The Fahaka Puffer (Tetraodon lineatus) is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Nile Puffer, Striped Puffer, Band Puffer, Lineatus puffer, and Globe Fish.   They inhabit large rivers, open waters that are weedy and densely vegetated, and are found in the Nile, Niger, Volta, Gambia, Geba, Chad basin, and Senegal Rivers in Africa.

The Fahaka Puffer is a very large fish that grows to 18 inches or more in length, however a sub-species called Tetraodon fahaka rudolfianus only grows to about 3 inches in length, making it a more suitable species for tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.

The Fahaka Puffer is a solitary, stocky, elongated fish that is covered with short prickles.  The back of its body is colored a brownish gray that gradually gets lighter until it ends into the whitish belly.  The Fahaka Puffer has bright orange to red eyes and a series of light, almost golden colored, horizontal stripes that run from the pectoral fins back across the tail; hence the a.k.a.s “Striped Puffer” and “Band Puffer“.

Juvenile Fahaka Puffers are more mottled in appearance and as they get older, their colors become more vivid.  Like the Bornean Red-Eye Puffer (Carinotetraodon borneensis), these puffer fish change color depending on their mood, age and environment.

All puffer fish have the ability to puff themselves up with air or water when threatened and Fahaka Puffers are no exception. In addition to this defense mechanism, toxic substances in their flesh make them poisonous when eaten.

In the wild Fahaka Puffers feed on oysters, mussels, cockles, krill and other mollusks.  In an aquarium environment they should be offered a variety of human quality hard shelled foods to keep their teeth worn down.  This includes snails, shellfish, crustaceans, lobster, crab legs, and clams.   Avoid giving them “feeder” fish which may pass on diseases.

If their teeth grow too long, they need to be clipped with cuticle cutters on a regular basis.

Fahaka Puffers are a solitary and extremely aggressive species that cannot be kept with other species.  When confined with others of their own kind, a battle will immediately ensue unless they are housed in an extremely large tank.

Despite their aggressiveness with other fish, Fahaka Puffers make excellent aquarium “pets”. They are one species that actually bond with their owners and make friendly, entertaining, expressive, almost human like pets.

Puffers do not have gill covers or scales and are more susceptible to diseases, nitrite, nitrate, and ammonia levels. They are also messy eaters, often leaving uneaten food on the bottom of their tank.

This makes a 125 gallon or larger aquarium with highly filtered water a must for Fahaka Puffers.  Large, powerful, canister filters that can turn the tank water over 6 to 10 times an hour are a must for these fish, as are weekly water changes of 30% – 50%.

Their accommodations should also include moderate to normal lighting, some smooth rocks, driftwood, and a sandy or extremely fine gravel substrate.   Although in the wild they are found around densely vegetated weedy areas, live plants will for the most part be destroyed during feeding and should probably be avoided in an aquarium environment.

Although it has been accomplished, breeding the Fahaka Puffer in an aquarium is extremely difficult if not impossible.  They will normally kill each other on sight and in their natural habitat when they do breed, it is normally at a depth of 50 feet or more.

When the female Fahaka Puffer produces an ovipositor organ, they will mate with any willing male.  The male puffer swims upside down under the female and grips the female so that both sexual organs connect.  Eggs and sperm are released several times to fertilize thousands of eggs during a spawning.   The fertilized eggs should be removed to a separate brood tank once they sink to the bottom of the breeding tank, where they will hatch in 3 to 4 days.

After hatching, the water level should be lowered to give the fry easier access to the surface.  After a week the fry will be free swimming and should constantly be fed infusoria to prevent starvation.   As the fry grow into their second week, they can be introduced to baby brine shrimp.

As they grow, the fry will become more and more aggressive, so its a good idea to “cull” out the larger, more aggressive fish to separate tanks.

Fahaka Puffers are not common in the aquarium hobby and when available are usually adults or juveniles of  1″- 2″ in length.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minimum Tank Size: 125 gal
Care Level: Difficult
Temperament: Aggressive and Predatory
Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately hardy
Water Conditions: 75.0 to 82.0°F, pH 7.0, dH 10 -12 (Never put this puffer in soft water)
Maximum size: 18+ inches
Color Form: Brown
Diet: Carnivore
Origin: Africa
Family: Tetraodotidae
Lifespan: 10 years or more
Aquarist Experience Level: Experienced

The Indian Dwarf Puffer (Tetraodon travancoricus) is also known as the Bumblebee, Malabar, Pea or Pygmy Puffer by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.
The Indian Dwarf Puffer is the smallest freshwater pufferfish in the world and is unique to the River Pamba in Kerala, Southwest India. Although it is closely related to marine pufferfish, it is not found in salt or brackish water.

Indian Dwarf Puffers reach a maximum length of 1″ and are much smaller than other puffer species in the same family.

Overall they are yellow golden brown color, that blends into an off white underbelly. Black to dark green iridescent patches or “spots” cover most of the fish’s flanks and dorsal area.

Male Indian Dwarf Puffers have a pronounced black stripe running down the center of their pale belly from the tail to the pectoral fin and iridescent eye wrinkle patterns that females lack. Males are also smaller, leaner, and not as round as females of the species.

As juvenile Indian Dwarf Puffers mature, they will literally “choose” their own sex. As a puffer becomes a male, he will excrete hormones that prevent other puffers from becoming males. If two fish start maturing into males at the same time, one fish will quickly become the dominant male.

Indian Dwarf Puffers are mildly aggressive and should be housed in a densely planted aquarium of at least 30 gallons, with a sand or very fine gravel aggregate bottom and plenty of hiding places. They do not need salt in their tank like some other puffer fish.  Because they are so highly territorial, it is recommended that only one fish be housed in a tank.

In an aquarium environment Indian Dwarf Puffers should be fed a diet of  brine shrimp, small live snails, mollusks, krill and chopped earthworms. In the wild they are believed to feed on zooplankton, molluscs, and various crustaceans.

Indian Dwarf Puffers have been bred in an aquarium environment. They are plant spawners and will lay their eggs in Java Moss or other similar plants. They have been known to scatter their eggs in between vegetation on the substrate. Eggs are fertilized externally and will hatch after 5 days at 81 °F.  The fry should initially be fed infusoria until they grow larger, at which time brine shrimp and regular size food can be offered.

Dwarf Puffers do not guard their eggs or their fry.  When the eggs hatch, it is recommended that the fry be removed to a 10 gallon rearing tank until they are able to fend for themselves.

Indian Dwarf Puffers are not a common item in tropical fish shops but when available, they are sold at a size of 1/2″ to 1″.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-82° F, KH 5-15, pH 7.0-8.0
Max. Size: 1″
Color Form: Tan, Yellow
Diet: Carnivore
Origin: Southwest India
Family: Tetraodontidae
Lifespan: 5 – 6 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate

The Greenbottle Pufferfish (Auriglobus nefastus) is also called the Bottle Puffer and erroneously the Golden Puffer by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.  It is found in the Mekong River basin of Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand; as well as many areas of Malaysia and Indonesia.

The Greenbottle Puffer is a bottom dwelling species that is found in moving waters of rivers, streams, and in the flooded plains and forests that occur during seasonal high water levels when the rivers overflow their banks.

