Top 10 Easy Aquarium Plants for Beginners Planted aquariums are very popular nowadays because of their natural beauty and amazing ability to consume the toxic nitrogen compounds produced by fish waste. However, many beginners excitedly try and then fail to keep their green foliage from turning brown. After more than a decade of keeping, propagating, and now selling aquarium plants, we’ve thoroughly vetted out our list of top 10 easy aquarium plants that can stand up to a beating and won’t break the bank. 1. Marimo Moss Ball Known ...

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...

Daphnia Culturing – How to Raise Daphnia How would you like to cultivate and raise your own separate tank of Daphnia (also known as water fleas)? These tiny plankton-like freshwater crustaceans grow to about 3 millimeters in length or less. They’re actually kind of cute looking as you watch them swim almost vertically in their tank. They live quite happily in large groups within a tank, so that you can harvest them when you need them to feed your fish, tadpoles, salamanders, newts, or aquatic insects. In this article, we’ll discu...

Top 5 Bottom Dwellers If you are in the market and looking to add a few bottom-dwelling cleaners to your tank, this list is for you! Our list of the Top 5 Bottom Dwellers gives you a list of our top choices for the best fish that you can add to your tank to keep it functional and attractive. 5. Geophagus Our number 5 top pick is the Geophagus. Geophagus translates to sand-sifter or eartheater. These fish will go to the bottom of your tank, grab mouthfuls of sand, sift through it, and then spit it out. This proc...

DIY Planted Background Wall Have you been wanting to change up your aquarium background to something unique? Perhaps it’s time to try a planted wall! A wall of plants is a great way to add extra foliage and shelter for your tank while giving your tank an incredible and unique look. When most people think of planted walls in aquariums, they think of moss walls. For those of you who have made successful moss walls for your aquariums, can you share your secrets? We haven’t had huge success with moss-only walls. In the past...

Caring for African Dwarf Frogs African Dwarf Frogs are some of the most popular additions to tanks. These little frogs are fully aquatic, so you don’t have to worry about a half aquatic and half terrain aquarium. African Dwarf Frogs will actually die outside of the water. The frogs are bottom scavengers and are a fantastic choice for kids or controlling your fry population. If you have too many fry guppies in a tank, add some African Dwarf Frogs and they’ll eat guppy fry to ease the population. But, if you aren’t using the...

Our Favorite Easy & Low Light Plants: Cryptocoryne Lutea and Vallisneria Lots of aquarists are drawn to planted aquariums. They are, of course, natural and beautiful to look at and they also provide a rich and healthy environment for the fish and other animals that live in them. A lot of times, however, newer aquarists especially, struggle with choosing the right plants for their planted aquarium. There are many things to consider when choosing plants that will yield the most successful results. So what should be considered when choosing plants? Well, light requir...

Neon Tetras and Cardinal Tetras Incorporating a colorful fish into your tank can make it pop and stand out. A tank can become the center of attention. However, adding more than just a few new fish may not be bold enough for you. Instead, adding an entire school of them may give the tank the appearance you are looking for. From far away, your tank can be eye-catching as a school of small, colorful fish dance their way into view. A school of Cardinal or Neon Tetras could be your next perfect addition to your aquarium. The ...

How to Plant Anubias or Java Fern on Rocks  Anubias and Java Fern are two excellent freshwater plant options for low light tanks. Unlike most freshwater plants, they can go in aquariums that feature African Cichlids or Goldfish. These two plant species are easy to care for and not demanding at all. You can leave them in the pot, attach them to driftwood, or, like we’re doing here in this week's blog, plant them on aquarium rocks. They’re the hardiest and easiest to work with. If you prefer a video format of this tutorial, watch the...

Rasbora Hets and Espei Rasboras – Great For Planted Aquariums The Rasbora fish species deserve their great popularity for so many reasons, including their docile temperaments, their easy care, their bright colors, and their relatively small size. They are a social fish, so it’s recommended that you get at least six of the kind that you choose! Why are Rasboras so great for planted aquariums? It’s because their colors really pop out against the waving greenery of the background. The Harlequin Rasboras (Trigonostigma heteromorpha) have more of a pinkis...

Care Guide for Java Moss - Easy Low-Light Plant for Beginners If you don’t have a green thumb and are looking for a nearly indestructible plant, the Java Moss is for you! Java Moss is one of the easiest plants you will ever grow. This moss is hardy, versatile, and beautiful. You can be sure it will add a flash of green to your tank. You would have to work harder to kill this moss than you do to keep it alive! Great Durability Java Moss is an extremely durable plant. There are instances where a plant has been forgotten in a bucket for up to two months...

Red Lizard Whiptail Catfish: A Special Addition to Your Nano Tank! This week at the Aquarium Co-Op retail store in Edmonds, we received a handful of amazing new fish! We received Red Lizard Whiptail Catfish, Dwarf Neon Rainbows, Marble Hatchet Fish, and last but not least Sterbai Corydora! We also received some incredible new plants! We brought in Dwarf Sagittaria, some huge Pogo Octopus, and the long awaited Anubias Nangi! For this week's tank tip, I wanted to highlight the Aquarium Co-Op Med Trio! The Med Trio is important to always have on hand. ...

Kuhli Loaches: The Perfect Bottom Feeder for any Tank! This week at the Aquarium Co-Op retail store in Edmonds, we received some really awesome fish! We received a new batch of Kuhli Loach, Female Powder Blue Gourami, Assorted Kribensis, and lastly a handful of Red Eye Monk Tetra! This week we brought back a fan favorite, Jungle Vallisneria, some beautiful Tiger Lotus, and last but not least some nicely grown Moneywort! For this week's tank tip I wanted to highlight the benefits of using a pre-filter sponge in your aquarium!

Meet the Rosy Barb: Your Aquarium's Beautiful Algae-Eating Superstar! This week at the Aquarium Co-Op retail store in Edmonds, we received some special new fish! We received the beautiful Rosy Barb, a Flagtail Prochilodus, Golden Dojo Loaches, and Amazon Puffers! This week I would like to highlight some awesome plants! We brought in Java Fern, Micro Sword, Bacopa Caroliniana, and Crypt. Wendtii Red. For this week's tank tip I wanted to share a video highlighting Cory's best tips for preventing algae in your aquarium!

Discover the Fascinating Serpent Loach: Your Next Unique Aquarium Addition! This week at the Aquarium Co-Op retail store in Edmonds, we received some really incredible new species! We brought in Serpent Loach, Short Body Platinum Koi, Congo Tetra, and Flagtail Porthole Catfish! This week in plants, we have some beautiful Dwarf Aquarium Lily, Dwarf Hairgrass, Vallisneria, and Ruffle Sword! For this week's tank tip, I wanted to share a video highlighting Cory's top six must try aquarium fish!

Sparkling Gouramis: The Ideal Centerpiece for Your Nano Tank! This week at the Aquarium Co-Op retail store in Edmonds, we received some beautiful new fish! We received some incredible Sparkling Gourami, Roseline Sharks, Pristella Tetra, and some beautiful Super Red Koi Angelfish bred by Dean! This week we have an awesome plant selection such as Anubias Nana Petite on Lava Rock, Ozelot Sword, Ludwigia Repens, and a personal favorite Crypt. Lutea! For this week's tank tip I wanted to highlight a tool used to help properly clean your aquarium ...