Where can I find Aquarium Co-Op store?Retail Store Hours Monday - Saturday: 11AM - 7PM Sunday: 11AM - 6PM Retail Store Info9661 Firdale Ave Edmonds, WA 98020
Top 5 Red Plants to Try in Your Next Planted AquariumOne of the basic design principles of aquascaping is to create interesting spaces that catch the viewer’s attention, such as by utilizing plants with different textures, heights, and colors. However, most plants are green in color, so how do you prevent your planted tank from looking all the same, like a solid green background? Thankfully, there are several red plants that have pink, scarlet, bronze-red, and even reddish-purple leaves, so let’s talk about our top 5 favorites that you should t...
5 Quick and Easy Tricks to Improve Your Aquarium FilterThere are a million and one ways to hack the filtration in your fish tank to optimize its efficiency, save money and time, and more. Some of these methods are just gimmicks, while others are pure gold that experienced veterans in the fishkeeping hobby have discovered over time. After owning hundreds of aquarium filters in our fish store and personal fish rooms, we’ve narrowed down our top 5 simple tips and tricks for getting the best performance out of your filtration. 1. Switch to Reusable F...
Care Guide for Green Neon Tetras — Perfect Nano Fish for Planted TanksGreen neon tetras are a favorite fish for aquascapers because their glowing blue stripe is so eye-catching yet doesn’t take away from the beauty of the aquarium plants. As the little cousin of the more common neon tetra, you can easily fit a small school of green neon tetras in a planted nano aquarium or get a huge swarm to fill a larger tank for an amazing visual impact. Find out what makes this species so special and how to keep them happy and healthy in your home. What are Green Neon Tetra...
Care Guide for Silver Tip Tetras — Fun and Interactive Schooling FishSilver tip tetras are one of our favorite schooling fish. Beginners love them because they are hardy and energetic, and if you have a big enough group, they will follow your finger as you trace it along the outside of the aquarium glass. Plus, their sunshine colors look dazzling in a lushly planted tank. Find out how to keep this fun, little fish both happy and healthy in your home aquarium. What are Silver Tip Tetras? Hasemania nana is a 2-inch (5 cm) schooling fish that hails from the river...
Top 10 Fish That Are Perfect for Planted AquariumsOne of the reasons why we love live aquarium plants is because their natural beauty just seems to magically enhance the appearance of your fish and invertebrates. Plus, some of the animals start to exhibit unique behaviors that you wouldn’t normally see unless they’re surrounded by a jungle of leaves, stems, and roots. If you enjoy aquatic plants as much as we do, try pairing them with our top 10 favorite plant-friendly fish and see which ones you love the best. 1. Elephant Nose Fish Gnathon...
Top 7 Oddball Fish for a 30-Gallon AquariumIf you’ve already kept all of the most popular fish in the aquarium hobby, you may be looking for some oddball species to try. They tend to be unusual in appearance, have special care requirements, or may be harder to source. Because of their rarity, your friends and family are bound to ask what kind of strange creature they just spotted lurking in your aquarium. In previous articles, we covered our favorite choices for nano tanks, so let’s talk about the top 7 medium-sized oddballs for 29- o...
Top 10 Colorful Fish to Brighten Up Your Next Freshwater AquariumIt doesn't matter if you are a beginner or veteran in the freshwater aquarium hobby — everyone is attracted to colorful fish. Bright reds, yellows, blues, and iridescent hues always get the most attention at pet stores because there's nothing like coming home to a beautiful tank full of color and activity. Because there are so many good-looking species to choose from, let’s highlight some of our favorites that possess the most amazing kaleidoscope of colors. 1. Guppy Poecilia reticul...
Top 10 Aquarium Fish That Love Hard WaterDid you know that certain aquarium fish may not do well in your home because they prefer water parameters that are very different from your tap water? For example, if the pH and GH (or general hardness) coming out of your faucet are very high, then discus, crystal shrimp, and other creatures from soft water environments may be more difficult to keep. That being said, do not despair if your water hardness is off the charts and considered to be “liquid rock.” Many species thrive in hard water e...
How to Care for Your Aquarium Fish During a Power OutageBad weather or maintenance by the power company can cause a loss of electricity and send fishkeepers into a panic. A lot of aquarium equipment — like the heater, filter, light, and CO2 system — all runs on electricity, and some of them are vital for keeping your aquatic animals alive. Plus, most of the time we have no idea how long the power outage will last, which unfortunately makes it harder to know what appropriate actions we should take. At Aquarium Co-Op, we’ve had a lot of experience w...
5 Best Fish Tank Ideas for a 55-Gallon Aquarium55-gallon fish tanks are one of our favorite sizes because the 48" length x 13" width x 21" height (122 x 33 x 53 cm) dimensions give you a lot of options to play with. Everyone has different preferences for the types of aquariums they like to keep, so to help inspire you, we have put together our top 5 freshwater setups that you should try. 1. The Planted Livebearer Tank Fancy mollies Livebearers are fish that bear live young instead of eggs, and they are often prominently featu...