Greenbottle Pufferfish are an aggressive species that primarily feeds on fish fins, rays, and scales.  They are extremely active for puffer fish and should never be included in a community aquarium.  Young specimens often frantically dart around the tank and can create havoc with their tank mates.

There are several pufferfish species that are erroneously called “Greenbottle Pufferfish” by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.

Auriglobus modestus, Auriglobus nefastus, and Chonerhinos silus are commonly confused with one another and are quite difficult to tell apart.  Fortunately, they are all similar and require the same care.

The Greenbottle Pufferfish and their counterparts are all “bottle” green in color and have white bellies.  Their bodies are usually without distinct color markings except for a slightly darkened spot on the dorsal surface of their head, behind their eyes.

Chonerhinos naritus looks similar, but has a yellow belly and is a brackish water species.  Greenbottle Puffers can be distinguished from other species in the Mekong basin by their 23-27 dorsal rays and 19-22 anal rays, their relatively small nasal organ, and their upper lip which usually projects beyond the lower lip.  The exposed part of their eyeball is usually horizontally oval instead of being vertically oval and round.

The sexes of Greenbottle Puffers are indistinguishable and cannot be determined visually.

Like most freshwater pufferfish, the Greenbottle Puffer is highly territorial however, if they are housed in a large tank with plenty of hiding places, they can be kept in groups of three without too much harm being done.

Like most puffers they are messy eaters, and because they are extremely sensitive to ammonia and nitrites, need to be housed in an heavily filtered aquarium.  Never introduce these puffers to a “new” aquarium that has not been adequately cycled.

In an aquarium environment, the Greenbottle Pufferfish will eat live and frozen foods, snails, frozen shrimp, gut loaded ghost shrimp, and occasionally freeze dried krill.  A steady diet of snails or other freshwater crustaceans should be fed to them to prevent their beaks from over growing.

To date, Auriglobus nefastus has never been bred in captivity.

When available for purchase, they are usually 1″ to 1 1/2″ in size.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minimum Tank Size: 35 gallons
Care Level: Difficult
Temperament: Aggressive, Hunts and searches out food
Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately Hardy
Water Conditions: 74-80° F, 5-12 °d , pH 6.0-7.8
Max. Size: 4-6 inches
Color Form: Gold, Green
Diet: Carnivore
Origin: Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Lakes and Rivers
Family: Tetraodontidae
Lifespan: 10 years or more
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate

The Serpae Tetra (Hyphessobrycon eques) is also commonly referred to as the Blood characin, Bloodtetra, Callistus tetra, Jewel tetra, Red minor tetra and Red serpae tetra by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.  The term “Blood tetra” is a generalization that is used to describe a wide range of red colored tetras sold by tropical fish shops.

The Serpae tetra has a tall, rather compressed body and a distinct red body color.  The shades of red vary from bright red to reddish brown. A black comma shaped mark is located directly behind the gill cover in both sexes however, smaller and older specimens may have very small markings and sometimes no marking at all.   The anal fins of Serpae Tetras are fringed with black and white layers that sometimes display a reddish hue, but the ventral and tail fins are always red.  A long finned variety of Hyphessobrycon eques also exists.

Serpae Tetras are found in the Amazon river basin in South America, as well as the Guaporé and Paraguay rivers.  They are an active semi aggressive shoaling species that in the wild are found close to the surface in calm, black, densely vegetated waters.

Serpae tetras are popular in community aquariums but should not be kept with smaller tetras or fancy guppies. They will do best in soft, neutral to slightly acidic water in groups of at least six fish.

Serpae Tetras need a large, densely planted aquarium with a dark substrate, driftwood or bogwood for shelter and hiding places, and plenty of room for swimming.   Some floating plants can be added to mimic the dimly lit conditions they prefer in their natural habitat.

Serpae Tetras are aggressive and competitive feeders.  A school of Serpae tetras during feeding looks a lot like a school of Piranhas savaging their prey in a South American river.

In the wild, Serpae Tetras feed on worms, insects, crustaceans and plants.   In an aquarium environment they will accept flake food, live, freeze dried, or frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, tubifex, or daphnia.   They need a varied diet to prevent malnutrition.

The Serpae Tetra is one of the easier tetras to breed.   Place a conditioned pair in a small (5 gallon) aquarium with a dark substrate and lots of fine leaved plants such as Java Moss, Myriophyllum, or Cabomba.   The pH should be between 6.0 to 7.0, the dH between 4 and 8, and the water temperature in the mid 70s.   Filtering the water in the breeding tank through peat moss is also helpful.

Serpae Tetras are egg scatters and will deposit their tiny translucent eggs in the plants.   As soon as the eggs are fertilized, remove the breeding pair to maximize the yield.

The eggs will hatch in 24 to 28 hours at which time the fry can be fed infusoria, egg yolk or baby brine shrimp.   In a few weeks the fry can be fed finely crushed flake food or powdered flakes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Water Conditions: 72-82° F, KH 4-8, pH 5.0-7.8, dH 10 – 25
Max. Size: 1 1/2″
Color Form: Red
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Semi-aggressive in small groups
Origin: Amazon River Basin
Family: Characidae
Life Span: 7 years
Aquarist Level: Beginner

The Gold Longfin Danio (Danio rerio) is member of the Cyprinidae family that is native to the Ganges region of eastern India.

They are a popular variety of the Zebra Danio and are found in a variety of habitats from fast moving streams to slow moving, almost stagnant ponds.

The Gold Longfin Danio is a metallic gold in color with yellow stripes that run horizontally across its body.   They have long graceful fins that flow behind them as they literally glide around in your aquarium.

Gold Longfin Danios are a shoaling species that should be kept in the home aquarium in groups of at least 6 to 8 specimens.   They get along well with many of the smaller Danios and other peaceful, non-aggressive species of the same size.

Gold Longfin Danios prefer densely planted aquariums, with driftwood roots for hiding, and large open areas for swimming.   Like most other danios, they are easy to care for and do well on a diet of commercially prepared omnivore flake food and an occasional offering of live brine shrimp, tubifex or daphnia.

Like the Zebra Danio, Gold Longfin Danios are easy to breed.   The males are more torpedo shaped than the larger bellied females and once paired up, they remain loyal to one another.

Breeding pairs should be separated to a breeding tank with fine leaved plants or a “mop” for them to spawn over.   These Danios are egg scatters and will deposit anywhere from 300 to 400 eggs during a spawn which will hatch within a couple of days.   Fry should be fed live baby brine shrimp
when free swimming or small bits of live foods until they are able to accept flake food.

The Gold Longfin Danios that are available for purchase in your local pet shop are usually farm raised and range in size from 3/4″ to 1 1/2″ in length.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 64-75° F, KH 8-12, pH 6.5-7.0
Max. Size: 3″
Color Form: Gold
Diet: Omnivore
Origin: India, Farm raised in the USA
Family: Cyprinidae
Lifespan: up to 5 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

The Celestial Pearl Danio (Celestichthys margaritatus) is often incorrectly referred to as the Galaxy Rasbora by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.

Since its discovery in 2006 in a small, high altitude area of Myanmar, east of Lake Inndi, it has become an instant hit with tropical fish keeping enthusiasts throughout the world.

