Coll MacNicholas
How long have you been a Maidenhead Aquatics team member?
About 2 years now, since 2019
How long have you been keeping fish?
Around five years since 2017
What was your first aquarium and what fish did you keep in it?
Had a 50l guppy tank as a kid but my first as an adult was a 60l with some platys and cardinal tetra
What species do you most enjoy keeping and why?
Rainbow Shiners
What pearl of wisdom would you give to first-time Fishkeepers?
Get something around 60+ litres instead off something 30 or under as its easier to clean and you’ll be able to add more fish which you will want to do eventually!
What would be your dream aquarium?
10x4x2 river biotope style aquarium with one massive shoal off small fish like minnow or rasbora.
What’s your favourite aspect of work at Maidenhead Aquatics?
Working with and serving people with the dame interests and getting to work in an environment with plants and animals.
What question do customers ask you most often?
Usually asking me on general advice about setting up and aquarium or what kind of fish they can have.
What’s your secret fishkeeping “top tip”?
Have your tanks lightly stocked and planted to keep waste levels down, this is handy if you live a busy life and sometimes can’t always do tank maintenance routinely as you would like, giving you an extra day or so.
How many aquariums do you currently keep at home, and what are these?
I currently have 6 aquariums, mainly planted/ biotope style tanks, but during lockdown I was up to around 14.
What do you think is the future of fishkeeping and what developments would you most like to see?
The planted style aquarium seems to be really taking off in popularity so I can see that being the future focus, id like to see more focus on biotope/natural style aquariums.
What’s the most unique species you’ve ever cared for at Maidenhead Aquatics?
Bumblebee gobys, a little goby species from south east asia with 7 types in their category all off them living in different areas and parameters, the one we had in store was brachygobius doriae which is a more brackish species, I bought some for myself as I liked having them in store so much.
What is it that first got you hooked on fishkeeping?
Being able to recreate natural environments the animals come from.
What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned since joining Maidenhead Aquatics?
Melanoaenia maccullochi a species off rainbow fish the depending on which stream they are gathered from will have drastically different colourations even though genetically they are the same.