New Fish Checklist: How to Set Up a Fish TankIf you’re starting a new aquarium, the amount of information on the internet can be overwhelming. Wouldn’t it be nice if an experienced aquarist could lead you step-by-step through the entire process? Follow along as we share our best practices for setting up the perfect home for your new pet fish. While some of these instructions may seem overly detailed, please take them seriously to avoid the most common pitfalls for beginners. After years of running a fish store, we find that it’s very im...
7 Best Fish Tank Ideas for a 10-Gallon AquariumA 10-gallon fish tank is one of the most common “starter” aquarium sizes because it’s small enough for an apartment, a kid’s bedroom, or even your kitchen counter. If you’re not sure what kind of fish to get or how to design the tank, get inspired by 7 of our favorite aquarium setup ideas. 1. The “Centerpiece Fish” Aquarium A centerpiece fish refers to that one aquarium fish that really draws everyone’s attention because it’s usually the biggest animal compared to the other community tank mat...
How to Treat Parasites in Aquarium FishWhen you buy an aquarium fish, did you know that it has traveled from a fish farm to a wholesaler to a pet store before it got to you? That means that there’s a high likelihood that it may have picked up some kind of internal or external parasite along the way. Wild-caught fish are especially prone to carrying parasites, if not multiple types at the same time. Unfortunately, most of the time aquarium fish don’t stay at the store long enough to make sure they are free of parasitic diseases. If...
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...
How many fish can I put in a 10-gallon tank?One of the most common but hardest questions we get is “How many fish can you put in a 10-gallon tank?” As you may guess, there is an infinite number of possible fish combinations for each aquarium size that we could recommend. To simplify things, read this article that discusses the three factors that will most impact your fish stocking levels, as well as our general guidelines for introducing the right number of fish to your aquarium.
10 Best Loaches You Have to TryIf you’re looking to add a lot of fun and excitement to the bottom third of your fish tank, loaches might be the perfect fit for you. It’s hard to describe this very diverse group of freshwater bottom dwellers, but many of them have a long-bodied shape, scaleless appearance, and whisker-like barbels on their faces. Find out which ones we love the most and how to best care for them. 1. Clown Loach (Chromobotia macracanthus) These gorgeous loaches are popular in the aquarium hobby because of...
How to Increase Water Circulation in Your AquariumWater circulation is commonly discussed in the saltwater aquarium hobby in order to imitate the movement of waves, but not having enough flow can also be a problem in freshwater setups. Fish tanks (especially large ones) with lots of decorations or hardscape can develop dead zones where lots of debris collects and algae starts to grow. Increasing water circulation can help (a) stir up waste particles so they get collected by the filter, (b) evenly distribute nutrients for aquarium plants to c...
Care Guide for Cherry Barbs — Peaceful Barb for Community TanksBarbs often get a bad reputation because of their boisterous, fin-nipping behavior, but cherry barbs are an exception to the rule. This 2-inch (5 cm) schooling fish acts like your average, mild-mannered tetra and mixes well with other community fish. They are commonly sold at pet stores because of their vivid redness, energetic personality, and ease of breeding. Learn all about how to care for this popular and peaceful barb. What are Cherry Barbs? Puntius titteya are found in the rainforests ...
Care Guide for Nerite Snails – Favorite Nano Algae EaterNerite 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...
Care Guide for Amano Shrimp — Nature’s Amazing Algae EaterAlgae can become a natural problem in any aquarium. If you have the wrong amount of light and nutrients, this unsightly issue can quickly take over in no time. While there are many methods for getting algae under control, having an algae eater in the tank is one of the easiest, safest, and most efficient approaches. The father of modern aquascaping, Takashi Amano, was fond of using an army of these little Japanese shrimp to keep his planted tanks nice and clean, which is why they are now know...
Quick Guide: How to Plant Live Aquarium PlantsCongrats 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...
5 Best Fish Tank Ideas for a 20-Gallon AquariumGetting a new 20-gallon aquarium is like starting with a fresh, blank canvas. There are so many possibilities when it comes to choosing the decorations, live plants, and of course aquarium fish. If you’re stuck in analysis paralysis from all the choices, here are five of our favorite setup ideas to help inspire you. 1. The “I Just Want It to Look Good” Aquarium Unless you’re an expert aquascaper or creative artist type, it may be difficult for you to come up with an intricately beautiful desi...
Top 7 Helpful Snails for Your Next Freshwater AquariumNot everyone is a fan of aquarium snails, but we love them because of the important role they play in an underwater ecosystem. As detritivores, they help to clean up and break down organics in the tank, such as leftover fish food, dying plant leaves, algae, and even deceased animals. To help you see the value in these amazing creatures, we put together a list of our top 7 freshwater snails that we enjoy keeping. Most of these snails are completely safe with aquarium plants, but there is cavea...
How to use the Ziss brine shrimp hatcheryRead our full article here on with step-by-step instructions and images how to install the hatchery and what recipe we use to hatch the brine shrimp eggs. If you prefer to watch a video demonstration, here is our video tutorial, as well as an extra video on how to build a taller DIY stand from PVC.
How Many Fish Can I Put in a Fish Tank?One of the most common but hardest questions we get is “How many fish can I put in a 10-gallon tank? What about a 20-gallon tank? 55 gallons?” As you may guess, there is an infinite number of possible fish combinations for each aquarium size that we could recommend. To simplify things, let’s first understand the three factors that will most impact your fish stocking levels and then discuss our general guidelines for introducing the right number of fish to your aquarium. #1 Waste Load If you a...
