5 Quick and Easy Steps for Treating Fin Rot What do you do if your fish’s fins and tail are looking ragged or discolored? It may be a bacterial disease called fin rot. This illness is simple enough to treat but can lead to other serious complications if left unchecked, so follow our five easy steps for curing fin rot. How Do I Know If My Fish Has Fin Rot? Fin rot is commonly found in aquarium fish such as betta fish and goldfish. The symptoms can vary based on how long the fish has been affected: Stage 1: The fins and/or tail start s...

5 Steps to a Better 10 Gallon Fish Tank A 10-gallon fish tank is the most sold fish tank size in the USA each year. With so many sold, they are also the cheapest fish tank sold and, when sold as a kit, quality equipment is often swapped out for cheaper equipment to be more price competitive. In this guide you’ll learn how to get your 10-gallon fish tank up to speed in 5 easy steps. 1. Upgrade your Lighting Many of the fish tanks produced today come with built-in tops with LED lights. Unfortunately to keep the cost down, these light...

Fish Tank Filters: Which One Should You Get? What do most people think when they hear you keep pet fish? They probably conjure up memories of their great aunt’s dirty goldfish tank, covered in mystery slime and reeking of stagnant swamp water. But you and I know the secret to having a beautiful aquarium with crystal clear water… clearly, we just need to find the perfect fish tank filter! Why do Aquariums Need Filtration? As one of the key components of an aquarium, filtration is responsible for moving and cleaning the tank water, making...

How to Care for a Tiger Lotus When looking to add plants to a freshwater aquarium, there are endless choices. Color and shape are some important things to consider when trying to achieve the most pleasing look overall. One plant that is both beautiful and relatively simple to maintain is the tiger lotus or Nymphaea zenkeri. With its broad, wavy-edged leaves and variegated color pattern, it can bring a new and stunning aesthetic to your aquarium. The tiger lotus is a bulb plant that has two kinds of leaf structures. The fi...

Marimo Moss Balls – The World’s Easiest Aquarium “Plant” Do you lack a green thumb when it comes to keeping live aquarium plants? Or maybe you want to add a touch of nature to your betta fish tank without a lot of effort? Let me introduce you to the marimo moss ball. This velvety green orb is neither a moss nor plant, but a species of green algae known as Aegagropila linnaei that gets its unique shape from tumbling about the bottom of freshwater lakes. The nickname “marimo” roughly translates from Japanese as “water plant that’s kind of like a boun...

Banana Plant – An Unusual Aquarium Plant for Beginners Have you ever seen this bizarre plant at your local pet store that looks like it’s growing a bunch of baby bananas? Say hello to the aquatic banana plant, also known as the banana lily or Nymphoides aquatica. This species is native to slow-moving waters in the southeastern United States and is quite popular as a beginner-friendly, low light plant. Nymphoides aquatica with banana-like tubers How to Plant Your Banana Plant Introducing a new banana lily to your fish tank is very simple. First, ...

Candi Overhuls | Customer Service Manager Q: Your favorite thing about working at Aquarium Co-Op? A: First and foremost, Cory. It is an amazing feeling knowing that as an employee, your livelihood matters to him. This has been shown to me time and time again. That gives me a sense of security, and pushes me to give all that I have to give. 100% always. As the customer service representative, being able to provide resolutions to our customers, is rewarding knowing I have helped in some way. It’s truly a team effort, to ensure we are t...

Randy Reed | Vice President Q: Your Favorite thing about working at Aquarium Co-Op?

 A: That’s a tough one as there are so many awesome things about working for the Co-Op, but if I had to pick one it would be working with vendors/manufacturers to improve existing, or source entirely new, products. Knowing that customers are going to be just as excited as I am for new and better products is very rewarding. Your Key Information(Degrees, accomplishments, other facts that relate to your job or the hobby) BA in Economics f...

Livebearers are Becoming Weaker. In many older books and magazines, you'll read how livebearers like Endler’s Livebearers and Guppies are great for beginners because they're hardy. This was once true, however now that we are many generations away from the wild stock, some of them have become quite weak. Unfortunately, most livebearers are now mass produced. As we all know, when things go into mass production, the quality will decline. I hope to offer some tips to help you be successful with livebearers in spite of th...

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 ...

Cory McElroy | Company Owner and Founder Started Aquarium Co-Op in June of 2012 Q: Your Favorite thing about working at Aquarium Co-Op? A: My role is always evolving, however the one thing that mains true is that I love helping people. Whether it’s one on one in person at the store or at an event or in a video, I take pride in my work knowing what I do helps others. Master Aquatic Horticulturalist Served on the Board of Directors for the Greater Seattle Aquarium Society as the Fish Breeder Award Program Chair Named in Pet Age Magazine as a top 40 under the age of 40. Q: ...

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...

New Schooling and Centerpiece Fish at Aquarium Co-Op This Week! 🐟 At Aquarium Co-Op this week we got in some great looking fish in our deliveries! New centerpiece fish options include Blue Paradise Fish, Scarlet Badis, Chocolate Gouramis, and Medium Assorted Angelfish, while Odessa Barbs and Gold White Clouds make for great schooling additions to your tank. Our Small Fancy Goldfish are looking great this week, too! As for plants this week, we have a lot in stock right now! We are currently running a retail store only BOGO (buy one get one free) sale on a...