The term ”Barb” is loosely used to describe a wide range of different fish species in the aquarium trade. The true barbs are the only species found in the genus Barbus, in the family Cyprinidae.    Most members of the Barbus genera have a pair of barbels on their mouths, which are used to search for […]

The Head and Tail Light Tetra (Hemigrammus ocellifer) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Beacon Fish originates in South America in the Amazon and Orinoco River basins, parts of Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Peru and Brazil.   Because of its popularity with tropical fish keeping enthusiasts worldwide, they are bred in huge numbers for […]

The Green Neon (Hemigrammus hyanuary) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the January Tetra or Costello Tetra is found in the Amazon River basin in Brazil and Peru; specifically Lake Hyanuary near Manuas, Brazil. Green Neons are an active shoaling species that are found in the black waters of slow moving rivers, river tributaries […]

Ich (Ichthyophthiriasis multifiliis) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as White Spot Disease, is a parasitic ciliate that is arguably the most common ailment of all brackish, freshwater, and marine aquarium species. Ichthyophthiriasis multifiliis is a protozoa that is wide spread in all freshwater fish but appears to be more common in aquarium species that […]

The Redeye Tetra (Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae) is a peaceful, shoaling species that is found among submerged vegetation in the clear water rivers that flow into the Pantanal wetlands in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. The range of the Redeye Tetra extends from the São Francisco, upper Paraná, Paraguay, and Uruguay river basins in central and eastern South […]

The Red Devil Cichlid (Amphilophus labiatus) is a large Central American species that is usually found in submerged rocky areas hiding among the crevices in Lake Managua and Lake Nicaragua. Tropical fish keeping enthusiasts will readily attest that the Red Devil Cichlid is one of the most aggressive cichlids around, bar none. Keeping a single […]

The Rhombo Barb (Desmopuntius rhomboocellatus) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Snakeskin Barb, Red Ocellated Barb, or Rhomb Barb is native to West and Central Kalimantan in Borneo, Indonesia. Rhombo Barbs are a peaceful schooling species that thrive in the tannin stained backwaters of their range.   They are typically collected in still water […]

The Sparkling Gourami (Trichopsis pumila) also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Pygmy Gourami or Dwarf Croaking Gourami is found throughout the lower Mekong River basin in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Saigon, southern Vietnam. Sparkling Gourami are closely related to Bettas and Pseudosphromenus and have a distinct preference for sluggish, still to stagnant […]

The Axelrodi Rainbow (Melanotaenia herbertaxelrodi) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Lake Tebera Rainbowfish is endemic to the Tebera Lake basin in Papua New Guinea. The Axelrodi Rainbow is found only in Lake Tebera and it’s bordering streams and marshes which are surrounded by rainforest covered mountain slopes.   They are a peaceful schooling […]

The Karnataka Barb (Sahyadria denisonii) is a new variety of Denison barb that has been collected from a new area in the state of Karnataka, India.   Karnataka is south of Kerala, in southern India where the majority of Red Line Sharks, up until recently, have been collected. Although known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts […]

The Convict Cichlid (Archocentrus nigrofasciatus)also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Zebra cichlid, is found in the lakes, rivers, and streams of Central America, primarily from El Salvador to Guatemala on the Pacific coast, and from Honduras to Guatemala on the Atlantic side. Although Convict cichlids are found in lakes, they prefer living […]

The Kribensis (Pelvicachromis pulcher) or “Krib” as many tropical fish keeping enthusiasts call them, is endemic to Nigeria and Cameroon, Africa. Kribs are a popular aquarium species that are sold under various names such as; the common krib, red krib, super red krib, rainbow krib, rainbow cichlid, and purple cichlid Although some populations of Kribensis […]

The Red Devil Pleco (Pseudacanthicus pirarara) is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Scarlet Cactus Pleco, Cactus Pleco, Scarlet Pleco, or their formal identification as L025.   It is a relatively new unnamed species that was discovered in the lower to middle Rio Xingu, Sao Felix, Senador José Porfírio, Pedral do Caitucá, the […]

Festivum (Mesonauta festivus, Cichlasoma festivum) also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Flag Cichlids or Barred Cichlids, are found throughout much of the river drainages of northern South America. They have been collected from the Rio Tapajós, Rio Jamari, Rio Madre de Dios, Rio Guaporé, Rio Mamoré, Rio Paraguay and Rio Paraná in Venezuela, […]

The Kribensis Cichlid (Pelvicachromis pulcher) is a popular African cichlid that is endemic to Nigeria and Cameroon.   It is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as kribensis, krib, common krib, red krib, super red krib, rainbow krib, rainbow cichlid, and purple cichlid. The Kribensis Cichlid can be found in fast moving waters, but it […]

The Golden Pencilfish (Nannostomus beckfordi) is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Beckford’s Pencilfish or Brown Pencilfish. The Golden Pencilfish has a long, elongated body that is gold with a silvery band along the middle of the flanks, bordered above by a reddish band, and below by a blackish band with a cream […]

The Long Nosed Distichodus (Distichodus Lusosso) also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Long Snout Distichodus, is a seldom seen species that originates from Cameroon, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo. Juveniles are frequently misidentified and sold as the more common Six Banded Distichodus (Distichodus sexfasciatus) which is found in […]

The Apollo Shark (Luciosoma spilopleura) is a beautiful, fast moving, torpedo shaped Cprinid that is found in the Malay peninsula, Thailand, Borneo, Brunei, and Sumatra. Also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Apollo Sharkminnow, Apollo Sharks are active surface swimmers that inhabit clear fast flowing forest rivers and streams with rocky, stone, or […]

The Harlequin Shark (Labeo cyclorhynchus) is native to the middle and lower Congo river basin in the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Ogooué drainage in Gabon, Africa.    It is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Harlequin Sharkminnow, or Varigated Shark. The Harlequin Shark inhabits densely […]

The Midas cichlid (Amphilophus citrinellum) is endemic to the San Juan River in Nicaragua and Costa Rica, and is one of the most belligerent cichlids known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.   They are frequently confused with the Red Devil cichlid (Amphilophus labiatus) which has larger lips, a smaller nuchal hump and less thickly set in […]