Top 5 Aquarium Fish with Crazy Good Value for BeginnersContrary to popular belief, aquarium fish are not necessarily the cheapest animals at the pet store. By the time you buy the fish tank, heater, filter, and decorations, you may find that you have a limited budget for the actual fish themselves. The last thing you want to do is get a fragile animal that is difficult to care for or won’t last very long. To help you narrow down the huge selection of fish at the pet store, we’ve compiled our top 5 freshwater fish that are not only affordable but ...
New Fish Checklist: How to Set Up a Fish Tank
If you’re starting a new aquarium, the amount of information on the internet can be overwhelming. Wouldn’t it be nice if an experienced aquarist could lead you step-by-step through the entire process? Follow along as we share our best practices for setting up the perfect home for your new pet fish. While some of these instructions may seem overly detailed, please take them seriously to avoid the most common pitfalls for beginners. After years of running a fish store, we find that it’s very im...
7 Best Fish Tank Ideas for a 10-Gallon Aquarium
A 10-gallon fish tank is one of the most common “starter” aquarium sizes because it’s small enough for an apartment, a kid’s bedroom, or even your kitchen counter. If you’re not sure what kind of fish to get or how to design the tank, get inspired by 7 of our favorite aquarium setup ideas. 1. The “Centerpiece Fish” Aquarium A centerpiece fish refers to that one aquarium fish that really draws everyone’s attention because it’s usually the biggest animal compared to the other community tank mat...
How to Treat Parasites in Aquarium Fish
When you buy an aquarium fish, did you know that it has traveled from a fish farm to a wholesaler to a pet store before it got to you? That means that there’s a high likelihood that it may have picked up some kind of internal or external parasite along the way. Wild-caught fish are especially prone to carrying parasites, if not multiple types at the same time. Unfortunately, most of the time aquarium fish don’t stay at the store long enough to make sure they are free of parasitic diseases. If...
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...
10 Best Loaches You Have to Try
If you’re looking to add a lot of fun and excitement to the bottom third of your fish tank, loaches might be the perfect fit for you. It’s hard to describe this very diverse group of freshwater bottom dwellers, but many of them have a long-bodied shape, scaleless appearance, and whisker-like barbels on their faces. Find out which ones we love the most and how to best care for them. 1. Clown Loach (Chromobotia macracanthus) These gorgeous loaches are popular in the aquarium hobby because of...
How to Increase Water Circulation in Your Aquarium
Water circulation is commonly discussed in the saltwater aquarium hobby in order to imitate the movement of waves, but not having enough flow can also be a problem in freshwater setups. Fish tanks (especially large ones) with lots of decorations or hardscape can develop dead zones where lots of debris collects and algae starts to grow. Increasing water circulation can help (a) stir up waste particles so they get collected by the filter, (b) evenly distribute nutrients for aquarium plants to c...
Care Guide for Cherry Barbs — Peaceful Barb for Community Tanks
Barbs often get a bad reputation because of their boisterous, fin-nipping behavior, but cherry barbs are an exception to the rule. This 2-inch (5 cm) schooling fish acts like your average, mild-mannered tetra and mixes well with other community fish. They are commonly sold at pet stores because of their vivid redness, energetic personality, and ease of breeding. Learn all about how to care for this popular and peaceful barb. What are Cherry Barbs? Puntius titteya are found in the rainforests ...
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...
Care Guide for Amano Shrimp — Nature’s Amazing Algae Eater
Algae can become a natural problem in any aquarium. If you have the wrong amount of light and nutrients, this unsightly issue can quickly take over in no time. While there are many methods for getting algae under control, having an algae eater in the tank is one of the easiest, safest, and most efficient approaches. The father of modern aquascaping, Takashi Amano, was fond of using an army of these little Japanese shrimp to keep his planted tanks nice and clean, which is why they are now know...
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...
5 Best Fish Tank Ideas for a 20-Gallon Aquarium
Getting a new 20-gallon aquarium is like starting with a fresh, blank canvas. There are so many possibilities when it comes to choosing the decorations, live plants, and of course aquarium fish. If you’re stuck in analysis paralysis from all the choices, here are five of our favorite setup ideas to help inspire you. 1. The “I Just Want It to Look Good” Aquarium Unless you’re an expert aquascaper or creative artist type, it may be difficult for you to come up with an intricately beautiful desi...
Top 7 Helpful Snails for Your Next Freshwater Aquarium
Not everyone is a fan of aquarium snails, but we love them because of the important role they play in an underwater ecosystem. As detritivores, they help to clean up and break down organics in the tank, such as leftover fish food, dying plant leaves, algae, and even deceased animals. To help you see the value in these amazing creatures, we put together a list of our top 7 freshwater snails that we enjoy keeping. Most of these snails are completely safe with aquarium plants, but there is cavea...
How Many Fish Can I Put in a Fish Tank?
One of the most common but hardest questions we get is “How many fish can I put in a 10-gallon tank? What about a 20-gallon tank? 55 gallons?” As you may guess, there is an infinite number of possible fish combinations for each aquarium size that we could recommend. To simplify things, let’s first understand the three factors that will most impact your fish stocking levels and then discuss our general guidelines for introducing the right number of fish to your aquarium. #1 Waste Load If you a...
Top 5 Aquarium Fish with Crazy Good Value for Beginners
Contrary to popular belief, aquarium fish are not necessarily the cheapest animals at the pet store. By the time you buy the fish tank, heater, filter, and decorations, you may find that you have a limited budget for the actual fish themselves. The last thing you want to do is get a fragile animal that is difficult to care for or won’t last very long. To help you narrow down the huge selection of fish at the pet store, we’ve compiled our top 5 freshwater fish that are not only affordable but ...
