Rope Fish are a very unique species of fish in the aquarium hobby. This fish has similar characteristics to eels but are instead more closely related to Bichirs. This freshwater fish has a interesting feature. It will gulp fresh air from the water’s surface using its modified swim bladder. Furthermore, Rope Fish are very curious fish with fantastic personalities, that is when you get to see them. They are nocturnal and will more than likely be more commonly seen moving at night. In the wild, they use the cover of night to hunt their prey. Although they lack great eyesight, they still manage to hunt and take down prey such as insects, amphibians and crustaceans. This guide will go over the many characteristics and needs of Rope Fish. I will discuss aquarium requirements, food & diet, compatible tank mates, and breeding habits of the Rope Fish.
Aquarium Requirements
Although Rope Fish are not “beefy” animals, they still should be kept in aquariums that are 50 gallons or larger because what they lack in width they make up for in length. Rope Fish can reach lengths larger than a foot. Furthermore, they are social animals and ideally should be kept with other Rope Fish. Similar to eels, Rope Fish are amazing escape artists so it is highly recommended to keep a good lid on the aquarium. They could find some pretty small holes to jump through.
Rope Fish love to dwell in aquariums that are heavily planted, with many nooks and crannies for it to hide in. Besides plants, branching and regular driftwood should be provided for this fish to give it varying spaces to hide. They love to move along the substrate so keep in mind that the substrate should be easy to traverse. The best would be fine gravel or sand for parts of the aquarium. Rope Fish are often found in slow moving waters in the wild, so your aquarium’s water flow should be very gentle to replicate that.
Since your Rope Fish loves to dwell in aquariums with plants, your water parameters should reflect that. They will do best in the following parameters:
Temperature between 72° and 82° Fahrenheit
pH Levels between 6.0 and 7.5
KH levels between 8 and 22
They have a fairly large range that will keep them happy. With many if not all fish, keeping stable water parameters is key to keeping your fish healthy.
Food & Diet
Rope Fish are carnivorous animals and should be fed foods rich in proteins. When they are smaller, foods such as bloodworms and tubiflex worms are great choices. Once the Rope Fish grows, foods such as worms, crickets, other insect larvae and beef heart are excellent sources of protein for the Rope Fish. Live foods are beneficial for this fish but frozen bloodworms and beef heart can be purchased at most pet stores. Remember to thoroughly thaw the food before feeding your Rope Fish.
Tank Mates
Rope Fish are very peaceful animals. However, like most fish, they are also opportunistic. With this in mind Rope Fish should not be kept with anything that can fit into their mouths. I would not recommend keeping them with fish such as Cory Cats, Neon Tetras and anything with that similar size. They will do great with fish such as:
Denizon Barbs
Angelfish
Severums
Blood Parrots
Rainbowfish
These fish are larger in size so they will not be mistaken for food by the Rope Fish. They also are fairly peaceful for fish their size. I would not recommend keeping Rope Fish with larger and more aggressive fish like Red Devil Cichlids, Jack Dempsey Cichlids, and many others. Lookup different fish species here to find out what could potentially be compatible with Rope Fish.
Breeding
I personally do not have experience breeding Rope Fish in a home aquarium. I also know that doing so is incredibly hard. Just like many other fish, first you will need a male and female for breeding. Your aquarium should mimic the Rope Fish’s natural habitat as well as possible. Once that is setup and ready to go, slowly increase the temperature of your water to re-create the breeding season for this fish. Once waters are warmed, you may get lucky and see the Rope Fish breed. If you see any eggs laid around the aquarium, I would suggest removing them from the parent’s aquarium and putting them in their own to hatch.
Final Notes
Rope Fish are incredibly unique looking animals. They’re very gentle, peaceful, and charismatic fish that could be fantastic additions to a niche aquarium. Provide them with proper care and you may have an aquatic friend that can live 15+ years!
Keeping live plants can be a new and interesting challenge for aquarists with any type of experience. For some, live plants are incredibly challenging to keep alive, while others with a green thumb, can keep them all thriving. There are plants available on the market for any experience level. If you have tried and given up on keeping live plants, consider trying again. This article will dive in and discuss some of the benefits of keeping aquatic plants in your aquarium.
Before we continue, let’s give a quick rundown of live plants in an aquarium. There are many different plant species to choose from in this hobby. Most, if not all will aid in keeping your aquarium healthy and beautiful. Not all plants are the same, some are incredibly easy to grow, while others need a little more knowledge. If you are new to plant keeping, check out this guide that will discuss plant species that are more beginner friendly. If you would like to dip your toes into more “expert” plants check out this article that lists a few plants that can be a challenge. Keeping live plants is exciting whether you are new or a veteran in this continuously evolving hobby.
1. Live Plants & Fish Health
Overall, growing live plants in an aquarium will help keep your fish healthier. Plants kept in an aquarium are a nice little food source for your fish, snails, shrimp and more. Also, in the wild, many fish take refuge within incredible masses of live plants. If something startles your fish they will more than likely dart to the nearest patch of wisteria or crypts that are growing in your fish tank.
The other benefit of keeping plants is that they take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the water throughout the day. For beginners, providing water movement (usually through filtration) is still a must because plants “breathe” at night. They will take in oxygen at night and release carbon dioxide. Usually, plants produce enough oxygen throughout the day to sustain the animals in the aquarium at night. If the aquarium is not well planted there is a possibility of suffocating your fish without additional water movement.
2. Keeping Your Water Parameters in Check
A well planted aquarium will most definitely help keep your aquarium’s water parameters in line. Fish food, fish poop and decaying plant matter will create nitrates and ammonia in your fish tank. Plants will help remove ammonia and nitrates from the water by absorbing them. Keep in mind, plants cannot do everything, regarding cleaning. It is still completely up to you as an aquarium keeper to guarantee water parameters are in check. Keeping live plants should not give the green light to ease up on aquarium husbandry or to carelessly overfeed the aquarium.
Because of their fantastic ability to absorb ammonia, nitrites and nitrates out of the water, plants are sometimes used to help speed up the nitrogen cycle. Remember, this hobby is all about patience and normally the nitrogen cycle will take about 4 – 6 weeks to complete. However, your live plants may shave off a little off that time.
3. Aesthetically Pleasing
Plastic plants are a nice and easy way to begin your fish keeping journey. A time will most likely come where plastic plants just aren’t enough. You’ll find yourself researching different plant species for an aquarium. This step is always fun and might be intimidating for newer aquarists. It is a great leap into aquarium keeping because although plastic plants are nice looking and easy to care for, nothing compares to live plants.
Keeping living plants in an aquarium will help your create a more natural look in your fish tank. There are only a few things that look nicer than a gorgeous mosaic of driftwood and plants in a aquarium.
Final Notes
There are probably plenty more benefits that live plants give in an aquarium setting. I am covering some of the biggest benefits of keeping them around. If you’re new to fishkeeping check out some easy to grow plants that do not require much fertilization and CO2 supplementation. If you’re an expert at aquarium keeping, you may have already known all of this information. Regardless, it is great review.
Planted aquariums are some of the most beautiful fish tank types in the fishkeeping hobby. Many look like a work of art if setup correctly. There are many different plant species to choose from to populate the aquarium. However, not all plants in an aquarium are the same. Each one has specific needs in order to keep it happy and healthy. This guide will discuss 4 of the more difficult plants that are kept in a planted aquarium.
Dwarf Baby Tears
Dwarf Baby Tears are gorgeous foreground plants that carpet your aquarium’s substrate. They’re a fantastic way to make your planted fish tank full and vibrant with green color. It is also an excellent plant to use for spawning fish because the fish can hide their eggs within the leaves. However, they are a little more difficult to keep alive than other plants such as, Dwarf Hair Grass or Micro Sword. There are a few reasons that Dwarf Baby Tears are difficult to keep successfully in an aquarium.
Lighting
The first and probably most important factor that makes these plants hard to keep alive is lighting. These plants require a higher amount of lighting than many others. Light intensity quickly diminishes in an aquarium the further it has to travel. The amount of light that reaches the bottom of your aquarium is a fraction of what is available at the surface.
Water Parameters
Plants need to have proper water parameters to keep them alive. Most are pretty versatile and will do well in a range of water parameters. Dwarf Baby Tears do well in:
Water Temperatures between 68 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit
KH levels between 0 and 10
pH levels between 5.0 and 7.5
Most plants will suffer in water that is to alkaline or water that is too hard. Keeping your KH and pH levels down is really important. Certain substrates and driftwood are used to help lower those levels.
Supplements
Plants like Dwarf Baby Tears will most likely require added supplementation of nutrients. Plants require macronutrients such as: Nitrogen, Phosphorus and potassium to grow. They also require micronutrients like iron, copper and more. Creating a balance of nutrient levels and lighting are very important at keeping this plant alive. Supplements can be acquired usually in liquid or tablet form at many fish store and on online pet stores.
CO2 Supplementation
Dwarf Baby Tears will require CO2 supplementation to help them grow properly. CO2 can be acquired in liquid form or through direct injection (pressurized CO2). Liquid CO2 will become more expensive with larger aquariums and is not always consistent. Direct injection has a larger setup cost but will become cheaper overtime. It is also much better for larger aquariums. Be careful with CO2 because too much can have negative effects on any wildlife residing in the aquarium. It can suffocate the inhabitants of your fish tank!
Glossostigma Plant
The Glossostigma plant is also a very beautiful plant used in the aquarium hobby in foregrounds. Similar to Dwarf Baby Tears, the Glossostigma Plant carpets substrate under proper conditions. The bright green coloring of this plant will make any aquarium pop! Furthermore, this plant is excellent for shrimp tanks and fish tanks where fish breed and lay eggs.
Lighting
Full spectrum lighting is important for this aquatic plant. It should receive high intensity lighting ranging from 5000K – 7000K. Like the Dwarf Baby Tears, Glossostigma need high lights because of how deep they are in the aquarium. The only time where they may do well under moderate lighting is if your aquarium is very shallow. Regardless, that is not always guaranteed.
Water Parameters
Stable water parameters are important for fish but they are also important for plants. Constantly swinging parameters brings unnecessary stress. Glossostigma does well under the following water parameters:
Water temperatures between 72 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit
KH levels between 3 and 8
pH levels between 6.0 and 7.5
This plant has a fairly nice range of water parameters it can reside in. Sadly, incredibly alkaline water will cause this plant to suffer severely. This plant will do well with many different species of tetras and shrimp because their water parameters usually line up well.
