Zenzo Tazawa | Director of Company Culture and Teams What is your favorite thing about working at Aquarium Co-Op? My favorite thing that I love about working with Aquarium Co-Op is that it allows me an opportunity to help people solve challenges. That could be challenges internally, where we are looking to improve the way we do business. It can also be challenges that our customer may be faced with, where we have helped them with their aquarium journeys and maybe solved a problem with their aquatic pet or plant. What has been your best moment ...

Java Fern (Microsorum pteropus) an Easy Aquatic Plant. Java Fern is one of the world’s most widely used plants in planted aquariums. It slow growth, unique leaf structure, and reproduction method makes it an aquarium smash hit. Java Fern tolerates most lighting conditions and many environments – from soft acidic water to alkaline conditions, and even brackish tanks! It is also easy to find in most local fish stores; but if not, there is always some available on our website. Java fern Now if you've found this article, you're obviously loo...

David Broncheau | Retail Store Manager What is your favorite thing about working at Aquarium Co-Op? The best thing about working at Aquarium Co-Op is being part of an amazing team that helps enrich the hobby that I enjoy so much. I enjoy working for a company that is always looking to improve. What has been your best moment while working for Aquarium Co-Op? Everyday here is almost surreal. Fish help to keep me grounded and centered. There has yet to be a better feeling than when I received a message telling me to keep an eye out ...

Vallisneria – The One Plant Wonder Whether you've got a green thumb or are green with envy, you can have a planted aquascape that looks like a slice of nature. Don't worry, it won't be hard or expensive. All you will need is one plant - vallisneria. If you haven't gotten to work with this plant yet, you're in for a treat. Not only does it look beautiful, but it's undemanding! It can also single-handedly transform an aquarium into a luscious jungle. Unfortunately, you probably won't win any awards fo...

Terri Estes | Human Resources Manager What is your favorite thing about working at Aquarium Co-Op? Aquarium Co-Op stands out to me because of its emphasis on collaboration and respect. The team members work together, utilizing their individual strengths and perspectives to create an inclusive and supportive environment. What is your career background?I hold a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and human services with a focus on community-based intervention. Over the course of my career, I have gained extensive expertise i...

Jonathon Shawver | Warehouse Manager What is your favorite thing about working at Aquarium Co-Op? For me, it is all about the people I get to work with side by side. When I come to work, I know I am going to be greeted with a positive attitude by everyone. When we have a goal to reach, everyone works as a team to push toward that goal, meet it, and then celebrate our wins. The team I work with is here for each other, and we all want everyone to succeed. Being part of a great team has to be my favorite thing. What is your career...

The Fish Keeper’s Guide to pH, GH, and KH pH, GH, and KH are terms commonly used in water chemistry, but there is a lot of confusion about them in the freshwater aquarium hobby. What’s the difference between them, and how do they impact our fish? This practical guide for beginners explains what these parameters mean, when you should test for them, and how to raise or lower their levels if needed. pH (or Power of Hydrogen) pH measures the amount of hydrogen ions in liquids and tells you how acidic or basic is your water. On a scale of...

Care Guide for Discus Fish – The King of the Aquarium Discus fish are one of the most beautiful freshwater fish in the hobby, known for their spectacular colors and large, circular shape. However, they’re notorious for being extremely difficult to keep, with Internet forums often recommending strict practices like 100% water changes every day. In reality, only a small percentage of people are able to follow those rules, and the rest of the world uses more low maintenance methods. We’ve spent many years keeping discus personally at home, caring f...

How to Cure Fungus on Aquarium Fish If your fish has a white- or gray-colored growth on its mouth or body (often with a fluffy texture like cotton), it could have a fungal infection. Fungal outbreaks are often caused by stressful or poor water quality conditions and can rapidly lead to secondary diseases, so it’s important to address the problem immediately. In this article, we cover several options for treating fungus, as well as how to stop it from coming back. When you see any symptoms of illness, the first thing we always r...

Care Guide for Pea Puffers – The Smallest Pufferfish in the World Pea puffers are one of the coolest oddball species you can keep in a smaller-sized aquarium. They’re known for their helicopter-like maneuverability, independently moving eyes, and of course, ability to inflate like a tiny water balloon. In this practical care guide, we answer your most frequently asked questions about these amazing, little creatures. What Is a Pea Puffer? Carinotetraodon travancoricus – also known as the pea puffer, Indian dwarf puffer, Malabar puffer, and pygmy puffer – is ...

How to Culture Vinegar Eels for Fish Fry Are you getting into fish breeding but need a way to feed teeny-tiny fry that are too small to eat regular fry food? Try vinegar eels! This live food is very easy to culture and is perfect for raising babies until they’re big enough to eat baby brine shrimp. What Are Vinegar Eels? Vinegar eels are harmless, white roundworms or nematodes that feed on the microorganisms commonly found in vinegar and fermented liquids. Growing up to 50 microns in diameter and 1 to 2 mm in length, they are one of...

How to Get Rid of Blue-Green Algae in Aquariums Do you have a mysterious, blue-green slime taking over your aquarium? Or is there a strange smell coming from your fish tank and you can’t find the source? You might be dealing with an outbreak of blue-green algae. In this article, we discuss the causes of blue-green algae and how to get rid of it once and for all. What is Blue-Green Algae? Blue-green algae (BGA) is not actually an algae but rather a cyanobacteria – a very diverse and resilient group of bacteria that uses photosynthesis like ...

Quick Guide: How to Plant Live Aquarium Plants Congrats on getting your new aquarium plant! Depending on which type of plant you have, there are different guidelines you should follow for introducing your new foliage. This quick guide leads you step-by-step through the recommended ways for adding live plants to your aquarium. Should You Remove Pots from Aquarium Plants? Most plants purchased online or from a local fish store come in a plastic pot stuffed with rock wool. In most cases, you want to remove this little basket and the stuffing...

How to Treat Sick Aquarium Fish (Even If You’re Not Sure What’s Wrong) Treating a sick aquarium fish can be difficult, especially if you’re new to the hobby or have never seen this disease before. Based on years of experience helping customers at our fish store and online, here are the step-by-step guidelines and medications we personally use to get our fish back to health as quickly as possible. Step 1: Do You Have a Quarantine Tank? A quarantine tank is a smaller, bare tank for the purposes of holding all new fish before adding them into your main display aqua...

How to Properly Clean Your Fish Tank When people find out you keep fish, they probably imagine a crusty, algae-coated tank where you can barely see anything swimming inside. But with just a few easy steps, you can keep your aquarium looking like a beautiful work of art. Follow along as we share our top tips for cleaning your fish tank like a pro. Before You Get Started… There are several frequently answered questions we often hear from beginners, so let’s address those first: How often do you need to clean a fish tank? Some peop...

How to Hatch Baby Brine Shrimp for Fish Fry When it comes to raising baby fish, baby brine shrimp are one of the best live foods that money can buy. This nutrient-dense food maximizes the survival rate of fry and significantly speeds up their growth. Plus, you can even feed them to adults to condition them for breeding. Keep reading to learn how to easily hatch your own batch of baby brine shrimp at home. What Are Brine Shrimp? Have you ever heard of pet “sea monkeys”? They are actually tiny, saltwater crustaceans that belong to the Ar...