Fish Tank Design
Crayfish In Your Aquarium
Crayfish are crustaceans that look much like small lobsters or large shrimp and come from freshwater streams and rivers around the world. They can make very good inhabitants for the aquarium, but they do have special requirements that must be met. In particular, they require aerated water, space, are often aggressive, and will eat small [...]
A Better Deal for Bettas
Bettas are probably the fish most commonly kept in small unheated and unfiltered bowls or tanks. At first sight, they seem the ideal fish for this situation. Bettas stay small, growing to approximately 3 inches in length. The waters from which they come are naturally slow-moving or still, and shallow. Bettas have the [...]
What Not to Do When Starting a Fish Tank
Everyone who keeps tropical fish for longer than a few months makes mistakes early on that they wish they could tell their younger selves to avoid. I was six years old when I started keeping fish, and I made a lot of mistakes. In the hope that you will be able to avoid [...]
Shrimp, Snails, Crayfish and Other Invertebrates for the Freshwater Aquarium and Goldfish Bowl
While most people thinking of invertebrates for the aquarium are thinking of marine invertebrates, there are a surprising number of freshwater invertebrates that make excellent tank inhabitants. Many freshwater invertebrates do not require large amounts of space, making them ideal for Nano tanks or even goldfish bowls. Some eat algae or uneaten fish food, [...]
Fish for Small Unheated Aquariums and Goldfish Bowls
Certain fishes are often kept in bowls or small plastic aquariums that lack heating and filtration equipment. The fish most often kept in this way include goldfish, bettas, white cloud mountain minnows, and danios. Each of these fishes have different pros and cons when it comes to keeping them in this fashion.
Goldfish, Carassius [...]
Resources for Biotope Aquaria: plants by continent of origin
Africa
Ammannia gracilis: tropical Africa
Anubias barteri: tropical West Africa
Aponogeton ulvaceus: Madagascar Paso
Bolbitis heudelotii: Ethiopia to South Africa
Ceratophyllum demersum (hornwort): worldwide
Ceratopteris thalictroides (oriental water fern): tropics, worldwide
Crinum natans: Africa
Nymphaea lotus(Egyptian waterlily): East Africa, Madagascar, Southeast Asia
Riccia fluitans (crystalwort): worldwide
Vallisneria spiralis (corkscrew Vallisneria): tropics and subtropicsIndian Subcontinent and Vicinity
Aponogeton crispus: Sri Lanka.
Aponogeton rigidifolius: Sri Lanka.
Aponogeton undulatus: India and [...]
Fish Tank Decorations: Safety
Not all things people put in a tank to ornament it are safe for all tanks; not even all of those sold specifically for aquarium use. Decorations can cause problems in several ways: they can be sharp or brittle, they can alter the pH of the tank, or they can introduce toxic chemicals into the [...]