Unfortunately, the demand for Celestichthys margaritatus has become so great that their environment has been devastated by over collecting, and the fish is considered rare in many areas.

Celestial Pearl Danios are richly colored and have striking markings that make it a highly sought after aquarium fish. The deep metallic blue body of the Celestial Pearl Danio is adorned with iridescent, jewel like spots and they have bright bands of orange color on their fins that add a breathtaking contrast to this majestic little fish.

Male Celestial Pearl Danios are more brightly colored and have a more streamlined body than females. The anal fin of the male is noticeably more orange and will have a black band. Females are more subdued in their overall coloration and have rounder bodies.

Celestial Pearl Danios are shoaling fish that in an aquarium environment should be kept in groups of at least 6 or more specimens. They are a peaceful species that get along well with other small peaceful fish, and although they prefer soft, acidic water, they adapt easily to a wide range of water conditions.

Celestial Pearl Danios do best in a densely planted aquarium aquascaped with rocks, driftwood, and a sandy or fine gravel bottom. They need plenty of swimming room but should be provided with ample plant cover for them to hide.

Fortunately the Celestial Pearl Danio has been captive bread and is relatively easy to breed. Being an egg scatterer, they need a well planted tank with subdued lighting and soft acidic water. The parents should be removed after spawning.  The fry can be fed fine pieces of live foods or finely crushed flake food.

Adults are omnivorous, easy to feed, and should be provided a mixed diet of a quality flake food, algae wafers, along with live, frozen, or freeze dried daphnia, brine shrimp, bloodworms, and tubifex.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 73-79° F, KH 8-12, pH 6.0-7.5
Max. Size: 1″
Color Form: Red, Yellow
Diet: Omnivore
Origin: Myanmar, India
Family: Cyprinidae
Lifespan: 5 – 7 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

The pros and cons of VHO (Very High Output) aquarium lighting is similar to those of standard fluorescent lighting systems.

Very High Output bulbs are a type of fluorescent lighting that produces a much more intense light than standard fluorescent lighting systems.

They are similar in appearance to standard fluorescent bulbs in size but require a special ballast and end caps.   VHO bulbs cannot be used with standard fluorescent ballasts.

The Pros of VHO aquarium lighting are as follows:

• Light Output
  VHO lamps provide a more intense light output.   In general a VHO lamp is approximately three times more intense that the same size standard fluorescent bulb.  This means you can use one third fewer bulbs to achieve the same desired intensity and save space in your hood or fixture.
• Relatively Higher Energy Use
  Although VHO bulbs require a bit more energy than standard fluorescent bulbs to operate, they are still much more efficient since only one third as many bulbs are needed to provide the same intensity of lighting over your tank.  The relatively higher energy cost is offset by the amount of bulbs that need to be purchased to achieve the desired result.
• Higher Kelvin Temperature
  VHO bulbs produce light in the higher Kelvin range.   This makes them a better choice for reef tank applications where an more intense light is required for photosynthesis.  They are usually not a good choice for freshwater fish only tanks or for densely planted freshwater aquariums.
• VHO Bulbs Offer A Longer Bulb Life.
  Provided electronic ballasts are used, most VHO bulbs will last over a year and a half without any significant reduction of spectral quality or light intensity.  This makes them more cost effective than standard fluorescent bulbs and some metal halides.

Cons Of VHO Aquarium Lighting:

• VHO bulbs produce significantly more heat than standard fluorescent bulbs.

This can raise water temperatures in your system significantly if precautions are not taken.  When situated in a hood, make sure a ventilating fan is installed at both ends to bring cool air in and force hot air out of the fixture.  If no fan is installed, make sure the lights are at least 12 inches above the tank to provide adequate ventilation.  If water temperatures are still over limits, a water chiller may need to be added to the system.

The other Cons for VHO lighting are essentially the same as for standard fluorescent lighting, but both types are still preferred by the majority of tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.

There are some pros and cons for using standard fluorescent lighting systems over your aquarium that you need to know about before selecting the type of lighting for your tank.

The primary role of aquarium lightning is to allow tropical fish keeping enthusiasts the ability to easily watch their fish.  But more importantly, it also provides energy to  photosynthetic plants and animals housed in the system.

Normally, the aquarium lighting system you provide is the only source of light for photosynthetic plants, corals or anemones that are living in your tank.   The behavior, health and psychology of your fish is also influenced by the source of lightning you provide and in fact, the well being of the entire tank depends on lightning.

Common output fluorescent lightning systems or standard fluorescent lightning is the easiest to provide illumination for an aquarium.   This type of lightning is recognized as the best for marine, fish only tanks and most freshwater aquariums.

Standard fluorescent lighting is available in a variety of wattage s, sizes and spectrum ranges and because of this it is generally considered to be the most popular type system used by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts for freshwater, brackish water, and marine tank applications.

Some of the Pros for using standard fluorescent bulbs are as follows:

• Low Initial Cost
  Depending on what type ballast is used, the initial cost of purchasing a standard fluorescent lighting systems is considered low to moderate. Even with the cost of the more expensive ballasts, fluorescent lighting systems are much less expensive than metal halide, VHO, HO or combination systems.
• Light Spectrum Availability
  Fluorescent light bulbs are produced in a variety of spectrum ranges. Since fish, invertebrates, plants and corals all have different spectral requirements; fluorescent lights are the “go to” light source for most freshwater and marine aquariums. Except for some of the most difficult to keep clams and deep water corals, standard fluorescent bulbs can provide a light spectrum suitable for every type of freshwater or marine aquarium.
• Heat Output
  The amount of heat generated by standard fluorescent lighting systems is extremely low compared to metal halide and incandescent lighting systems. Standard fluorescent bulbs produce very little heat. This eliminates the need for cooling fans or adding chillers to a marine system.
• Energy Efficiency
  The operating costs associated with using standard fluorescent lighting is extremely low compared to metal halide, HO, VHO and incandescent lighting systems. Depending on what type ballast is used, the cost of operating a fluorescent light 10 to 12 hours a day is much less than that of operating an incandescent light bulb of the same wattage.

There are also some Cons to using standard fluorescent bulbs, some of which are noted below:

• Lower Intensity
  Most standard fluorescent bulbs used in aquarium applications are 15 to 40 watts. This means that for most applications you will need to use more than one fluorescent bulb to keep the inhabitants of your aquarium healthy and happy. Multiple bulbs are usually required to achieve the necessary intensity that plants, fish, inverts and corals require.
• Relatively Short Bulb Life
  Fluorescent light bulbs are made from gas filled tubes.   The inside of the tubes are coated with blends of phosphors that based on their chemical makeup, produce different spectrum’s of light.  When electricity passes through the tube, the gasses heat up and at the proper temperature, emit light.The main Con with fluorescent light bulbs is that they do not last long when in continuous use.

  Extended use degrades the coating on the inside of the bulb as well as the gas.  When this happens, light is still produced but the light spectrum and intensity diminishes.

  A standard fluorescent bulb will last about 6 to 8 months before they begin to lose intensity and their spectral properties. The bulb life can be increased by a few months by using more expensive electronic ballasts, but the additional cost may be prohibitive.

Despite the Cons to using standard fluorescent bulbs, most tropical fish keeping enthusiasts prefer them over all other types except for use in reef tanks, where even then, they are used in conjunction with metal halide bulbs.

