bit like you approach your aquariums like a "test tube" (for lack of better analogy)! Being inquisitive as a person, and settling on one style and keeping it forever, is usually like mixing vinegar and oil. Don't really wanna mix. Follow your passion!

[@jennysoderstrom]

So true

[@elimorton7511]

You might have done this already but a video on how different aspects of the hobby work as an ecosystem might be a fun idea.

[@Fishtory]

Can you elaborate on what you mean by this? I'm intreagued!

[@elimorton7511]

@Fishtory Basically the links that bind the various types of aquarium keepers. Like how fish farms supply aquascapers. Aquascapers inspire new hobbyists. New hobbyists start buying fish from home breeders. Walstead and CO2 tank keepers provide plants to others. I'm sure you could weave this into a more compelling narrative.

[@msbranen6261]

Alex are you old enough to remember Mt Saint Helen's eruption? We're you or your family in Washington? I'd love to hear your and their experience.

[@Fishtory]

I was actually not born yet haha. I do remember visiting around 1992 or so though and the impression it made seeing something over 10 years old and everything being dead, twisted and covered in black or gray ash ...only moss lichen and a few weedy plants were present. My parents were nearby when it erupted and had photos of it from about 90 miles away... and it looked like night time, snowing brown and sepia hues of ash

[@msbranen6261]

@Fishtory every now and then my age jumps out and smacks me in the face lol.

[@annataymond9529]

I just want to be able to have fish but not need to do much cleaning. I like naturalistic looks, but the specific type isn’t important to me. It just needs to be safe for the fish so if I have a severe autoimmune flare up and can’t physically do any tank maintenance for months at a time they’ll be ok.

[@fabienneisore7831]

Sadly that is really not an easy thing to do. Because artificial fish habitats are never fixed in time, they need monitoring, and regular maintenance. The only non maintenance set- up is the great outdoors👍

[@annataymond9529]

@@fabienneisore7831 Nope. I got a filterless deep substrate planted 20 gallon long with just blue dream shrimp a couple kuhlis and a single betta. I’ve only ever done one water change on it when the fish had fin rot after getting stuck in some cholla wood. I have a planted 10 gallon with a simple filter that has leaf litter snails and microorganisms and scuds with a betta that I’ve never had to change once. Fish is perfectly healthy. Once had slightly clamped fins but I remove the one plant spreading too fast and problem solved. I also only feed her maybe twice a week because she’s a prolific hunter and if I give her the same amount of food I give my other one she gains too much weight. They need slight tweaks sometimes, but I’ve gone over a year without needing to change a thing before. They always survive my flareups.