Betta fish, also known as Siamese Fighting fish, are popular with hobbyists for their beautiful finnage and dazzling colors. There are over 73 varieties of betta, including the King betta and Giant betta, which are often confused. In this article, we introduce you to these amazing swimming jewels and tell you how to give your … Read more
Dwarf water lettuce, scientific name Pistia stratioes, is a member of the arum family of floating aquatic plants that you’ll see in many garden ponds and aquariums. The water lettuce is not only beautiful, but it can make a very beneficial addition to your tank. The plant propagates very rapidly, providing shady areas in the … Read more
Otocinclus are little freshwater fish with a big appetite for algae. This aquascape-favorite seems ideal as an algae cleaner for small aquariums, but these dwarf catfish need some pretty specific care. If you’re willing to provide them with what they need to stay healthy and thriving, you’ll have a fascinating addition to your aquarium! Keep … Read more
Some of the most popular species in the aquarium hobby, such as bumblebee gobies, are actually not freshwater fish but require a brackish tank. If you want to set up an aquarium for one of these species one thing you’ll need to think about is plants: most aquarium plants don’t appreciate being exposed to salt … Read more
To most aquarists, purposely breeding snails sounds a bit silly. After all, they are considered an annoying pest by most of us! However, there are some aquarium inhabitants that have snails on their menu. Buying new snails every time is not much of an option, so setting up a snail breeding tank might be a … Read more
Feeding (fancy) goldfish seems simple: you buy some fish flakes and you’re all set, right? As with many things in the aquarium world, it’s unfortunately a little more complicated. Traditional fish flakes, while marketed as such, are almost never suitable goldfish food. They usually contain fillers that barely have nutritional value and can actually be bad … Read more
Let’s be honest: tropical fish tanks can be a hassle. Sometimes, a busy life gets in the way of the maintenance they require, and that leads to a crumbling ecosystem and, unfortunately, dead fish. But a nice, lush aquarium can be a beautiful addition to your home. What to do… Well, you could always consider … Read more
After writing about them since the beginning of this blog a year ago, it’s about time for an official fancy goldfish caresheet. These fish are the victim of many fishkeeping myths – they cannot actually live in fish bowls, they don’t actually have a short livespan and fish flakes aren’t a fantastic idea either – … Read more
Although correct information about fancy goldfish is only just starting to replace popular misconceptions, there is still a lot of confusion when it comes to goldfish identification and tank requirements. Many beginners still think goldfish can be kept in bowls (which is not the case) and are frequently mislabeled in stores. Because of this, new goldfish … Read more
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a beginner aquarist without much experience or an expert who’s looking for green without having to worry about upgrading lighting and CO2 installations — everyone needs a hardy, easy-to-care-for aquarium sometimes. Easy plants are decorative, remove nutrients from the water, and provide fish with a place to hide all while … Read more
If you’re used to peaceful tropical community or shrimp tanks, switching to (fancy) goldfish is a big step. Not just because goldfish are coldwater fish that require big tanks (for more info on why bowls and small tanks are bad, check out this article) and very specific diets, but also because they’re super destructive and love to uproot … Read more
