Fish Tank Design

Christmas Gifts for Fish Keepers: The Incipient Aquarium Hobbyist

So you have a friend or family member who wants a fish tank?  Here are some basic suggestions of possible gifts that they will love. The best gift here is probably a 10 gallon aquarium kit.  These usually come with everything required (though they often lack a heater) and are much better value for money [...]

Fish For Your 5 Gallon Fish Tank

Nano tanks are quite popular, but it can sometimes be difficult to figure out what fish you should put in them.  Many aquarium fish grow too big, especially if you’re thinking of keeping schooling fish.  Then there’s the question of which fish is are compatible with each other. Here are some suggestions for groups of [...]

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 ability to [...]

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 some of [...]

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, while [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]