How to Drill a Hole in a Glass Aquarium the Easy WayWhile most fish keepers start off with easy, off-the-shelf filters from the pet store, some hobbyists want to take their aquarium filtration to the next level. By drilling a hole near the top of a fish tank and adding a bulkhead (i.e., waterproof plastic fitting that prevents the hole from leaking), aquarium water can be directly plumbed out of the tank and into a custom filtration system — like an aquarium sump, canister filter, or automatic water change system. Everyone has a slightly diffe...
Top 10 Pufferfish You Can Keep in Freshwater and Brackish AquariumsOut of all the oddball fish, we’ve always had a fascination with puffer fish because of their highly intelligent nature, helicopter-like maneuverability, and large, inquisitive eyes. Plus, they have unique defense mechanisms, such as inflating like a living water balloon and carrying the tetrodotoxin poison that discourages would-be predators. (Note to self: do not try to eat a pet puffer.) Most pufferfish are semi-aggressive to aggressive carnivores with ever-growing teeth like a beaver, so ...
5 Amazing Wild Betta Species that You Should Try BreedingEveryone has heard of Betta splendens, the colorful, flowy-finned betta fish you see in pet stores. But did you know there are several other species in the Betta genus that can be kept in home aquariums? As with B. splendens, most of them come from the vegetation-filled swamps and marshes of tropical countries in Southeast Asia. Because of the low oxygen levels in stagnant waters, these anabantoids have a special labyrinth organ that allows them to swim up to the water surface to gulp air. Th...
Care Guide for Mystery Snails — Entertaining and Useful ScavengerMany aquarium hobbyists don’t like pest snails like bladder, ramshorn, and Malaysian trumpet snails because they can rapidly increase in population even if you only start with one. In contrast, mystery snails (Pomacea diffusa and P. bridgesii) are really cool, little pets that you can buy at your local pet or fish store for only $3–4. They cannot self-fertilize or change their sex, which makes it much easier to control their breeding, and unlike their larger apple snail relatives, they won’t ...
How to Fertilize Your Planted Tank the EASY WayWe're big proponents of getting live aquatic plants because of their natural beauty and ability to purify water, but a common question we get is, “Do I need to fertilize my aquarium plants?” From our experience, most people have to fertilize because fish waste does not provide the proper amounts of nitrate, potassium, phosphate, and other trace minerals that plants require to flourish. Another big factor is your local tap water. If you live on well water, your water may contain lots of he...
Top 5 Red Plants to Try in Your Next Planted Aquarium
One of the basic design principles of aquascaping is to create interesting spaces that catch the viewer’s attention, such as by utilizing plants with different textures, heights, and colors. However, most plants are green in color, so how do you prevent your planted tank from looking all the same, like a solid green background? Thankfully, there are several red plants that have pink, scarlet, bronze-red, and even reddish-purple leaves, so let’s talk about our top 5 favorites that you should t...
5 Quick and Easy Tricks to Improve Your Aquarium Filter
There are a million and one ways to hack the filtration in your fish tank to optimize its efficiency, save money and time, and more. Some of these methods are just gimmicks, while others are pure gold that experienced veterans in the fishkeeping hobby have discovered over time. After owning hundreds of aquarium filters in our fish store and personal fish rooms, we’ve narrowed down our top 5 simple tips and tricks for getting the best performance out of your filtration. 1. Switch to Reusable F...
Care Guide for Green Neon Tetras — Perfect Nano Fish for Planted Tanks
Green neon tetras are a favorite fish for aquascapers because their glowing blue stripe is so eye-catching yet doesn’t take away from the beauty of the aquarium plants. As the little cousin of the more common neon tetra, you can easily fit a small school of green neon tetras in a planted nano aquarium or get a huge swarm to fill a larger tank for an amazing visual impact. Find out what makes this species so special and how to keep them happy and healthy in your home. What are Green Neon Tetra...
Care Guide for Silver Tip Tetras — Fun and Interactive Schooling Fish
Silver tip tetras are one of our favorite schooling fish. Beginners love them because they are hardy and energetic, and if you have a big enough group, they will follow your finger as you trace it along the outside of the aquarium glass. Plus, their sunshine colors look dazzling in a lushly planted tank. Find out how to keep this fun, little fish both happy and healthy in your home aquarium. What are Silver Tip Tetras? Hasemania nana is a 2-inch (5 cm) schooling fish that hails from the river...
Top 10 Fish That Are Perfect for Planted Aquariums
One of the reasons why we love live aquarium plants is because their natural beauty just seems to magically enhance the appearance of your fish and invertebrates. Plus, some of the animals start to exhibit unique behaviors that you wouldn’t normally see unless they’re surrounded by a jungle of leaves, stems, and roots. If you enjoy aquatic plants as much as we do, try pairing them with our top 10 favorite plant-friendly fish and see which ones you love the best. 1. Elephant Nose Fish Gnathon...