Supplements
Just like the Dwarf Baby Tears, Glossostigma will require balance supplementation of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium. These supplements are commonly found in liquid form or in the form of tablets. Seachem Flourish is commonly used liquid supplement for planted aquariums.
CO2 Supplementation
CO2 supplementation is a must for the Glossostigma Plant. Liquid CO2 supplementation or direct injection (pressurized CO2) are both different ways of supplementing this plant CO2. Seachem’s Flourish Excel can be used for liquid CO2 but for larger aquariums direct injection (pressurized CO2) will be more cost effective and safer.
Madagascar Lace
Madagascar Lace is a rare-ish freshwater plant that is often sought after in the fishkeeping hobby. It has wispy or “lace” like leaves that adds a very unique style to an aquarium. This midground plant is difficult to keep because of its lighting needs, husbandry requirements and supplemental requirements. However, its unique design really makes it a special plant.
Lighting
Just like the other two plant species, the Madagascar Lace requires high lighting in the aquarium. Under great conditions it will flower regularly, so providing it with excellent lighting is a must!
Water Parameters
The Madagascar Lace has more specific water parameters compared to the Dwarf Baby Tears and Glossostigma. It will do well in the following parameters:
Water Temperatures between 72 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit
KH between 3 and 6
pH levels between 6.0 and 7.0
Being a more delicate plant, it is very important to keep water parameters within these ranges and also keeping them stable. Straying away from good water parameters may cause the leaves and bulbs of this plant to melt or deteriorate.
Supplements
Besides regular supplementation, the Madagascar Lace should receive extra supplements of iron. Extra iron is needed to help keep the structure of its leaves. Seachem’s Flourish Iron is commonly used to provide extra iron into the water table for this plant. Other supplements such as Seachem’s Flourish or root tabs should benefit the Madagascar Lace.
CO2 Supplementation
The Madagascar Lace does not require as much CO2 supplementation as the Dwarf Baby Tears & Glossostigma. However, always consider providing CO2 supplementation because every plant can benefit from it. You can supplement the aquarium with Seachem’s Flourish Excel or pressurized CO2. As always, be mindful how much you dose because too much carbon dioxide can suffocate the inhabitants of your aquarium.
Ludwigia Peruensis
Ludwigia Peruensis as a whole is not incredibly hard to keep alive, however it may be a little more challenging to get those vibrant red and green colors. This midground plant is an excellent broadleaved addition to make any aquarium vibrant. This plant is amphibious, which means it will grow fully submersed or partially. I will discuss ways to keep this plant happy and glowing.
Lighting
Probably the biggest deciding factor whether this plant will glow vibrantly is the amount of light it receives. If you want this plant to be more colorful, you will need to provide it with more lighting. Moderate light will help give it some color, but realistically giving it high light is ideal. Ludwigia Peruensis does not do very well under low light conditions.
Water Parameters
Ludwigia Peruensis is quite a versatile plant and does well under a sizeable range of water parameters. To keep this plant growing well it is recommended to keep between the following parameters:
Water temperatures between 72 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit
KH between 3 and 8
pH levels between 6.5 and 7.5
Just like the other plants in this list, keeping Ludwigia Peruensis in hard and alkaline water will most likely cause this plant to whither away and die. There are other plants that are more hardy such as java fern or annubias that may tolerate more intense water parameters but it’s never guaranteed.
Supplements
This species of plant should be given general supplements that contain Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Postassium. Ludwigia Peruensis should also be given a supplement that is rich in iron, such as Seachems’s Flourish Iron. Both of these supplements will aid your plant in showing off those gorgeous and vibrant colors.
CO2 Supplementation
CO2 is not mandatory to keep this plant thriving. However, in order to achieve optimal growth Carbon Dioxide supplementation will be a must. As stated above, liquid supplementation may be adequate but pressurized supplementation is ideal for larger planted aquariums.
Final Notes
There are many different and unique aquatic plants that can be kept in a freshwater aquarium. Some are more tolerable and versatile but in this hobby I know we love to challenge ourselves and try caring for more difficult plant species. That is why I put together this guide, to showcase some of the plants that may be a little more challenging to keep. If these are a little too challenging for you, consider looking at my beginner plant guide.
The Black Ghost Knife fish is a very unique but incredibly interesting fish found in the hobby. Although it is a carnivorous animal, this gorgeous fish is more on the shy side, especially when first introduced into an aquarium. Once acclimated to the fish tank, it can become more active but that is subjective because this fish is nocturnal and is more active at night.
Black Ghost Knives do not really have significant teeth, if any at all, but instead have a beak. They use this beak to grab prey and consume it. This tropical fish is not recommended to be kept by amateur fish keepers because of a few traits they possess.
One very unique trait of the Black Ghost Knife is the way it commonly finds food. It has an organ that is electrically charged. Kind of like a sonar and it uses that to find food in the wild or in a fish tank. Also, they do not have scales and are more prone to becoming infected with disease and illnesses. Under ideal conditions this fish can grow to sizes well over a foot in length (approximately 18 inches). These are a few reasons this fish is not recommended for anyone just starting with fishkeeping. This guide will go into detail on keeping Black Ghost Knife fish.
Aquarium Requirements
Because of its size once it reaches adulthood, the Black Ghost Knife should be kept in an aquarium that is at least 150 gallons. Length in an aquarium is important but really consider the width as well, especially for this fish. It is long and skinny so providing it with a wide aquarium is ideal!
As stated above, this animal is carnivorous. Its diet will consist of protein rich food. As a result, keeping this fish will require a good filtration system to help maintain proper water parameter levels. Luckily, it should not really bother plants in an aquarium and the plants can help a little with maintenance! Regardless, keeping up with water changes will help keep this fish healthy. It does best in water parameters with the following ranges:
Water Temperature: 73 – 82 degrees Fahrenheit
KH 0 – 10
pH 6.5 – 7.0
The Black Ghost Knife fish is a pretty shy fish. It will hide in nooks and crannies within the aquarium for most of the day. I really recommend providing it with many different types of places to hide. Also, providing a lot of shade with plants will keep this fish happy because it prefers lower light. It will most definitely try to hide under driftwood, rocks or even wedge itself in-between plants. Fishkeepers can place an appropriately sized, clear plastic tube into the aquarium to view this fish during the day when it is hiding. Beware of sharp or jagged decorations. This fish is more prone to getting infections from scratches because it lacks scales!
Food & Diet
Being carnivores, you can easily assume the types of food this fish can eat. Foods such as bloodworms, brine shrimp, and flake food should work well for the Black Ghost Knife when it is small. Once it grows, foods such as squid, krill and earthworms are fantastic to feed this animal. Be mindful of the invertebrates you add into your aquarium with this fish around because they may become a snack!
It is not recommended to keep incredibly small fish with Black Ghost Knife fish. Little fish may become a quick meal for this carnivore. On the other hand, overly aggressive fish and fish that nip and bite shouldn’t be kept with Black Ghost Knife fish. This species of Knife fish do best with peaceful fish that are larger than it. Black Ghost Knife fish are compatible with fish such as:
Peaceful Cichlids (Angelfish, Discus, Geophagus)
Cory Cats
Plecos
Clown Loaches
Remember, if it can fit into the Ghost Knife’s mouth it can most certainly become dinner.
I do not recommend keeping two Knife fish together. Whether that’s the Black Ghost Knife or other species. Mostly due to their large size when they’re full grown but they may also become aggressive towards one another. If you’re considering adding two into your fish tank, really make sure the aquarium is large enough.
Breeding
I will not dive into how to breed Black Ghost Knife fish because it is incredibly challenging. The hardest part of breeding is acquiring a mature mated pair. Also, if you’re interested in breeding this fish, know you’ll most likely need a large pond or a very large fish tank.
Final Notes
The Black Ghost Knife is a gorgeous fish and hopefully its unique requirements do not scare you away from keeping it. It is definitely a commitment and your aquarium’s design should revolve around it but its appearance and personality are definitely worth the challenge! If you have personal experiences with this fish or have your own advice, please share it in the comments below!
Crested geckos are a great introductory reptile for first time hobbyists. For reptile standards they are quite low maintenance and easy to care for. They are inexpensive for a reptile and also incredibly docile. They can be handled by their keeper but it’s not recommended until a month or two after introduction.
A Crested Gecko can grow to a size between 7 to 9 inches as adults. They have a good chance of losing their tail in captivity but it is completely normal. The tail will not grow back and stay a small nub. The Crested Gecko can live anywhere between 15 to 20 years in captivity if conditions and health are optimal!
Vivarium Requirements
A single Crested Gecko or a pair of adults (1 male, 1 female) can be housed in a 20 gallon tank (18x18x18) but, larger habitats are always preferred. A Crested Gecko will prefer height over length for their enclosure. Its habitat should have a combination of vines, cork bark and standing driftwood to give it something to climb on!
Fake and live plants are excellent to add into a Crested Gecko vivarium. Plants such as:
Pothos
Mother Fern
Nerve Plant
Shingle Plant
Mosses
Are fantastic plants that bring a new life into a vivarium. Be certain that plants chosen are safe for Crested Geckos before purchasing. Also, plants purchased from stores like Walmart or Home Depot need thorough rinsing to remove any pesticides that may be present. Lastly, coco fiber substrate is great for your gecko.
Keep your Crested Gecko in temperatures ranging between 74 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit. They do not require special lighting for their enclosure but keep in mind your live plants will. Use a digital thermometer and hygrometer to ensure the temperature and humidity levels are at the proper levels. Temperatures should be between 74 & 78 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity between 60 and 70%. Mist the vivarium to maintain the proper humidity.
Lastly, a clean water dish should be provided in the vivarium so your gecko always has a source of water. Dehydration is a big problem for geckos especially when they are shedding their skin.
Diet
Crested Geckos eat a mixture of fruit and insects in the wild. Zoo Med Crested Gecko Food will provide a well rounded diet for your gecko. Feed juvenile Crested Geckos everyday and adults three times a week. Crickets & waxworms are excellent treats for your gecko and should be given once a week!
Tank Mates
A vivarium is normally setup to only house Crested Geckos. They do not fair well with other animals because of habitat requirements or territorial disputes. A single Crested Gecko will do fine in a vivarium. A pair of adults should do well in an appropriately sized enclosure. Do not keep more than one male in the same enclosure because they will fight for territory and dominance. Young Crested Geckos will show aggression towards each other so do not keep them in an enclosure together.
Breeding
A pair of Crested Geckos have the possibility of breeding in an vivarium. Crested Geckos normally breed between March & September. Each offspring will need to be kept in its own enclosure. Breeders will sometimes use 6 quart plastic bins from Walmart or Target and modify them with small screens and holes for ventilation.
