Featured fish at the AQUA trade show 2019

AQUA is the UK’s only dedicated aquatic trade show. Here are some of the tropical and marine fish that were on display.

Cichlids

Cichlids featured in many show tanks and varied from Malawi and Tanganyikans, to South and Central American, Victorian, Discus, and Parrots. There were some large King Kong parrots and Flowerhorns on display, the size and quality of which aren’t usually seen outside of the UK.

 For Malawis, Aulonocara dominated one display with lots of different species and man made colour morphs, all adult males, and all in full colour. For Tanganyikans, some Black Widow Frontosa made their debut on the Neil Hardy stand, along with some Lake Victoria cichlids. 

Man made cichlid sports put in the biggest appearance, although for display tanks at large shows, big, bold colours that can’t be turned off or toned down are often the order of the day.

Some nice natural stuff all made a show though including Thorichthys maculipinnis, Caquetaia myersi, Amphilophus citrinellus and Ivanacara adoketa. 

Oddballs

Some lovely stingrays were on show, as were some albino rays, and an Asian arowana. Neil Hardy Aquatica showed off dwarf snakeheads, puffers, piranha, disc characins and archerfish as well as some unusual freshwater inverts like Panther crabs, Parathelphusa pantherina.  

Marines

Although rare marines are often on display at Interzoo, they don’t often make an appearance at AQUA. This year though a lovely young Bandit angelfish was on show, courtesy of Burscough Aquatics, and the Evolution Aqua stand.   

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All images copyright either Sira Studios, courtesy of AQUA 2019, or Fishkeeping News Ltd. Images may not be used or reproduced without prior written permission.

Jeremy Gay

Author of three fishkeeping books and lifelong fishkeeper. Experience includes editor of Practical Fishkeeping magazine, editor of Pet Product Marketing magazine, multi award- winning livestock manager and aquatic store manager.