How do I make Repashy gel food?Gel food for aquarium fish is a unique addition to the hobby that goldfish aficionados, catfish enthusiasts, and fish breeders have come to love. Read this article to find out how to make a batch of Repashy gel food in only 7 minutes.
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...
How often should I add more root tabs?Nutrients get used up over time (even if you’re using a nutrient-rich substrate) and therefore must be regularly replenished. To maintain healthy growth, we recommend adding more root tabs about once a month to continually build the nutrient base in the ground, especially if you are using an inert substrate like aquarium gravel or sand that doesn’t contain any nutrients on its own. Also, remember that as plants grow bigger, they will require more root tabs. A baby Amazon sword that is newly p...
What are Aquarium Co-Op's contact details?Need Advice? Join our Facebook group or the online forum to get advice and answers to your questions from our staff and like-minded enthusiasts. Come Visit Us! Retail store hours are Monday to Friday from 11AM - 7PM and Saturday to Sunday from 10AM - 7PM Retail Store Info: 9661 Firdale Ave, Edmonds WA 98020 Need Further Help? If you are having issues with your shipping, please use the inquiry form or send us an email to shipping@aquariumcoop.com
Do I need an air pump for my aquarium?An air pump is a mechanical device that sits outside of the fish tank and uses electricity (either from a wall outlet or battery power) to pump air into the aquarium. The air travels from the air pump to the fish tank decoration or device, creating bubbles that float to the surface and pop. You only need an air pump if you are using an aquarium device, such as: Air stone Aquarium bubbler Sponge filter Undergravel filter Corner box filter Moving bed filter Fish tank decoration or ornament Bre...
Live Stream ChatWe often get asked, "How do I chat with Cory on the live streams, and when do the live streams happen live?" We live stream every week when Cory is in town. You can click here to see all the videos and upcoming live streams. To chat with Cory and everyone else, open the video while it is live on a device that supports chat. Not all devices do, but all computers and laptops will, most phones etc. There will be a chat box that you can open up. From there, you can type 1 message every 60...
What are Indian almond leaves used for?When you drop a dried catappa leaf into your aquarium water, the leaf begins to slowly decompose and produce tannins, which are plant-based compounds that gradually lower the pH and stain the water with a yellow-brown tint. Benefits include: Lower pH and softer water for keeping and breeding lower pH species Antibacterial and antifungal properties for healing mild ailments Food for baby fish and shrimp Tinted water for creating a blackwater aquarium or biotope For more details on whether or...
Are root tabs safe for fish, shrimp, and snails?Yes, our brand of root tabs is safe for all animals. The reason is because we use actual soil in our root tabs that is nontoxic if the nutrients get released into the water column. Some people try to save money by making their own DIY root tabs or using fertilizers meant for houseplants and vegetables, but those terrestrial products can cause dangerous ammonia spikes in the water that may kill your fish and invertebrates. For more information, read our full article on root tabs.
Do you ship outside of the United States?At this time, we currently only ship to the United States (including Alaska and Hawaii but not including Puerto Rico). We also have a retail partner April's Aquarium that sells some of our premium products online to Canadian customers. In the future, we hope to find expedited shipping options that will allow us to expand the number of countries we ship to. For more information, see the International Delivery section on our Shipping page.
Who do we buy from?We don't disclose our vendors. This helps us remain competitive. Also for individual stores, proximity to vendors, water parameters etc all play a part in which wholesalers will make sense for you to be purchasing from. Our best advice is to attend shows, and always be seeking other suppliers and constantly track your pricing so that you may improve it over time. No one starts with great pricing, without proving to the supplier the volume they can move. With time more vendors will approac...
5 Best Foods for Freshwater Aquarium ShrimpIf you’re not trying to breed champion-quality shrimp, then finding the “best” food to feed freshwater shrimp is not as hard as you may think. Aquarium companies know that ornamental shrimp are very popular right now, so they spend a lot of marketing dollars trying to convince you that shrimp have very specialized needs that only their brand of shrimp food can meet. In reality, dwarf shrimp are last on the food chain, serving as scavengers that eat decaying plants, deceased animals, algae, an...
