I had this empty tank staring at me, and you know I don’t like that. So in this video I build a fish-specific setup: a proper blackwater-style riverbed scape that’s basically made for angelfish to behave like angelfish, not just “display fish.” I talk about how I used to avoid angels because everyone says they’re aggressive, but after raising mine up from tiny babies for nearly three years, they’ve become one of my favourites. And I’ve noticed a massive difference in their behaviour when you put them into a more natural, undercover-style environment. The whole build is hardscape-led: a huge dense wood centerpiece (tested for buoyancy), loads of sand, then I went full “pebble time” to get that proper riverbed vibe—cobbles, crevices, scatter gravel for gradation, and a triangular composition that doesn’t look too contrived. I add manzanita for finer twiggy detail, let the tannins naturally build over a couple of days, then tidy up filtration placement, add surface agitation for that nice light flicker, and sort surface scum with a skimmer. The big finishing touch is the out-of-water plants—peace lilies and palms—because the roots and shadows make it feel wild and real, exactly how I want angels to live.