Top 7 Oddball Fish for a 30-Gallon Aquarium
If you’ve already kept all of the most popular fish in the aquarium hobby, you may be looking for some oddball species to try. They tend to be unusual in appearance, have special care requirements, or may be harder to source. Because of their rarity, your friends and family are bound to ask what kind of strange creature they just spotted lurking in your aquarium. In previous articles, we covered our favorite choices for nano tanks, so let’s talk about the top 7 medium-sized oddballs for 29- o...
Top 10 Colorful Fish to Brighten Up Your Next Freshwater Aquarium
It doesn't matter if you are a beginner or veteran in the freshwater aquarium hobby — everyone is attracted to colorful fish. Bright reds, yellows, blues, and iridescent hues always get the most attention at pet stores because there's nothing like coming home to a beautiful tank full of color and activity. Because there are so many good-looking species to choose from, let’s highlight some of our favorites that possess the most amazing kaleidoscope of colors. 1. Guppy Poecilia reticul...
Top 10 Aquarium Fish That Love Hard Water
Did you know that certain aquarium fish may not do well in your home because they prefer water parameters that are very different from your tap water? For example, if the pH and GH (or general hardness) coming out of your faucet are very high, then discus, crystal shrimp, and other creatures from soft water environments may be more difficult to keep. That being said, do not despair if your water hardness is off the charts and considered to be “liquid rock.” Many species thrive in hard water e...
How to Care for Your Aquarium Fish During a Power Outage
Bad weather or maintenance by the power company can cause a loss of electricity and send fishkeepers into a panic. A lot of aquarium equipment — like the heater, filter, light, and CO2 system — all runs on electricity, and some of them are vital for keeping your aquatic animals alive. Plus, most of the time we have no idea how long the power outage will last, which unfortunately makes it harder to know what appropriate actions we should take. At Aquarium Co-Op, we’ve had a lot of experience w...
5 Best Fish Tank Ideas for a 55-Gallon Aquarium
55-gallon fish tanks are one of our favorite sizes because the 48" length x 13" width x 21" height (122 x 33 x 53 cm) dimensions give you a lot of options to play with. Everyone has different preferences for the types of aquariums they like to keep, so to help inspire you, we have put together our top 5 freshwater setups that you should try. 1. The Planted Livebearer Tank Fancy mollies Livebearers are fish that bear live young instead of eggs, and they are often prominently featu...
How to Drill a Hole in a Glass Aquarium the Easy Way
While most fish keepers start off with easy, off-the-shelf filters from the pet store, some hobbyists want to take their aquarium filtration to the next level. By drilling a hole near the top of a fish tank and adding a bulkhead (i.e., waterproof plastic fitting that prevents the hole from leaking), aquarium water can be directly plumbed out of the tank and into a custom filtration system — like an aquarium sump, canister filter, or automatic water change system. Everyone has a slightly diffe...
Top 10 Pufferfish You Can Keep in Freshwater and Brackish Aquariums
Out of all the oddball fish, we’ve always had a fascination with puffer fish because of their highly intelligent nature, helicopter-like maneuverability, and large, inquisitive eyes. Plus, they have unique defense mechanisms, such as inflating like a living water balloon and carrying the tetrodotoxin poison that discourages would-be predators. (Note to self: do not try to eat a pet puffer.) Most pufferfish are semi-aggressive to aggressive carnivores with ever-growing teeth like a beaver, so ...
5 Amazing Wild Betta Species that You Should Try Breeding
Everyone has heard of Betta splendens, the colorful, flowy-finned betta fish you see in pet stores. But did you know there are several other species in the Betta genus that can be kept in home aquariums? As with B. splendens, most of them come from the vegetation-filled swamps and marshes of tropical countries in Southeast Asia. Because of the low oxygen levels in stagnant waters, these anabantoids have a special labyrinth organ that allows them to swim up to the water surface to gulp air. Th...
Care Guide for Mystery Snails — Entertaining and Useful Scavenger
Many aquarium hobbyists don’t like pest snails like bladder, ramshorn, and Malaysian trumpet snails because they can rapidly increase in population even if you only start with one. In contrast, mystery snails (Pomacea diffusa and P. bridgesii) are really cool, little pets that you can buy at your local pet or fish store for only $3–4. They cannot self-fertilize or change their sex, which makes it much easier to control their breeding, and unlike their larger apple snail relatives, they won’t ...
How to Fertilize Your Planted Tank the EASY Way
We're big proponents of getting live aquatic plants because of their natural beauty and ability to purify water, but a common question we get is, “Do I need to fertilize my aquarium plants?” From our experience, most people have to fertilize because fish waste does not provide the proper amounts of nitrate, potassium, phosphate, and other trace minerals that plants require to flourish. Another big factor is your local tap water. If you live on well water, your water may contain lots of he...