The offspring’s enclosure should be easily cleaned and easy to break down. Use paper towels and old toilet paper rolls and clean out the enclosure weekly. Feed offspring daily and mist their small enclosure to maintain proper humidity levels. Place the offspring into their own 10+ gallon vivarium once they reach 10 grams in weight.
Give time for the female to rest between breeding seasons by removing the male from the enclosure. This will give the female the opportunity to relax and regain some weight for the next breeding season.
Final Notes
Crested Geckos are one of the easiest and hardiest reptiles to keep in the hobby. They mostly care for themselves but with consistency & practice handling this reptile is a possibility. Lastly, really consider getting a Crested Gecko if you are looking into acquiring a reptile!
Pufferfish are an incredibly unique fish and sometimes called the puppies of the aquatic world. They interact with their keepers and also have unique and curious personalities. The Figure 8 Puffer is a species of puffer that spends its time in brackish waters. Because of the brackish water requirements it is a little tougher to keep happy in captivity. It will most likely feel stressed and may not show its true nature when living in constant freshwater. Figure 8 Puffers are aggressive fish that sometimes even shows aggression to its own species. It will grow to be about 3 inches in length so it is a good size for many fish keepers. Just like all other puffers the Figure 8 has a poison that is dangerous to people when eaten. This article will go over the requirements needed to keep a Figure 8 Pufferfish.
Aquarium Requirements
Due to its size, the Figure 8 Pufferfish should be kept in aquariums that are 30 gallons or larger. Two puffers should do well together in a 30 gallon tank if it is filled with plants and other decorations. This will provide them with a natural environment and to give them places to hide in times of stress. Add an extra 15 gallons of water for each additional pufferfish in the aquarium. Aquariums prepared for Figure 8 Puffers usually start off as freshwater. They are then cycled and decorated with compatible plants (Java Fern, Anubias, Pondweed and Crypts). Lastly, slowly convert the aquarium into brackish water. Use marine salt such as Red Sea Salt Mix and a refractometer to test the salinity level of the brackish aquarium. The Figure 8 Puffer will do best in the following water parameters:
Temperature 75 – 82 degrees Fahrenheit
KH 8 – 15
pH 7.0 – 8.0
Salinity between 1.005 and 1.010 sg.
These water conditions will help provide a natural environment and assist in keeping your puffer healthy.
Food & Diet
Figure 8 Pufferfish are carnivorous animals so they require a very meaty diet. Mysis, brine shrimp, and mollusks will be perfect for them when they are small but will enjoy the addition of krill into their diet. Occasionally earthworms can be fed to your Figure 8 for some variety in diet.
Just like most pufferfish, Figure 8’s teeth grow and continue growing. They require food that will grind their teeth down. Foods with hard shells will be a necessity for your Figure 8. Snails can be purchased and sacrificed to puffers. Some hobbyists go into fish stores and ask to collect the store’s supply of nuisance snails off the glass. Clams on the half shell are great foods given to help grind down the teeth of Figure 8 Pufferfish. Some aquarists suggest scraping off most of the meat from the clam and giving the puffer 10 or 15 minutes to scrape and play with the shell and after the time elapses, feed the meaty remains.
Tank Mates
Due to their aggressive nature and water parameter requirements, Figure 8 Puffer do not do well with many other fish. Under good circumstances, Figure 8 puffers can be kept with more Figure 8s. The aquarium size, amount of decor, and personality of the specific puffer in the aquarium will determine that. Pufferfish are housed with:
Mollies
Bumblebee Gobies
Knight Gobies
On the other hand, Figure 8 Puffers should not be kept with invertebrates or slow moving fish that are intolerant to brackish water. Invertebrates will become lunch and the puffer may pick on fish. They will also succumb to the incompatible brackish waters. Add Nerite Snails into the aquarium as algae eaters only because they tolerate saline water. Unfortunately, they inevitably become lunch.
Breeding
There isn’t too much information on how to breed Figure 8 Puffers. It is mostly by sheer luck that a pair will successfully breed. When breeding occurs, the female will lay her eggs on a flat surface, such as substrate, and the male will fertilize the eggs. Once fertilized the male will guard the eggs until they hatch and become water born. The fry will need to be fed baby brine shrimp and potentially high protein flakes & pellet food that can be crushed into really small pieces.
Final Notes
Figure 8 Puffers are mostly kept in a single species aquarium and still enjoyed! Devoting a whole aquarium to one species may be a turn off for some, but for others its a very rewarding experience. They are very interesting animals and really consider keeping them as pets!
The Blue Spot Jawfish is an incredibly gorgeous fish with a yellow/orange/black body with vibrant blue spots seen throughout. This amazing fish spends most of its time digging burrows and perfecting its home. Growing to be about 3.5 inches in lengh, the Blue Spot Jawfish requires a deep sand bed to keep it comfortable. Also, having a lot of sifting space will help keep this fish satisfied. It can be aggressive towards other jawfish but it normally does not bother other inhabitants in the aquarium. It is a little tougher to keep because it known to jump out of the aquarium and making sure it is being fed isn’t always easy. Many fish keepers are weary about keeping this fish because of the difficulty in keeping it alive.
Aquarium Requirements
The Blue Spot Jawfish doesn’t fare well in anything smaller than a 30 gallon fish tank because of its length when fully grown. It will require a deep sand bed of at least 3 inches but more is preferred. A tightly sealed lid is a must because this species of fish will jump out of your aquarium. The water parameter requirements for the Blue Spot Jawfish are similar to many other marine fish:
Water Temperature 72 – 78 degrees Fahrenheit
pH 8.0 – 8.4
KH 8 – 12
Salinity 1.020 and 1.025 sg.
These water parameters will help keep your fish happy and healthy. The most important thing with water parameters is stability. Swinging water parameters can be detrimental to a fish.
Food & Diet
The Blue Spot Jawfish is a carnivorous fish and its diet should reflect that. Blue Spot Jawfish eat mysis shrimp, brine shrimp and pellet food. We encourage to feed the fish multiple times a day. Blue Spot Jawfish will also sift through sand and consume copeopods that are within the sand.
After introducing a jawfish into the aquarium, I normally siphon food into a coral feeder. Then, place the feeder close to the Blue Spot’s burrow and release food. This guarantees a successful feeding and makes sure the Blue Spot Jawfish is not getting outcompeted for food. After doing this for a week or so and seeing the jawfish successfully eat, I normally stop feeding it with a coral feeder and let it collect food on its own. I normally use mysis shrimp and/or pellet food when feeding.
Tank Mates
The Blue Spot Jawfish is a pretty stand up citizen in the aquarium. This fish is completely reef safe and it will also not normally bother other fish in the aquarium and will do great with fish such as:
Clownfish
Dottybacks
Dwarf Angelfish
Wrasses
Anthias
But it fares well with many other fish. The problems arise when more jawfish or gobies are introduced into the aquarium. This species of jawfish does not like having other jawfish or gobies in its domain. In incredibly large fish tanks they should be able to figure out territories. Regardless, keeping two or more jawfish or a jawfish with a goby is not recommended. The only exception is a mated pair of Blue Spots.
Breeding
Keeping this fish happy and alive is challenging but breeding is even more challenging. There isn’t much information floating around about how to breed this fish but the most challenging part is definitely finding a mated pair.
Final Notes
Although this fish is probably one of the most beautiful ones on the market, the challenge of keeping it alive sometimes outweighs the desire of keeping it in the home aquarium. Take all the pre-cautions before adding this fish into the aquarium. The color patterns and personality are phenomenal and it’s an excellent addition to any saltwater fish tank.
Fiddler Crabs are some of the more common crab species kept in captivity. The males have an incredibly large claw that they use for calling out to females and also for sparring. The female does not have a claw this large but instead has two really small ones. Under the proper conditions, the Fiddler Crab is a pretty hardy invertebrate.
This beautiful invertebrate will grow to be roughly 2 inches in length when it is full size. This crab and many others are interesting to watch when they are searching for food in their habitat. The Fiddler Crab is not too picky when looking for a meal but we will go over that more later in this article.
Aquarium Requirements
Keeping Fiddler Crabs alive and thriving is not incredibly hard. They do not get incredibly large but enjoy living in groups. They should not be kept in anything smaller than a 10-gallon aquarium and it is not recommended to keep more than one male in an enclosure due to the high possibility of aggression between males. In the wild, they spend most of their time in inter-tidal flats or lagoons. Because of this, it is important to provide a land area for the crab because they are not fully aquatic crustaceans.
Mimicking an ocean beach habitat is ideal for this crab. It normally lives in brackish water so providing a little bit of marine salt in its enclosure is ideal. Use a refractometer, like this one from Amazon to check the salinity levels in the water. To maximize the health of your crabs keep a filter, pump, or something similar to move the water around. Also, using aragonite sand to help keep increased pH levels is recommended. The crab will also use this substrate as a calcium supplement!
The Fiddler Crab requires the following water parameters:
Water Temperatures 74°-84° degrees Fahrenheit
KH between 12 and 30
pH: 8.0 & 8.2
Salinity levels between 1.005 and 1.012 sg.
The enclosure should also be full of rocks and other decor to provide places for this crab to climb and hide. Be sure to leave enough space to allow your Fiddler Crab to burrow. Crabs are notorious escape artists so a tight-fit lid is a must-have. The sealed aquarium will also help to keep humidity levels higher.
Food & Diet
Fiddler Crabs are omnivores and are not picky eaters. They will happily eat algae that grow in the aquarium’s waters but will also eat pellets, flakes, bloodworms, and small shrimp! It is important to provide them with a well-rounded diet. I feed mine all sorts of food. I will treat them to small pieces of carrots, apples, lettuce, pellet food, and flake food.
Tank Mates
Finding tank mates for Fiddler Crabs is hard because they enjoy being in brackish water and the design of the enclosure does not usually provide enough water for fish. If your setup has enough water, fish such as platys, mollies, swordtails, and guppies are good choices. They enjoy living in brackish water, unlike many other species. Be mindful that Fiddler Crabs will occasionally try to take a snag at the fish so the fish may become lunch for the crab. Nerite snails should be a fine addition to a brackish water enclosure as well.
Other than that, as stated above, unless the enclosure is incredibly large only one male should be kept with an assortment of females. The males have a higher chance of fighting and possibly injuring/killing each other while sparring for females.
