Care Guide for Blood Parrot Cichlids – The Hybrid with a Tiny Mouth Blood parrot cichlids are super cool, derpy fish that we have previously kept in an 800-gallon aquarium. Why choose them over any number of animals that could live there? They possess an interesting mix of features — larger size, bright color, and yet a smaller mouth that makes them less likely to damage or eat other fish. As long as you have the tank space and the right kind of food, they are pretty easy to keep. What are Blood Parrot Cichlids? This is not the saltwater parrotfish, but rathe...

Care Guide for Celestial Pearl Danios – Miniature Trout for Planted Tanks The celestial pearl danio (CPD) is a delightful nano fish often sought by aquascapers because they look like miniature brook trout swimming amid a forest of plants and driftwood. Their beauty and elegance seem to automatically elevate any tank they live in. However, they sometimes get the reputation for being shy fish that are easy to stress. Find out how to care for these enchanting creatures and make them feel right at home. What are Celestial Pearl Danios? Danio margaritatus goes by many c...

5 Aquarium Plants You Should Try in Your Next Terrarium or Paludarium Did you know that many of the aquarium plants we know and love to grow in our fish tanks can also be grown emersed or above the water’s surface entirely? In fact, many of the plants we carry at Aquarium Co-Op are grown out of water at the farms from which they come. We take the time to begin the process of converting them to their submersed or underwater form for you to enjoy in your fish tanks. But many hobbyists are looking for emersed-grown aquarium plants to use in their enclosed glass co...

Everything You Need for a New Aquarium (from 5 to 75 Gallons) One of the most common questions we get at the Aquarium Co-Op retail store is, “What do I need to set up my new fish tank?” The answer is a bit complicated because the exact type of aquarium light, heater, or other accessory that we would recommend can vary greatly depending on the size of the aquarium and other requirements. To help simplify things, we have itemized the most common things we use when setting up a new fish tank, ranging from 5.5 to 75 gallons in volume. Before You Begin… As a...

Care Guide for Shell Dwellers – Smallest African Cichlids African cichlids are some of the most colorful, exciting fish in the freshwater aquarium hobby, but many species often require 55-gallon aquariums or larger. If you’re living in a bedroom or apartment with limited space, consider getting shell dwellers instead. As one of the smallest African cichlids available in the pet trade, they have the same fiery personality but condensed into a 2-inch (5 cm) package. Best of all, they can live in a 20-gallon nano tank. What are Shell Dwellers? In this ...

Water Dechlorinator: How It Works and How Much to Use in Aquariums Many fishkeepers are unclear about water conditioners for aquariums — how they work, potential risks from overdosing, and the differences amongst the many brands of dechlorinators. Based on the available research and our years of experience using them, let’s talk about the truth behind water conditioners and answer your frequently asked questions. Do Fish Really Need Water Conditioner? Maybe. If your drinking water comes from a municipal water supply or other public water system, then most li...

5 Best Fish Tank Ideas for a 29-Gallon Aquarium Most people start with smaller aquariums to keep nano fish like guppies and bettas. But have you ever thought of moving up to the next weight class? 29- and 30-gallon (110–114 liters) aquariums are some of the first sizes that allow you to start getting medium-sized species. They also give you the extra space to design more elaborate aquascapes or biotopes. Learn about our top 5 fish stocking ideas that fit in this popular category of tanks. 1. The South American Aquarium The Amazon rainfores...

Top 5 Midground Plants to Balance Your Planted Aquarium When creating a planted tank, the type of plants you choose and where they are placed can make a big difference in the overall appearance of the aquarium, especially once the plants have grown in. The most balanced-looking tanks tend to have taller plants in the back of the tank and shorter plants up front. But the dramatic height difference between the two isn’t always visually appealing. This is why aquascapers use midground plants or medium-sized plants to create a visual transition from t...

Care Guide for Mollies – Feeding, Breeding, and Tank Mates One of the most popular aquarium fish found at pet stores are mollies because of their wide selection of colors, energetic behavior, and ease of breeding. If you are looking for a livebearer (or fish that bears live young) that is bigger than a platy but smaller than a swordtail, then mollies strike a happy medium. While molly fish are fairly easy to care for, beginners sometimes struggle with them, so find out the secret to caring for mollies and successfully breeding them in your home. What...

Care Guide for Nerite Snails – Favorite Nano Algae Eater Nerite snails are beloved for their ability to eat algae in fish tanks without breeding out of control. We currently care for approximately 1000 of them in our retail store, warehouse, and personal aquariums. Find out how to keep these peaceful critters happy and thriving in your own home. What are Nerite Snails? Nerite snails come from the Neritidae family, which derives its name from a Greek sea god called Nerites. Many of them are found in coastal areas around Africa and the Indo-Pacific r...

How to Use an Egg Tumbler to Hatch Aquarium Fish Eggs Have you ever tried raising baby fish (called fry)? For many African cichlid and catfish species, using an egg tumbler to raise eggs into fry can give you a better success rate. The purpose of an egg tumbler is to help water circulate over and around the fish eggs. The gentle movement created by an egg tumbler will help provide an oxygen-rich environment for the eggs and also help prevent fungus from developing on the eggs. The Ziss Egg Tumbler is a very easy-to-use device that was designed t...

How to Set Up (and Maintain) a Brackish Aquarium If you have been keeping freshwater aquariums for a while, you may feel like you’ve already tried everything in the hobby, such as nano tanks, aquascaping, African cichlids, and ponds. Consider setting up your first brackish fish tank that will allow you to try an entirely new category of animals. Many aquarists get a little nervous about making brackish water, but in our opinion, it is quite easy for anyone who has kept freshwater tanks before. Learn what it takes to create and maintain your...

Top 10 Tetras for Your Next Community Aquarium Tetras (also known as characids or characins from the Characidae family) are a staple of the freshwater aquarium hobby because many of them are colorful, peaceful schooling fish that go well in community tanks. South American tetras are more popular because of their small size and relatively inexpensive price, but they often prefer softer water and lower pH environments. African tetras, on the other hand, tend to be larger and more accepting of a wide range of water parameters, so they can be...

Staff Picks: 10 Perfect Gifts for the Aquarium Co-Op Enthusiast If you’re searching for the perfect gift for the fish hobbyist in your life, look no further than this handy gift-buying guide from Aquarium Co-Op. To ring in the holiday season, we asked some of our friends and employees about their favorite Co-Op merch and essentials, and this is what we learned: Aquarium Co-Op Hoodie Jimmy's pick Whether it’s a run to the grocery store or to the backyard to check on his ricefish breeding ponds, Jimmy is probably wearing his Aquarium Co-Op hoodie. It’s...

Care Guide for Amazon Puffers – Freshwater Puffer for Community Tanks Puffers are fascinating fish in the aquarium hobby because of their unusual, globelike shape and intelligent personalities, but many species grow incredibly large, require brackish water, or are too aggressive to be kept with other tankmates. Fortunately, the Amazon puffer is one of the few freshwater “community puffers” that only grows to 3 inches (7.6 cm) long and can live with other fish. Find out how to care for this amazing oddball and see if it’s the right pufferfish for you. What is th...

10 Smart Ways to Use an Aquarium Catch Cup or Specimen Container Have you ever seen those clear rectangle boxes hanging on the outside of tanks at your local fish store? You are looking at one of the most versatile tools in the fish keeping hobby – the aquarium specimen container or catch cup. It acts like a small, transparent bucket for observing fish, holding aquarium supplies, and a million other uses. Learn about the top 10 ways we find ourselves using catch cups every day at our retail fish store and personal fish tanks. 1. Observation It can be hard ...