Popeye (exophthalmia)  is another one of the most common preventable bacterial diseases that occurs with aquarium and pond fish. Fluid leakage into the area behind the eyeball causes swelling that eventually pushes the eyeball outward.   As the pressure builds up and the amount of fluid increases, the more the eyeball of the fish is forced […]

Read the full story

Fin Rot (also known as Tail Rot) is one of the most common preventable bacterial diseases that occurs with aquarium and pond fish. Fin rot can be the result of either a bacterial infection (Pseudomonas fluorescens) which causes ragged fin rotting, or a fungal infection that produces a white edge and rots the fin more […]

Read the full story

The main cause of tropical fish diseases in closed aquarium environments is poor water quality. Healthy water normally means healthy fish, so paying close attention to the conditions in your tank is vital to the well being of it’s inhabitants. In any enclosed environment, disease becomes a problem if regular maintenance is not adhered to.  […]

Read the full story

The Chocolate Cichlid (Hypselecara temporalis) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Emerald Cichlid is found in the Ucayali, Amazonas, SolimñƒÂ´es, Amapá and Oyapock Rivers in Brazil, Colomiba, Peru, and Venezuela. The Chocolate Cichlid is a peaceful, rarely aggressive species that prefers living in the silt laden, slow flowing rivers and backwaters of their […]

Read the full story

The Spotted Raphael Catfish (Agamyxis pectinifrons) is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Spotted Talking Catfish, Spotted Raphael, White Spotted Catfish, White Barred Catfish, or Talking Catfish and is found in Brazil, Peru, Columbia, and Bolivia in the Amazon River basin. Spotted Raphael Catfish (Agamyxis pectinifrons) are a gregarious nocturnal species that […]

Read the full story

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 […]

Read the full story

The African Butterfly Peacock Cichlid (Aulonocara jacobfreibergi) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Malawi Butterfly Cichlid, Eureka Cichlid, Fairy Cichlid, Freiberg’s Peacock, Jakes or Jake Cichlid, Mamalela Peacock, and Swalllow Tail Peacock is endemic to Lake Malawi, Africa; Otter Point, Nkudzi, Monkey Bay, Nankumba, and the Domwe Islands. Aulonocara jacobfreibergi is widespread throughout the […]

Read the full story

The Flowerhorn Cichlid (Cichlasoma X) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts simply as Flowerhorns, was first developed in Malaysia, Taiwan, and Thailand and except for culled specimens that were intentionally dumped into the ponds and riverine ecosystems of Malaysia and Singapore, does not occur naturally in the wild. The Flowerhorn Cichlid Hybrid originated in Asia […]

Read the full story

The Ruby Green Cichlid (Haplochromis sp. Ruby Green) is a herbivore known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Ruby Green Hap or Ruby Green, and is found around the heavily vegetated shorelines of Lakes Kyoga and Nawampasa in Uganda. The Ruby Green Cichlid is often mistaken for the Flameback Cichlid (Haplichromis sp. “Flameback”) Male […]

Read the full story

The Fire Red Uganda (Haplochromis s. “fire”) or (Paralabidochromis sp. “fire”) is known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Fire Red Ugandan, and is found in the Northern section of Lake Victoria and Lake Kyoga. The Fire Red Uganda is a rock dwelling cichlid (mbipi) from the Ugandan shores of Lake Victoria that is […]

Read the full story

The Crimson Tide Cichlid (Pundamilia nyererei) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Nyerere’s Victoria Cichlid, Crimson Tide Flameback, or Flameback is only found along the shallow coast lines of several islands located at the southern end of Lake Victoria, East Africa. All Pundamilia nyererei from Lake Victoria are beautiful and highly aggressive, even more […]

Read the full story

Aulonocranus dewindti is a species of “featherfin” cichlid that inhabit sandy bottom areas that are littered with rocks and empty shells in Lake Tanganyika, the Rusisi, and the Lukuga rivers. Aulonocranus dewindti is endemic to and widely distributed throughout the Lake Tanganyika basin in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia. Aulonocranus dewindti […]

Read the full story

The Sardine Cichlid (Cyprichromis leptosoma) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Slender Cichlid, Cyprichromis, or Slender Cyprichromis, is a small, colorful, sardine shaped open water species that is found only along the rocky eastern shoreline of Lake Tanganyika, between Kigoma in Tanzania, and Mpulugu in Zambia.   They are prized by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts […]

Read the full story

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 […]

Read the full story

The Honeycomb Catfish (Centromochlus perugiae) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Oil Catfish or Driftwood Catfish is found around the shorelines of swiftly flowing rivers and streams in Ecuador and Peru. Centromochlus perugiae are usually collected over sandy substrates in areas with little to no aquatic vegetation. Honeycomb Catfish are a small, peaceful, […]

Read the full story

The Gold Head Compressiceps (Altolamprologus compressiceps) is known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Golden Head Compressiceps, Goldhead, or Goldface Compressiceps, and is found from Malasa, Tanzania to Chituta, Zambia at the Southern end of LakeTanganyika.   Most Goldenhead are collected near Mutondwe Island in Zambia. The Gold Head Compressiceps is indigenous to Lake Tanganyika […]

Read the full story

  Dwarf Sumbu Shell Compressiceps Cichlid (Altolamprologus compressiceps sp.) “Sumbu Shell” is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Sumbu Shell, Sumbu Dwarf Compressiceps, or Sumbu Shell Compressiceps and is found in the southernmost tip of Lake Tanganyika around Ndole Bay near Zambia, Africa. Dwarf Sumbu Shell Compressiceps have a high back, laterally […]

Read the full story

  The Electric Blue Ahli (Sciaenochromis Fryeri) “Maleri Island” known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts simply as the Electric Blue Ahli Cichlid is a popular, stunningly brilliant blue Haplochromis widespread throughout Lake Malawi, and native to the waters around Maleri Island. Although the Electric Blue Ahli is widely distributed throughout Lake Malawi, it is more […]

Read the full story

LED Lighting has many advantages over other types of lighting for freshwater, brackish,  and marine aquarium applications. First of all, LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. A diode is an electrical component that has two terminals that conduct energy in only one direction. When an electrical current is applied to a diode, it excites the […]

Read the full story

The Green Phantom Pleco (Hemiancistrus subviridis) L200 is only collected from the areas around the junction of the río Ventauri and the río Orinoco in Amazonas state, Venezuela, and in the lower reaches of the Ventauri as far as the inward flowing río Guapuchi. The Green Phantom Pleco is found in fast moving, highly oxygenated, […]

Read the full story