The Harlequin Rasbora (Rasbora heteromorpha) is an extremely desirable aquarium fish and no doubt the best known of all the rasboras. Harlequin Rasboras belong to the Cyprinidae family of carps and was originally given the scientific name Rasbora heteromorpha but is now known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Trigonostigma heteromorpha, or the harlequin fish.  […]

Read the full story

The Scissortail Rasbora (Rasbora trilineata) is native to the Chao Phraya and lower Mekong river basins in Laos, Thailand and Cambodia and throughout the Malaysia Peninsula.  It is also widely distributed throughout the Greater Sunda Islands of Sumatra and western parts of Borneo including the Malaysian state of Sarawak and Indonesian province of West Kalimantan. […]

Read the full story

The Turquoise Danio or Kerr’s Danio (Brachydanio kerri), is also known by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Blue, or Pearl Danio. The Turquoise Danio is native to southwest Thailand where it inhabits clear water, rocky, gravel bottomed forest streams, pools and small rivers. Turquoise Danios have been reported from Koh Yao Noi island, Phang […]

Read the full story

The Zebra Danio (Danio rerio) or Zebrafish s a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the minnow family (Cyprinidae) of the order Cypriniformesi.  They are popular with tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as well as scientific researchers who frequently use them in genetic experiments. Zebra Danios originated from the Ganges region of eastern India.  They are native […]

Read the full story

Danios and Minnows are small, peaceful, active schooling fish that are well suited for housing in community aquariums. Most of the Danios and minnows kept in tropical fish aquariums are native to the fast moving fresh water rivers and streams of Southeast Asia, and many species are brightly colored. Danios and minnows are surface feeders […]

Read the full story

The pros and cons of VHO (Very High Output) aquarium lighting is similar to those of standard fluorescent lighting systems. Very High Output bulbs are a type of fluorescent lighting that produces a much more intense light than standard fluorescent lighting systems. They are similar in appearance to standard fluorescent bulbs in size but require […]

Read the full story

Choosing the right Aquarium stand is important, and although an aquarium stand is simply a place to locate your tropical fish aquarium,  it is also an integral part of the aquarium system.  In addition to the basic function of the aquarium stand (safely holding the aquarium in place) it can be used to conceal equipment […]

Read the full story

The common Guppy (Poecilia reticulata), is also known as the millionfish, mosquito fish, or rainbow fish by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.  They are a highly adaptable species that can survive and even thrive in environments that many other tropical fish species would be unable to tolerate. Although the natural range of Poecilia reticulata is in […]

Read the full story

Otocinclus Catfish (Otocinclus sp.) are a popular tropical species of algae eating catfish considered by many tropical fish keeping enthusiasts to be the most desired algae cleaner of all time. All Otocinclus spp. species are super efficient algae eaters that are usually purchased by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts to help clean up undesirable algae from […]

Read the full story

The Zebra Otocinclus (Otocinclus cocama) is one of the smallest catfish in the Loricariidae family and is a voracious algae eating machine. Named for the Cocama-Cocamilla Indian tribes that used to be dominant in the lower Ucayali and lower Marañon region of Peru, Otocinclus cocama is also referred to as the Tiger oto or Zebra […]

Read the full story

Discus (Symphysodon) is a regal genus of Cichlids that is native to the Amazon River basin of South America. Tropical fish keeping enthusiasts also refer to Discus as the Pompadour Fish because of their distinctive shape and bright colors. There are three Symphysodon species that inhabit the margins of the floodplain lakes and rivers in […]

Read the full story

The Twin Tail variety of Betta splendens is also called the Double Tail (DT) Betta and has an unusually striking tail that immediately differentiates it from other Betta types. The Twin Tail or Double Tail Betta, as you can surmise from its name, has a caudal tail that is split into two equal lobes rather […]

Read the full story

The Royal Farlowella Catfish (Sturisoma sp.) is a sucker mouth catfish that is found in the fast flowing rivers and streams of South America and referred to by many tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Panama Sturisoma, Royal Whiptail Farlowella, or Royal Whiptail Catfish. The first dorsal fin of the male Royal Farlowella Catfish is […]

Read the full story

The Whiptail Catfish (Farlowella acus)  is also known as the Twig Catfish, Stick Catfish, Farlowella or Whiptail Catfish by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts. They are found in slow moving rivers and lakes and are broadly distributed in the Amazon, Orinoco, Paraná, and coastal rivers of the Guyana Shield  in South America. Farlowella acus is an […]

Read the full story

The Whiptail Catfish (Rineloricaria) is popular with tropical fish keeping enthusiasts, and is one of the most peaceful catfish available for populating community tanks.  Currently, there are 63 recognized species in this genus which makes it the most populated of the Loricariinae family. The Whiptail Catfish is native to the rivers and lakes of northern […]

Read the full story

The Emerald Green “Cory” Cat (Brochis splendens) is also known by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Emerald Brochis, Emerald Catfish, Green Cory, or Emerald Cory and comes from the upper reaches of the Amazon, Rio Ucayali, Rio Ambiyacu, Rio Tocantins, within the countries of Brazil, Columbia, Peru and Ecuador. These catfish are not Corydoras, even though […]

Read the full story

Skunk Cory Cat (Corydoras arcuatus) is native to the Rio Unini, a whitewater area of the Rio Negro River in Brazil,generally considered to occur throughout the upper Amazon region in Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia. The Skunk Cory is also known by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts in the aquarium trade as the Arched Cory or Sands’ […]

Read the full story

Palespotted Cory Cats (Corydoras gossei) are a peaceful Brazilian species of catfish found in smaller river tributaries of the Rio Mamore watershed and the Rio Rondonia. The Palespotted Cory is sometimes called the Smokey Cory by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts which probably comes from the greyish color that the species posses on the upper half […]

Read the full story

The Ornate Bichir (Polypterus ornatipinnis) is found in the Africa’s Congo River, Lake Tanganyika, and Lake Rukwa and is considered by most tropical fish keeping enthusiasts to be the most attractive of the Bichirs. The Ornate Bichir has a protruding upper jaw and is the largest of the Polypterus species, reaching two feet in length. […]

Read the full story

The Guinean bichir (Polypterus ansorgii)is native to West Africa (Guinea). It is believed to be found from the Ogun River in Nigeria to the Corbal River in Guinea Bissau, in Lake Kainji and in the Niger river basin near Kouroussa in Guinea however, its wider distribution is unconfirmed. The Guinean Bichir is considered rare by […]

Read the full story