Breeding
Breeding Fidler Crabs is incredibly difficult. They require a deep sand bed so the female can burrow into it. Once mated, the female will stay in the burrow for roughly two weeks with her batch of eggs. Once that is completed she will expel the eggs into the water but it can only be successful if the water is marine water. This will require a higher salinity level. If this is possible the baby crabs need to be fed rotifers and live baby brine shrimp until they are large enough to eat different types of food. I have had a female successfully hold eggs, but nothing ever comes of it because I cannot replicate the requirements needed to get them to hatch.
Final Notes
Fiddler Crabs are an interesting and unique animal that can be kept at home, provided the enclosure is right for them They have beautiful colorations and a very cool shape to them. They’re fairly active and a joy to observe. Unfortunately, they require a very niche habitat that is not suitable for many other animals but if you can provide the correct setup for them, they will be wonderful pets. If you love crabs, but Fiddler Crabs are not for you, check out 9 Unique Terrestrial, Semi-Terrestrial, Brackish & Freshwater Crabs to learn about other types of crabs available!
Banggai Cardinals also known as the Kaudern’s Cardinalfish are fairly common saltwater fish with a very unique body shape and color pattern. These hardy fish are usually some of the first fish purchased for a saltwater aquarium because they are fairly inexpensive and not too finicky. They will grow to be around 3 inches in length when they are fully grown but should be kept alone or in pairs when keeping them in smaller aquariums. This guide will go into detail about the needs of this fish.
Aquarium Requirements
Kaudern’s Cardinalfish do not require an incredible amount of space and a pair (male/female) will do well in saltwater fish tanks that are 30 gallons or larger. They may become aggressive if two males are kept together. It is possible to keep them in small groups when the aquarium is 100 gallons or larger but be mindful of potential aggression. The Banggai Cardinal has similar water parameter requirements to most other saltwater fish which are:
Temperatures (72-78 degrees Fahrenheit)
dKH levels between 8 and 12
salinity levels between 1.020 and 1.025 sg
pH levels between 8.1 and 8.4
Just like most other fish in an aquarium, the Kaudern’s Cardinal prefers having quite a bit of live rock with holes and caves of varying size. This will give the fish spots to hide when it stressed and also a place to go when the lights are off. More hiding spaces will help settle some territorial disputes as well.
Food & Diet
The Banggai Cardinalfish is a carnivore so providing meaty food such as mysis shrimp is a must. There are many other feeding options such as, spirulina brine shrimp, pellet food and flake food. This fish may be a little picky when it comes to feeding on pellets and flakes so pay close attention to what the Banggai Cardinal eats.
Tank Mates
Banggai Cardinals are fairly peaceful and will primarily fight over territories with others of its species or similarly shaped fish like pajama cardinals. They are slow moving fish so sharing a tank with other peaceful fish is the best route to successfully keep this fish. They normally do well with:
Clownfish
Dwarf Angels
Anthias
Basslets
Blennies
Gobies
Tangs
The Kaudern’s Cardinalfish is completely reef safe. It should not bother any coral or invertebrate in the aquarium. Also, like stated earlier, they will do well as a male and female pair in smaller fish tanks but should be fine in small groups when fish tanks become 100 gallons or larger.
Breeding
Banggai Cardinalfish are fairly easy to breed but some work must be done in order to keep the fry alive. To begin, a pair must be found in order to breed successfully. It is hard to find the sex of males and females because they look very similar. When hunting for a pair of cardinals, observe their behavior in the fish tank. In a group, the dominant male will push away any competition and spend a lot of time with one other fish, the female. Keep an eye out for that when looking for a pair.
Once paired, keeping the male and female happy and fed will increase your chances of acquiring babies. Providing an urchin in the aquarium is not mandatory but it is beneficial to giving them the feeling of being in the wild.
The male will hold the babies in his mouth so making sure the male is well fed before holding the brood in his mouth is very important. The male will not eat as it is holding the offspring. The female will be the primary defense for the male when he is in this vulnerable state.
Once the fry leave the male they may spend their time in-between an urchin’s spines. They will most likely perish if there are other fish in the aquarium. Also, it is very important to have live baby brine shrimp ready to feed the offspring once they leave the males mouth. It is important to feed the babies multiple times a day.
Final Notes
Banggai Cardinalfish are very interesting and easy to care for fish. They may not be for everyone but they’re fantastic for anyone who loves their unique shape and color pattern. It is one of the few fish in the saltwater hobby that can quite easily breed in captivity and growing a brood to adulthood is always exciting!
The Coral Banded Shrimp sometimes called the boxing shrimp is a popular crustacean that is kept in saltwater aquariums due to their very interesting body shape and remarkable color patterns. This shrimp is commonly found with red, yellow and white colorations but there are other species that come in different variations of colors such as blue, yellow and gold.
The male is normally smaller than a female at adulthood. When fully grown, The Coral Banded Shrimp will grow to be roughly 3 inches in length excluding its antennae. A few other species coral banded are a hair smaller and are roughly 2 inches in length when full sized. Coral Banded Shrimp can live about 2 to 3 years which allows for plenty of enjoyment for aquarium keepers!
As far as crustaceans go, this shrimp is quite hardy but beware because, like any other invertebrate, it is very sensitive to high nitrate levels and copper.
Aquarium Requirements
A Coral Banded Shrimp should be kept in aquariums that are 30 gallons or larger. For a shrimp, they become quite large and require a bit more space for their unique bodies and antennae. Also, provide many different sized caves this shrimp can enter to keep the Coral Banded Shrimp comfortable.
Just like many other marine fish and crustaceans the Coral Banded Shrimp does best with the following water parameters:
Temperature: 72 – 78 degrees Fahrenheit
dKH between 8 and 12
pH between 8.1 and 8.4
Salinity between 1.023 and 1.025 sg.
Providing these water parameters should help keep your shrimp quite happy. A well fed shrimp and one that is living in proper aquarium water parameters will help its molt and growth.
Food & Diet
The Coral Banded Shrimp is both a scavenger as well as a hunter. This invertebrate is a carnivore and found searching the fish tank for food. It will hunt for tiny bristleworms, copeopods, parasites & dead tissue on fish. They do a great job as exterminators, removing pesky bristleworms so they do not overrun the fish tank.
In the home aquarium, this shrimp will happily accept any food that may come its way. It will eat flake food, pellets and meaty food. It is not a picky eater at all but more of an opportunist.
Tank Mates
These shrimp do quite well with most peaceful saltwater fish. Do not keep Coral Banded Shrimp with invertebrate eating animals and a few other types of creatures such as:
Groupers
Pufferfish
Lionfish
Eels
Triggers
Slow moving fish (mandarins, clown gobies)
Non Reef Safe Wrasses
Other Shrimp
Coral Banded Shrimp are considered to be reef safe but can sometimes nip at coral. Normally if they are fed they shouldn’t bother picking at coral but there is always a slim chance they will. They should also be kept singularly unless a definite pair can be found.
Breeding
Breeding this shrimp is usually quite unsuccessful in an aquarium setting. To increase the possibility of successful breeding, a pair must be found first. Even then it is incredibly difficult or almost impossible to successfully breed them in captivity. Their larvae must be suspended in the water with their food which is hard due to pumps and water circulation propellers.
Final Notes
Coral Banded Shrimp are a interesting creature that can be kept in a home aquarium. They sometimes get a bad reputation for eating fish, shrimp or nipping at coral but regardless should be considered for a reef or peaceful fish tank.
Predatory fish tanks are both fun and rewarding without the hassle of attempting to keep coral alive. Most saltwater fish have vibrant colors with remarkable personalities that will keep you entertained for years! This guide will showcase 5 unique and interesting saltwater fish that may do well in a predatory aquarium.
1. Harlequin Tuskfish
The Harlequin Tusk comes from two different bodies of water. One can be found in the Indian Ocean and the other in Australia. Regardless, it is one of the most beautifully colored fish available to purchase in this hobby. The Australian’s coloration is just a tad more vibrant and pronounced.
This fish will become around 10″ when it is fully sized. It requires an aquarium that is 125 gallons or larger. Provide a lot of rock so it has places to hide and to allow it to set up its territory. It has very similar water parameter needs to most other saltwater fish which are:
Water Temperature between 72 – 78 degrees Fahrenheit
dKH levels between 8 and 12
pH levels between 8.1 and 8.4
salinity levels between 1.020 and 1.025 sg
When first introduced into a fish tank, the Harlequin Tusk may be very shy and hide in rock work. Once it becomes acclimated into the aquarium it will begin to show their true character. Harlequin Tusks are wonderful fish to have in a FOWLR (Fish only with live rock) aquariums with similarly sized fish. They do very well with Large angelfish, tangs, foxfaces, small triggers and larger wrasses. Only one Harlequin Tusk should be kept in an aquarium!
The Harlequin Tusk will not bother coral but invertebrates such as shrimp, snails, crabs, and many others will become lunch. Small fish may also become lunch for this fish due to its carnivorous tastes. Check out the Harlequin Tusk Complete Care Guide for more information on this fish!
2. Porcupine Pufferfish
Have you ever seen a fish with colored eyes? If you haven’t, check out the Porcupine Puffer! This fish is unique because it doesn’t have pelvic fins so its body shape is much different from other fish. It also takes on the characteristics of a curious toddler and playful puppy. The highly curious, intelligent and gorgeous Porcupine Pufferfish is a fantastic predator fish to keep in a FOWLR aquarium.
When it is fully grown it will be roughly one foot in length. It should be housed in a 180 gallon aquarium when it becomes this size with a well running protein skimmer. Its water parameters are nearly identical to the Harlequin Tusk.
Water Temperature between 72 – 78 degrees Fahrenheit
dKH levels between 8 and 12
pH levels between 8.1 and 8.4
salinity levels between 1.020 and 1.025 sg
The Porcupine Puffer does well with many other predators in an aquarium. Similar to the Harlequin Tusk, the Porcupine Pufferfish will do well with large tangs, foxface, large angelfish, triggers, large wrasses and eels! They may nip on tank mates, so be prepared to see round holes in other fish’s fins. I personally would not recommend a pufferfish in a reef tank because crustaceans like shrimp, crabs, clams and snails are their natural prey and they will spend their time foraging for them. The Porcupine Puffers beak constantly grows so they may nip on coral and live rock to try to grind down their beaks.
Food such as snails, crabs, shrimp and clams will help help grind down this fish’s teeth. It will also happily feed on krill, mysis shrimp, and possibly silversides. For more information, check out the Porcupine Puffer Complete Care Guide.
