Freshwater Aquariums

Their smaller size and peaceful demeanor have made Tetras one of the most popular families of aquarium fish. The Silver Tipped Tetra is a good example of why Tetras are such favorites. An active, schooling fish, Silvertips are undemanding and quite hardy. They make a great addition to a community aquarium, and are one of the few Tetras that are a suitable beginner fish for those just getting started in aquarium keeping.

Other Tetras
Black Neon Tetra
Buenos Aires Tetra
Glowlight Tetra
Serpae Tetra

Photo © Malene Thyself

Have you tried live plants, only to have them die off in short order? It can be frustrating, but maybe it's time to give live plants another try, but this time get some Dwarf Hygro. Attractive, fast growing, easy to care for, and almost indestructible all describe Dwarf Hygro to a tee. Hailed as the ideal choice for a newly set up aquarium, this plant thrives on any excess nutrients in the water. Dwarf Hygro also does well in a variety of water conditions, making it a great choice for those who don't have perfect water.

More About Live Plants
Aquarium Plants - Real or Artificial?
Converting to Live Plants
Planted Aquarium Gallery

Photo © Pinpin

Cyclops are sometimes recommended to feed certain species of fish, or as a first food for young fry. Question is, what are Cyclops anyway, and where can you get them? The short answer is that Cyclops are tiny crustaceans found in both freshwater and saltwater bodies of water. They make a very nutritional food for fish, as this article about Cyclops explains.

Related Reading
Fry Foods
How To Make Fry Food
What is Infusoria?

Photo Courtesy USEPA Great Lakes National Program

Named for its long snout that resembles the head of a horse, this peaceful loach is well known for burrowing almost completely below the surface of the substrate. It is quite comical to see only the tip of the head with a pair of eyes peering at you from the bottom of the tank. If you love loaches, odds are you will enjoy the Horse Face Loach.

Other Loaches
Clown Loach
Coolie Loach
Weather Loach
Yo-Yo Loach

Photo © Alter Welt

That ugly white residue, also known as limescale, is an unsightly problem on many aquarium surfaces. Who hasn't lost a few fingernails and acquired some gray hair waging battle against the relentless white creep? Not to mention the small fortune we've spent for various cleaning products that didn't seem to work anyway. Believe it or not, there is an inexpensive product that does a pretty good job of removing white residue, and it's something you probably have in your pantry already.

More Tips
DIY Algae Removal Tools
Getting Rid of Oil Slicks
Removing Surface Foam

Photo © Shirlie L Sharpe

Memorial day is close at hand, and you may be planning to take a few extra days away. Great idea, but now you have the dilemma of how to feed your fish while you are gone. Sure, you can get a fish sitter but they might give your fish too much or too little food. Maybe you are even considering investing in one of those nifty, but pricey, automatic feeders.

Before you dig into your wallet, consider this low tech, but highly effective way of ensuring your fish get the proper food portions. Grab an inexpensive Monday through Sunday pill dispenser, then for the next week when you feed your fish, drop the same amount of food in one day of the pill dispenser. At the end of the week it's loaded and ready to go for your fish sitter, with no guess work involved. Check all my favorite fish feeding gadgets that make feeding fish a breeze.

More About Feeding
Choosing Fish Foods
Dietary Types
Flake Foods
Nutrition 101

Photo Courtesy of PriceGrabber

Sri Lanka is the home country of this very attractive member of the Barb family. Unfortunately, its beauty made it so popular that overfishing for the aquarium trade brought it close to extinction. Thanks to captive breeding programs, they are still readily available for sale in the aquarium trade. If you are looking for a peaceful fish to keep with other Barbs, the Ruby Barb may be just what you are looking for.

Have you kept Black Ruby Barbs? If so, please share your thoughts and experiences.

Other Barbs
Gold Barb
Rosy Barb
Tiger Barb

Photo © Derek Ramsey

Recently an advertisement on Facebook caught my eye. It was entitled "Fishscape Fishbowl", and featured an unusually shaped goldfish bowl. After surfing the web for more info, I discovered the product won a 2011 Design Excellence Award (IDEA). That means it's a good thing, right? I don't think so. It is clear this fishbowl is designed for humans, not fish. Sure, it's attractive, but what does it do for your fish, other than reduce the amount of swimming space and all important water volume. What are your thoughts about this type of product? Take the poll, and post your comments.



Related Reading
How to Clean Goldfish Bowls
Mini Aquariums
Unusual Aquariums
Wall Fish Bowl

Photo Courtesy of PriceGrabber

Recently a reader wrote to me about her new dark blue Crowntail Betta, and how much she was enjoying him. Few fish are more popular than Bettas, who come in a variety of stunning varieties and colors, as these Betta photo galleries can attest.

If you have Betta photos to share, send them to me and I'll add them to one of the galleries for all to enjoy.

Betta Photo Galleries
Beautiful Bettas
Crowntail and Halfmoon Bettas
Female Bettas

Photo © Daniella Vereeken

Ever have your fish spawn in a community aquarium, then lose all the fry to hungry adult fish? An option to save your fry is to use a breeder or nursery that sits right inside the main tank. Water from the community aquarium circulates through the nursery, but the small fry are protected from the adult fish.

These breeding traps as they are often called, also help if you have a fish that is injured or being bullied. You can separate the wounded fish while it heals. Most breeding traps are relatively inexpensive, making it worth having one on hand, just in case you need it.

Related Reading
How To Feed Fry
Fry Foods
Fish Feeding Gadgets

Photo Courtesy of PriceGrabber