The freshwater Shark Fin Mussel (Hyriopsis bialatus) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Shark Tooth Clam, Sailfin Clam, Pearl Mussel, Shark Tooth Mussel, or Shark Fin Shell is native to Southeast Asia and most frequently found in the sandy river bottoms of Thailand, Cambodia, and the Malay Peninsula. In Thailand, Hyriopsis bialata is aquacultured […]

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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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Rabbit Snails (Tylomelania sp.) are a genus of freshwater gastropods endemic to lakes Poso, Matano, Towuti, Lontoa, Mahalona, and Masapi on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. Rabbit Snails are known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts by a variety of names including the Giant Sulawesi Snail, Orange Giant Sulawesi Snail, Golden Giant Sulawesi Snail,Mini Golden Rabbit […]

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The Japanese Trapdoor Snail (Bellamya chinensis) is known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Chinese Mystery Snail, Black Snail, Trapdoor Snail, Japanese Mystery Snail, Black Japanese Trapdoor Snail, Asian Apple Snail, Rice Snail and Oriental Mystery Snail is actually classified as a “pond” snail that can survive in Northern climates and considered a problematic […]

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Assassin Snails (Clea helena) are a colorful, carnivorous, freshwater species that is found throughout Southeast Asia; primarily Thailand, Malaysia, and (Lake Toba) the Indonesian island Sumatra. Assassin Snails are tolerant of a wide range of water conditions.  They are efficient opportunistic carnivores that as their name implies, feed on live prey and scavenged detritus. In their […]

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The Giant Ramshorn Snail (Marisa cornuarietis) also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Columbian Ramshorn Snail, is a relatively large species in the family Ampullaridae that is native to northern South America and Central America. In addition to being native to Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Suriname, Trinidad and […]

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Ramshorn Snails (Planorbids) also known by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Ram’s Horn Snails, Wheel Snails, Ear Snails, Red Ramshorns, and Brown Ramshorn are in a family of air breathing freshwater snails that have planispiral (coiled flat) shells. Although most aquarium Ramshorn Snail species are in the Planorbidae family, one species, the Giant Ramshorn Snail […]

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Mystery Snails (Pomacea Diffusa) are a common freshwater snail found in the Amazon River system throughout Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Peru .   Depending on their size and shell colors, they are also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Spike Topped Apple Snail, Golden Mystery Snail, Apple Snail, Golden Apple Snail, Ivory Snail, etc. […]

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Nerite Snails (Neritina natalensis) are a species of aquatic gastropod mollusks that are endemic to Kenya, Mozambique, Somalia, South Africa, and Tanzania; specifically the coastal plains of East Africa.    They are prized by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts for their attractive shell designs and their efficient scavenging of uneaten foods and algae in the aquarium. […]

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The Congo Dwarf Clawed Frog (Hymenochirus boettgeri) is by far the most common species of aquatic frog sold to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts in the pet trade.   They are distributed throughout the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Cameroon, and Nigeria. The Hymenochirus genus contains two species (Hymenochirus boettgeri and Hymenochirus curtipes) and possibly a […]

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The Western Clawed Frog (Xenopus tropicalis) also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Tropical Clawed Frog inhabits the tropical and subtropical rain forests of Western Africa from Senegal to Cameroon and eastern Zaire where it inhabits slow moving rivers, streams, swamps, freshwater lakes, marshes, ponds, canals, and ditches throughout their range. They have […]

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The African Clawed Frog (Xenopus laevis) is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Xenopus, African Clawed Toad, or African Claw Toed frog and is the only amphibian that actually has claws.   It is found in Nigeria, and from Sudan to South Africa where they are plentiful in the rivers and ponds within […]

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The Dwarf African Frog (Hymenochirus curtipes) is a true aquatic species that many tropical fish keeping enthusiasts find a delightful addition to community aquariums.  They are native to the Congo region of Africa where they are found along the bottoms of shallow rivers, creeks, and ponds where they scavenge around the mud and leaf litter […]

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Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) were originally native to Mexico and are known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Mexican salamanders (Ambystoma mexicanum) or Mexican Walking fish.   Before Mexico City’s growth in the basin of Mexico, the Axolotl was native to two high altitude lakes, Lake Xochimilco and Lake Chalco. Of these two, only the remnants of […]

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The Freshwater Clam (Corbicual sp.) is a temperate species that inhabit rivers and lakes throughout the world.   The pictured specimens comes from Southeast Asia where they are also known as “basket clams” and only grow to about 2 1/2″ in width. Freshwater Clams are actually living filters.   They are an oddball item that some tropical […]

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Grass Shrimp (Palaemonetes paludosus) are are found in large numbers in fresh and estuarine waters along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States where they occur from Massachusetts to Texas. These small decapod shrimp are collectively known as “carideans.” Although there are many freshwater species, Grass Shrimp are commonly known to tropical fish […]

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Crayfish are also referred to as crawfish, crawdads, mudbugs, or freshwater lobsters.  They are freshwater crustaceans that resemble their saltwater cousins, lobsters, to which they are closely related.  There are well over 150 different species of freshwater crayfish worldwide which can live an average lifespan of 2 to 6 years,  some even longer. Crayfish breathe […]

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