3. Volitan Lionfish
The Volitan Lionfish may seem like a decile and elegant fish but they are incredible predators that will consume just about any fish that will fit into its mouth. Also known as the Turkeyfish, this animal has many very pronounced fins all over its body that gives it a very unique appearance. Its very powerful colorations make it a visual spectacle! First they’re very shy and hide in aquariums but once acclimated, they become more active and swim in the open.
The Volitan Lionfish grows to be over a foot in length and it will require a fish tank that is a minimum of 120 gallons in size with plenty of hiding spots to keep it happy. They have similar water parameter requirements as the Harlequin Tusk and Porcupine Pufferfish with the exception being that they prefer salinity ranging between 1.021 and 1.023.
This species of lionfish becomes incredibly large so finding tank mates that will do well with it may be a bit more challenging. Fish that are at least 75% of the lionfish’s size are recommended. The Volitan Lionfish will try to eat anything and everything that can fit into its mouth. Tangs, butterflyfish, eels, groupers and triggers are all candidates that will usually do well with a lionfish. Unfortunately, most crustaceans become food for a lionfish.
Lionfish can be fed an assortment of live and frozen foods. The goal is to feed your Lionfish frozen food and occasionally feed something live. Many hobbyists feed Volitan Lionfish silversides, frozen squid, uncooked shrimp and pre-made frozen foods found at pet stores.
A lionfish has spines that are quite venomous and are far more painful than a bee sting. The venom is not normally lethal but precaution should be taken especially if you are sensitive to stings from animals. If stung, remove any spines that have broken into your skin, and place the affected body part into hot but tolerable water. Keep your appendage in this water for roughly 30 to 45 minutes. We recommend seeing medical attention for extra precaution.
4. Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse
The Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse is not your normal predator. This one does not get insanely large like many others but it is an excellent fish for a predator aquarium. This fish does not have a big appetite, it does not swallow prey whole, but it does enjoy removing parasites off fish!
This fish reaches roughly 5.5 inches in length when full size. It also has a very active personality so should be kept in aquariums that are 90 gallons or larger to provide adequate swimming space. This wrasse’s water parameters are the same as the Porcupine Puffer and Harlequin Tusk. We encourage using a tightly sealed lid because of this fish’s jumping tendency. Unlike the rest of the fish on this list, the Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse is reef safe!
A big fish tank with large fish are great for the Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse because it can be a finicky eater at times and only consume what can be found in the fish tank. Its primary diet consists of parasites that attach to fish’s mouths, gills and scales but it can also eat meaty foods such as:
Mysis Shrimp
Brine Shrimp
Small Pellet Food
Flake Food
If your fish is being a finicky eater try feeding with garlic or garlic extract. Be sure to check out this article for information on garlic and feeding fish!
The Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse will do perfectly well with fish such as tangs, angels, groupers, foxface, eels, triggers and pufferfish! Be careful because the cleaner wrasse may fight with other wrasses and they are a hit or miss with lionfish.
5. Blue Throat Triggerfish
The Blue Throat Trigger is a gorgeous fish that finds a home in many predator tanks. It has a couple of unique features that differ from all the other fish on this list. First, the Blue Throat Trigger has different color patterns depending on whether it is male or female! The male will be a darker color with a blue throat and a female will normally be much lighter in color without the blue coloration. This fish also has the capability to grunt under water which is quite a funny thing to listen for.
The Blue Throat Trigger will grow to around 9 inches in length and requires a minimum of 125 gallons of water. The fish tank should provide quite a bit of live rock so the trigger can hide. Live rock needs to be very large or placed securely because Blue Throat Triggers move them. The water parameters of a Blue Throat Trigger are identical to the Porcupine Puffer, Harlequin Tusk and Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse.
Like many other triggers, the Blue Throat’s teeth continuously grow and it will require foods that help grind down the teeth. Snails, hard shelled shrimp, and clams are all excellent foods to give your trigger to help grind down its teeth. It can also be fed squid, krill and mysis if it is incredibly small. The Blue Throat is considered to not be 100% reef safe because it will most likely destroy a clean up crew population. Although less common, it has the potential to nip on coral and knock things over when it decides to break rocks and move things around to find prey.
This fish does well with eels, squirrelfish, lionfish, groupers, hawkfish, large angels, tangs and pufferfish. They have incredibly sharp teeth and can provide a nasty bite when threatened but overall they are a fantastic fish to have in a predator aquarium!
Final Notes
There are so many different predatory fish available on the market but these 5 have some unique features. They are all gorgeous and may be fantastic additions to an already established fish tank! If you do not know your fish tanks size but want to figure out the volume of water before adding any of these fish be sure to check out the aquarium volume calculator here!
Snowflake Eels (Echidna nebulosa) otherwise known as Starry Moray or Snowflake Moray Eel, are interesting animals kept in aquariums. They are commonly found in predatory tanks but are occasionally added into reef tanks! This guide will give insight on Snowflake Eel aquarium requirements, feeding, and other information for anyone interested in this fish.
Fish Information
Snowflake Eels are incredibly easy to care for. They are very hardy and an excellent introductory eel for new hobbyists. They are considered semi-aggressive and are nocturnal predators usually hunting and ambushing crustaceans such as shrimp and crabs. In an aquarium, it is common to see them poke their heads out of rocks during feedings. They use two sets of jaws to grab prey and drag it down into their gullet during feeding. Be cautious when keeping this fish in a reef tank because it consumes crustaceans. It may knock corals over since it stays inside and very close to live rock. The Snowflake Eel will be roughly 2 feet (60cm) in length when it is grown in captivity. It is possible for them to be larger in the wild.
Aquarium Requirements
When fully sized, the Snowflake Eel should be kept in fish tanks that are 50 gallons or larger. A well covered top is needed because this fish is known to be one of the best escape artists. Because of its size and temperament, the eel should have quite a bit of live rock with varying hole sizes. This will give it room to move around, hide when threatened, and provide similar habitat it experience in the wild.
Snowflake Eels do best in water temperatures ranging from 72 – 78 degrees Fahrenheit, dKH levels between 8 and 12, pH levels ranging between 8.1 and 8.4 and lastly salinity levels between 1.020 and 1.025 sg. As stated before, they are quite hardy and have a nice range of water parameters they can tolerate.
Food & Diet
Snowflake Eels are carnivorous animals and require a nice range of foods. There is a wide variety of food that it can eat such as:
A Snowflake Eel can also be handfed but caution must be taken because they can give a powerful bite! It is best to start handfeeding when the moray is small to minimize risk of getting bitten or at least to receive a smaller bite. It is a predator so it may mistaken your fingers for a quick snack!
Tank Mates
The Snowflake Moray Eel can be kept with fish that are larger in size and that won’t easily fit into the eel’s mouth. They should do fine with coral, snails, anemones and sea urchins, but not crustaceans such as crabs, lobsters and shrimp. Keep in mind that this species of eel will become quite large so fish that are larger than its mouth at first, may not be in the future.
Eels are commonly kept in larger aquariums with bigger and sometimes more aggressive fish. They are commonly kept with tangs, large angelfish, lionfish, foxface, groupers and large wrasses.
It is possible to keep 2 Snowflake Eels in a marine tank together. The eels should be introduced at the same time and they should also be similar in size. Snowflake Eels are cannibals and if the opportunity to eat a much smaller eel arises, it will do so! I would personally not keep 2 Snowflake Eels in a fish tank together unless it is 150 gallons or larger. They are quite territorial and larger aquariums will give them more room to create their own territory.
Breeding
Breeding Snowflake Eels has not really been conducted in captivity because of their mating rituals, inability to distinguish between male and female, and rarity in acquiring a mating pair.
Final Comments
Snowflake Eels are a fantastic fish for a saltwater aquarium. They all have very unique personalities and are quite active moving within the live rock scaping of your aquarium. Be mindful of the fact that eels are escape artists and if a well sealed lid is not provided there is a high possibility of them jumping out!
The Chili Rasbora (Boraras brigittae), sometimes called the Mosquito Rasbora, is a incredibly small fish, with vibrant colors, that enjoy schooling in large groups. Originally found in Indonesia, it has swept through the aquarium hobby and is loved by many fish keepers. Primarily red and orange in color, this little fish strikingly pops in well planted aquariums. This guide will provide information on Chili Rasbora care and breeding habits.
Fish Information
Chilli Rasbora do not get larger than .8 inches (2 cm). It is the perfect fish for aquariums that are 5 gallons or larger. A school should contain 6 individual fish or more. 6 to 10 Chili Rasbora should do well in a 5 gallon fish tank. Although the Chili Rasbora remains incredibly small, its colorful body and habit of schooling create beautiful movement and liveliness in a densely planted aquarium.
Like many other rasbora species, this one primarily spends its time in the middle and top of the aquarium. It will occasionally swim at the bottom of the fish tank.
Aquarium Requirements
The Chili Rasbora is a tropical fish that does well in a large temperature range. It can survive in water temperatures between 68 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit, but 75 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal range where it will thrive. It enjoys KH levels between 3 and 12 dKH and lastly does great in acidic water that has pH levels ranging between 4.0 and 7.0.
This species of fish suffers terribly in new aquariums so only add them into already well established fish tanks. Once introduced and settled, they are quite hardy.
Because of its small size, keep this fish in slow moving waters. They will be thrown around the aquarium when caught in fast moving currents. Providing many live plants and great filtration is ideal for this fish.
Food & Diet
The Chili Rasbora is small and remains small its whole life. It is very important to feed it food that it will be able to fit into its mouth. There are many options to offer this fish to provide it with a varied diet. Flake food can be taken and crushed into powder which makes it small enough for this fish to consume. Micropellets can be fed with little problems because they are designed for tiny fish like Chili Rasbora. Also, feeding daphnia, brine shrimp, and cutting up bloodworms are fantastic options to give this fish a varied diet. Providing many different food options will keep this fish vibrant and healthy.
Tank Mates
Chili Rasbora are easily outcompeted for food. Take pre-caution when choosing tank mates. The Chili Rasbora do exceptionally well with other small and peaceful fish in the aquarium. Do not keep them with larger or more dominate fish such as:
Platys
Mollies
Swordtails
Betta Fish
Angelfish
Large Mouthed Fish (Cichlids, Goldfish)
Keeping Chili Rasbora in larger fish tanks is more than possible. They will thrive with fantastic fish such as:
Tetras (ember, neon, cardinal, green neon)
Rasboras (harlequin, green kubotai)
Endler’s Livebearers
Guppies
Celestial Pearl Danios
Corycats
Dwarf Gouramis
The amount of fish that can be kept in an aquarium are determined by the number of plants in the fish tank, filtration, and physical size of the aquarium. A densely planted aquarium will be able to keep more fish happy over a sparsely planted one. A stronger and better filter will go a long way in allowing you to keep more fish in the enclosure. Larger aquariums aid in keeping water parameters stable when a fish tank is heavily populated. Regardless, do not cram too many fish in a fish tank.