5 High-Quality Fish Foods That You Have to TryWhen it comes to prepared fish foods, what do you feed? Are you a die-hard fan of Team Hikari or a DIYer on Team Repashy? Or are you like me, who has a serious case of fish food collectoritis and a fridge door filled with half-empty bottles? In today’s world of fish keeping, we have the luxury of choosing from hundreds of fish foods produced by companies all over the world, so when I test out a new product, I generally look for: Ingredients – What is the food made out of and what nutrients d...
Care Guide for Blood Parrot Cichlids – The Hybrid with a Tiny MouthBlood parrot cichlids are super cool, derpy fish that we have previously kept in an 800-gallon aquarium. Why choose them over any number of animals that could live there? They possess an interesting mix of features — larger size, bright color, and yet a smaller mouth that makes them less likely to damage or eat other fish. As long as you have the tank space and the right kind of food, they are pretty easy to keep. What are Blood Parrot Cichlids? This is not the saltwater parrotfish, but rathe...
Top 10 Live Foods to Feed Your Aquarium FishIf you are looking for the very best fish food to feed your aquarium animals, most veteran fishkeepers will agree there is nothing that tops live foods. This premium food is the closest thing to what fish eat in nature and has numerous benefits. The movement of the food entices the fish to eat, which is especially useful if they are underweight or growing and need to consume more nutrients than usual. Plus, hunting provides both physical and mental enrichment for your aquarium animals and all...
How to Raise Baby Fish Fry in Your AquariumOne of the most thrilling parts of the aquarium hobby is getting your fish to breed. If you are taking good care of your fish and feeding them well, one day you may spot a tiny baby darting around the tank. While accidental fry are always exciting, there are several ways you can increase their survival rate or boost your numbers if you plan on selling them for profit. 1. Protect the Eggs from the Parents Many fish do not show any parental care towards their offspring and will happily eat thei...
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 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...
5 Best Foods for Freshwater Aquarium Shrimp
If you’re not trying to breed champion-quality shrimp, then finding the “best” food to feed freshwater shrimp is not as hard as you may think. Aquarium companies know that ornamental shrimp are very popular right now, so they spend a lot of marketing dollars trying to convince you that shrimp have very specialized needs that only their brand of shrimp food can meet. In reality, dwarf shrimp are last on the food chain, serving as scavengers that eat decaying plants, deceased animals, algae, an...
5 High-Quality Fish Foods That You Have to Try
When it comes to prepared fish foods, what do you feed? Are you a die-hard fan of Team Hikari or a DIYer on Team Repashy? Or are you like me, who has a serious case of fish food collectoritis and a fridge door filled with half-empty bottles? In today’s world of fish keeping, we have the luxury of choosing from hundreds of fish foods produced by companies all over the world, so when I test out a new product, I generally look for: Ingredients – What is the food made out of and what nutrients d...
Care Guide for Blood Parrot Cichlids – The Hybrid with a Tiny Mouth
Blood parrot cichlids are super cool, derpy fish that we have previously kept in an 800-gallon aquarium. Why choose them over any number of animals that could live there? They possess an interesting mix of features — larger size, bright color, and yet a smaller mouth that makes them less likely to damage or eat other fish. As long as you have the tank space and the right kind of food, they are pretty easy to keep. What are Blood Parrot Cichlids? This is not the saltwater parrotfish, but rathe...
Top 10 Live Foods to Feed Your Aquarium Fish
If you are looking for the very best fish food to feed your aquarium animals, most veteran fishkeepers will agree there is nothing that tops live foods. This premium food is the closest thing to what fish eat in nature and has numerous benefits. The movement of the food entices the fish to eat, which is especially useful if they are underweight or growing and need to consume more nutrients than usual. Plus, hunting provides both physical and mental enrichment for your aquarium animals and all...
How to Raise Baby Fish Fry in Your Aquarium
One of the most thrilling parts of the aquarium hobby is getting your fish to breed. If you are taking good care of your fish and feeding them well, one day you may spot a tiny baby darting around the tank. While accidental fry are always exciting, there are several ways you can increase their survival rate or boost your numbers if you plan on selling them for profit. 1. Protect the Eggs from the Parents Many fish do not show any parental care towards their offspring and will happily eat thei...
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...