Aquarium lighting is necessary for maintaining fish health and illuminating all types of tropical fish keeping aquariums.

Some types of marine reef aquariums or densely planted freshwater aquariums need specialized lighting to support the photosynthetic life forms that are housed in the tank.

Densely planted freshwater aquariums may also require a more specialized light source for plants to thrive.

To really encourage plant growth, densely planted freshwater aquariums should be provided with either high intensity compact fluorescent bulbs, high output fluorescent bulbs, or metal halide lamps.

Using high intensity lighting does have its cons.  Most high intensity aquarium lighting systems produce much more heat than standard light sources and use more electricity.

• Freshwater Tanks:

Almost all freshwater aquarium lighting is now provided by either the screw in incandescent bulbs, clip in fluorescent tubes, or LED (Light Emitting Diode) lamps.

Until recently, incandescent lighting was used for many years in the tropical fish keeping hobby but has become less popular with the advent of lower heat producing and less energy consuming types of lighting.

 

Many hobbyists who still have the outdated incandescent light screw in bases in their tank hoods usually replace the incandescent bulbs with a compatible screw in base CFL (Compact Fluorescent Light) bulb.

The newer T2, T5, SHO, and LED bulbs produce even less heat and use considerably less electricity.

LED aquarium lighting systems are the most efficient for use in densely planted freshwater aquariums however, the T2, T5 and SHO are close second choices.

• Brackish Water Tanks:

Brackish water aquarium lighting is similar to that used in freshwater and densely planted tanks.  Depending on the species that is being housed, brackish water aquariums may require UVB or infrared bulbs in addition to or separate from the above mentioned light sources.

Some brackish water nocturnal species and basking animals like turtles require infrared lighting to remain healthy.

• Marine Fish Only Tanks:

In most marine fish only aquariums, less intense lighting is used to illuminate the subjects in the tank, usually for aesthetics.

In addition for optimal viewing of the fish, the lower intensity lighting limits the growth of unwanted algae in the tank.  In tropical reef aquariums, the opposite is true.

• Reef Tanks:

Reef tanks require the highest intensity lighting for the well being of photosynthetic corals, inverts, clams, etc.   Aquarium lighting for reef tanks includes LED, fluorescent, metal halide lamps, plasma lamps and/or combinations of these types.

The most simple lighting setups use only a single lamp or lamps of one type.  The more advanced reef lighting arrays include several types of lamps in several color and light spectrum.

Sunlight All In One

Unlike fish only tanks, the color of the lamp used is extremely important in maintaining the photosynthetic life in the tank.  Corals in particular require a deep blue or actinic light spectrum in order to survive and continue growing.

The thinner T5 High Output fluorescent bulbs provide a much brighter and more powerful light source than the older, more commonly used VHO (Very High Output) fluorescent and CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lighting) lighting.

Metal halide bulbs are the most commonly used in reef aquariums today but they do not have the overall balanced effect of other types of lighting.  Many halide lights replicate the intense shimmering bright tropical sun light that is found over natural coral reefs.

Metal halide lighting is available in a variety of light spectrum from 5,000k all the way up to 20,000k.  This allows the tropical fish keeping enthusiast the ability to duplicate the requirements of a variety of corals and photosynthetic clams.

Because metal halide lighting does not have the overall spectrum of other types of lighting, many tropical fish keeping enthusiasts frequently use metal halide bulbs in conjunction with either compact fluorescent or T5 fluorescent bulbs.

The cons to using metal halide lighting is the fact that they use a lot of electricity and produce a great deal of heat.

In order to keep the reef tank water cool, most reef keepers will mount their metal halide lights at least a foot or so above the water surface or add chillers to their systems.

Modern reef light fixtures are now available with timers in “all in one” configurations for both daylight and nighttime viewing.  These systems mimic daylight and lunar lighting for truly realistic displays.  In order to keep these systems cool and maintain optimum efficiency, single or multiple fans are often built into the fixtures.

Usually LED lamps of up to 2 watts are used to replicate the glow of moonlight over the tank and recently, LED lamps in higher wattage s are being used to simulate daylight conditions.

LED lighting is more expensive initially, but use much less energy than other light sources.  In addition, they are dimmable.

Because LED lights are limited to a narrow band of wave lengths, different colored LED lights must be used in an array to simulate the spectral range needed for the growth of corals.

The common Guppy (Poecilia reticulata), is also known as the millionfish, mosquito fish, or rainbow fish by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.  They are a highly adaptable species that can survive and even thrive in environments that many other tropical fish species would be unable to tolerate.

Although the natural range of Poecilia reticulata is in northeast South America; they have been introduced into habitats around the world for various purposes, primarily mosquito control.  Guppies are native to Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Brazil, Guyana, Jamaica, the Netherlands Antilles, Trinidad and Tobago, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Venezuela.

Many countries have introduced guppies into their environment to slow down the spread of Malaria by controlling mosquito populations, however in many instances, guppies negatively impacted the native fish populations.

Because of their hardiness and tolerance to salt water, they have populated not only their natural range but also many brackish water rivers and streams.  Wild guppies tend to be more abundant in the pools of smaller streams than in the larger, deeper water, fast flowing rivers of their range.

Wild Guppies are generally grey in body coloration however,  wild males can have spots, stripes, or splashes of different colors over their grey bodies.

Male guppies are much smaller than females; however their dorsal and caudal fins are always much longer and more colorful.  Female guppies are larger, more drab in color, and do not possess the ornamental fins of males.

In the wild, guppies feed on both animal and vegetable matter; primarily benthic algae, small crustaceans and insect larvae.  In an aquarium environment, guppies should be fed an algae based flake food along with some freeze dried bloodworms, tubifex, brine shrimp and micro pellets.  They need both algae based and meaty foods for proper nutrition.

Through selective breeding, literally hundreds of unique color strains of guppies have been developed over the years.  These “Fancy Guppies” are bred to exhibit a plethora of colors, unique body color patterns, different shapes, body markings and sizes of caudal fins.

Some of these strains are listed below along with categories that distinguish them from each other:

 

Albino Guppies

Albino guppies exhibit the recessive albino phenotype trait (red eyes and the absence of black melanin) and appear in numerous color varieties.

 

 

Black Guppies

The goal for breeders of Black guppies is for the fish to be completely black, with no secondary color.

Most Black guppies are either medium or small in size.  When breeders attempt to breed larger sized Black guppies, the results are often the loss of the deep black color in the body and matching dorsal fin of the fish.   Below are some examples of Black guppies.

 

Blue Guppies

Blue guppies as the name implies can range in color from a deep dark blue to a sky blue color.  Males continue the blue body color into their fins but female blue guppies only show blue highlights in their fins.

Half Black AOC

The is any half black body guppy that cannot be entered into the black class, or any other half black color class.  The examples below are typical of Half Black AOC guppies.

 

Half Black Yellow Guppies

The Half Black Yellow Guppy strain is a difficult line to maintain.  They are strikingly beautiful fish that have a bright yellow tail and a contrasting Half Black body coloration.   Here are a few examples of show quality Half Black Yellow Guppies.