Shrimp and snails should do perfectly fine with Chili Rasboras even in 5 gallon aquariums. In fish tanks this small it is important to closely monitor water parameters because they are more prone to swinging which can be detrimental to both fish and invertebrates.
Breeding
Chili Rasbora will openly breed and produce offspring in aquariums. The males may become a bit more territorial during breeding periods and will also deepen its red and black coloring. After successfully breeding a female will appear rounder than the male and not pregnant females.
Eggs will be laid on plants and decorations and will not be cared for by either parent. The best chance for survival for the fry are in heavily planted aquariums. The plants will provide the much needed cover the fry will need to reach adulthood. The parents are sometimes observed to eat the fry once they hatch from their egg.
Final Comments
The Chili Rasbora is fantastic for aquariums both large and small but fill the micro aquarium niche very well for keepers that do not have the space or money to spend on large aquariums. Their vibrant colors stand out in aquariums so they will always be able to be observed. Check them out if you get a chance!
With all the different and unique freshwater fish to choose from, the red tail shark is sometimes overlooked. Regardless, this fish is remarkably beautiful and highly recommended for fish tanks that will tolerate its lively personality. The black body and red tail are always a sight to see because this color pattern is not very common in fish. The red tail shark has a nice long lifespan of 5 – 6 years.
Aquarium Requirements & Fish Compatibility
The red tail shark will be around 6″ in length when it is full size. Although they do not get incredibly large, a fish tank that is 50 gallons or more is highly recommended when it is fully grown due to its aggressive nature. It should be the only red tail shark in the fish tank because it becomes highly territorial. Having other bottom dwelling fish such as plecos, rainbow sharks, and cichlids is also not recommended due to this fish’s aggression. The red tail shark does well with fish such as:
It is encouraged to provide a lot of places for this fish to hide. The fish tank should be full of decorations, driftwood, rocks, and plants (live or plastic) to help curb the previously mentioned aggression. Adding many decor breaks the line of sight for this fish which can help mellow it out. They love hiding in caves and crevices and will fight for the ability to do so.
The red tail shark does very well in temperatures ranging from 72 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit, KH levels between 10 and 15 and pH levels ranging from 6.5 to 7.5. Due to its aggressive personality the red tail shark’s care level is little more challenging compared to peaceful community fish.
Feeding
The red tail shark is an omnivorous animal so it will consume just about anything offered to it including vegetables such as cucumber and zucchini. Please remember to thoroughly rinse the vegetables before placing them into a fish tank and do not keep the vegetables inside of the aquarium for long periods of time because doing so may cause an increase in phosphate and nitrate levels. Besides vegetables, the red tail shark will go around the aquarium consuming algae that grows on rocks, plants, and glass.
Other foods that are commonly given to red tail sharks are flake food and frozen fish food. The flake food is meant to provide the nutrients a red tail shark would acquire from algae in the wild and the frozen bloodworms will provide the protein required for the red tail shark. Using these will help provide a well rounded diet for your shark. Other fish will also happily consume these foods! They are not limited to just these two types of food. Flake food can be substituted with pellet food and bloodworms can be substituted with brine shrimp or krill. Krill is normally given to larger red tail sharks.
Breeding
Breeding is an incredible challenge for red tail sharks in an aquarium setting. This is mainly because they are intolerable of one another in aquariums at home due to the aquarium’s size limitation and the fish’s territorial personality. Large aquariums may be able to keep more but it is still quite a challenge to get these fish to breed.
The only physical difference between a male shark and a female is that when matured, the female red tail shark will have an larger abdomen compared to the male. Otherwise the male and female sharks are identical.
Final Notes
The red tail shark is a fantastic fish to keep in fish tanks where the other fish swim in the middle to upper parts. Although they are not normally advertised as algae eaters, the red tail shark will remove some algae from aquarium decorations. Adding a few snails to help will be beneficial. Overall, this is a fantastic fish with very unique colors that are great for planted and regular freshwater fish tanks!
With so many plant options in the aquarium keeping hobby it can become challenging deciding which plants are great for different types of aquariums. Each plant has its own requirements but there are a few that are fantastic for light aquariums. Before we dive into the list we should consider what else a plant needs. Aquarium lights that release a kelvin rate between 5000k and 6500k is what is usually recommended for planted fish tanks. Also consider the compatibility of fish with your plants. Some fish will nibble or tear up your plants so it’s important to know what you have. Water parameters should be considered. Soft and acidic water are important criteria that need to be met in order for your plants to thrive. Lastly, providing artificial CO2 and fertilizing your aquarium with supplemental nutrients may be important factors at keeping your plants alive.
Once all livestock, lighting type, and water parameters are up to par for plant needs, it is time to start looking at plants to keep in a low light aquarium. This guide will give insight on 5 plants that are great for these type of aquariums.
Anubias
This plant is usually my go to for low light tanks, aquatic jarrariums, and tall paludariums. It is such a cool plant. Anubias does not need to be planted! It can be wedged into gaps in driftwood or placed in between rocks. Try not to crush the roots and bulb when placing this plants between rocks.
Anubias barteri, Anubias coffeefolia, and Anubias nana are probably some of the most common species in this genus. Out of the three, Anubias nana remains the smallest and is more commonly used as a foreground plant. Given enough time, these plants will grow in what look like bushes all over the aquarium with their broad leaves. They’re a fantastic plant to have and excellent for beginner plant keepers. For a more in depth guide to keeping anubias happy follow this link.
Java Fern
Java fern is a fantastic low light requiring plant. Its long broad leaves are excellent for the background/midground for low maintenance and low light fish tanks. Java fern care is quite similar to the care of anubias. It does not require to be planted and fairs well being wedged into rocks and driftwood. It can stick out of the water because it is amphibious plant and it will primarily spread through rhizomes. The rhizomes themselves should not be buried because they will recede and rot away over time. It is recommended to keep the rhizomes just above the substrate and just bury the roots.
There are two common types of java fern. The regular java fern and java fern windelov. The normal java fern plant has very broad leaves while windelov has far more wispy and laced leaves. Otherwise they are quite similar plants. Both do well in aquarium temperatures around 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, grow well in pH levels ranging from 5.5 and 8.0, and do well in low to moderate light!
One final bonus of java fern is that it is one of few plants that can handle being in an aquarium with brutes like South American cichlids. Like with most cichlids its never a guarantee plants will make it but they fare the best in an aquarium with large cichlids.
JavaMoss
Java moss is remarkable for low light aquariums. It is probably the most hardy moss species that is kept in the aquarium hobby. Java moss carpets decor like rock work and driftwood but it does not normally carpet the substrate in your fish tank. This is excellent to use in aquascapes and grows fairly easily under low light conditions.
To grow java moss, a string can be used to attach it to a piece of decoration or if it’s possible, it can be wedged into cracks or gaps in decor. It will very quickly attach and begin spreading. It is great to have because some fish will lay eggs in it, it’s a haven for shrimp, and it adds a different kind of life to rocks and other aquarium decor.
Java moss does well in temperatures ranging between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit and pH levels between 5.5 and 8.0.
Crypts
What would a low light aquarium list be without crypts. Specifically, I like to point out Crpytocoryne wendtii and Cryptocoryne beckettii. Both of these plants do very well in low to moderate light aquariums. Their leaf colors will both depend on the amount of lighting that is provided as well as nutrients available in the water. Stable water parameters are a must for this plant because it is possible to rotting at the roots if water conditions are not stable. Under healthy water conditions, this plant will release runners in the substrate and spread to different parts of the aquarium. Overall, this plant is quite hardy and grows very well in the mid-ground of an aquarium.
This plant enjoys being in water temperatures ranging between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, KH levels between 3 and 8, and lastly pH levels around 6.0 and 8.0. This is quite a versatile plant and excellent for low light aquariums as well as for anyone new to aquarium keeping.
Moss Balls
Moss balls aka marimo balls are very easy to care for in aquariums. They thoroughly enjoy low to moderate lighting and normally dwell at the bottom of an aquarium. It is not desirable to keep them in very bright areas of the aquarium. Marimo balls grow incredibly slow, it may take a few years before you see any difference in size.
When introducing into an aquarium, marimo balls should be rinsed in aquarium water before being added. There is a possibility of them floating once placed into the aquarium. They will naturally fall to the bottom of the aquarium eventually but the process could be sped up a little by giving them a squeeze under water.
If shrimp and other invertebrates are in the aquarium, do not be surprised if you see them gathered on the marimo ball from time to time. They enjoy eating any leftover food that may get caught within. Propagating this moss ball is incredibly easy. Simply take it out of the aquarium and cut it in half. To help maintain the shape, wrap cotton thread around the ball.
Marimo balls enjoy being in aquariums with temperatures ranging from 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, KH levels floating between 3 and 8, and pH levels between 6.8 and 7.5.
Amazon Sword
Amazon swords are a popular plant in the aquarium hobby. They grow incredibly large and dominate the aquarium with this size. This plant should be kept in the background of the aquarium. Amazon swords are not as easy to care for compared to java fern, crypts, marimo balls, or anubias but they are still a fantastic plant to keep in an aquarium. Normally seen in taller aquarium this plant does great alone or in groups. I personally would not keep this plant in a 10 gallon aquarium or even aquariums that are not taller than 18 inches.
To keep them happy and healthy amazon swords should receive iron rich supplements. They do best in water temperatures between 72 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, KH levels between 3 and 8, and pH levels between 6.5 and 7.5.
Final Notes
Low light aquarium plants are a great starting point for new hobbyists looking to dip their toes in live plants. From easiest to hardest to care for (in my opinion) is the marimo ball, java moss, anubias, java fern, crypt, and lastly the amazon sword. Start with the easiest like the low light aquarium moss stated in the list and move on to anubias and so on. Aquarium keeping requires patience and taking your time will save you a lot of headaches in the long run.
Setting up a fish tank is a very fun and rewarding process. Making it your own work of art is definitely a long term endeavor. Deciding what fish to introduce into your aquarium is part of the process and probably the most exciting part of it all. This guide will help showcase some of the many freshwater fish that can happily reside in a 10 gallon aquarium. If you haven’t already setup a freshwater aquarium, check out this guide.
