Nico's Nature

11/19/2024

AELIAN: ON THE NATURE OF ANIMALS - BOOK 8
Translated by A.F. Scholfield (1958)
"It seems that even fishes are both tame and tractable, and when summoned can hear and are ready to accept food that is given them, like the sacred eel in the Fountain of Arethusa. And men tell of the moray belonging to Crassus the Roman, which had been adorned with earrings and small necklaces set with jewels, just like some lovely maiden; and when Crassus called it, it would recognise his voice and come swimming up, and whatever he offered it, it would eagerly and promptly take and eat. Now when this fish died Crassus, so I am told, actually mourned for it and buried it. And on one occasion when Domitius said to him 'You fool, mourning for a dead moray!' Crassus took him up with these words: 'I mourned for a moray, but you never mourned for the three wives you buried.'

11/18/2024

11/14/2024

If only I had a single tank with no scratches like them...

11/11/2024

I often see questions about how to tell Mosquitofish (Gambusia sp.) from Endlers or Guppies (Poecilia sp.). So I made this easy chart:
While males are fairly easy to identify thanks to their bright colors, females - especially Endlers - can look very similar to Gambusia. Since color and spotting aren’t always reliable, and can be hard to judge from photos, my go-to method is to check the dorsal fin positioning. In Gambusia, the dorsal fin sits much farther back on the body, making them surprisingly easy to identify. Most other livebearers (I can only think of H. formosa as an exception) have a dorsal fin that lines up or even starts before the a**l fin.

08/16/2024

Definitely can relate...

07/18/2024

Not fish, but reptiles are cool too! Click the Colorado Cam for guaranteed Rattlesnakes... lots of them!

Join the collaboration between Project Rattlecam, Cal Poly, and Central Coast Snake Services to study and raise awareness about the importance of rattlesnakes in the ecosystem. Discover our mission...

07/10/2024

Some pictures from our booth at FIN-DIG 2024, can't wait for the next one!

07/02/2024

Beachy Bois

06/29/2024

I didn't take a single proper picture but FIN-DIG did happen!
Thanks to all the speakers and vendors, and especially my wife for running the Nico's Nature booth.

06/28/2024

We decided that June 28 is now Goldfish Bowl Awareness Day!
Get a pond, it's much easier anyway.

06/27/2024

Nico's Nature now sells Wood mounted on Slate.
We premiered the small pieces at FIN-DIG but offer mounting services for any size piece!

06/27/2024

We had a great time at FIN-DIG 2024! More pics to come soon

06/26/2024

RIP Rambo, our first mystery snail

06/21/2024

Tench from my grandpa's pond in Germany, where I developed my passion for fish & aquaculture. The ponds are still there and currently managed by the local fishing society to rear trout, sturgeon, and pike.