The Bee Shrimp (Caridina cf. cantonensis) is a species of small freshwater filter feeders that is native to mainland China, Hong Kong and the New Territories, Malaya and Japan that has become the latest craze for tropical fish keeping enthusiasts. In the wild, Bee Shrimp live in the moderate to faster flowing mountain streams and […]

The Batik Loach (Mesonoemacheilus triangularis aka Nemacheilus triangularis) more commonly known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Zodiac Loach, is found in the Manimala river and the drainages of other river systems on both sides of the Western Ghats mountain range, in the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, India.   It is commonly found […]

The Forktail Rainbowfish (Pseudomugil furcatus) also know to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Yellow Rainbow, is a peaceful, shoaling species that is found in a relatively small area in eastern Paupua New Guinea.    Specimens were first collected from Peria Creek, Kwagira River and subsequently recorded in the Musa and Kwagila river basins, which both […]

The Panda Garra (Garra flavatra) or “Panda Loach” is endemic to the Rakhine Yoma/Arakan mountain range in Rakhine state, western Myanmar (Burma) and although incorrectly labeled as a loach; is often sold to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Clown Loach, Panda Loach, Banded Butterfly Loach, or Rainbow Loach. Although the Panda Garra and it’s […]

The Kribensis (Pelvicachromis pulcher) or “Krib” as many tropical fish keeping enthusiasts call them, is endemic to Nigeria and Cameroon, Africa. Kribs are a popular aquarium species that are sold under various names such as; the common krib, red krib, super red krib, rainbow krib, rainbow cichlid, and purple cichlid Although some populations of Kribensis […]

The Kribensis Cichlid (Pelvicachromis pulcher) is a popular African cichlid that is endemic to Nigeria and Cameroon.   It is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as kribensis, krib, common krib, red krib, super red krib, rainbow krib, rainbow cichlid, and purple cichlid. The Kribensis Cichlid can be found in fast moving waters, but it […]

The Golden Pencilfish (Nannostomus beckfordi) is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Beckford’s Pencilfish or Brown Pencilfish. The Golden Pencilfish has a long, elongated body that is gold with a silvery band along the middle of the flanks, bordered above by a reddish band, and below by a blackish band with a cream […]

The Apollo Shark (Luciosoma spilopleura) is a beautiful, fast moving, torpedo shaped Cprinid that is found in the Malay peninsula, Thailand, Borneo, Brunei, and Sumatra. Also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Apollo Sharkminnow, Apollo Sharks are active surface swimmers that inhabit clear fast flowing forest rivers and streams with rocky, stone, or […]

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 Chocolate Gourami (Sphaerichthys acrostoma) are known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Sharp Nosed Gourami, Moonlight Chocolate Gourami, Black Lined Chocolate Gourami, and Black Tailed Chocolate Gourami.   They are found only within the Indonesian parts of the island of Borneo and appear to be well distributed within the Mentaya River drainage system near […]

Chocolate Gourami (Sphaerichthys osphromenoides osphromenoides) are found in the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo throughout the Malaysian state of Sarawak and the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan (Kalimantan Barat). Like other Anabantoidei, they possess a labyrinth organ that allows them to breathe atmospheric air to survive in oxygen depleted conditions that would kill most other […]

The Samurai Gourami (Sphaerichthys vaillanti) is a semi-rare species that is found in the Kalimantan River in Borneo; more specifically, in the area of the village of Nangah Sebroeang, which is south of the Danau Sentarum National Park in the upper Kapuas river basin, West Kalimantan province (the Indonesian part of Borneo). Samurai Gourami appear […]

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 Rainbow Tetra (Nematobrycon lacortei) is peaceful shoaling species that is found in sluggish tributaries, small quiet rivers (Río Calima) and streams of the Rio San Juan basin in western Colombia, S.A. The Rainbow Tetra (Nematobrycon lacortei) is rarer and the more colorful of the two species of Emperor Tetras that are found in Colombia. […]

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” […]

Sterba’s Cory Cat (Corydoras sterbai) is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Sterba’s Cory, Sterbai Cory, or Sterba’s Corydoras and is found in the small tributaries, pools, creeks and flooded forest areas of the upper Rio Guapore in Bolivia and Brazil, South America. Sterba’s Cory Cat (Corydoras sterbai) is one of the two […]

The Canara Pearlspot Cichlid (Etroplus canarensis) is one of the hobby’s rarest cichlids and was once believed to be extinct in the wild, only to reappear at a far east trade show in the early 1990s. It is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Banded Chromide, Pearlspot Cichlid, or Roman Numeral Cichlid. […]

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 […]