Harlequin Rasbora
To begin, I would like to introduce you to the harlequin rasbora, sometimes known as the t-bone rasbora. This rasbora has the iconic black pork chop shape displaying from the middle to the back of its body. Besides that, it has a beautiful copper/red toned body that stands out in an aquarium.
This fish is small and will be around 2″ in size when it is fully grown. Due to its schooling habits, it is recommended to have around 8 – 10 beautiful rasboras in an aquarium together. They normally do a great job closely schooling together and will fill the middle to top of your aquarium with life!
Male and females can be distinguished from one another by observing the bottom part of their “pork chop” pattern. The males will have a straight tip at the bottom and females will have a more rounded tip. Females will also be a little bit larger than the males. These fish will successfully breed inside of a well planted aquarium. They require broad leaved plants in order to do so. Plants like the Anubias are excellent option to have in the aquarium. If one or many are available, the rasbora will potentially lay eggs on the underside of the broad leaf.
This species of fish are omnivorous. Providing a nicely ranged diet of pellet, flake, and frozen meat foods will keep this fish happy. They enjoy temperatures ranging from 72 – 78 degrees Fahrenheit, KH levels around 6 – 10, and pH levels in between 6.0 and 6.5. These fish are excellent choices for heavily planted aquariums.
Threadfin Rainbowfish
Threadfin Rainbowfish may not be as common as the harlequin rasbora but regardless it is an interesting fish to add into a freshwater 10 gallon aquarium. Their colors aren’t as vibrant as fish like the neon tetra but they can get a beautiful blue, gray, red, and black coloration on them. Males will have long threadlike appendages that reach out from their anal and dorsal fins. If you think their colors are lacking, the fins and shape surely make up for it.
This fish species maxes at 2″ in size and are perfect for a planted aquarium 10 gallons or larger. They enjoy being in schools and I would recommend 5 to 8 individuals in a 10 gallon aquarium. 5 in an aquarium that is fairly open without too many decorations and 8 in a heavily planted aquarium.
Like stated before the males will have the long threadlike appendages protruding out of their dorsal and anal fins. The females will not. This is the easiest way to distinguish the two. Also, males will most likely be far more vibrant in color compared to the females. These fish have the possibility of laying eggs in an aquarium.
Threadfin rainbows are omnivorous creatures and benefit from having a large range of food. Due to their small mouth sizes it is recommended to feed them smaller pellets and meaty food. Flake food will work as well! This species of fish do well in water temperatures ranging 72 – 78 degrees Fahrenheit, KH levels between 7 and 10 and pH levels between 6.0 – 7.2.
MaleBetta Fish
Male betta fish are very common fish in the freshwater aquarium hobby. They are often kept in large bowls without filtration due to their ability to acquire their own oxygen. They can and should be kept in larger aquariums than a bowl to keep them even happier. The betta fish has a fantastic personality and interacts well with humans. You can’t take it out and play with it but they know when it’s dinner time and will swim up to the glass to greet you. They have many different colors and a wide variation in fin shapes. I will be broadly providing information about bettas here.
Most betta species reach a max size of 2.5 inches. There may be a little variation dependent on their fin lengths. They should be the only betta kept in an enclosure. They may be kept with other fish but be sure the others will not nip at the betta’s fins and because the betta could nip at fish with long fins as well. Female bettas can be kept in an aquarium together but they do not have as pronounced fins.
Males and females should only be housed temporarily if they are breeding. The male will build a bubble nest and the female will lay her eggs in it. Once that occurs, the female should be removed. The male will tend to the eggs until they hatch. Once hatched very small food should be given to the newly hatched fry. Foods such as baby brine shrimp and crushed flakes should be provided.
Betta fish are carnivorous fish. Their diets should consist mostly of protein rich foods such as bloodworms, brine shrimp, or protein heavy pellet food. Due to their diets the aquarium might see spikes in undesirable water parameters so testing the water should be a common occurrence. The betta fish also thrives in water temperatures between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, KH between 0 and 25, and pH levels ranging from 6.0 – 8.0.
Endler’s Livebearers
Endler’s Livebearers continue to gain traction and popularity in the freshwater aquarium keeping hobby. Their vibrant assortment of colors make them a wonderful addition to any aquarium. They are fantastic to add if you are looking for lively fish for the middle to top of the aquarium.
These fish normally start off very small, usually purchased when they are less than an inch in length. They will grow to be roughly 2 inches in sizes when they are fully grown. Keeping around 6 – 8 in a 10 gallon fish tank is suitable with the understanding that this species of fish breeds like no tomorrow and 6 fish can easily turn into 20 then 50 and so on. Proper housing for the new offspring will be required.
Endler’s livebearers are as their name suggests, live bearers. They do not lay eggs but instead their offspring come out of their womb very well and alive. Treat them like any other platy, guppy, or swordtail when for breeding purposes. They do not require anything special.
This species of fish is omnivorous and would love a nice variety of foods. Like stated above, pellet, flake, and frozen meat foods will provide all the variety this fish needs to obtain its nutrients. Keep in mind they are usually sold very small so flake food might need to be crushed a little for them to enjoy it. They do best in water temperatures ranging from 75 – 80 degrees, KH levels ranging between 10 and 30, and pH levels with a wide range of 5.5 – 8.0.
Cardinal Tetra
Last but not least on this guide is the beautiful cardinal tetra. Do not mistaken this fish with the neon tetra. They look incredibly similar but the cardinal tetra’s red stripe runs from its eyes to tail and it lacks that white area near its stomach. This fish is more for expert fish keepers because they’re a little more finicky than other fish.
When they are full grown, cardinal tetras reach a size of 2 inches. They are perfect for densely planted aquariums of 10 gallons or larger. I would keep a school of 6 to 8 cardinal tetras in a 10 gallon aquarium. They are quite an active little fish and their vibrant colors add to their beauty.
It is possible to breed cardinal tetras in an aquarium but it is not very common. They require very specific water parameters to successfully breed. Specifically dH levels between 1 and 2 and pH levels as low as 5 and 6.
Just like many of the other fish in this list, cardinal tetras are omnivores and benefit from a range of food. Starting off with flake food is a good idea until this fish is able to consume larger pellets. Brine shrimp is always recommended as well as bloodworms! This is a fantastic fish with colors that can drop jaws!
Final Thoughts
This is just a small list of fish that will do well in 10 gallon aquariums. I wanted to choose fish with vibrant colors or very unique fin shapes and designs. Hopefully this list helps provide information needed to help choose some cool freshwater fish for 10 gallon fish tanks. If you already have the fish, check out information on low light freshwater plants you can add to your fish tank!
A nano reef is typically considered to be 30 gallons or less. The smaller the aquarium the larger the possibility of swinging water parameters. It is not recommended to add large fish or too many fish in a nano aquarium. Nano reef systems are a challenge but a rewarding experience. This guide will list 5 fish species that will do great in small reef aquariums.
1. Hector’s Goby
The Hector’s Goby is a fantastic addition to any reef system. It is a very peaceful fish and it will not bother any fish or invertebrate. It will graze on hair algae that grow in the aquarium and also feast on small worms in the fish tank.
This goby maxes out at about 3″ in length and it will be perfectly happy living in an aquarium that is a minimum of 10 gallons. They do require a fair amount of live rock with plenty of crevices and hiding spots. They will seamlessly weave in and out of rock looking for food and algae to graze on.
Their pattern work and coloration are beautiful! They have alternating red/black and yellow stripes running down from head to tail, they have round blotches of black along their dorsal fins and hints of orange around their fins as well.
They are omnivorous so providing a variation of algae based food and meaty food such as mysis shrimp is important. They will spend much of their time looking for food in rocks and sand. As a final note, Hector’s Gobies are completely reef safe!
2. Ocellaris Clownfish
Everyone knows about the clownfish due to the movie Finding Nemo. Since the release of the movie, clownfish were ferociously taken out of the oceans because many parents wanted “Nemo” at home for their kids. Luckily, the reef-keeping community has successfully found ways to breed clownfish and they are tank-bred to help prevent plucking them out of the ocean.
Ocellaris clowns, like the Hector’s Goby, max out at around 3″ in length. Having a pair of clownfish is great! The female clownfish (dominant) will be a bit larger than the male. Ocellaris clownfish are perfect for nano reefs because they happily live in aquariums of 20 gallons or larger.
Besides the common orange clownfish, there are many different variations of ocellaris clownfish due to the extensive breeding that has exploded in the hobby. There are now black & white, snowflake, platnium, and many other clownfish that can be picked up from retailers and online breeders. Also, many captive bred clowns will not willingly host in anemones but can be trained to do so. Check out this guide for tips on how to get a clownfish in an anemone.
Like many marine fish, the clownfish is omnivorous and will happily take any food provided. A rounded diet of veggies and meaty foods is recommended. They will happily take pellet, flakes, and frozen meat foods. These are incredibly hardy fish and excellent for a new marine hobbyist.
3. Yellow Clown Goby
Yellow Clown Gobies are oddly shaped but very enjoyable fish. They always seem to perch themselves in weird positions on rocks, glass, and corals. They’re a very fun and unique fish but great for a nano reef tank. Although they are small, their yellow vibrant bodies makes them pop in any reef system.
These fish are small, and they stay small. They max out at about 1.5 inches and are content with calling an aquarium that is 10 gallons or larger home. Clown Gobies are reef safe with most polyp corals but be mindful with keeping them SPS corals because there is a possibility of them nipping at them. They should not bother any other fish except other clown gobies in small enclosures.
Yellow Clown Gobies are carnivorous fish. It is important to provide them with a variation of mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, and other meaty foods. Learn more about this fish by checking out the Yellow Clown Goby – Complete Care Guide.
4. Firefish
The Firefish is a fantastic fish to add to a reef aquarium. Their vibrant white, red, and purple coloration is gorgeous! They have an enlarged dorsal fin which looks like a sabre which adds to their awesomeness!
The Firefish will be around 3″ when they are fully grown. They are perfectly content with living in an aquarium that is 20 gallons or larger. They are completely reef-safe and will spend a good portion of the day hovering above the live rock waiting for food. It is recommended to provide them with a nice porous rock because they will dart into the holes when startled. They are known to be jumpers so a lid over the tank is also a good idea to have.
Firefish are carnivorous. So providing a mixture of different types of meaty food is recommended. They will love brine shrimp (live or frozen) and mysis shrimp. Providing frozen food is much easier for fish but feeding them live brine shrimp is always a fun activity.
