Daphnia (Daphnia Magna) are known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Water Bugs or Water Fleas and make an excellent live freshwater food source that can be collected from farm ponds, acidic swamps, or easily cultured in your home. Daphnia Magna are small plankton like crustaceans that are found in South America and throughout the northern […]

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Brine Shrimp (Artemia) also known as Sea-Monkeys, is a prehistoric genus of aquatic crustaceans commonly used by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts the world over as a food source for adult tropical fish and their fry. Brine Shrimp are found in inland saltwater lakes with high salinities up to 25%, which for the most part protects […]

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Vinegar Eels (Tubatrix aceti) are harmless, non parasitic nematodes, that many tropical fish keeping breeders feed to smaller fry when larger microworms and baby brine shrimp or smaller infusoria cannot be used. Many tropical fish keeping enthusiasts prefer feeding vinegar eels to smaller fry instead of microworms because of their ability to live in freshwater […]

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White Worms (Enchytraeus albidus) are are very easy to raise when kept in the right conditions and make an excellent live food source for a variety of carnivorous tropical fish species. White worms are relatives of the common earthworm.   They are white, seldom grow over 1″ in length, are free of parasites, are high in […]

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Killifish and many other carnivores in their natural environment feed on live foods like small crustaceans, worms, a variety of insects, and insect larvae.    Although a few species of killifish include algae into their diets, the majority of killifish kept by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts are carnivores that require live foods to keep them healthy […]

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The Red Striped Killifish (Aphyosemion striatum) is found locally between the lower Mitmele River, in Equatorial Guinea and the lower Ogooué basin in Gabon, including the Mbei, Komo,and Gabon watersheds in western Africa, and is regarded as a good “beginners Killie” by many tropical fish keeping enthusiasts. The Red Striped Killifish inhabits the freshwater swamps […]

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The Clown Killifish (Pseudepiplatys annulatus) also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Rocket Killie, Banded Panchax, or Clown Killie is a miniature non-annual species found in the slow moving streams in the swamps, savannas, and tropical rain forests of southern Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone,in West Africa. In the wild, Pseudepiplatys annulatus or […]

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The Lyretail Killi (Aphyosemion australe) is a non-annual killifish known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Golden Lyretail or Lyretail Panchax and is found along the Atlantic coastline of Central Africa from Cape Lopesz, near the mouth of the Ogooué River, Gabon south, throughout the lowland areas of Africa. This species of Lyretail Killi […]

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The Flagtail Prochilodus (Semaprochilodus insignis) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts and Brazilians as Jaraqui, is endemic to Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, and Peru. Flagtail Prochilodus (Semaprochilodus insignis) are quite common and one of the most widely distributed shoaling species found in South America, where they are locally utilized as a food fish. Twice each […]

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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 […]

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The Parrot Pacu (Ossubtus xinguensi) also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Eaglebeak Pacu is an endangered species found only in the faster moving rapids of the Xingu River basin in the Brazilian Amazon. Parrot Pacus have been observed in the system from Volta Grande do Xingu in the lower Xingu and it’s […]

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The Black Pacu (Colossoma macropomum) also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Tambaqui, Blackfinned Colossoma, Giant Pacu, Cachama, and Gamitana Blackfinned Pacu is native to the Amazon and Orinoco River basins in South America. The Black Pacu is a close relative to the Red Bellied Pacu (Piaractus brachypomus) and is the largest characin […]

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The Red Bellied Pacu (Piaractus brachypomus) locally known as the Pirapitinga, is probably one of the most commonly kept species available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.   It is primarily found in the main river channels of the Rio Orinoco and Amazon river basins in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela. The species is locally prized […]

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The Black Band Myleus (Myloplus schomburgkii) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Black Ear Pacu, Black Barred Myleus, Disk Tetra, or Disk Pacu is found in the Nanay River and several other areas of the Amazon River basin, as well as the Orinoco River basin in Brazil, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. Black Band […]

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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 […]

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The Bee Shrimp (Caridina cf. cantonensis) is a species of small freshwater filter feeders that is native to mainland China, Hong Kong and the New Territories, Malaya and Japan that has become the latest craze for tropical fish keeping enthusiasts. In the wild, Bee Shrimp live in the moderate to faster flowing mountain streams and […]

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The Banjo Catfish (Bunocephalus coracoideus) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Guitarrita or Bicolor Banjo Catfish is a peaceful species found in the leaf littered creeks and ponds of the Amazon River basin in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, and Uruguay. Banjo Catfish (Bunocephalus coracoideus) are nocturnal predators that feed on small worms, crustaceans, debris found […]

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The Red Cherry shrimp (Neocaridina heteropoda) also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Cherry Shrimp, Fire Shrimp, or Sakura Shrimp is a decorative species of dwarf shrimp that hails from Taiwan. Red Cherry shrimp are probably the most popular of the dwarf shrimps that are now available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.   They […]

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The Royal Knifefish or Royal Featherback (chitala blanci) also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Royal Clown Knifefish, Indochina Featherback, and Mekong Featherback is endemic to the Mekong river drainage in Cambodia, Thailand, Viet Nam, and Lao People’s Democratic Republic as well as the Mekong delta region and Tonlé Sap lake system. Royal […]

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Knifefish are a shy, secretive species that are found throughout Southeast Asia, Africa, Central America, and South America.   Although many tropical fish keeping enthusiasts find several of these species somewhat challenging to keep, they have also become one of the most sought after “oddball” species in the aquarium trade. Freshwater knifefish species are generally grouped into […]

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