Multicolor Guppies

Multicolor guppies ideally have three or more distinct colors that are equally distributed throughout the tail.   To be considered a tail color, a true Multicolor Guppy must have at least 15% or more of the tail area that color and the dorsal fin should match the pattern and color of the caudal fin.  Below are some typical examples of Multicolor Guppies.

Purple Guppies

Purple Guppies have a solid purple color in bvoth their caudal and dorsal fins.

Red Guppies

Red guppies come in a variety of body color types such as gold, gray, or albino.   They generally have larger bodies and are slow in the development of fin growth.

The Gold and Albino body types of Red Guppy are the most popular because the black melanin is minimized or totally eliminated.  This creates a cleaner red color strain.   Color quality depends on the combination of basic red with background colors of blue, lavender, or yellow.  Fancy Red Guppies on the show circuit range in color from orange to deep maroon.   Below are some examples.

Red Bi Color Guppies

The Red Bi Color Guppy must have a base color of Red and a secondary color that is at least 25% of the tail color.

Both colors in the fish must be distinct.   If another third color is present that is more than 15% of the total color, the guppy would be considered a Multi Colored guppy; not a Red Bi Color Guppy.   The dorsal and caudal fins in the guppy should also be the same color and pattern.

Yellow Guppies

Yellow guppies are a striking strain that are genetically gold.  The intense yellow color of these fish is difficult to maintain, as are their fins.  Yellow Guppies are a medium size fish.

Female Show Guppies

Female show guppies frequently have large fins and bright fin coloration similar to those of wild male guppy stocks.   To qualify for competition in an IFGA class, Female Guppies must show a gravid spot.

These pictures show guppies that carry the snakeskin genetic trait with a rosette pattern on the body.

The snakeskin trait is generally dominant and Y-linked, but some strains can be X-linked.   Many strains also carry the dominant zebrinous trait that causes vertical bars on the peduncle area.

All domestically bred Guppies are hardy, colorful, and will add a degree of brilliance and excitement to any peaceful community aquarium.  Because of their hardiness, peaceful nature, and rapid growth, Guppies make an excellent starter fish for beginning tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.

Guppies are highly prolific live bearers and are easy to breed in an aquarium environment.  The gestation period of female guppies is anywhere from 21 to 30 days. Once inseminated, the females can store sperm in their ovaries and gonoducts, and if necessary will continue to fertilize their eggs for up to eight months without having another male present.

Guppies have been hybridized with various Sailfin Molly species and with Endler’s live bearer (Poecilia wingei).

In an aquarium environment, Guppies prefer hard water with a temperature between 78 and 82 °F and salt levels equivalent to one tablespoon for every 5 gallons of tank water.  Guppies can easily tolerate salinity levels of up to 150% of normal seawater, which is why they are occasionally housed in marine community tanks.

Although nipping behavior is occasionally observed between male guppies and other fast swimming species, Guppies are generally a peaceful fish preferring to shoal with others of their own species.  They should never be kept alone in a tropical fish tank.

Discus (Symphysodon) is a regal genus of Cichlids that is native to the Amazon River basin of South America. Tropical fish keeping enthusiasts also refer to Discus as the Pompadour Fish because of their distinctive shape and bright colors.

There are three Symphysodon species that inhabit the margins of the floodplain lakes and rivers in the Amazon basin in different geographic locations.

Symphysodon aeuifasciatus are found in the Rio Solimões, Rio Amazonas, and Río Putumayo-Içá in Brazil, Colombia and Peru.

Symphysodon Discus are found in the lower sections of the Abacaxis, Rio Negro and Trombetas rivers, and Symphysodon tarzoo are found upstream of Manaus in the western Amazon.

The natural habitat for Discus is the shallow streams, creeks, and small lakes running off the Amazon River and it’s tributaries.

Wild Symphysodon like to school with others of their kind and live among submerged tree roots, close to shore.

All Discus species living in “mixed” tropical water areas of the Brazilian Amazon and are considered Neotropical.

All three species of Symphysodon are highly favored among experienced tropical fish keeping enthusiasts and do quite well in densely planted aquariums.

Discus (Symphysodon) have a round, laterally compressed body shape and are absent any extended fins; hence the name “Discus”.   The sides of these fish are frequently patterned in different shades of green, brown, blue, and red. Adult Discus are approximately the same height and length of about 8″ to 10″. There is no real sexual dimorphism for this fish although, in some solid colored (red cover or red melon) varieties, the females are more deeply colored red than males.

Discus require a large, deep aquarium of at least 55 gallons. Since most species originate from shaded, deeper water areas that are densely overgrown

with vegetation, their aquarium environment should duplicate these requirements as closely as possible. A layer of floating plants will provide the subdued lighting they need.  Discus also need soft, well filtered water with a pH level of 6 and the water temperature maintained at a constant 82 to 86 degrees F. to keep them happy.

Discus tanks should be densely planted and aquascaped with a sand or fine gravel substrate, rocks, and bogwood roots strategically placed around the tank. Discus are easily frightened and will remain more comfortable in these surroundings when they have a place to hide.

Discus are quite peaceful and can be kept with other peaceful, heat-loving species, such as cardinal tetras, clown loaches and rasboras. They should not be kept with angelfish which are prone to parasitic infestations and other diseases that may be fatal to Discus.

One interesting characteristic of Discus is their care for their young. Like most cichlids, brood care is highly developed. Discus become somewhat territorial when breeding.

Although it’s best to breed an established pair, you can keep a group of young Discus together until a pair break out and pairs off.

In preparation for mating, the pair will start cleaning off a flat surface in the tank, usually the side of the aquarium, a piece of slate, or a large broad leaf plant (Amazon Sword). The female deposits her eggs and both parents tend to them until hatched.

Adult Discus produce a mucus secretion from their skin that the larvae live off during the first few days, to weeks, after hatching so it is imperative that the parents remain with the fry until the fry are able to eat crushed flake food on their own.

Discus are largely carnivorous and prefer freeze dried bloodworms, tubifex, discus pellets, high quality flake foods and other meaty frozen foods.

When available for purchase Discus can be anywhere from  2″ to 6″ in length.

The follow is only a partial list of Discus Varieties that are available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.

• Albino Golden Red Dragon Discus (Symphysodon sp.)
• Albino Intense Gold Discus (Symphysodon sp.)
• Albino Pure Platinum Discus (Symphysodon sp.)
• Aqua Green Scribble Discus (Symphysodon sp.)
• Baby Blue Panda Discus (Symphysodon sp.)
• Blue Diamond Discus (Symphysodon sp.)
• Checkerboard Discus (Symphysodon sp.)
• Fire Dragon Discus (Symphysodon sp.)
• Green Discus (Symphysodon aequifasciata)
• Neon Blue Discus (Symphysodon sp.)
• Ocean Green Discus (Symphysodon sp.)
• Pigeon Blood Discus (Symphysodon sp.)
• Red Eagle Discus (Symphysodon sp.)
• Red Marlboro Discus (Symphysodon sp.)
• Red Turquoise Discus (Symphysodon sp.)
• Royal Blue Discus (Symphysodon aequifasciata)
• Royal Red Discus (Symphysodon sp.)
• Siam Red Master (Silver Faced) Discus (Symphysodon sp.)
• Snakeskin Discus (Symphysodon sp.)
• Snakeskin Pigeonblood Discus (Symphysodon sp.)
• Super Yellow Marlboro Discus (Symphysodon sp.)
• White Diamond Discus (Symphysodon sp.)
• White Discus (Symphysodon sp.)
• Yellow Mosaic Dragon Discus (Symphysodon sp.)
• Yellow Marlboro Discus (Symphysodon sp.)

