The Oscar (Astronotus ocellatus) is a popular South American cichlid species that is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Tiger Oscar, Marble Cichlid and Velvet Cichlid. Astronotus ocellatus is native to Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Peru, and occurs in the Amazon River basin, along the Amazonas, Içá, Negro, Solimões, and Ucayali […]

The Red Fin Shark (Epalzeorhynchos munense) is a rare species of cyprinid fish found in the Mekong, Chao Phraya, and Mae Klong rivers basins in Indochina that closely resembles the Rainbow Shark (Epalzeorhynchos frenatum). The Red Fin Shark was named for the Menam Mun River at Tha Chang, East of Korat in eastern Thailand from […]

The Rainbow Shark (Epalzeorhynchos frenatus) is a popular semi aggressive aquarium species known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Ruby Shark, Red-Finned Shark, Red-Fin Shark, Rainbow Sharkminnow, Green Fringelip Labeo, Whitefin Shark and Whitetail Sharkminnow. Rainbow Sharks are native to the Mekong, Chao Phraya, Xe Bangfai and Maeklong river basins in Indochina where they […]

Giant Red Tail Gourami (Osphronemus laticlavius) are also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Giant Red Finned Gourami, Red Flag Giant Gourami, Giant Red Fin Goramy, and Red Tail Gourami and are found in Indonesia and Malaysia. The four recognized species in the Osphronemus genus that are commonly referred to as giant gouramis are listed […]

The Banded Gourami (Colisa fasciata) is found in Northern India, Pakistan, Assam, Burma, Bangladesh and Myammar. Also recognized as Trichogaster fasciata, the Banded Gourami, is a tropical labyrinth fish that prefers the shallower weedy environments of ponds, ditches, lakes, large rivers, and other slow moving waters covered with surface vegetation. In many parts of India […]

The Purple Emperor Tetra (Inpaichthys kerri) is found in sluggish tributaries off the main river channels of the Rio Aripuanã and upper Rio Madeira basins, in Brazil and are known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Blue Emperor Tetra, Inpaichthys Tetra, Regal Emperor Tetra, or Royal Emperor Tetra. They are a peaceful shoaling species […]

The Candy Cane Tetra (Hyphessobrycon bentosi) is also known as the HY511, Ornate Tetra, White Tip Tetra, False Rosy Tetra, Bentos Tetra, and White Fin Ornate Tetra. Hyphessobrycon bentosi is native to the Amazon basin in Peru and are found in the densely vegetated, shaded, slow moving creeks that branch off from the Amazon River. […]

The Lemon Tetra (Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis) is an Amazon River species that was first collected from the Rio Tapajos Basin, near Santarém, Brazil.   It is found in both the Rio Tapajos and stretches of the Amazon River where they join together at Santarem. Lemon Tetras are one of the deeper bodied tetras that have a “diamond” […]

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 […]

The Peppermint Plecostomus (Parancistrus sp) L-30 comes from Brazil and is one of the more beautiful plecos available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts. The Peppermint Plecostomus is black with very small tiny white spots over its entire body, including their fins, but because of their resemblance to the Angelicus Plecostomus, they are occasionally misidentified by […]

The Lake Kutubu Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia lacustris) is known by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Turquoise Rainbow or Blue Rainbowfish, and is only found in Lake Kutubu and its outlet in the southern highlands in Papua New Guinea.   Lake Kutubu is fed mostly from underground springs that filters through a limestone substrate which creates a […]

Praecox Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia praecox) are also known by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Dwarf Rainbow, Dwarf Neon Rainbow, Praecox Rainbow, and Neon Rainbow. The Praecox Rainbowfish lives among roots, logs, and other vegetation in the swifter moving streams and tributaries that are adjacent to the main river channels, marshes, and swamps of West Papua, […]

The Emerald Dwarf Rasbora (Microrasbora erythromicron) is found in a mountain lake situated in the western Shan State of Myanmar (Burma) called Lake Inle. The Emerald Dwarf Rasbora has a pale copper head, a pinkish orange body with up to 15 emerald green bars along its side and a single black spot, rimmed in copper, […]

The Brichard’s Synodontis (Synodontis Brichardi) is a species of upside down catfish that is found in the heavy, turbulent, river rapids of the lower Congo at Kinsuka, Kinshasa, Zaire. Brichard’s Synodontis have a streamlined, elongated body, with a flat body profile which is uncharacteristic of other Synodontis species.   They have three pairs of barbels on […]

The Gold Tetra (Hemigrammus rodwayi) is native to the slow moving rivers, tributaries and floodplain lakes of Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Peru and Brazil. It is sometimes found in mildly brackish water where it is abundant in the coastal floodplains. Wild caught Gold Tetras collected from several areas in nature are a dazzling metallic gold […]

The Figure Eight Puffer (Tetraodon biocellatus) is also known as the Eye Spot Puffer and is found in the rivers and coastal waters of Cambodia, Malaysia, Borneo, and Indonesia. The Figure Eight Puffer is a colorful little fish that is dark brown to green on the back with a white belly.  It has greenish yellow […]

The Panda Barb (Puntius fasciatus) is also known by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Striped Barb, Ember Barb, Banded Barb and Black Spot Barb. The Panda Barb is native to the Western Ghats mountains in the south Indian states of Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Its range is from the Kanyakumari district at […]

The Denison Barb (Sahyadria denisonii) is also known by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Red Lined Torpedo Barb or the Rose Line Shark. The Denison Barb is a shoaling species that is found in the fast flowing rivers, tributaries, and streams in the state of Kerala and South Karnataka, in Southern India.  The demand […]

Rasboras the perfect community fish, are a genus of a small group of minnow type fish that belong to the Cyprinidae (carp) family.  They are found in parts of Southeast Asia; Singapore, Sumatra, Malaysia, and South Thailand as well as parts of Africa. Currently the genus Rasbora contains over 83 recognized species which are listed […]

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.  […]