5. Two Spot Goby
This isn’t a very common goby that is kept in a reef aquarium but I believe this is a great fish to own. Two Spot Gobies have a very unique coloration and body shape. They are primarily white with blotches of brown, black, and yellow to help camouflage into sand. They have an incredibly large jaw and do a fantastic job sifting through sand.
These fish get to be about 3″ in length when they are fully grown. They do well in aquariums 10 gallons or larger. It is very important to provide them with a nice deep sand bed because they will burrow into it. They also require lots of sand to sift through.
The Two Spot Goby is carnivorous so like many other fish on this list, it’s important to feed them meaty food. It is also a good idea to supplement your aquarium with live copepods to help give them more options if they are picky eaters. Take a look at the Two Spot Goby – Complete Care Guide for more information on this fish.
Final Thoughts
All of these are fantastic for a reef aquarium. Some are more common than others and there are plenty more that will do great that aren’t listed. Keep in mind that these fish should not all be crammed together into a nano aquarium. It is recommended to pick one or two depending on the appropriate aquarium size. Adding too many fish will cause water parameters to swing more often and aggression may be seen due to the lack of space. Hopefully, this guide has provided to insight into great nano fish for small reefs.
Freshwater Angelfish, sometimes called tropical angelfish are quite a popular and common fish in the freshwater fishkeeping hobby. They become large and can be the centerpiece of many fish tanks. There is nothing like a mated pair of angelfish swimming side-by-side in a fish tank. They are part of the cichlid family but look a little different with their unique arrow shaped bodies. You can find Freshwater Angelfish for sale at most pet stores and online. This guide will help provide more information on freshwater angelfish and the proper care to keep these fish happy.
Aquarium Requirements
There are fish in the saltwater hobby that are also called Angelfish. They have a much different shape from this species and aren’t related. I wanted to point that out for newer fish keepers. Technically speaking, there are both freshwater and saltwater angelfish but these Angelfish live ONLY in freshwater.
How Big do Angelfish Get?
Due to its unique body size an Angelfish should be kept in an aquarium no smaller than 30 gallons but a 55-gallon tank is even better for their size. Taller aquariums are preferred because these fish can grow to be roughly 8″ tall and 6″ long. They need plenty of room to turn and maneuver and anything smaller just doesn’t cut it.
Aquarium Decorations
Angelfish love having driftwood in their enclosure which helps soften and acidify the water. These fish also love heavily planted aquariums with quite a bit of open space for them to swim. They have long, showy, and delicate fins so it is important to find a balance of open swimming space and decorations.
Water Parameters
Freshwater Angelfish are quite hardy and easy to care for. They can handle a nice range of water parameters. The following are ranges that Angelfish are typically kept in:
Temperature Range: 75-82° F
KH Range: KH 1-5
pH Range: pH 5.8-7.0
These fish do best in waters that are little more acidic. That is partly why they do very well in planted aquariums. Make sure fish kept with angelfish have the same or similar water parameter requirements.
What do Freshwater Angelfish Eat?
The Angelfish is not a very picky eater but they should be given a variety of foods. They are omnivorous so providing both algae and meaty food will be very beneficial to them. Remember to adjust the food size appropriately depending on the size of the fish. Also, like many other fish, an angelfish will attempt to eat anything that will fit into its mouth. Be mindful of keeping small fish and shrimp with a full-grown angel because they can become a quick snack. Freshwater snails and larger fish should be perfectly fine around angelfish.
Tank Mates for Angelfish
Freshwater Angelfish types vary in color, shape, and size. There are Zebra Veil Angelfish, Blue Angelfish, Koi Angelfish, and much more. Each should do just fine with one another, it all depends on your preference in color.
Angelfish are considered semi-aggressive but are a more peaceful cichlid species. They usually will become aggressive when fighting for territory and mates. As stated above, they have the potential of eating smaller fish and shrimp but do fine with larger fish. Other than that, they don’t usually bother with anything else. They do great with Discus fish, Parrotfish, larger tetras, Denison Barbs, and many other fish.
When angelfish are small they are commonly kept in larger groups. Once they become larger and mature, they will begin to pair off from one another. It is important to identify a pair and house them together in their aquarium because once they decide to lay their eggs, the pair will bully and fight any other fish to protect the eggs. It is possible to purchase a pair directly from a store, or just have one or two angelfish in an aquarium together but once it is time for them to breed no more than 2 should be housed in a fish tank.
How to Breed Freshwater Angelfish
Angelfish are quite commonly bred in the aquarium hobby. They will lay quite a bit of eggs and will defend them with their lives! To breed angels, you first need a pair. Once they are paired up, it is important to provide a flat piece of decor for them to drop their eggs on. The piece can be something like a piece of slate. It should be placed in an area with moderate flow. The eggs require flow to help prevent fungus growth which can ruin the batch. If everything is suitable for the angelfish, the female will drop the eggs and they will adhere to the piece of slate, and the male will follow behind and fertilize the eggs.
There are many opportunistic fish in the aquarium lurking and waiting. Once they spot eggs they may try and eat them. The angelfish will do their best to protect their brood. After hatching it is important to feed the fry baby brine shrimp until they can eat crushed flake food.
Final Notes
Angelfish are wonderful fish that are pretty easy to care for. A pair can be a gorgeous centerpiece for many large aquariums. Their long fins and gentle movement give them a majestic appearance. They are quite easy to breed and for a cichlid are pretty docile. There are many breeders out there with many different variations available such as the Veil Angelfish, Koi Angelfish, Marble Angelfish, and more! Check them out and consider picking up a pair of your favorite!
Reef aquariums are all very unique. The fish kept in these aquariums all have very interesting personalities and are a blast to observe. Their vibrant colors pop and are adored by many. Bicolor blennies are fantastic fish to keep in a reef aquarium. What they may lack in “vibrant” color they make up for in personality. These fish are common in the marine hobby and are sometimes overlooked as a new aquatic companion. Their very simple dark blue and orange coloring gives them an interesting appearance. One fantastic trait that they have is they will poke their heads out of rocks or perch on rocks just scoping out the surrounding area.
Bicolor Blenny Keeping Requirements
Luckily for us, these fish are not very hard to keep. I would not keep a bicolor blenny in an aquarium smaller than 30 gallons. Also, having a lot of live rock and crevices where this fish can hide and perch is a must! Their perching and environment scanning is a large portion of their personality! They max out at about 4″ in length so having holes and crevices of varying sizes is beneficial for them.
Bicolor blennies are primarily herbivorous so should be fed greens such as algae pellets, flakes, and algae sheets. They should also be given frozen fish food like mysis shrimp and/or brine shrimp from time to time. They are not picky eaters so they will easily accept a variety of foods. Although this is not very common, if underfed, these fish can sometimes pick on corals such as fleshy clams and stony corals. Be mindful of that when keeping this fish. They will help assist in controlling hair algae that may grow on live rock.
These fantastic fish are normally quite peaceful and keep to themselves. At the time of this writing, the one I have at home does not think my hand is friendly so will nip and attack from time to time, otherwise, it does not bother anything else. On occasion, they may go into battle with other blennies and gobies. If the aquarium is large enough each fish will find its territory and things should settle. I would not normally keep more than one type of blenny of similar size, shape, and color to help deter any aggression.
Final Thoughts
Bicolor blennies are excellent fish for any reef system. As long as they are fed well, they will do remarkably in your aquarium. They’re not the best algae eaters, for that look into getting a lawnmower blenny, but they will help cut down what’s in the fish tank already. They are hardy fish with great personalities!
The Electric Blue Crayfish, sometimes known as the Florida Crayfish has popped into popularity in the freshwater aquarium keeping hobby. Their remarkable vibrant blue color sticks out like a sore thumb in any aquarium. They’re quite easy to care for as long as certain conditions are met. This guide will go into more detail on proper crayfish care.
Water Parameter Requirements
Like many invertebrates, these crayfish need good water conditions. Your water should not have any ammonia and nitrites. It is almost impossible to have a reading of 0 nitrates due to decomposing food and fish waste so having a nitrate reading of 10 or less shouldn’t be a problem. The goal is to keep very stable water conditions for your wonderful crayfish!
A few other water parameters that should be mentioned are pH, water temperature, and water hardness. They are quite versatile animals and they do well in a wide range of water conditions. They will do just fine in pH levels ranging from 6.5 – 7.5. They shouldn’t have a problem with water temperatures ranging from 65 – 75 degrees Fahrenheit but catching the temperature in the middle is ideal. Lastly, a water hardness level ranging from 3 to 10 dkh is just fine for these large invertebrates. An API Freshwater Master Test Kit and an API GH & KH Test Kit are great to have on hand for any aquarium.
Crayfish Care
An electric blue crayfish is pretty easy to care for. I wouldn’t recommend keeping them in anything smaller than a 30-gallon aquarium because they will be 4″ – 6″ long when they are fully grown! They have a life span of 5 to 6 years as long as they are living under stable water conditions. Be mindful that these invertebrates will shed their exoskeleton as they grow out of it!
Electric Blue Crayfish are not picky eaters. They will eat just about anything that comes their way whether it’s flake food, pellets, or anything else. I would recommend dropping a few algae wafers to keep them busy and fed. Be cautious as to what fish to add to the aquarium because a slow fish or fish that lingers at the bottom of the aquarium will become a quick meal for the crayfish.
I would not keep them with live plants. I have heard quite a bit of horror stories of these invertebrates taking plants, uprooting them, and munching on the leaves. I would recommend keeping them with plastic plants and decorations with caves varying in size. In their natural habitat they burrow so imitating a “burrow” is ideal for this creature. Otherwise, they do not require much else.
Animals that can be kept with Crayfish
This is a gray area because a lot of things can become a meal for the crayfish but there are fish that do much better at staying alive in the same enclosure than others. I would not keep fish that dwell at the bottom of the aquarium or that are slow. For example, keep these guys away from slow-moving Goldfish and bottom-dwelling Cory Catfish.
Fast-moving fish that spend most of their time in the center of the aquarium or at the top are ideal for a crayfish enclosure. Danios are great because they move incredibly fast. Certain rainbowfish are incredibly fast and hang out at the center of the aquarium. You cannot go wrong with hatchet fish because they stick to the top of the fish tank. Be mindful of the fish you add with a crayfish! Snails should be okay to have with crayfish and are useful for keeping algae away from your aquarium.
Final Thoughts
Electric Blue Crayfish are a fantastic animal to keep. Watching them move their legs, collect food, and dart away backward from time to time is a fun experience. They have a good personality and are easy to care for! If you’re thinking of setting up a new 30-gallon (or larger) aquarium, check these out!
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