The Whiptail Catfish (Farlowella acus)  is also known as the Twig Catfish, Stick Catfish, Farlowella or Whiptail Catfish by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.

They are found in slow moving rivers and lakes and are broadly distributed in the Amazon, Orinoco, Paraná, and coastal rivers of the Guyana Shield  in South America.

Farlowella acus is an armored catfish that has a very long and slender body.   They are  brown and black in coloration, and have an elongated nose.

Like many other fish in the Loricariidae family, they have a sucker mouth that is designed to aid them in feeding on algae from the plants and decorations in the aquarium and rooting around bottom debris.

The Whiptail Farlowella Catfish makes a wonderful addition to any peaceful freshwater community aquarium.

The Whiptail Farlowella catfish should be housed in a densely planted, sand or fine gravel aquarium with high aeration and moderate water movement.  The should be provided rocks and driftwood to mimic their natural environment and for them to hide.  Farlowella cats prefer dimly lit conditions and need a 55 gallon aquarium or larger if housed with other species.

Because they are not picky eaters, feeding the Whiptail Catfish is not difficult.   They generally feed what is left on the bottom of the tank and they get most of their nutrition from left over food and algae.

In newer aquarium setups with little or no algae present, supplement their diet with algae wafers, sinking herbivore pellets, a high quality flake food or freeze-dried bloodworms.

Refer to the article on Whiptail Catfish for additional information on breeding the Farlowella acus.

The Whiptail Catfish is not readily available for purchase but when available they are approximately 3″ to 5″ in length.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Water Conditions: 71-82° F, KH 8-10, pH 6.8-7.2
Max. Size: 3½”
Color Form: Clear, Green, White
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Great in community tanks
Origin: South America
Family: Callichthyidae, Sub-Family Corydoradinae
Lifespan: 8 – 12 Years or more
Aquarist Experience Lever: Beginner

Bichirs (Polypteridae) are sometimes referred to by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Dragon Bichir, Dragon Fin, Dinosaur Fish, or Dragon Fish.  The name has probably derived from their “dragon like” appearance.

Bichirs are a primitive ray-finned fish that are found in the swampy, shallow floodplains and estuaries of the Nile River system in tropical Africa and are in the same family (Polypteridae) as reedfish and ropefish.

Bichirs are elongated, eel like fish that have from 7 to 18 small dorsal “finlets” in lieu of the single dorsal fin that most ray-finned fish posses.  Each of the small finlets have double edged tips and are the only ones with actual spines.

Except for their pectoral fins, which are fleshy and similar to the lobe-finned fishes, the Bichir is covered with thick trapezoidal scales.

The jaw structure of the Bichir is similar to that of a frogs, and they have a pair of slit like openings called spiracles that they use to breath air through a pair of lungs that are connected to their esophagus by a glottis.    They posses both a modified paired swim bladder that has the function of “lungs”, as well as gills to breathe.    The right side of their swim bladder is larger than the left and is used for breathing atmospheric air.

In poorly oxygenated water, Bichirs will often travel on land for short periods using their muscular pelvic fins but because their bodies must remain moist, they cannot stay out of water for extended periods.    These fish can actually drown if denied access to atmospheric oxygen.

All Bichirs are nocturnal opportunistic feeders that have poor eyesight and an excellent sense of smell.   In their natural habitat they come out from their hiding places at night to feed on small fish, invertebrates, crustaceans, worms, and insects.   In an aquarium environment they should only be housed with larger peaceful fish that they cannot get into their mouths.   These fish will eat anything up to their own size.

Depending on the species, Bichirs can grow quite large and frequently outgrow their surroundings.   Because of their size, they should be housed in as large a tank as possible for their maximum size.  The chart below describes the species and subspecies of Polypterus along with their maximum known size.

Scientific name	Common name(s)	Size	Origin
Polypterus ansorgii	Guinean bichir	11″ (28cm)	West Africa (Guinea)
Polypterus (bichir) bichir	Nile bichir	27″ (68cm)	Nile, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana
Polypterus (bichir) katangae		18″ (45cm)	Central Africa (Katanga region)
Polypterus (bichir) lapradei		24″ (60cm) or more	Most of West Africa
Polypterus delhezi	Armoured / Banded bichir	14″ (35cm)	Central Africa: Congo river, Upper and middle Congo
Polypterus endlicheri congicus	Congo bichir	39″ (97cm)	Congo, Lake Tanganyika
Polypterus endlicheri endlicheri	Red / Saddled bichir	24″ (60cm) or more	Nigeria, Lake Chad, White Nile
Polypterus ornatipinnis	Ornate bichir	24″ (60cm)	Central and East Africa: Congo river basin, Lake Tanganyika
Polypterus palmas buettikoferi		14″ (35cm)	West Africa
Polypterus palmas palmas	Marbled bichir	12″ (30cm)	Congo, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea
Polypterus palmas polli	Poll’s bichir	12″ (30cm)	W. & Central Africa, Congo River
Polypterus retropinnis	West African / Speckled bichir	13″ (33cm)	West and Central Africa
Polypterus senegalus meridionalis		28″ (70cm)	Central Africa
Polypterus senegalus senegalus	Senegal bichir	16″ (40cm)	Africa: East, West and central
Polypterus teugelsi		16″ (40cm)	Cameroon
Polypterus weeksii	Mottled / Week’s / Fat-Headed bichir	16-24″ (40-60cm)	Congo

 

In the aquarium hobby, many tropical fish keeping enthusiasts find the Bichir to be an extremely popular fish.

Despite the fact that they are predators and  spend a great deal of time lying on the bottom of the tank, it is understandable why so many enthusiasts keep them.  They are relatively easy to maintain and can tolerate a wide variety of water conditions, and are extremely long lived.

They do make good tank mates with many of the larger species that they are unable to eat, and although they are unpredictable with smaller fish, they are usually passive towards their larger tank mates.

In an aquarium environment that is properly maintained, they can easily live well over 10 years.

Feeding Bichirs is usually not a challenge.  Being carnivores they prefer a varied diet of live foods such as small worms, ghost shrimp, tubifex, chopped beef heart, mussels, and insects.    However, they will also eat prepared dry foods like Krill or shrimp pellets, as well as most other freeze dried and frozen meaty foods.

The Synodontis Ocellifer Catfish (Synodontis ocellifer) hails from the Gambia River and various other river systems of Northern and Western Africa. They inhabit river basins from Senegal to Chad; more specifically the Senegal, Gambia, Volta, Chad, and Niger basins.

The Synodontis Ocellifer is a handsome peaceful catfish that has a pale yellowish brown body with black spots. Some specimens have a lighter background coloration or minimal spotting, but the adipose fin is the main characteristic to look at when making comparisons to other spotted catfish species. The Synodontis Ocellifer catfish has an extremely long adipose fin that runs from the caudal fin to almost the dorsal fin.

