I wasted a few brain cells tonight.

[JayP]

When I was walking around Aquashella Chicago, I crossed paths multiple times with Logan Rando while he was filming. I was wondering if he had posted a video of the show yet so I checked out his channel. No video of Chicago yet, so I instead watched his video of New Jersey. About half way through the video, Father Fish rolls by on his scooter and announces he'll be making an announcement that will destroy the tropical fish industry. LOL! I didn't know Father Fish was actually a speaker at Aquashella. Seems funny that a guy who preaches about not giving money to the aquarium industry was invited to speak. I figured WTH, I'll bite and go to his channel to see what the big news was. I couldn't bring myself to watch the whole thing, but I did scan through it and still don't know what the big Earth shattering news was. Just the same ole preachy stuff and I regret destroying the brain cells. I have to be more careful of that, as I'm older and can't afford to lose many more. I'm sure glad my path into this hobby was seeing the work of Takashi Amano, other knowledgeable aquascapers, and all the great folks in this community.

 

[Kwyet]

I asked the Google AI to summarize his talk. Here it is. He sells his living substrate btw.

——

The primary points of his presentation include:

1. Critiquing the Pet Industry Model

• The "Sterile Tank" Trap: He slammed the commercial industry's standard prescription of continuous chemical adjustments, artificial filters, and frequent water changes. He argued that treating aquariums like sterile environments instead of living ecosystems sets hobbyists up for failure and leads to dying fish. [1]
• Psychological Impact on Fish: He explained that raising large fish in bare, empty tanks severely degrades their mental state. Much like a human locked in a bare room, fish kept without natural enrichment or plants become hostile, aggressive, and "insane," attacking tank mates and biting the hands of their owners.

2. The Solution: A Return to Nature

• Replicating the 1860s Method: He advocated for a return to historical, low-tech tank keeping. By replicating natural biomes—using soil, sand, and heavy vegetation—hobbyists can create self-sustaining aquariums that take care of themselves. [1]
• The Living Substrate: To eliminate the need for chemical fertilizers, artificial CO2 dosing, or high-tech equipment, he highlighted the use of a complex, mineral-rich substrate. This method feeds the root systems naturally, stabilizes the water chemistry, and establishes a microscopic ecosystem that keeps the environment healthy for decades.

 

[artandsoul]

That guys nuts why the hell he was at aquashella its also nuts lol. Ok father fish when Its rains on natural environments like a pond it got a water change against the rules no more rain.

 

[Pepere]

Watching the video this morning..

Kind of embarrassing.

He starts of trying to get the audience excited and it falls pretty flat…

Lots of attendees walking by ignoring…

Number of people listening to the “keystone speaker” seems kind of small. I wonder how attendance and engagement compares to other speakers..

Hawking specially manufactured substrate that now for the first time in 150 years allows you to keep a natural aquarium that doesnt deplete from nutrients…

Hmm natural aquarium “needs” specially manufactured ingredients…

I sort of wonder about the claim of natural never needing any filtration, air, feeding, fertilizing because everything gets naturally recycled…

What do you do with excess vegetation growth? If you prune and thin and export it, wont the nutrients decrease over time?

Somebody just asked how to ensure you maintain proper water parameters.. “The answer is to lock up your test kit”.. yeah, that sounds a lot like a proposed solution to the covid pandemic. We had a lot of covid cause we were testing for it. If we had less testing we would have less cases…


38 minutes of video, lots of filler words, little substance..

 

[Wet Elbows]

Just for clarification, was Father Fraud asked to speak at Aquashella?
If so, there is now zero chance that I would ever attend an Aquashella.
Why not just invite PETA to speak and tell us how horrible we are for keeping captive fish?

 

[Wet Elbows]

I just did a quick search for the FF video and this was the first thing that popped up.
It gets interesting at 9:09 mark.

 

[FreshTides_Neal]

The aquarium hobby is plagued with pseudo-scientific nonsense as it is, and somehow Father Fish takes it to a new level. The whole "your tank is an ecosystem" thing appeals to lazy people who are incapable of doing research. I cringe anytime a customer talks about setting up an "ecosystem" tank and I do my best to talk them out of it, for their own benefit.
The most egregious example: recently someone was wanting to set up a tank where they not only didn't have to do any water changes, but to where they didn't have to feed the fish(why even keep fish?)! They wanted to have predatory fish to eat smaller fish, and then the smaller fish would eat even smaller fish. Whichever youtuber gave him that idea should be locked in a shed.

 

[Wet Elbows]

Well I had 38 minutes to spare and a few extra brain cells so I watched the whole video.
He does contradict himself. First saying that no water changes are needed with his method. Then saying you should change water once your water has a yellow color.

Umm where do you think that yellow color comes from? Maybe if you used a filter and did water changes your water would never be yellow? Just sayin.

He talks about an aquarium that is self sustaining and takes care of itself and then introduces his new line of flake food.

He actually did very well at not directly answering the two audience questions that were asked. Either he deflects like a master politician or the dementia has kicked in and he forgot 15 seconds after the question was asked. I'm not sure which, maybe a combination of the two.

Either way this bozo is doing more harm than good. He's criticizing the established best practices while offering his own method that is likely more harmful. It's like asking who do you prefer, Hitler or Stalin?
Neither, thank you very much.

 

[JayP]

Number of people listening to the “keystone speaker” seems kind of small. I wonder how attendance and engagement compares to other speakers..

It did seem like the number of folks sitting at the main stage was fairly thin. I can tell you when ADA presented the masterclass on the main stage at Chicago, all seats were filled and many more people were standing around the stage. I imagine it was the same at new jersey.

Just for clarification, was Father Fraud asked to speak at Aquashella?

I'm not sure if a slot to speak can be requested , if it's invitation only, or a combination.

...set up a tank where they not only didn't have to do any water changes...

Interestingly, in the video he mentions only having to do a water change when the water gets really yellow or cloudy. From what I've seen of many "Father Fish" tanks, that would mean water changes all the time.

 

[Wet Elbows]

It did seem like the number of folks sitting at the main stage was fairly thin. I can tell you when ADA presented the masterclass on the main stage at Chicago, all seats were filled and many more people were standing around the stage. I imagine it was the same at new jersey.

I would have brought a bag of rotten vegetables to throw at him like they did in the old days.

View attachment gettyimages-956138526-640_adpp.mp4

 

[Pepere]

Interestingly, in the video he mentions only having to do a water change when the water gets really yellow or cloudy

Have you ever watched how he recommends doing water changes?

Drain the water into a bucket or tub. Let it set there a few days, and put the water back into the tank.

He claims water has memory and remembers whats been in it…

 

[Wet Elbows]

Have you ever watched how he recommends doing water changes?

Drain the water into a bucket or tub. Let it set there a few days, and put the water back into the tank.

He claims water has memory and remembers whats been in it…

Wow. I remeber him saying that water is a living thing and can change depending on what creatures are living in it.
I really try to not watch his videos and raise his view count.
Perhaps instead of using heavy metal music as psychological warfare the CIA should just start playing his videos?