The Black Spotted Eel (Mastacembelus dayi) also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Polka Dot Eel or Spotted Spiny Eel is found in Asia from the Irrawady and Chindwin river drainages of western Myanmar, and eastern Thailand. Black Spotted Eels are found in rivers and streams with a lot of moving water, dense […]

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The Rhino Pleco (Pterygoplichthys scrophus) also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Alligator Pleco or Chocolate Pleco is found in the Marañon and Ucayali River basins at Nauta, Peru. Rhino Plecos can be identified by the number of rays they have in their dorsal fins.   Most plecos, like the larger Hypostomus species, have […]

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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 […]

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The Convict Julie (Julidochromis regani) is a slender, torpedo shaped cichlid species that is endemic to Lake Tanganyika and found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Tanzania, and Zambia. Similar to Marliers Julie (Julidochromis Marlieri), the Convict Julie (Julidochromis regani) is a “dwarf cichlid” that is easy to breed and care for as […]

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Acquiring Killifish for the home aquarium can be a challenging proposition.   With only a few exceptions, most pet shops do not normally have a supply of  killifish, and those that do usually bring in Fundulopanchax gardneri, Aphyosemion australe, or Fundulopanchax sjoestedti. The more unusual and rarer species are seldom, if ever, found in tropical fish […]

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Killifish are a group of egg laying tooth carps that comprise over 1270 species from various families including Aplocheilidae, Cyprinodontidae, Fundulidae, Profundulidae, Valenciida, and Rivulidae.   Of the 1270 species discovered, about 350 of these are found within the equatorial belts throughout the world.   The largest family Rivulidae, contains over 320 of the known species. Although […]

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The Blue Gularis Killifish (Fundulopanchax sjoestedti) is native to the water holes, streams, and marsh areas of Nigeria and Cameroon, Africa. Many tropical fish keeping enthusiasts regard the Blue Gularis Killifish as one of the best known and most sought after of all killifishes. Fundulopanchax sjoestedti is a large, colorful, semi aggressive, killifish that possesses […]

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The Common Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus), also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Moonfish, Southern Platyfish, or Mickey Mouse Platy is native to North and Central America, but is also found in Belize and Central Mexico. Platys share similar habitats with, and are closely related to Green Swordtails, which they will readily interbreed with […]

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Oranda Goldfish (Carassius auratus) are known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Holland Ironmask goldfish, Wen, Flower of the Water, or Fancy Oranda, and are arguably one of the most popular goldfish breeds in the world. Like all goldfish breeds, Orandas are descendants of a species of Central Asian (Siberian) wild carp known as the […]

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The Miniature Nannostomus (Nannostomus anduzei) also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Anduzi’s Naqnnostomus and Miniature Pencilfish, is found about 20 kilometers north of Puerto Ayacucho in Venezuela’s upper Orinoco river basin.   It has also been collected from one other area several hundred kilometers farther south in the rio Ererê  drainage, a minor tributary […]

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Bubble Eye Goldfish (Carassius auratus) also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Water Bubble Eye Goldfish, are descendants of a species of Central Asian (Siberia) wild carp known as the Prussian Carp, Silver Prussian carp, or Gibel Carp (Carassius gibelio). Bubble Eye Goldfish are one of the more than 125 captive bred fancy […]

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The Elegant Pencilfish (Nannostomus limatus) is a rare species of found in the Amazon River basin near Santarém, Brazil; specifically in Lake Mapiri and it’s tributaries. Along with two other new species, Nannostomus britskii and Nannostomus nitidus (which DNA analysis suggests is synonymous with Nannostomus limatus), the Elegant Pencilfish was first described from a collection […]

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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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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, […]

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