All species of Synodontis catfish have a hardened head cap with an attached humeral process that is directly behind the gill opening and points towards the rear. Both the dorsal and pectoral fins have a hardened, serrated first ray and the caudal fin of this species is always forked.

Synodontis Ocellifer catfish have one pair of maxillary barbels, sometimes with membranes and occasionally branched. The two pairs of mandibular barbels have nodes attached and are often branched. They have short cone shaped teeth in their upper jaw, and movable “S”shaped teeth in their lower jaw.

Synodontis Ocellifer Catfish can rub the base of their pectoral spine against the pectoral girdle to make an audible “squeaking” sound when disturbed or in distress.

Tropical fish keeping enthusiasts value the Synodontis Ocellifer Catfish as a peaceful bottom scavenger that gets along well with other fish in community aquariums.

They need a densely planted 55 gallon aquarium or larger with plenty of rocks, driftwood, and a stable temperature to keep them healthy and happy.  The Synodontis Ocellifer is a very peaceful species that appreciates having several places for them to hide in their tank.

To date there have been no reports of the Synodontis Ocellifer Catfish being successfully bred in an aquarium setting.

Synodontis Catfish are omnivores and will readily accept a good quality flake food, sinking catfish pellets, tubifex and freeze dried bloodworms.

Wild caught fish are usually available for purchase when they are 3″ to 4″ in length.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 75-82° F, KH 4-15, pH 6.5-7.8
Max Size: 6″ – 8″
Color Form: Black, Tan, Yellow
Diet: Omnivore
Compatability: Excellent community tank fish
Origin: West Africa
Family: Mochokidae
Lifespan: Up to 20 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

The Columbian Shark (Arius jordani) is also known by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Black Fin Shark, Jordan’s Catfish, and the West American Cat Shark.

The Columbian Shark is found in fresh and brackish waters from Mexico to Peru.  They inhabit tidal lagoons and estuaries throughout their range and can withstand a full marine environment.

The Columbian Shark has a high dorsal fin and long whiskers.  The body of the Colombian Shark Catfish is elongated and silver in color with a white belly. The fins are black, tipped with white.  The Columbian Shark has a broad head with relatively large eyes and mouth. They have three pairs of barbels; two on the lower chin area and one pair on the upper jaw. Juveniles are quite attractive and are constantly moving around the tank but as the mature they slow down and their colors begin to fade.

Arius jordani has a venom producing gland at the base of their dorsal spines which can cause careless handlers a great deal of pain. Extreme caution should be exercised when handling these fish.

Columbian Sharks are paternal mouthbrooders. The fish spawn in the sea and the very few eggs that are produced are incubated by the males in their mouth. Like Salmon, the males swim into the coastal rivers to deposit the fry in fresh water where they remain during the early stages of their life cycle. As they grow, they slowly migrate back to the coastal areas where they eventually complete their life cycle in the ocean.

In an aquarium environment, they require good filtration, an adequate current, plenty of rocks, caves (for hiding), a dark substrate and subdued lighting. Because they grow quite large they need at least a 75 gallon tank to keep them happy.

Since the Columbian Shark does best with some aquarium salt added to their tank, aquatic plants should not be included in their aquascape. A 2% salt solution (7.0548 oz of salt to 26 gallons) is recommended for keeping juvenile Columbian Sharks and as they mature, they can be slowly acclimated to a total marine environment.

Feeding the Columbian Shark is easy. They eat sinking catfish pellets, algae wafers or pellets, bloodworms and other smaller fish that they can fit into their mouths. Although they are peaceful scavengers, they should not be placed in a community aquarium with smaller fish.

Juveniles are offered for sale when they reach 2″ to 4″ in length.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minimum Tank Size: 70 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 74-79° F, KH 10-12, pH 7.0-7.5
Max. Size: 10″
Color Form: White, Yellow
Diet: Omnivore
Compatability: Best housed in brackish aquariums with larger fish
Origin: Central America, North America, South America
Family: Ariidae
Lifespan: 10-15 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

 

The Striped Raphael Catfish (Platydoras armatulus) is popular with tropical fish keeping enthusiasts and is commonly kept in community aquariums.

The Striped Raphael Catfish is also known as the talking catfish, chocolate doradid, thorny catfish, chocolate catfish and Southern Striped Raphael catfish. It has a wide range and is commonly found in the Amazon, Parnaiba, Tocantins, Orinoco, Essequibo Rivers in French Guiana and the Suriname of South America.

The Striped Raphael Catfish is a burrowing fish that in its natural habitat feeds on crustaceans, mollusks, and organic debris. They like sandy bottoms and have been identified as a “cleaner” for several types of piscivorous fish.

It has a curious tadpole like body shape with bold black and white stripes running from front to back that give the Raphael Cat its striking appearance. It sports an impressive set of spines that run along its lateral line and has pronounced, dagger like pectoral and dorsal fins that can inflict pain if mishandled.

Fortunately the Striped Raphael Catfish is peaceful, curious, inquisitive and full of personality when active, but it is a nocturnal catfish that prefers hiding during daylight hours.

Striped Raphael Cats are hardy and very easy to care for. Like other members of the Doradid family of armored catfish, they are “talkers” and produce a guttural type of croak or a series of squeaks when threatened or when they want to intimidate other fish.

The Striped Raphael Catfish is mild mannered and does well in peaceful community aquariums of at least a 30 gallon capacity that is well planted and aquascaped with rock overhangs, caves, and driftwood. Since they are a burrowing species, they should be provided a sand or fine gravel substrate to keep them happy.

These fish will get along well with both peaceful fish and larger more aggressive species in a well aquascaped tank.

Feed Striped Raphael Catfish sinking pellets, live brine shrimp, small freeze dried and frozen foods like bloodworms or brine shrimp.

When available for purchase they are anywhere from 2″ to 2-1/2″ in length.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: KH 4-20, pH 6.0-7.5
Max. Size: 7″
Color Form: Brown, Tan
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Good community tank fish
Origin: Colombia, French Guiana
Family: Doradidae
Live Span: 5 to 30 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

The Hammers Cobalt Blue Lobster (Procambarus clarkii) is one of the more dazzling ornamental crayfish that tropical fish
keeping enthusiasts often keep in their aquariums.

Selective breeding gives this Procambarus Clarkii its brilliant blue color which does not fade (except when stressed) as the “lobster” grows.   In fact, as the Cobalt Blue Lobster grows larger, its light blue color in younger specimens changes to a magnificent brilliant blue color which intensifies as it matures.

Although wild specimens can reach appreciably larger sizes; the selective breeding that produces the brilliant blue coloration also limits the adult size of the specimen.   Hammers Cobalt Blue Lobsters typically reach only about 5 inches in an aquarium environment.

The Hammers Cobalt Blue Lobster is often brown or a light drab blue color if it has been shipped.   This is due to stress incurred during shipping however, in a few days the bright blue color returns as the crustacean regains its composure and takes up residence in the tank.

Since it only attains a length of about 5 inches when fully grown, the Hammers Cobalt Blue Lobster can be housed in an aquarium of at least 20 gallons.  They need a medium to fine sand or gravel substrate for burrowing, and should have plenty of river rock, plants, and driftwood in their tank for cover.

Hammers Cobalt Blue Lobsters are territorial towards their own kind and need plenty of room if more than one is kept in the same tank. A good rule of thumb is to provide each “lobster” with at least 20 gallons of tank space.

These lobsters are omnivorous scavengers and will usually not bother fish unless they are ailing, slow or very small.  Occasionally they will pick on Plecos but for the most part they are fine in a peaceful community tank with mid level swimming fish.

The Hammers Cobalt Blue Lobster is easy to feed. As a scavenger it will eat almost anything that settles on the bottom of the tank. Supplement their diet with a quality sinking pellet, flake food, chopped worms, or algae wafers.

The Hammers Cobalt Blue Lobster can be pricey and is usually available for sale when they reach 2″ to 3″ in length.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 68-85° F, KH 3-10, pH 6.5-8.0
Max. Size: 5″
Color Form: Cobalt Blue
Diet: Omnivore
Origin: Farm Raised in the USA
Family: Cambaridae
Livespan: 5 – 6 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

The Pictus Catfish (Pimelodus pictus) is a peaceful South American species that is native to the Amazon and Orinoco river basins. It has a pale to silvery gray body with a black spotted pattern throughout and extremely long barbels.

Pictus Catfish have sharp serrated venomous spines on their dorsal and pectoral fins that always seem to get caught in nets when transferring fish from tank to tank.

Pictus Catfish are nocturnal bottom scavengers and active swimmers. There are two forms known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.  The large spotted form, and a small spotted form. The large spotted form does not grow as large as the small spotted form and is the form commonly seen in the aquarium trade.

The Pictus Catfish can be housed with almost any larger soft water species and is one of the more peaceful fish that adds beauty to a community tank.

It should be noted that Pictus Catfish consider small Neon or Cardinal tetras fair game if they can fit them into their mouths.  Care should be always be taken when adding smaller fish into the aquarium.

Pictus Catfish prefer a dimly lit, heavily planted tank with plenty of rocks, caves and driftwood for them to hide in and around.  They need at least a 70 gallon tank to freely swim around in and keep them happy.

Pimelodus Pictus are egg layers but they are extremely difficult to breed in and aquarium environment.

Feeding Pictus Catfish is not difficult.  They eat left over foods that accumulate on the bottom of the tank and will eat a variety of frozen or freeze dried foods.  Sinking catfish pellets, shrimp pellets, small live foods, tubifex, vegetables and chopped hearts are all eagerly accepted.

Although Pictus Catfish grow to 5″ in length, they are usually available for sale when they are 2″ to 3″ long.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minimum Tank Size: 70 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 75-81° F, pH 7.0-7.5
Max. Size: 5″- 8″
Color Form: Black, White
Diet: Omnivore
Origin: South America
Family: Pimelodidae
Live Span: 6 – 8 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Begin

The Female Betta (Betta splendens) like their male counterpart, is undoubtedly one of our most popular freshwater tropical fish species. Because Betta splendens are easy to care for, they are a favorite of both beginning and advanced tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.

Although Female Bettas are less brightly colored in the various shades and vibrant hues that adorn the males, they resemble the wild Short Fin variety. 

Like the males, female Bettas are hardy little fish and despite their frail looking delicate beauty can live many years when kept in ideal water conditions.

The Betta splendens is often referred to as the “Siamese Fighting Fish” because of the males combative personality towards other males however, the smaller, shorter finned females of the species can usually be housed together with other female Bettas without any serious disputes.

Although Bettas are often sold in small bowls or plastic containers, the ideal environment for keeping them healthy is a well filtered aquarium of at least one gallon that holds a steady temperature of between 75° and 86°F.   Since they prefer to have  a variety of hiding places in their tank, it should be aquascaped with freshwater plants and driftwood, rocks, etc.

Female Bettas are easily bred in the home aquarium. Place the male and female together in a small tank until breeding commences.  The male “blows” a bubble nest on the surface under a floating leaf or plant.  When eggs are laid by the female they are placed inside the bubble nest by the male until they hatch out (usually in 24 hours).  The fry should be fed infusoria until they are able to eat powdered flakes or newly hatched brine shrimp.

Bettas require a carnivore diet of quality flake food, baby brine shrimp, frozen or freeze dried bloodworms, tubifex or mosquito larvae.

Female Bettas are considered ready for sale when they are 1″ or 2″ in length.

 

 

 

 

 

Minimum Tank Size: 1 gallon
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Water Conditions: 75-86° F, KH 0-25, pH 6.0-8.0
Max. Size: 3″
Color Form: Assorted, Blue, Red
Diet: Carnivore
Compatibility: Excellent in peaceful community tanks
Origin: Farm Raised – Thailand
Family: Belontiidae
Life Span: 8 Years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

The Tiger Botia Loach (Syncrossus hymenophysa) is also commonly called the Green Tiger Loach, Banded Loach, Green Tiger Botia, Tiger Botia or Zebra Loach and is highly prized by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts for their beauty, rarity, and scavenging ability.

The Tiger Botia Loach is found in the Musi River basin, South Sumatra province, Sumatra, Indonesia, the Malaysian state of Sarawak, and the Indonesian province West Kalimantan, on Borneo. It has also been reported in the Pahang and Perak river system in Malaysia and in Java.

It has an elongated body with a conical pointed head.  Its mouth faces downward and like other Botias has three pairs of barbels protruding from its mouth area.  It has a forked erectile spine below its eye that is about as long as the diameter of the eye. The upper part of its body is brownish or yellowish brown, and the underparts are pale yellow. Its grayish yellow or gray-green flank is marked with 11 or more dark brown to black transverse bars (stripes), which are positioned slightly obliquely and give the fish its “Tiger” appearance. The bars are separated by narrow pale areas that do not reach the belly. Its fins are yellowish or greenish, and there are thin dark bands on its dorsal and caudal fins.

The Tiger Botia Loach grows quite large (10″ in length), is semi aggressive, but enjoys the company of others of its own size, age, and species.  It is a shoaling fish that should be kept in groups of 5 or more in a tank of at least 55 gallon capacity.

Tiger Botia Loaches are active carnivorous scavengers but they are shy and need caves, holes, bogwood roots and other places to hide, especially when sleeping.  They are active burrowers and need a sand or very fine gravel substrate in their aquarium which should be densely planted (with potted plants) and heavily aquascaped with smooth river rock and driftwood.

In their natural habitat, Tiger Loaches are found in small, upland, headwater streams to main river channels and lakes.  They are tolerant of water parameters but require soft clean water with a moderate current.  A 25-30% monthly water change should be considered routine maintenance for this species.

In addition to being natural predators of snails, Tiger Botia Loaches will voraciously eat insect larvae, small or chopped worms, frozen or freeze dried bloodworms, tubifex, brine shrimp, ghost shrimp and flake or carnivore pellets.  They are grazers and should be fed small portions several times a day.

The breeding habits of this species is still not known, and successful captive breeding have not been recorded.

Tiger Botias are usually  1-3/4″ to 2-1/2″ long when offered for sale.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-86° F, KH 8-12, pH 6.0-7.0, dH: <12 degrees.
Max Size: 10″
Color Form: Black, Green, Tan, White
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Not suitable for peaceful community tanks
Origin: Asia
Family: Cobitidae
Life Span: 7 Years
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate