Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Family: Characidae

Distribution: The Paraguay River basin in Paraguay, South America is where Hyphessobrycon elachys choses to make its home.  Reports also suggest it can be found somewhere in Brazil.

PH: 6.5 – 7.0 pH

Temperature: 24 – 27°C (75 – 81°F)

Hardness: 5 – 8 dH

Description: Like its Hyphessobrycon relatives, Hyphessobrycon elachys is a peaceful, calm, shoaling fish who does well in community tanks.  It is also lively, adding streaks of colour and action to any dull tank.

Hyphessobrycon elachys will grow to around 5cm in length.

Diet: Although flakes and pellets will be accepted by Hyphessobrycon elachys, they require a high live food content in their diet.  This can be supplemented by frozen food most of the time (with live as an occasional treat).

Breeding: There is little information available regarding breeding methodology for Hyphessobrycon elachys, so the general method used for the family has been included.

Transfer a year-old male and a year-old female to separate conditioning tanks.  Use insect larvae and Drosophila to condition the duo for two-to-three weeks, before introducing them to one another in a breeding tank (at least 40L).  The breeding tank should have many fine-leaved plants and a soft filtration system, but do not use substrate.  Use water with a pH of 5.5 – 6.5, a dH of 2 – 4, and a temperature of 24 – 26°C (75 – 79°F).  It is unknown if the eggs are light-sensitive, so it is best to keep them out of direct sunlight just in case.

It should take three days for the pair to spawn.  If no eggs appear, recondition them.  The eggs will appear in the leaves of the plants and the parents should be removed immediately after spawning (cannibalistic).  A little over twenty-four hours after being laid, the eggs will hatch.  The fry will appear few days later and should be fed on an initial diet of micro-organisms and baby Brine, and crushed flake ten days later.

The eggs and fry require partial water changes on a weekly basis as they are susceptible to illness in poor water conditions.

Comments: Plantation is key to establishing a tank for your Hyphessobrycon elachys: the sides and back should have dense plantation, and floating plants should be utilised to dim the lighting.  They will enjoy a large area of free swimming space in the middle of the tank; as well as a slow to moderate current.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: They should live happily with other Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They also should be good tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, Corydoras Catfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami (such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also should live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danio and Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish could make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-04-21 02:10:02. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Family: Nothobrachiidae

Distribution: Aphyosemion abacinum is distributed in swampy, quiet brooks under forest cover, particularly 30 km north of Mekambo, upper Ivindo drainage, northeastern Gabon.

PH: 6.0 – 7.0

Temperature: 18 – 22°C (64 – 72°F)

Hardness: < 10 dH

Description: Aphyosemion abacinum is a small killifish which measures 3.5 cm in length at best.  It has a mosaic pattern on its body.

Diet: You can feed this species a wide variety of foods such as brine, frozen Cyclops and live black worms.

Breeding: Aphyosemion abacinum is not a very productive species, and breeding them is a tough ask.  One method that has been successful involves picking the eggs out and putting them in a container of water with a fungal inhibitor.  The eggs will hatch in approximately 20 days.  The hatched fry can immediately be fed newly hatched brine shrimp.  You will need to keep up with water changes in order to grow this species properly.

Comments: This species is small and can be housed in a 10 gallon aquarium.  Provide it with plants and hiding spaces to simulate its natural environment.  Bear in mind this species is very hard to breed in captivity; this should only be attempted by experienced hobbyists.

Article/Books

Recommended Compatible Species: This killifish is small and should be housed with non-aggressive tank mates.  Try not to house it with tropical fish as they will require a warmer water temperature.

Originally posted 2010-01-26 12:04:08. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Herichthys bartoni (Barton’s Cichlid)
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Originally posted 2009-11-05 11:03:32. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Family: Characidae

Distribution: Triportheus albus is distributed in the Amazon, Tocantins and Araguaia basins, South America.

PH: 5.0 – 7.0

Temperature: 22°C – 30C (72 – 86F)

Hardness: 1 – 15

Description: Triportheus albus can reach a maximum length of 15 cm in an aquarium.   This species has a pointed head and a snout that looks straight in profile.  Its nostrils are close together and it has a large eye without an adipose eyelid.   

Diet: Triportheus albus is probably omnivorous and will accept live, frozen and dried foods.  You might choose to feed it fruits, nuts, insects and seeds.

Breeding: There is not a great deal of information available on this species’ breeding habits as yet.

Comments: Triportheus albus should be housed in a tank that is at least 110 litres in volume.  You should probably give it plenty of swimming space as it will often be dwelling just below the water’s surface, along with a fair amount of floating vegetation.  This species will need a high oxygen concentration in its tank. Remember to put a tight-fitting lid on the top of your tank to stop the fish from jumping out.  Given there is not a lot of information available on Triportheus albus, it is probably not suitable for beginners.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: Triportheus albus should not be kept with small, timid tank mates. They will live happily with large  Tetra species . They are also great tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, CorydorasCatfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbaiand Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common  Platy and most Gourami(such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) and also many of the larger Killifish make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-01-26 22:21:00. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Family: Cichlidae

Distribution: Apistogramma Agassizii are found hiding in amongst the plants and leaf litter of many lakes and rivers in South America, they are a bottom dwelling cichlid which prefer to stay in one territory.

pH: 5.5 – 7

Temperature: 24°C – 27°C (75°F – 81°F)

Hardness: 2 dH – 10 dH

Description: A small and generally peaceful dwarf cichlids which prefers to live in pairs or a harem. The Males have been known to grow to 8cm and the females to 5cm, These are one of the easiest fish to tell males and females apart, Males are bigger, have longer more pointed dorsal, tail, anal and pectoral fins and typically have very colourful fins, with a silvery body which has a solid black line which runs horizontally. Females are normally smaller, with shorter fins and have a bright yellow body with broken horizontal black lines.

Diet: Apistogramma Agassizii’s have a forward pointing mouth and therefore prefer to eat slow sinking food or food from the bottom. They are a non-fussy omnivore which will eat most dried , frozen or live foods.

Breeding: Apistogramma Agassizii are a cave spawning cichlid which will protect their offspring with a passion shown by few other fish. The minimum size aquarium you should attempt to breed them in is a 15ltr tank, although they may lay eggs in a smaller space normally they will eat the eggs.

Set up a cave which is only just big enough for the pair of Apistogramma Agassizii to fit in but small enough that they feel seclueded, they are not particulary fussy when it comes to finding a place to breed, the main considerations are- the pair need to be well fed, water quality good and the pair are not stressed out by humans or other fish.

Tip: Feed live black worms for a week the do a 30% cold water change, this will almost guarantee them to spawn.

Comments: Apistogramma’s are one of the hidden jewels of the aquarium, they have a big personality, they show love in looking after their young and they come in many brilliant colours.

Article/Books:

Dwarf Cichlids (American Cichlids)
Aqualog Extra: The Latest Apistogramma
South America Cichlids: Keeping & Breeding Them in Captivity (Re-615)

Recommended Compatible Species: Apistogramma are a great community species and therefore live happily with most Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They are also great tank mates with Discus, Corydoras Catfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami (such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also can live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danio and Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2009-08-26 07:13:00. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Pomacanthus semicirculatus (Koran Angel)
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Originally posted 2009-11-06 13:25:22. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Parachromis dovii (Wolf Cichlid)
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Originally posted 2009-11-05 20:58:20. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Family: Characidae

Distribution: Hemigrammus parana is found in Brazil, South America.  Specifically, the upper upper Paraná, the Grande, Paranaíba, and São Jose dos Dourados River systems.

PH: 6.0 – 7.5 pH

Temperature: 22 – 28°C (72 – 82°F)

Hardness: 2-15 gdH

Description: One of the smaller Hemigrammus species, Hemigrammus parana will only hit around 3cm.  It can be differentiated from the rest of the Hemigrammus species through its lack of a humeral spot.  Instead, it has a large black spot on its caudal fin that extends from the base to the top in the middle of the rays.  It does appear remarkably similar to Hemigrammus levis; aside from more rays on the caudal fin and the longitudinal band without an area of reflective scales anteriorly.

Hemigrammus species is usually peaceful and sociable.  They thrive in shoals of at least 6-8 and are generally ideal additions to community tanks.

Diet: Use an omnivorous diet for your Hemigrammus parana; flakes will be a suitable base and supplement it with live foods such as insect larvae and brine shrimp.

Breeding: Information regarding the general method of breeding the Hemigrammus species has been utilised, as Hemigrammus parana is unusual within the hobby.

Breeders should separate a male and female Hemigrammus parana from both the shoal and from one another.  These two fish should be around one year old.  Condition them on insect larvae.  A breeding tank consisting of peat-filtered water, dense plantation, natural lighting (only) and a slightly higher temperature should be set up.  Introduce the duo into the breeding tank.  If spawning does not occur within three days, repeat the process.  If it fails a second time, try switching one of the partners.

The parents should be removed once they’ve spawned because they are carnivorous and will eat the eggs.  The newly-hatched fry should be fed on very small food particles such as Infusoria, micro-organisms, baby brine shrimp and flake foods.

Breeding results will generally be quite high, if their natural pattern is anything to go by: in the wild, they can double their original population in a little over a year.

Comments: A 40L tank is suitable to keep a shoal of Hemigrammus parana alone; however, you will need to double the size if keeping in a community tank.  It will require heavy plantation along the sides and back, as well as an open swimming area in the middle.  If wanting to show off the colouration to its finest, use a dark substrate.  Top floating plants should also be included in order to diffuse the light.

The Hemigrammus species is a fairly hardy one, and thus is suitable for an aquarist of any experience level.

Hemigrammus parana is unusual in the hobby, there is a scarcity of information.  Subsequently, general information regarding the Hemigrammus species has been included.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: They should live happily with other Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They also should be good tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, CorydorasCatfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami(such as the Blue Gouramiand Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also should live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danioand Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish could make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-04-20 14:56:14. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Family: Bagridae

Distribution: Bagrichthys macracanthus, more commonly known as Black Lancer Catfish, is found in the Greater Sunda Island Rivers, Thailand, and in Indonesia.  It mainly dwells in large, muddy rivers.

PH: 5.5 – 7.0

Temperature: 24°C -28°C (75 – 82F)

Hardness: 1 – 24 dH

Description: This Black Lancer Catfish differs from Bagrichthys hypselopterus in size, reaching 25 cm in length.  Youngsters have undeveloped caudal and dorsal fins and a black colouration.  It may develop a white chalk-coloured line down its body as it ages, and the dorsal fin will elongate.

Diet: These fish aren’t fussy eaters and will accept anything offered to them, but has a distinct preference for frozen brine shrimp.  You can provide it with bloodworms occasionally, and any prepared catfish foods will be well received.

Breeding: Bagrichthys micracanthus has apparently never been spawned in aquaria, which may be due to its spawning habits in the wild.  This species, like all Bagrichthys species, spawns at the start of the rainy season in flooded forests which are subject to several environmental changes.  The water, given the great deal of rain, becomes softer, while oxygen levels in the water are also raised.  Insects are swept into the rivers which in turn provide a food source and a trigger for reproduction.  As such, this species is very difficult to breed in an aquarium environment.

Comments: Bagrichthys macracanthus is a mid-sized catfish that should be housed in a tank of about 100 gallons in volume.  You should provide a large cave or pipe for this fish as it is shy and may panic at times.  Avoid putting heaters in places the fish can reach; this fish has been known to burn itself on heaters.  It will appreciate plenty of vegetation in its tank.  This species is not overly attractive and will be near impossible to spawn, so it is probably best left to experienced hobbyists.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: Bagrichthys species should be kept in a tank with non-aggressive fish.  You could put shoals of rasboras and barbs in your tank to offset the shyness of your Black Lancer.

Originally posted 2010-01-05 11:08:54. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Family: Caridina

Distribution: Caridina breviata, or Bumble Bee Shrimp, originates from the waters of south eastern China, Hong Kong.

PH: 6.5 – 7.5

Temperature: 20– 25°C (68 – 77°F)

Hardness: 8 – 12 gH

Description:  The Bumblebee Shrimp will grow approximately 2.5 – 3 cm in length.  It has a colouration that ranges from black to brown, white stripes, a brown head and white neck.  Unlike the Black Diamond Shrimp, this species does not display any traces of orange colouration.

Diet: Caridina breviata should be given algae, flakes, leaves and pellets.  It doesn’t require as much algae as the Amano Shrimp.

Breeding: This species doesn’t have a larval stage; the female will lay 7 – 22 eggs at spawning and these eggs will hatch in around four weeks time.  The shrimplets will appear as miniature adults but will lack colour and sexual organs.

Comments: Provide plenty of plant life and, as per all Caridinas, it is advised you house several of both sexes together.  Be careful to include regular water changes as part of your maintenance.   You need not have a tank greater than 10 litres in volume.  However this species may prove quite sensitive – they die easily – and you should watch them closely to monitor any changes in their behaviour.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: A peaceful species, Caridina breviata will cause no harm to tank mates.  Avoid housing this species with big hungry predators; Bumble Bee Shrimp will thrive best if housed on its own in a tank.  If you are going to tank it with other species, be sure to provide hiding spaces and plants.  There is reason to believe this species will be incompatible with Crystal Red, Malaya, Dark Green and Black Tiger Shrimp, among others.

Originally posted 2010-01-17 22:03:32. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Siganus corallinus (Coral Rabbitfish)
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Originally posted 2009-11-05 22:39:29. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Information will be coming soon

Originally posted 2009-11-05 03:41:17. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Astronotus ocellatus (Tiger Oscar)
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Originally posted 2009-11-06 21:25:03. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Pseudanthias lori (Tiger Queen Anthia)
Information will be coming soon

Originally posted 2009-11-06 09:21:14. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Family: Melanotaeniidae

Distribution: The Goldie River Rainbowfish has been found in a wide range of habitats, including swamps, creeks, large rivers and deep pools behind fallen trees.  Specifically, Melanotaenia goldiei has been identified in the Goldie River in Southern New Guinea, and in the Laloki and Brown rivers, and their respective tributaries.  They are very abundant throughout Southern New Guinea.   Melanotaenia goldei have a preference for small, clear, slow moving waters littered with leaves and plant debris.

PH: 7.0 – 8.0

Temperature: 24°C – 28°C (75 – 82F)

Hardness: 8 – 16dH.

Description: Melanotaenia goldiei can reach a length of up to 12cm and can live up to 8 years.  They display a radiant coppery glow on the upper half of their body and creamy white on the lower section.  Dark blue and orange stripes adorn the rest of the body, giving it characteristic Rainbowfish beauty.

Diet: A daily supply of small flakes and weekly supplements of live or frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp will keep your Gold-Line Rainbowfish in top health.  Typical of most Rainbowfish, they are not picky eaters.

Breeding: Gold-line Rainbowfish are relatively simple to breed.  Get your breeding pairs into condition by feeding them larger quantities of live food.  Set up a separate breeding tank with slightly alkaline pH and provide plentiful fine leaved plants, like java moss, or spawning mops.

The eggs will hatch after a week, and should be removed to a separate tank to avoid predation.  Feed on baby brine shrimp or similar and keep them separate until they are ready to rejoin the community tank.

Comments: Provide a large amount of short stemmed plants and open swimming areas in your Gold-line Rainbowfish aquarium. This species of peaceful Rainbowfish are suitable for confident beginners and intermediate aquarists as long as their specific water requirements are adhered to. Overall a peaceful, sociable fish, they are suitable for either a Rainbowfish aquarium or a community tank.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species:

Rainbowfish are a great community species in terms of their temperament and apart from other Rainbowfish species they also live happily with most Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They are also great tank mates with Discus, CorydorasCatfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbaiand Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppyand Platy and most Gourami(such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also can live happily with most Danio(particularly the Zebra Danioand Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish make great tank mates. One thing you should take into consideration when housing rainbows with these recommended species is the water quality. Temperature and Hardness are similar but P.H. can be quite different, although it is not ideal, if you keep your water at a P.H. of 7 this should keep your community happy.

Rainbowfish are schooling fish and should be kept in groups consisting of at least six individuals, preferably no less than 10-15. Mix it up with enough females to give them a rest when the males are on the chase, but provide enough males to bring out their vibrant colours when they are in competition for female attention. Whilst this is beneficial to the health and wellbeing of the fish, a large school is rewarding for the aquarist because a school of iridescent Rainbowfish is more dramatic to the eye than a few shy fish peeking out from behind dense vegetation.

Originally posted 2009-11-22 12:27:20. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Family: Helostomatidae

Distribution: The Kissing Gourami prefers slow-moving bodies of water with high vegetation (ponds or marshes).  They can be found in Thailand, Java, the Malay Peninsula, Cambodia, Indonesia, Borneo and Sumatra.

PH: 6 – 8.8 pH

Temperature: 22 – 28 °C (72 – 82°F)

Hardness: 5 – 19 dH

Description: The two common names derive from (obviously) the two variations of colour and this species’ mouths.  In the wild, Helostoma temminkii is grey-green; however, they are pink when bred in captivity.  The former also display horizontal stripes and have dark fins, whilst the later have transparent fins.  Their mouths have thick lips (making the fish appear to be pouting or “kissing”) with very fine teeth inside.

The body of Helostoma temminkii is elongated and flat, although rounded.  It has a labyrinth organ, meaning it is able to take in atmospheric oxygen directly into the bloodstream.  They require ample surface area so they can regulate their oxygen intake.  The dorsal fins and anal fins of the Kissing Gourami are long and will actually measure the same length.  The pectoral fins are enlarged; and their caudal fin is concaved.  There are no distinguishable sex differences, until they are breeding.

Individual Helostoma temminkii will demonstrate varying degrees of aggression.  Whilst they are suitable community tank fish when young, as they mature they can become more territorial.  It is best to keep them with species of a similar size.  The males may challenge one another to determine ‘top dog’ (or ‘top fish’, in this case).

Diet: Kissing Gouramis are extremely easy to feed.  They are omnivourous and will happily exist on a diet of high-quality flakes or pellets as well as some live foods such as brine shrimp or worms.  They may also accept vegetables.

Breeding: As long as your community tank does not include species that are cannibalistic, you may not need a separate breeding tank.  They like floating plants.  The eggs laid are lighter than the water and thus will float to the surface where they are almost always ignored by the parents.  They will hatch within a day and two days later the fry are happily swimming around.

Comments: Helostoma temminkii are a particularly hardy fish and can be kept by anyone with time and enthusiasm.  It is recommended that the water should be changed weekly (approximately 25% per week) in order to keep good water conditions.

They also appreciate some plants within a large tank.  In a community set up, this will allow harassed fish a place to hide, as well.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: Try your Gourami with large species with a range of personalities.  Keep an eye on how they interact and do not use any fish that will provoke aggression as Helostoma temminkii will fight back. They should live happily with Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They also should be good tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, Corydoras Catfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami (such as the Blue Gouramiand Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also should live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danioand Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish could make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-04-17 21:37:33. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Family: Cyprinidae

Distribution: Puntius lateristriga, better known as Spanner Barb, is an Asian freshwater species distributed in Southeast Asia, particularly in quick moving streams and rivers.   

PH: 6.0 – 6.5

Temperature: 23°C – 29C (72 – 84F)

Hardness: 8 – 10 dH

Description: Puntius lateristriga can reach a length of around 15 – 18 cm. Adult females have thicker bodies and are larger than males, and have less distinctive markings; males have a steep head in profile.  The Spanner Barb has a silver-grey body and two vertical black bars on the front of its body.  It also has a thin horizontal line that runs from the last bar to the caudal peduncle, resembling a T-shape.  This species is sometimes called the T-Barb for that reason.

Diet: Puntius lateristriga will eat most foods, but has a preference for live food. It will accept quality flakes and granules, but it should be given veggie matter and algae wafers as a supplement.

Breeding: This egg-scattering species can be spawned in a group or in pairs; condition the adults with live foods and move the pair to a separate breeding tank if choosing to spawn in pairs.  It might be a good idea to cover the base of the tank with mesh; the eggs will fall through the mesh and therefore cannibalisation can be avoided.  The fry will probably hatch in 24 – 48 hours and the fry, which will be free swimming 24 hours later, can be fed on Infusoria before moving on to microworm or nauplii.

Comments: You should tank this species in at least a 255 litre tank.  Puntius lateristriga will need a well-oxygenated tank and a power filter to replicate its natural environment: fast-flowing rivers.   Include a gravel or sand substrate along with plenty of hiding/spawning spots: rocks, in particular.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: The Spanner Barb is lively and may intimidate shy species.  You could house it with rheophilic Asian fishes, including larger Danio, Davario, Garra, Barillus and Balitorine loaches. 

Originally posted 2010-01-18 09:43:23. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Family: Aplocheilidae

Distribution: This species of Epiplatys bifasciatus can be found in Africa (Nigeria, Togo, Beinin and the Ivory Coast), southern Asia, southern North to South America.

PH: 6-8 pH

Temperature: 20-26°C (68-79°F)

Hardness: 10dH

Description: Epilatys bifasciatus taeniatus can be distinguished from their Epiplatys bifasciatus bifasciatus relatives through their dorsal fins: the former has two rays on their dorsal fins.  Similarly, they will only grow to a maximum size of 6cm.

Their behaviour in community vs single-species tanks is similar: Epilatys bifasciatus taeniatus is also timid and will hide when alone.  However, when introduced into a tank of other species, this killifish will remain shy for some time before beginning to (cautiously, at first) socialise.

Diet: The Epilatys bifasciatus taeniatus enjoy a diet consisting of flake foods and frozen live foods.

Breeding: This species of killifish are self-fertilising.  Egg layers, they tend to spawn a lot each time.

There is little information on breeding Epilatys bifasciatus taeniatus except that it is extremely difficult to breed in aquariums

Comments: This fish is rare in the aquarium hobby and as such, the information is scanty.  For these purposes, we have included general information pertaining to the killifish species.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: Upper-dwelling, non-aggressive species are highly recommended, They will live happily with Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They are also great tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, Corydoras Catfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platyand most Gourami (such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also can live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danio and Pearl Danio)  and also many other Killifish make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-03-31 06:06:09. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Family: Nothobrachiidae

Distribution: Aphyosemion ahli is an African species found in shallow swamps in forest areas, specifically the Mungo drainage in west and southwest Cameroon, down to the Rio Benito drainage in west Equatorial Guinea.

PH: 5.5 – 7.5

Temperature: 22 – 26°C (72 – 79°F)

Hardness: 0 – 4 dH (in nature)

Description: Aphyosemion ahli is very similar in appearance to Aphyosemion calliurum, and the two are often confused with each other.  This species has less colour on its body.  It varies depending on the distribution: the Kribi population of Aphyosemion ahli display vertical red bands on its body, more so than those found further north.  This species grows to maximum length of 6 cm.

Diet: Aphyosemion ahli can be given a wide variety of foods such as brine, frozen Cyclops and live black worms.  Killifish should generally be fed a combination of live and flake food.

Breeding: This species is very hard to breed in an aquarium environment.  It lays its eggs in floating plants or spawning mops; it may struggle to spawn in a new environment due to shyness.  There is not a great deal of consistent information on breeding this species; it is a task best left to experienced hobbyists.  Should you not care for breeding this species, it is a great killifish for newcomers to the hobby.

Comments: This species is small and can be housed in a tank as small as 2.5 gallons.  Provide it with plants and hiding spaces to simulate its natural environment.

Article/Books

Recommended Compatible Species: This killifish is small and should be housed with non-aggressive tank mates.  They will live happily with most Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetraand Black Tetra). They are also great tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, CorydorasCatfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppyand Platyand most Gourami(such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also can live happily with most Danio(particularly the Zebra Danioand Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-01-26 12:08:59. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Family: Aplocheilidae

Distribution: The distribution area for Epiplatys fasciolatus is situated along the coast of south-southwest Africa, from Guinea Bissau to Liberia.  Rainforests and savannahs are the chosen areas for this species, living in rivers, streams and swamps.

PH: 7.0 pH

Temperature: 22 – 28°C (72 – 82°F)

Hardness: 9 gdH

Description: Epiplatys fasciolatus derives its name from the striped body pattern, much like Epiplatys bifasciatus.  They are the generic body form of other Epiplatys species – long and thin; they are spotted and pigmentation can be orange, red, pink, violet, yellow or blue.  The tail of the Epiplatys fasciolatus will have blue or yellow shading (occasionally both).

This species can be characterised by two thin red lines on the anal fin (outer edge), and on the caudal fin.

They will reach a maximum length of 9-10cm.

These are not seasonal killifish.

Diet: As this fish is rare in captivity, there is no information available on their specific diet.  It is recommended that a general Epiplatys diet consisting of high-quality flakes and live foods is trialled.

Breeding: Epiplatys fasciolatus is easily bred in captivity.  Top cover plants and a large (40L) tank will encourage a higher rate of breeding.

The incubation period is approximately 14 days, and the fry will reach sexual maturity in 5-6 months.

Comments: Despite the ease of breeding, Epiplatys fasciolatus is rarely kept in captivity.  Subsequently, information regarding upkeep is scarce and general information pertaining to the killifish species has been included.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: It is unknown how Epiplatys fasciolatus may act with other fish, therefore very difficult to recommend potential tank mates.  They should live happily with Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They also should be good tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, Corydoras Catfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami (such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also should live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danio and Pearl Danio)  and also many other Killifish could make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-03-31 21:51:17. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Family: Pimelodidae

Distribution: Pimelodus pictus, or Pictus Catfish, is a species of catfish found in South America’s Amazon and Orinoco River basins.

PH: 6.0 – 8.0

Temperature: 22°C – 25°C (72 – 77F)

Hardness: 5 – 19 dH

Description: Pimelodus pictus can reach up to 8 cm in length.  This species has horizontal black and white stripes on its tail fin.  It has a distinctive appearance, with black spots featuring over a silver-white background and long whiskers.  This species has very long barbels which it uses to find food. Be careful, these barbels can puncture your skin if you mishandle them.  Pimelodus pictus can live for up to eight years if kept correctly.

Diet: Pimelodus pictus will eat just about anything.  You can feed it a varied diet of dried sinking pellets, with frozen bloodworms, white worms and earthworms to keep it healthy.  It is rather aggressive in the way it goes about getting food. 

Breeding: There is not a great deal of information available on the breeding of this species; it is believed to be a tough fish to breed.  This species is an egg-layer and rarely breeds in a home aquarium environment.

Comments: The Pictus Catfish will require at least a 20 gallon tank.  You should provide plenty of stones and roots for hiding places.  Be very careful with your water parameters; this species needs clean water and you should conduct weekly water changes of up to 25 per cent of the water.  Pimelodus pictus is recommended to those with experience in the hobby.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: Pimelodus pictus can be kept in a community tank with other smaller, non-aggressive species. They will live happily with most Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They are also great tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, Corydoras Catfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami (such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also can live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danio and Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-01-17 21:13:58. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Information will be coming soon

Originally posted 2009-11-05 07:12:31. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Information will be coming soon

Originally posted 2009-11-05 07:00:16. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Information will be coming soon

Originally posted 2009-11-07 03:06:30. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Family: Anostomidae

Distribution: The species Anostomus plicatus is distributed in South America’s Essequibo River basin.

PH: 5.0 – 6.0

Temperature: 24 – 28°C (75 – 84°F)

Hardness: 5 – 12 dH

Description: There is little information on Anostomus plicatus available.  This freshwater species can reach up to 10 cm in length.

Diet: We can presume that this species, like Anostomus anostomus, is an omnivore and will accept flake, algae, frozen foods and small live foods such as freeze-dried bloodworms and shrimp.  However there is no actual information available as to this species’ diet.

Breeding: There is little information on this species’ breeding habits.  It most likely breeds in a similar fashion to Anostomus anostomus.  Assuming this is the case, you should separate the males and females and stacking them up on live foods, before reintroducing them into the tank.  If you are successful in getting this species to spawn, you should take the parents from the tank immediately: they have a tendency to eat the eggs.

Comments: You should provide this species with at least a 50 gallon tank.  Provide roots, plants and caves for effective housing.  Not much is known about this species in the aquarium world.

Article/Books

Recommended Compatible Species: Anostomus plicatus could probably be housed with the same species Anostomus anostomus is compatible with: peaceful cichlids, Rainbowfish, Guppies, Platies, Swordtails, Loaches, Mollies, and Barbs.  However there is no specific information available on this species.

Originally posted 2010-01-26 11:31:32. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Family: Osphronemidae

Distribution: Trichopsis vittata, commonly known as the Croaking Gourami, is a freshwater species found in Borneo, Java, and Sumatra and from Thailand to Vietnam.  It is generally found in stagnant waters with plenty of floating vegetation, particularly throughout the middle and lower areas of the Mekong.

PH: 6.0 – 8.0

Temperature: 22°C – 28C (71 – 82F)

Hardness: 5 – 19 dH

Description: Trichopsis vittata can reach a length of 7 cm in an aquarium, but is usually measured at around 4 cm.   This species can vary greatly in its colouration, from brown and green to dark purple with black or red spots on its fins.  Its irises are a bright blue or purple colour.  Females are paler in their colouration than males and have a more rounded dorsal fin.  The Croaking Gourami, as you would expect, can make a croaking, grunting noise, particularly during breeding. 

Diet: The Croaking Gourami loves eating insects and insect larvae.  However, you should feed it a varied diet that includes insects, flake, freeze-dried bloodworms, brine shrimp and some algae-based flakes.

Breeding: The male Croaking Gourami will build a bubble nest in your aquarium, made from air bubbles and leaf mucus.  To trigger spawning you should lower the water level by eight inches and keep the circulation to a minimum.  After spawning, the female will release 5 – 10 eggs; the male will collect the eggs and spit them into his nest.  This will happen several times until 100 – 200 eggs are laid.  Move the female after spawning, but keep the male as he will tend to the eggs and fry.  Move the male out of the tank when the fry are 2 – 3 days old.

Comments: Trichopsis vittata should be housed in a tank that is about 40 litres in volume, even larger if possible.  This fish will prefer a heavily vegetated tank that resembles its natural environment, including floating plants at the top. You should provide plenty of rocks, driftwood and a dark substrate, along with dim lighting and some space at the top of the water so it can gulp the air. You will need to conduct small water changes every now and then to keep it free from disease.  This species is reasonably difficult to look after and is suitable for more experienced hobbyists.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: Trichopsis vittata should not be housed with large aggressive cichlids.  They will live happily with Tetraspecies (particularly the Neon Tetraand Black Tetra). They are also great tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, CorydorasCatfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbaiand Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppyand Platyand most Gourami(such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also can live happily with most Danio(particularly the Zebra Danioand Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-01-26 22:03:48. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Family: Characidae

Distribution: Hyphessobrycon guarani makes its home in the Upper Paraná River basin of South America.

PH: 6.0 – 7.5 pH

Temperature: 23 – 28°C (74 – 82°F)

Hardness: 2 – 15 dH

Description: This fish will grow to around 3cm.  There is little known about it, but the Hyphessobrycon family is generally peaceful, non-territorial and make active and eye-catching members of community tanks.

Diet: The omnivorous diet suits Hyphessobrycon species and there’s no indication this specific fish is any different.  Ensure that quality flake foods are the staple of the diet, and use frozen or live foods as treats once or twice a week.

Breeding: Due to the rarity of this fish in captivity, the difficulty levels are unknown.  It is suggested that the general breeding method of the family is used.

Separate a year-old female and a year-old male into two conditioning tanks.  They should be fed with insect larvae and Drosophila for two-to-three weeks, when they can then be introduced into a breeding tank.  For the smaller species, a 38L tank is sufficient size.

The breeding tank should have a temperature of 24 – 26°C (75 – 79°F), a pH of 5.5 – 6.5, and dH of 2 – 4.  It must be kept consistently clean and in the dark.  It does not require any substrate, simply some fine-leaved plants and soft filtration (such as a foam or sponge).

The pair should spawn within three days – if not, repeat the process.  Hypessobrycon guarani spawn into the leaves of the plants and should be removed immediately after the eggs are laid.  The eggs will hatch within 2 days, and the fry will be free-swimming a few days after that.  The fry can be fed on micro-organisms and baby Brine Shrimp for the first ten days, and then on crushed flake foods.  The water should be changed weekly, but only partially.

Comments: There is very little information available on Hyphessobrycon guarani; therefore information pertaining to the Hyphessobrycon family has been included.

If this species is anything like its relatives, it will be easy to maintain and care fore, making it suitable for an aquarist of any experience level.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: They should live happily with other Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They also should be good tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, Corydoras Catfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami (such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also should live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danio and Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish could make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-04-21 02:37:18. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Family: Cyprinidae

Distribution: Puntius lineatus, better known as Striped Barb, is an Asian freshwater species distributed in Malaysia and Indonesia, particularly in swamps, submerged grasses and in clear, black waters.

PH: 6.0 – 6.5

Temperature: 23°C – 26C (73 – 79F)

Hardness: 10 – 14 dH

Description: Puntius lineatus can reach a length of around 5 – 6 cm. Adult females have thicker bodies, while males have more obvious markings on their bodies.

Diet: Puntius lineatus, an omnivorous species, will eat most foods, but has a definite preference for live food. It enjoys worms, insects, plant matter, crustaceans in the wild, but will also take quality flakes and granules in an aquarium environment.

Breeding: This egg-scattering species has very similar breeding requirements to Puntius lateristriga.  It can be spawned in a group or in pairs.  You should condition the adults with live foods and move a male and a female to a separate, dimly lit breeding tank if choosing to spawn in pairs.  It might be a good idea to cover the base of the tank with mesh; the eggs will fall through the mesh and therefore cannibalisation can be avoided.  Another option is to put Java moss plants or spawning mops in your tank to give the fish a spot to deposit the eggs.  The fry will probably hatch in 24 – 48 hours and the fry, which will be free swimming 24 hours later, can be fed on Infusoria before moving on to microworm or nauplii.

Comments: You should tank a small group of Puntius lineatus in at least a 70 litre tank.  Puntius lateristriga will need a well-oxygenated tank, dim lighting, bogwood, roots and surface vegetation to simulate its natural environment.  Include a gravel or sand substrate so you can see this species’ bright colours properly.  This species is suitable for newcomers to the hobby.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: The Striped Barb is a schooling species that should be kept in groups of at least 8 – 10.  Do not house it with larger, aggressive species; it can be kept with other Puntius fish, Rasboras, loaches, Gouramis and some members of the Trichogaster species. 

Originally posted 2010-01-21 11:23:36. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Family: Cichlidae

Distribution: Aulonocara guentheri is a freshwater cichlid native to Lake Malawi and Lake Malombe, Africa.  It has also been observed at Senga Bay.

PH: 7.0 – 9.0

Temperature: 23 – 28°C (73 – 82°F)

Hardness: 25 – 30 dH

Description: Male Aulonocara guentheri can reach up to 15 cm; females up to 14 cm in length.  It is believed to now be a rare species due to overfishing.

Diet: Aulonocara guentheri is carnivorous and will accept live meats and pellet food as part of its diet.  In Lake Malawi it will feed on small invertebrates living in the sand.

Breeding: The female is a mouthbrooder and should not be stressed during this period so as to avoid destruction of the eggs.

Comments:

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: This is a peaceful Peacock cichlid which can be housed with similar placid species.

Originally posted 2009-12-15 09:44:50. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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1. Rasbora argyrotaenia  (Silver Rasbora)
2. Rasbora borapetensis  (Red Tail Rasbora, Blackline Rasbora)
3. Rasbora caudimaculata  (Red Tail Rasbora, Greater Scissortail)
4. Rasbora dorsiocellata  (Emerald Eye Rasbora, Eyespot Rasbora)
5. Rasbora dusonensis  (Yellow Tail Rasbora, Rosefin Rasbora)
6. Rasbora einthovenii  (Blue Line Rasbora, Brilliant Rasbora)
7. Rasbora elegans  (Two Spot Rasbora)
8. Rasbora kalochroma  (Clown Rasbora)
9. Rasbora leptosoma  (Copper Striped Rasbora)
10. Rasbora pauciperforata  (Red Line Rasbora)
11. Rasbora sarawakensis  (Sarawak Rasbora)
12. Rasbora steineri  (Gold Line Rasbora, Chinese Rasbora)
13. Rasbora trilineata  (Black Scissortail, Three-lined Rasbora)
14. Rasbora vaterifloris  (Flame Rasbora, Pearly Rasbora)
15. Trigonostigma hengeli  (Hengals Rasbora, Glowlight Rasbora)
16. Trigonostigma heteromorpha  (Harlequin Rasbora)

Originally posted 2010-04-29 21:57:32. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Family: Melanotaeniidae

Distribution: Melanotaenia splendida inornata hail from the floodplain rivers and clear streams near the Gulf of Carpentaria, and the northernmost parts of Northern Queensland and Northern Territory.  They are abundant in these areas.

PH: At least 6.5 – 8.0

Temperature: 24°C -33°C (75 – 91F)

Hardness: 8 -10 dH

Description: Reaching a length of up to 15cm in the wild and 12cm in captivity, these gorgeous fish have an intricate chequered pattern of black and yellow streaks.  Throw in a veritable mix of radiant silvery grey and pink with red, blue and yellow along the sides of its body, and you have a Rainbowfish deserved of its name.  Along with this beautiful array of colours, the Chequered Rainbowfish has exceptionally long dorsal and anal fins.

Diet: Feed the carnivorous Chequered Rainbowfish up to twice a day on a nutritious balanced diet of live and processed food.  While they prefer meaty foods, they will live happily on an omnivorous diet.

Breeding: Melanotaenia splendida inornata will readily spawn in the aquarium environment, with the females releasing up to 100 eggs per week.  As they are so easy to breed, be prepared with the amount of fish you will end up with!  If you have an excess, the fry could always be used as live food.

Start by setting up a separate breeding tank with lots of fine leaved plants or spawning mops.   Once hatched, remove the fry to a separate tank to avoid predation.  Raise the fry on small live food, such as baby brine shrimp, or crushed flakes.

Comments: The popular Chequered Rainbowfish is a great fish for beginners as they are very hardy.  For best colouration, include a couple of males in a school of females.  Like other Rainbowfish, they are active, vivacious swimmers so will appreciate a long, well-planted tank for open swimming.  Aim for a 55 gallon aquarium.

Tip:

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species:

Rainbowfish are a great community species in terms of their temperament and apart from other Rainbowfish species they also live happily with most Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They are also great tank mates with Discus, CorydorasCatfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbaiand Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppyand Platy and most Gourami(such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also can live happily with most Danio(particularly the Zebra Danioand Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish make great tank mates. One thing you should take into consideration when housing rainbows with these recommended species is the water quality. Temperature and Hardness are similar but P.H. can be quite different, although it is not ideal, if you keep your water at a P.H. of 7 this should keep your community happy.

Rainbowfish are schooling fish and should be kept in groups consisting of at least six individuals, preferably no less than 10-15. Mix it up with enough females to give them a rest when the males are on the chase, but provide enough males to bring out their vibrant colours when they are in competition for female attention. Whilst this is beneficial to the health and wellbeing of the fish, a large school is rewarding for the aquarist because a school of iridescent Rainbowfish is more dramatic to the eye than a few shy fish peeking out from behind dense vegetation.

Originally posted 2009-11-22 12:44:05. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Family: Melanotaeniidae

Distribution: Melanotaenia praecox was initially found in the tributaries of the Mamberamo and Wapoga River systems in West Papua.  They have since been found in the small creeks and swampy waterways near Siewa in the Tirawiwa River system, a remote area of northern West Papua.

PH: 6.5 – 8.0

Temperature: 24°C -28°C (72 – 79F)

Hardness: 5 – 30dH

Description: This miniature Rainbowfish exhibits the usual Rainbowfish characteristics of big eyes and twin dorsal fins.  Additionally they have brightly coloured fins, yellow on females, red on males, and pinkish grey scales with neon blue tonings that range from brilliant lavender through to teal.  Females are smaller and more silvery than males. They grow up to 6cm (2 inches).

Diet: Dwarf Rainbowfish are omnivores and will readily accept most commercial foods, whether live or frozen.  Feed them high quality flake or pellet food and offer large amounts of live food like brine shrimp, blood worms and tubifex worms.  They love chopped up, defrosted peas and will even eat garden lettuce as a plant food source.  An easy feeder!

Breeding: Breeding Dwarf Rainbowfish is relatively easy.  Get your breeding pairs into condition by feeding them higher quality and quantities of live and plant based food.  Set up a separate breeding tank with lots of fine leaved plants or spawning mops and keep the water soft and acidic. Keep the breeding pair in a species only tank as they will cross breed with other Rainbowfish.  Watch the female to make sure she doesn’t get stressed with the mating chase ritual.

While the breeding process is initially simple, the fry can be challenging to raise because of their size.  The eggs will hatch within a week and should be removed to a separate tank to avoid predation.  Feed on microworms or baby brine shrimp and keep them separate until they are old enough (about two months) to rejoin the community tank.

Comments: Dwarf Rainbowfish are extremely popular in the aquarium hobby because adapt exceptionally well to a beginner’s community aquarium.  They bring their trademark peaceful, colourful personalities to the fray.  Provide aquatic vegetation, submerged logs and other hiding places to keep your fish happy.

While Dwarf Rainbowfish are easy to keep, getting the most out of their spectacular colouration takes a bit of effort.  Use a dark substrate and contrasting colour on the backing of the tank.  Add floating plants and at least a third of the tank should be open water to encourage the fish to swim there.  Allow for an extra few hours of sunlight to further display their radiance.

For basic care, replace at least 25-50% of their water weekly and make sure your tank is at least 20 inches long and 20 gallons in size.  Secure a firmly fitting top as these fish love to jump.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species:

Rainbowfish are a great community species in terms of their temperament and apart from other Rainbowfish species they also live happily with most Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They are also great tank mates with Discus, CorydorasCatfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbaiand Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppyand Platy and most Gourami(such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also can live happily with most Danio(particularly the Zebra Danioand Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish make great tank mates. One thing you should take into consideration when housing rainbows with these recommended species is the water quality. Temperature and Hardness are similar but P.H. can be quite different, although it is not ideal, if you keep your water at a P.H. of 7 this should keep your community happy.

Rainbowfish are schooling fish and should be kept in groups consisting of at least six individuals, preferably no less than 10-15. Mix it up with enough females to give them a rest when the males are on the chase, but provide enough males to bring out their vibrant colours when they are in competition for female attention. Whilst this is beneficial to the health and wellbeing of the fish, a large school is rewarding for the aquarist because a school of iridescent Rainbowfish is more dramatic to the eye than a few shy fish peeking out from behind dense vegetation.

Originally posted 2009-11-22 12:57:55. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Information will be coming soon

Originally posted 2009-11-04 22:03:10. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Chaetodon octofasciatus (Eightband Butterflyfish)
Information will be coming soon

Originally posted 2009-11-05 22:29:52. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Spathodus erythrodon (Blue Goby Cichlid)
Information will be coming soon

Originally posted 2009-11-07 07:19:16. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Apistogramma similis

Family: Cichlidae

Distribution: Apistogramma similis is distributed in Bolivia, South America.

PH: 5.5 – 6.5

Temperature: 22 – 30°C (72 – 86°F)

Hardness: 9 – 18 gDH

Description: There is little documented on this species.

Diet: This species should be fed a typical diet of live food, pellets and flake.

Breeding: Apistogramma similis, while not a great deal is known about it, presumably spawns its eggs much like any other Apisto does.  Most Apistos tend to spawn in caves so it is recommended you create a cave-like environment for which it can retreat to.

Comments: Not a great deal of information is available on this species.  Most dwarf cichlids can be housed in a 15 gallon tank.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species:
Apistogramma can be great community fish and live happily with most Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They are also great tank mates with Discus, Corydoras Catfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami (such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also can live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danio and Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2009-12-15 07:26:31. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Information on Corydoras concolor “Slate Cory” will be coming soon

Originally posted 2009-12-03 22:02:12. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Family: Cichlidae

Distribution: Chalinochromis popelini is a middle-bottom dwelling African cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika.  Specifically, its type locality is in Moba, about two-thirds of the way down the southwest side of Lake Tanganyika.

PH: 7.5 – 9.0

Temperature: 22°C – 27°C (72 – 81F)

Hardness: 8 – 15 dH

Description: Chalinochromis popelini can grow to a maximum length of 15 cm.  This cream-coloured, slim-bodied cichlid has three distinctive longitudinal stripes and a visibly forked caudal fin.  Males and females are very similar, but can be sexed thanks to the male’s pointier genital papilla which slants to the rear.

Diet: Chalinochromis popelini will eat basically any food item in an aquarium setting.  You can feed adults a diet of flake, frozen and pelleted foods, along with most live foods.  You can feed youngsters on baby shrimp, but the adults also have a thing for baby brine shrimp.

Breeding: Chalinochromis popelini, like Chalinochromis brichardi, do their spawning in caves.  The female will lay up to 100 eggs; both sexes will vehemently guard the batch.  Be careful, the pair will become extremely territorial and have been known to kill other species within sight.  It takes only 2 – 3 days for the eggs to hatch, and the fry will be out and about between 5 – 6 days.

Comments: You could keep a pair of Chalinochromis popelini in a 20 litre tank.    Decorate your tank with plants, a gravel substrate and large, rocky formations to create hiding spaces for this secretive spawner.  This species is suitable for beginners, but care must be taken during the breeding stage.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: Chalinochromis popelini is a generally timid species, but a pair should be kept in its own tank during the breeding stage. At other times this species can be kept with other Lake Tanganyikan cichlids, such as Julidochromus and Lamprologus.

Originally posted 2010-01-05 20:34:47. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Family: Loricariidae

Distribution: Dekeyseria pulcher, sometimes known as Butterfly Pleco, occurs in the Canal Casiquiare basin, and the Upper Negro and Orinoco Rivers. 

PH: 6.0 – 8.0

Temperature: 24°C – 28°C (75 – 84F)

Hardness: 5 – 19 dH

Description: Dekeyseria pulcher can reach up to 16 cm in length.  This striped species, with its main colours of black and white, is highly sought after by aquarists.  The Butterfly Pleco can change colours immediately to camouflage it from predators.  It has a life expectancy of 5 – 8 years.

Diet: Dekeyseria pulchra is an algae eater in the wild, but will require more nutrients in an aquarium environment.  You can use algae food as a base diet and add several vegetables – zucchini, cucumbers, green peas – and occasional servings of meaty foods.

Breeding: This species has been bred in aquarium environments, unlike many Plecos.  You should add plenty of driftwood and spawning caves to your tank.  The male will guard and fan the eggs, and keep his fry inside a cave until they are fully formed.

Comments: Dekeyseria pulchra will appreciate conditions close to its natural habitat, so mimic Rio Negro by adding plenty of wood, rocks and plants.  You should avoid a dark substrate; the fish will camouflage itself against a dark background.  Keep this species in a tank of at least 15 gallons in volume.  Dekeyseria pulchra is recommended to those with some experience in the hobby.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: Dekeyseria pulchra can be kept in a community tank with other non-aggressive species.  Males can be territorial; be wary if housing Butterfly Pleco in a one-species tank. They will live happily with most Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They are also great tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, Corydoras Catfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami (such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also can live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danio and Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-01-17 20:47:43. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Amphiprion allardi (Allardi Clownfish)
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Originally posted 2009-11-07 21:13:49. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Family: Cambaridae

Distribution: Procambarus enoplosternum is distributed from the Santee River basin, South Carolina, to the Ogeechee, Savannah and Altamaha River basins in the east parts of Georgia.

PH: 6.5 – 8.0

Temperature: 15 – 27°C (60 – 82°F)

Hardness: Found in soft water in the wild, but can have a higher gH in an aquarium.  No exact figure is given, but this creature is highly adaptable.  (5 – 15 dH)

Description: Procambarus enoplosternum is one of the prettier crayfish going around.  It measures around 10 cm in length and, depending on the region it is found, may have several different patterns.  It may have black stripes or cream coloured tubercles, with a cream or pink-spotted antennae.  Males have longer pincers and gonopods; females have a broader tail than males.

Diet: Procambarus enoplosternum will eat a typical crayfish diet of fishfood, vegetables and leaves.

Breeding: This freshwater-bred species will reproduce in the same fashion as other Procambarus species.  Procambarus enoplosternum will breed early in life; larger females will produce a greater number of eggs.  The maximum amount of eggs will probably be about 80.

Comments: It is advised you keep Procambarus enoplosternum in a 120 litre tank.  This species will not munch upon your plants.  The bigger the tank, the more individuals you can fit in.  This species is not overly aggressive and it is unlikely it will fight its own species.  You should provide hiding places in the form of pot plants and wood.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: Procambarus enoplosternum can be housed with non-aggressive fish and prawns.

Originally posted 2010-01-24 20:05:59. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Family: Characidae

Distribution: Hemigrammus levis makes it home in the Amazon River basin in South America.

PH: 5.5 – 7.5 pH

Temperature: 24 – 28°C (74 – 82°F)

Hardness: 7 gdH

Description: Growing a length of 4-5cm, Hemigrammus levis is rather unusual within the hobby and therefore there is very little information available on it.  It is quite probable that it will display a similar temperament to the rest of the Hemigrammus species: active, lively, and peaceful.  If this is true, it will be perfectly suited to a community tank of other non-aggressive types.

Diet: Due to the rarity of Hemigrammus levis in captivity, it is unknown what diet they prefer.  A general Hemigrammus diet should be used – flakes and live foods.

Breeding: Due to the fact Hemigrammus levis is generally undocumented within captivity, breeding information is unknown.

Comments: As Hemigrammus levis is unusual in the hobby, there is a scarcity of information.  Subsequently, general information regarding the Hemigrammus species has been included.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: They should live happily with other Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They also should be good tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, CorydorasCatfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami(such as the Blue Gouramiand Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also should live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danioand Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish could make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-04-20 14:10:29. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Amphilophus robertsoni (Robert’s Cichlid)
Information will be coming soon

Originally posted 2009-11-05 10:58:07. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Neolamprologus leleupi (lemon Cichlid)
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Originally posted 2009-11-06 23:09:08. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Family: Characidae

Distribution: The Amazon River basin in South America is where Hyphessobrycon melazonatus calls home.

PH: 6.0 – 7.5 pH

Temperature: 22 – 28 °C (72 – 82 °F)

Hardness: 2 – 15 dH

Description: Hyphessobrycon melazonatus will reach a maximum length just short of 4cm.  This species is generally peaceful, active and non-aggressive.  They are good additions to any community or species-specific tank.  They will thrive when kept in groups no less than six.

Hyphessobrycon melazonatus are rare in the hobby and therefore there is a lack of data such as colouration and specific social behaviours.

Diet: The Hyphessobrycon species thrive on omnivorous diets.  Your Hyphessobrycon melazonatus will enjoy a diet that is primarily flakes or pellets with occasional live foods as treats.

Breeding: Due to its rarity, successful captivity-bred reports have yet to be unearthed.  If you manage to find a pair and want to try it yourself, it is suggested you follow the general Hyphessobrycon method.

First separate a male and a female (at least a year old) into two conditioning tanks.  Feed them live foods such as blood worms and insect larvae for about three weeks before introducing them into the breeding tank.  They should breed within 24 hours, but give them three days and, if no eggs appear, repeat the conditioning process.

Remove the parents once they have spawned or you may find they’ve eaten all the eggs.  They will hatch after 24 hours and the subsequent free-swimming fry should be fed Infusoria.  Once they are big enough, start them on baby brine shrimp.

As it is unknown whether the eggs of the Hyphessobrycon melazonatus are light-sensitive or not, you should err on the side of caution and keep them in as much dark as possible.

Comments: Hyphessobrycon melazonatus is uncommon in the hobby and therefore there is limited information available.  Consequently, information pertaining to the Hyphessobrycon species in general has been included.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: They should live happily with other Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They also should be good tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, Corydoras Catfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami (such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also should live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danio and Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish could make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-04-21 07:40:32. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Family: Cyprinidae

Distribution: Puntius partipentazona is an Asian freshwater species found in the Mekong, Mae Khlong and Chao Phraya basins in Thailand.  It has also been recorded in several coastal streams of southeast Thailand and Cambodia and in the Malay Peninsula.  .

PH: 6.0 – 7.0

Temperature: 22°C – 25C (72 – 77F)

Hardness: 12 dH

Description: Puntius partipentazona, a diminutive species, can reach a length of around 4 cm. It has a silver-brownish colouration and three black vertical stripes on its body, with a fourth stripe across the eye.  It has a black blotch and a streak of red at the base of its dorsal fin.  This species is commonly confused for the Tiger Barb.

Diet: Puntius partipentazona is, like most Barbs, an omnivorous species, and will feed on plant matter, algae and other detritus in the wild.  It will eat most foods in a tank environment, including bloodworm, Daphnia, Spirulina flake, spinach or frozen peas.

Breeding: Puntius partipentazona is a substrate egg-scatterer.  It spawns its sticky eggs in dense plant growth.  Feed it a live food diet before you attempt the spawning process.  The water should be neutral; a sponge filter will provide a nice gentle bubbling to simulate its natural environment.   Don’t leave the adults alone with the eggs as they will eat them if given the chance.  The fry will hatch in 24 – 48 hours and will become free swimming within a few days.

Comments: You should have a small group of Puntius partipentazona in a 27 litre tank.  It will need a dark substrate, dim lighting, and surface vegetation to simulate its natural environment.  Add bogwood, twisted roots and plenty of plants to your tank.  This tiny species is suitable for hobbyists of all levels of experience.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: Puntius partipentazona, a schooling species, should be kept in groups of about 8 – 10.  Similar to the Checkered Barb, you can house Puntius partipentazona with Corydoras, small Loricariids, most livebearers, danios, rasboras and peaceful tetras. 

Originally posted 2010-01-21 11:37:52. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Acanthurus bariene (Bariene Tang)
Information will be coming soon

Originally posted 2009-11-07 22:30:36. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Copadichromis mloto “Ivory Head”
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Originally posted 2009-11-06 09:04:37. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Hypselecara temporalis (Chocolate Cichlid)
Information will be coming soon

Originally posted 2009-11-05 11:50:04. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Centropyge eiblii (Eiblii Pygmy Angel)
Information will be coming soon

Originally posted 2009-11-08 22:35:38. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Information will be coming soon

Originally posted 2009-11-04 22:48:16. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Information will be coming soon

Originally posted 2009-11-05 07:14:38. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Family: Cyprinidae

Distribution: Puntius oligolepis, known commonly as Checkered Barb, is an Asian freshwater species endemic to Sumatra, Indonesia.  It appears in sluggish creeks, slow rivers and pools and lakes; it is apparently more plentiful at higher altitudes.

PH: 6.0 – 6.5

Temperature: 20°C – 24C (68 – 75F)

Hardness: 2 – 10 dH

Description: Puntius oligolepis can reach a length of around 5 cm. It has a black and white checkered pattern, giving it its common name.  Females have thicker bodies and are less colourful than males; males have red-hued, black-outlined unpaired fins.  The average life expectancy of the Ruby Barb is 2 – 4 years.

Diet: Puntius oligolepis, an omnivorous species, will accept all flakes and pellets.  It will also enjoy special live-food treats – brine shrimp is well received – and an occasional helping of spirulina.

Breeding: The Checkered Barb is an egg-scattering species and a spawning mop should be included in the tank to catch the eggs.  It can be spawned in pairs or in a group; a group of six can be a good number for spawning.  Feed Puntius oligolepis plenty of live foods before you attempt the spawning process.  The water should be soft and acidic; a sponge filter will provide a nice gentle bubbling that will simulate its natural environment. The fry will hatch in 24 – 48 hours and will become free swimming within a few days.  You should keep the eggs and fry in a dimly lit environment in the early stages of life.

Comments: You should have a small group of Puntius oligolepis in a 27 litre tank.  It will need a dark substrate, subdued lighting, and surface vegetation to simulate its natural environment.  This diminutive species is suitable for hobbyists of all levels of experience.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: The Checkered Barb is a lively, schooling species that should be kept in groups of about 8 – 10.  You can house it with peaceful bottom-dwellers – Corydoras and small Loricariids are excellent options – as well as livebearers, danios, rasboras and peaceful tetras. 

Originally posted 2010-01-21 11:35:33. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Aquascapes should be done purely from the heart, even if you are creating the aquascape for someone else your passion will flow through to the end product, if your heart is not in the design it will also show through. We have provided some pictures for inspiration, but we also suggest you take a walk through the park or down a river, there is so much more to nature than just grass and trees.

Aquascaping Idea - Misty Valley

Aquascaping Idea - Rocky Slant

Aquascaping Idea - Life After Death

Aquascaping Idea - Bushy Riverbank

Aquascaping Idea - Grassy Riverbank

Aquascaping Idea - Big Hill

Aquascaping Idea - Rocky Wall

Aquascaping Idea - Rocky Patch

Aquascaping Idea - Mossy Lone Tree

Aquascape Idea - Hanging Tree

Aquascaping Idea - Rocky Steps

Aquascaping idea - Little Road

Aquascaping Idea - River bank

Aquascaping Idea - Planted foreground

Originally posted 2009-10-01 08:32:06. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Aequidens metae (Yellow Acara)
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Originally posted 2009-11-06 08:59:51. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Information will be coming soon

Originally posted 2009-11-05 06:35:30. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Family: Characidae

Distribution: Hyphessobrycon hamatus can be found in two tributaries branching off of the Vermelho River in Brazil, South America.  This area is found in the Tocantins River basin.

PH: 6 – 7.5 pH

Temperature: 23 – 28°C (73 – 82°F)

Hardness: 2 – 15 dH

Description: Hyphessobrycon hamatus appears identical to two other relatives: Hyphessobrycon socolofi and Hyphessobrycon erthrostigma.  Thus, it is a semi-transparent variety of Tetra, with a faint red stripe extending from head to caudal fins.  Whilst it has similar dorsal, anal, pectoral and pelvic fin colouration, Hyphessobrycon hamatus also has hooks on these fins.  This species also lacks the large spot on the dorsal fin.

They will reach a length of 4.5cm in the tank.  As they are rare, it is unknown what behavioural characteristics are present.  It can be probably be assumed that they are generally peaceful and active, although may display some aggression if housed in a tank that is too small.

Diet: Use a typical omnivorous diet for your Hyphessobrycon hamatus: quality flakes and pellets as the staple, with occasional live foods as treats.

Breeding: As there is limited information available regarding the specifics of Hyphessobrycon hamatus, the general method pertaining to the family is included.

Two conditioning tanks should be established to house a one-year-old male and a one-year-old female.  These should be conditioned on Drosophila and insect larvae for two-to-three weeks, before the duo can be introduced into a 38L breeding tank.  To set up a breeding tank, include many fine-leaved plants and a soft filtration system, but do not use substrate.  Use water with a pH of 5.5 – 6.5, a dH of 2 – 4, and a temperature of 24 – 26°C (75 – 79°F).  It is unknown if the eggs are light-sensitive, so it is best to keep them out of direct sunlight just in case.

It should take three days for the pair to spawn.  If no eggs appear, recondition them.  The eggs will appear in the leaves of the plants and the parents should be removed immediately after spawning as they are cannibalistic.  A little over twenty-four hours after being laid, the eggs will hatch.  The fry will appear few days later and should be fed on an initial diet of micro-organisms and baby Brine, and crushed flake ten days later.

The eggs and fry require weekly, partial water changes as they are susceptible to illness in poor water conditions.

Comments: Due to their scarcity, there is not a lot of data available on Hyphessobrycon hamatus.  For these reasons, general information pertaining to the Hyphessobrycon family has been included.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: They should live happily with other Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They also should be good tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, Corydoras Catfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami (such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also should live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danio and Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish could make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-04-21 02:38:50. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Family: Characidae

Distribution: The South American region that includes the middle Negro and Amazon basins as well as the upper Orinoco River basin is where Hemigrammus mimus makes its home.

PH: 6.0 – 7.5 pH

Temperature: 22 – 28°C (72 – 82°F)

Hardness: 2-15 gdH

Description: The Hemigrammus species is usually peaceful and sociable.  They thrive in shoals of at least 6-8 and are generally ideal additions to community tanks.  Hemigrammus mimus will grow to only 2.8cm in captivity, making it one of the smallest of the Hemigrammus species.

Hemigrammus mimus are fairly uncommon in the hobby and therefore information such social habits, sexual dimorphia, and appearance is unavailable.

Diet: Hemigrammus mimus will enjoy an omnivorous diet of flakes and live foods such as brine shrimp and Tubifex.  Cut up the food so that it can fit the small mouths of the species.

Breeding: Due to their uncommonness within the hobby, there is limited information available regarding breeding Hemigrammus mimus; therefore, the general method accepted for the Hemigrammus species has been included.

Breeders should separate a male and female Hemigrammus mimus from both the shoal and from one another.  These two fish should be around one year old.  Condition them on insect larvae.  A breeding tank consisting of peat-filtered water, dense plantation, natural lighting (only) and a slightly higher temperature should be set up.  Introduce the duo into the breeding tank.  If spawning does not occur within three days, repeat the process.  If it fails a second time, try switching one of the partners.

The parents should be removed once they’ve spawned because they are carnivorous and will eat the eggs.  The newly-hatched fry should be fed on very small food particles such as Infusoria, micro-organisms, baby brine shrimp and flake foods.

Breeding results will generally be quite high, if their natural pattern is anything to go by: in the wild, they can double their original population in a little over a year.

Comments: A shoal of Hemigrammus mimus can be kept by themselves in a 40L tank.  However, a community tank will need to be at least double the size.  Dense plantation along the sides and back is required, as well as a large open space in the centre for swimming space.  If wanting to show off the colouration to its finest, use a dark substrate.  Top floating plants should also be included in order to diffuse the light.

The Hemigrammus species is a fairly hardy one, and thus is suitable for an aquarist of any experience level.

Hemigrammus mimus is unusual in the hobby, there is a scarcity of information.  Subsequently, general information regarding the Hemigrammus species has been included.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: They should live happily with other Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They also should be good tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, CorydorasCatfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami(such as the Blue Gouramiand Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also should live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danioand Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish could make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-04-20 14:36:24. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Gobioides broussonetti (Dragon Fish)
Information will be coming soon

Originally posted 2009-11-06 20:39:24. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Family: Characidae

Distribution: Triportheus magdalenae is a benthopelagic freshwater species that is found in South America’s Magdalena River basin, in Columbia.  It is the only member of this genus known from this region.

PH: 5.0 – 7.5

Temperature: 22°C – 30C (72 – 86F)

Hardness: 0 – 20

Description: Triportheus magdalenae can reach a maximum length of 19 cm.  It has one longitudinal scale row between its pectoral-fin insertion and the ventral keel, as opposed to the usual Triportheus practice of having two longitudinal scale rows.  It has an elongated body and a silvery-yellow colouration.  The outline of the posterior margin of its caudal fin is dark.  Males reportedly have a more elongated body than females, but sexing is nonetheless difficult.

Diet: Triportheus magdalenae will presumably take most foods in an aquarium environment, including live, frozen and dried foods. 

Breeding: Like so many members of its genus, there is not a great deal of information available on this species’ breeding habits.

Comments: Triportheus magdalenae should be housed in a tank at least 180 litres in volume, perhaps larger.  Triportheus magdalenae is rarely seen in the aquarium environment and there is scant information available, which means it is probably better suited to experienced hobbyists.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: Triportheus magdalenae should be housed with peaceful, similar-sized species that have similar tank requirements.   

Originally posted 2010-01-27 01:56:18. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Mountain Rainbowfish

Melanotaenia monticola

Family: Melanotaeniidae

Distribution: Unlike other Rainbowfish, the Mountain Rainbowfish habitat includes high altitude tributuitars with fast-flowing waterways practically void of aquatic vegetation.  Specifically it lives in the upper Purari and Kikori river systems in Papua New Guinea’s Southern Highlands.

PH: 7.5– 8.0

Temperature: 17°C – 25°C (63 – 77F)

Hardness: 16dH

Description: With blue-grey to green variances on the back and a coppery-golden sheen to their scale margins, Mountain Rainbowfish are very beautiful.  The male fish is further adorned with a pale lilac breast and fin colouration.  They grow up to 10cm (4 inches).

Diet: The omnivorous Mountain Rainbowfish needs a varied vegetable and protein based diet to stay healthy.  For example, mix high quality flakes with live food such as larvae, worms or brine shrimp.

Breeding: The lovely Mountain Rainbowfish will spawn readily in aquariums, particularly if you keep the temperature over 20C (68F).  However, they will spawn in lower temperatures.

Get your breeding pairs into condition by feeding them larger quantities of meaty food. You will know when your male Mountain Rainbowfish is ready to spawn because overall colouration and coppery scale edges will darken and become more intense and an orange colour will appear on the top of his head. Set up a separate breeding tank with lots of fine leaved plants, like java moss, or spawning mops.

The eggs will hatch within 12 days and should be removed to a separate tank to avoid predation.  Feed on baby brine shrimp or similar.

Comments: Keep the oxygen levels high and keeping Melanotaenia monticola should be relatively straight forward.  Good filtration is imperative, as is hiding places, and fresh water changes.  Rock, plant and driftwood cover is perfect in this case.  Create your aquarium environment with their natural habitat in mind.  Mountain Rainbowfish are suited to both species and community tanks.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species:

Rainbowfish are a great community species in terms of their temperament and apart from other Rainbowfish species they also live happily with most Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They are also great tank mates with Discus, Corydoras Catfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbaiand Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppyand Platy and most Gourami(such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also can live happily with most Danio(particularly the Zebra Danioand Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish make great tank mates. One thing you should take into consideration when housing rainbows with these recommended species is the water quality. Temperature and Hardness are similar but P.H. can be quite different, although it is not ideal, if you keep your water at a P.H. of 7 this should keep your community happy.

Rainbowfish are schooling fish and should be kept in groups consisting of at least six individuals, preferably no less than 10-15. Mix it up with enough females to give them a rest when the males are on the chase, but provide enough males to bring out their vibrant colours when they are in competition for female attention. Whilst this is beneficial to the health and wellbeing of the fish, a large school is rewarding for the aquarist because a school of iridescent Rainbowfish is more dramatic to the eye than a few shy fish peeking out from behind dense vegetation.

Originally posted 2009-11-22 12:09:53. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Information will be coming soon

Originally posted 2009-11-05 03:54:01. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Barred rainbowfish

Chilatherina fasciata

Family: Melanotaeniidae

Distribution: The Barred Rainbowfish lives in northern New Guinea, including the river systems of Markham, Ramu, Sepik and Mamberamo in both the lowlands and highlands. The preferred habitat of the Barred Rainbowfish is a clear rainforest stream consisting of gravel or sand and littered with leaves and rainforest debris. They have also been found in Lake Wanam in Papua New Guinea. With an appreciation for sunlight and warm waters, Chilatherian fasciata is one of the most abundant fishes in Northern New Guinea.

PH: 7.1 to 8.1

Temperature: 28° -32°C (82 – 90F)

Hardness: 0-12DH

Description: The Barred Rainbowfish can be roughly 14 cm (5.5 inches) long. With the overall specific coloration depending on its geographical origins, it usually ranges from brownish to bluish green on the back with yellow/white sides. Most adult males have black bars on their lower sides and will enhance and intensify their colours to a deep bronze/red-orange during breeding. The females range from silver to olive with clear fins. Both share a uniquely deep, laterally compressed body. Overall, Chilatherian fasciata are a beauty to behold in the world of rainbowfish.

Diet: Mimic the natural diet of the Chilatherian fasciata by serving up a veritable delight of fish algae, live insect larvae (and other live foods), and processed foods. Allow for natural algae growth as it is on the top of the menu for tastiness in this rainbowfish’s mind.

Breeding: Male aggression is the biggest issue when breeding this species. It can be quite dangerous for the females if you don’t provide two or three females for each male. Set up a separate breeding tank filled with dense vegetation like java moss.

Keep the water temperature in the upper eshalons of the recommended range to decrease incubation time.

It is advisable to move the spawning medium into a different container to avoid predation. Feed fry with newly hatched brine shrimp or powdered flake food.

Comments: The Barred Rainbowfish is a common choice for all aquarists as they are relatively easy to care for. Opt for a well-planted tank with the intention of mimicking its natural habitat. A plentitude of hiding spots, open swimming areas and submerged diftwood will make for a satisfied rainbowfish. Just like their rainbowfish relatives, their serene, shoaling fish nature makes them a great addition to any community tank.

Tip: These fish are sun worshippers…give them a couple of sunlight exposure each day and watch them shine!

Article/Books:
Setting up a Tropical Aquarium Week by Week
Culturing Live Foods: A Step-By-Step Guide to Producing Food for Your Home Aquarium
Today’s Essential Guide to Growing Aquarium Plants: The Aquamaster Series

Rainbowfish are schooling fish and should be kept in groups consisting of at least six individuals, preferably no less than 10-15. Mix it up with enough females to give them a rest when the males are on the chase, but provide enough males to bring out their vibrant colours when they are in competition for female attention. Whilst this is beneficial to the health and wellbeing of the fish, a large school is rewarding for the aquarist because a school of iridescent Rainbowfish is more dramatic to the eye than a few shy fish peeking out from behind dense vegetation.

If you want to buy Rainbow fish the best place to get them is HERE

Originally posted 2009-11-03 13:44:46. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Family: Cyprinidae

Distribution: Trigonostigma heteromorpha, commonly known as the Harlequin Rasbora, is found in Thailand, Sumatra, Singapore and Malaysia.  It is distributed in streams and other forest swamp waters.

PH: 5.0 – 7.0

Temperature: 23°C – 28C (73 – 82F)

Hardness: 5 – 12 dH

Description: Trigonostigma heteromorpha can reach a length of 3 – 5 cm in an aquarium.   This species has an orange-pink colouration from its head to the caudal peduncle.  Its posterior half has a big triangular marking that begins below the midpoint of its dorsal fin and thins out towards its tail.  Its dorsal, caudal, pelvic and anal fins are tinted a reddish colour and the caudal fin is forked.  Males are thinner and have a brighter colouration to females.  This species has a lifespan of approximately six years.

Diet: Trigonostigma heteromorpha is an omnivore and will eat most store-purchased foods, but you should feed it a varied diet that includes live and frozen foods.

Breeding: The Harlequin Rasbora is similar to the Glowlight Rasbora in that females will attach their eggs to broad leaves, as opposed to the usual Rasbora practice of scattering the eggs.  The female can deposit up to 300 eggs, but it is usually around the 80 – 100 mark.   Remove the parents as soon as you see the eggs on the underside of a plant leaf, as they exhibit no parental care and may eat the eggs.  When spawning Trigonostigma heteromorpha, make sure the water is soft and acidic and that you maintain the given water parameters.  The eggs will hatch in 24 hours and the fry can be fed powdered fry food or Infusoria until large enough to accept bigger foods such as flake.

Comments: Trigonostigma heteromorpha should be housed in a tank that is at least 40 litres in volume.  This fish will prefer a heavily vegetated tank that resembles its natural environment, including floating plants, a dark substrate and several roots and branches.  It is recommended your tank is dimly lit and that you provide plenty of open swimming space.  While it is not essential, Trigonostigma heteromorpha has a preference for water that has been filtrated through peat. This species requires a moderate level of care and is probably not suitable for beginners.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: Trigonostigma heteromorpha should be kept in large groups of at least 8 – 10. They will live happily with Tetraspecies (particularly the Neon Tetraand Black Tetra). They are also great tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, CorydorasCatfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbaiand Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppyand Platyand most Gourami(such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also can live happily with most Danio(particularly the Zebra Danioand Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-01-26 22:14:23. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Centropyge vroliki (Half Black Pygmy Angel)
Information will be coming soon.

Originally posted 2009-11-07 23:29:34. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Family: Cambaridae

Distribution: The Dwarf Crayfish originates from Lago de Patzcuaro, Mexico.

PH: 6.5 – 8.5

Temperature: 10– 26°C (50 – 79°F)

Hardness: 12 – 15 GH

Description: Male Orange Dwarf crayfish will grow a whopping 4 cm in length; females will be slightly smaller.  It will show different tones of orange depending on the individual, and can be moulted or striped.  The ones with good genes have a bright orange colouration.

Diet: Crayfish, by nature are scavengers: they’ll eat whatever they can get.  Plain shrimp pellets and flake food will do the job; crayfish will sometimes eat their own moults to pick up lost nutrients.

Breeding: The male Orange Dwarf will transfer sperm to the female; she will hold this sperm for as long as she feels it is safe to extract the eggs.  Eggs will take around 30 days to hatch.  You may have some difficulty breeding this species simply because the young are so small and sensitive.

Comments: You can house many adults in a 10 gallon aquarium.  Males can display aggression towards other males.  If there is not enough space for the young to move around in, they may cannibalise each other.  You might consider using gravel or sands in your aquarium, and make sure you give the cambarellus patzcuarensis plenty of places to hide.  You can provide upside down pot-plants as hiding spaces.  This species can be difficult to maintain and, as such, is possibly not the best choice for newcomers to the hobby.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: Due to its small size, this species will not threaten other tank mates.  It can be housed with small, non-aggressive fish.

Originally posted 2009-12-20 10:45:46. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Information will be coming soon

Originally posted 2009-11-09 02:50:57. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Aquarium Plants and Mosses

Originally posted 2009-09-21 11:05:44. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Information will be coming soon

Originally posted 2009-11-05 03:59:08. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Originally posted 2009-11-05 22:53:36. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Family: Aplocheilidae

Distribution: This species of Epiplatys bifasciatus is situated in Africa, namely the Southwest coast, central, and upper East inland.

PH: 6-8 pH

Temperature: 24-25°C (76°F)

Hardness: 10dH

Description: The two horizontal stripes down the sides of the body of this killifish species gives Epiplatys bifasciatus bifasciatus its Latin name.  Depending on the region, these stripes may be hard to detect.  The base colours include brown, gold and grey; however regional differences may occur (including vivid greens and reds).  Their fins are often clear but may occasionally have a black outline.  They grow to a maximum size of 6cm, making them a ‘dwarf’ fish.

Reports have found that if the killifish are introduced into a single-species tank they become very shy and timid and spend most of their time hiding.  When other, large, upper-dwellers are introduced, the killifish become animated and happily socialise.

Diet: The Epilatys bifasciatus bifasciatus thrive on flake food supplemented with some frozen livefood (bloodworms, preferably).

Breeding: Available information shows that whilst some people have no trouble when breeding, others find it almost impossible.  Alterations in acidity, hardness and temperature – dependant on region – have shown good results, such as using rainwater in tanks.

Breeding adults can be left in a community tank; however the fry should be removed when spawned so it does not become a ‘snack’ for other fish.  The fry grow best in planted tanks.  They have a slow maturity rate, taking 7-8 months to reach adulthood.

Tip: As they are sensitive to sudden water changes, it is recommended that you perform gradual changes.

Comments: Epiplatys bifasciatus bifasciatus is extremely difficult to find in stores.  Due to their water sensitivity, it is recommended for an aquarist with some experience, although an attentive beginner may have some luck.

Breeder should install a backlight to enable sexing, otherwise it may be difficult to tell males from females.

This fish is rare in the aquarium hobby and as such, the information is scanty.  For these purposes, we have included general information pertaining to the killifish species.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: Whilst ‘the rules’ state that Epilatys bifasciatus bifasciatus should be kept in a single-species tank, reports find that they grow best and breed most often when kept in community tanks. They will live happily with Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They are also great tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, Corydoras Catfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platyand most Gourami (such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also can live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danio and Pearl Danio)  and also many other Killifish make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-03-31 05:57:27. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Tropheus sp. “Ikola Kaiser”
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Originally posted 2009-11-07 22:20:26. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Family: Cichlidae

Distribution: Chalinochromis brichardi, sometimes known as Brichard’s Chalinochromis, is an African cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika.

PH: 8.0 – 9.0

Temperature: 24°C – 27°C (75 – 81F)

Hardness: 9 – 19 dH

Description: This rubble-dwelling cichlid can reach a maximum length of 12 cm.  It has a black face with purple-blue fins and a longish body typical of Lake Tanjanyikan cichlids.  At a young age it will display stripes, but these will fade as the fish ages to leave an elegant, gray-white appearance.

Diet: Chalinochromis brichardi is easy to feed as it will eat basically any food item.  You can feed adults a diet of cichlid pellets, flake, mosquito larvae, brine shrimp and bloodworms – frozen or live.  It is best to feed the newly hatched fry a diet consisting of baby brine, crushed flakes and powdered fry food.

Breeding: Chalinochromis brichardi can be bred in an aquarium environment.  Spawning will usually take place in narrow caves, so provide plenty of hiding spaces in your tank.  The female will lay up to 120 eggs in a cave, of which the males will fertilise.  It will take 2 – 4 days before the eggs hatch and a further 10 days before the fry are swimming in the tank.

Comments: Chalinochromis brichardi should be housed in a tank at least 120 cm long to allow it plenty of swimming space.  Decorate your tank with stones and rocks to create hiding spaces, and feel free to add plants as well.  This species will appreciate the effort and will make a territory out of these items.  This species is quite easy to look after and is recommended to beginners.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: You can house Chalinochromis brichardi in a one-species tank, or keep it with other Lake Tanganyikan cichlids.  It is compatible with Julidochromus and Lamprologus, for example.

Originally posted 2010-01-05 20:39:07. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Family: Characidae

Distribution: Triportheus guentheri is a benthopelagic freshwater species that is distributed in the Sao Francisco River basin, South America.

PH: 5.0 – 7.5

Temperature: 22°C – 30C (72 – 86F)

Hardness: 0 – 20

Description: Triportheus guentheri can reach a maximum length of 14 cm.  It has often been confused with Triportheus brachipomus, but they differ in the number of anal-fin rays and lateral-line scales.  This species appears to have a yellow-silver colouration; the dorsal portion of its head and its snout are a darker colour.  It has a longitudinal stripe that broadens into a dark spot on the lateral surface of its caudal peduncle.  Its body is darker above the stripe and its caudal fin has a dark pigmentation as an outline.

Diet: Triportheus guentheri will take most foods in an aquarium environment.  It will probably accept live, frozen and dried foods.  A diverse range of fruits, nuts, insects and seeds may prove to be your best bet.

Breeding: There is not a great deal of information available on this species’ breeding habits.  It appears it is yet to be bred in aquaria.  In the wild, this species has adhesive eggs and fractional spawning; it is said to spawn between the months of November and February when reservoirs are at their lowest levels.

Comments: Triportheus guentheri should be housed in a tank at least 120 litres in volume, perhaps larger.  This species will probably require a high oxygen concentration in its tank, although it may be quite hardy considering it is used to fluctuating oxygen levels in the wild. Triportheus guentheri is rarely seen in the aquarium environment and there is hardly any information available on it, which means it is probably better suited to experienced hobbyists.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: Triportheus guentheri should be housed with peaceful, similar-sized species that share the same water parameters.  

Originally posted 2010-01-27 01:54:03. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Haemulon chrysargyreum (Small Mouth Grunt)
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Originally posted 2009-11-06 08:53:45. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Family: Cichlidae

Distribution: Aulonocara saulosi cichlids, sometimes called the Emerald Face or Green Face Cichlid, is found in Lake Malawi.  It is distributed south of the Mozambique border near Masinje, on the eastern shore.

PH: 8.0 – 9.0

Temperature: 22 – 26°C (72 – 79°F)

Hardness: 15 – 30 dH

Description: The Emerald Face Cichlid reaches a maximum of 9.2 cm in length; females are slightly smaller.  Its unique bullet-shaped head distinguish it from other Peacock cichlids.  Emerald Face cichlids from southeast regions have a blue head, while those from the northeast region have a green face, from which it derives its common name.  The males have a colourful appearance; females retain a duller, grey-brownish hue.

Diet: Aulonocara saulosi requires meat in its diet.  You should feed it high quality cichlid pellets as its staple, supplemented with shrimp and various other shellfish a few times a week.  The Emerald Face Cichlid should not be fed bloodworm or land based animal food.

Breeding: The Emerald Face Cichid is a maternal mouthbrooder with a preference for harem breeding.  Males play no real part in parental responsibility; the female will hold its eggs in its mouth for approximately 28 days.

Comments: Ensure your aquarium is at least three feet long to provide ample room for swimming and hiding.  The tank should also include a mix of gravel and coral sand.  Provide this cichlid with plenty of rocks, along with good lighting and good filtration.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: Aulonocara saulosi can be housed with Copadichromis, Nyassachromis, Lethrinops, but not with Mbunas.  The Emerald Face Cichlid has a mild temperament and can be tanked with other Peacock species, but take care to avoid interbreeding.

Originally posted 2009-12-15 09:59:55. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Gobiocichla ethelwynnae (Cross River Goby Cichlid)
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Originally posted 2009-11-07 06:30:27. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Family: Characidae

Distribution: The Columbian Tetra (also known as Blue-Red Columbian Tetra and  Blue Flame Tetra) derives one of its common names from its location: it is endemic to Colombia, South America.  It prefers the slow moving tributaries and creeks that extend off the Acandi River.

PH: 5.5 – 7.0 pH

Temperature: 24 – 27°C (75 – 81°F)

Hardness: 12 gdH

Description: Like many of its Hyphessobrycon relatives, the Columbian Tetra is a lively tank mate.  It will flourish in groups of at least 6, but they can be aggressive and nip the fins of each other.  They are one of the larger Tetras, reaching 6.5cm.

The Hyphessobrycon columbianus has a silver-grey colouration, with a lateral line of a blue tinge that increases in vibrancy as it extends upwards.  The line develops into a stripe along the rear dorsal area of the Blue Flame’s body.  This fish flaunts bright red fins that will – interestingly – lose colour when the fish is resting.  A black edging defines the anal fin, and the dorsal and caudal fins sport white tips.

As the fish matures, the back arch appears to grow.  It is difficult to determine gender until the species is mature, when the female will become rounder.

Diet: A non-fussy eater, the Columbian Tetra will enjoy a balance flake food, frozen food, and live foods.  Use high quality flakes as the base of the diet, and add the live and frozen foods later.  They prefer brine shrimp and white and blood worms.

Breeding: Set up two conditioning tanks, one for a year old male and one for a year old female.  The two Hyphessobrycon columbianus should be fed on a diet of Drosophila and insect larvae for two-to-three weeks, before moving them into a 38L breeding tank.  The tank should have a temperature of 24 – 26°C (75 – 79°F), a pH of 6.5, and dH of 2 – 4.  Partial weekly water changes are a must.  Do not use any form of substrate, just fine-leaved plants and a soft filtration system (sponge or foam).  The Columbian Tetra also require dim lighting.

If eggs do not appear within three days of the introduction, repeat the process of conditioning.  When spawning, eggs will appear in the plant leaves.  The parents will eat the eggs, so they should be removed immediately after spawning.  A little over 24 hours later, the eggs will hatch, with the fry swimming free a few days later.  A diet of baby Brine Shrimp and micro-organisms should be used for the first ten days, before switching your Tetra fry to crushed flake.

Comments: Hyphessobrycon columbianus are perfect for beginners are they are hardy and can withstand a range of water conditions.  They prefer planted tanks to sparse ones, and require a volume of 80-120L.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: They should live happily with other Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They also should be good tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, Corydoras Catfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami (such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also should live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danio and Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish could make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-04-21 01:47:23. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Melanotaenia Australis

Western rainbowfish/Australian rainbowfish

Melanotaenia australis

Family: Melanotaeniidae

Distribution: Found in the Kimberly and Pilbara regions of Western Australia and both the eastern and western parts of Darwin in the Northern Territory, Australian rainbowfish live in lakes, pools in drying waterways, lagoons, marshlands, creeks and rivers. Melanotaenia australis is considered to be one of the most abundant species of Rainbowfish in Australia.

PH: 6.0 – 8.0

Temperature: 23°C – 32°C (73 – 90F)

Hardness: 3 – 30DH.

Melanotaenia australis are used to significant changes in water hardness. Ideally keep your Australian rainbowfish in hard water from April through to October then gradually make the water softer to mimic the coming of the ‘wet season’ in their natural habitat. Ensure that all changes to water conditions are gradual.

Description: The Australian Rainbowfish can reach a length of 10 cm (4 inches). This hardy schooling fish is noted for its pair of zigzagging blackish lines that can be seen on the lower sides of the body. Its main body colour varies depending where it comes from and can range from brown, olive, black and white, with either indistinct or distinct double or single orange-red stripes.

The males are usually longer, more vibrantly coloured, have bigger dorsal fins and are deeper bodied than the females.

Diet: In the wild, Melanotaenia australis thrive on an omnivorous diet with a preference for insects, worms, aquatic larvae and crustaceans. They are not fussy eaters and will take most aquarium foods. For optimum health, choose a combination of live and frozen food for their aquarium diet.

Breeding: Australian Rainbowfish reach sexual maturity when they are around 4 cm (1 ½ inches) and are moderately easy to breed. Set up a separate breeding tank of approximately 30 litres (8 gallons), and provide an abundance of java moss or similar in your set up. Be

prepared for vigorous and aggressive chasing. Provide a couple of females for each male to reduce the stress of the chase. Eggs will be deposited daily and the vegetation will be used as the spawning medium. As long as your fish are well fed and the vegetation plentiful, you may not need to remove the parents. Even with these safeguards, the parents could still eat their young.

Tip: The Australian rainbowfish are often overlooked by people searching for a colourful addition to their aquarium community. Seemingly the perfect fish – adaptable, peaceful, full of energy – people will still walk past them because as juveniles their colour lacks the vibrancy that it will exhibit in adulthood.

Comments: Australian rainbowfish are a popular choice for both beginners and the more advanced fish enthusiasts. Its highly adaptable, hardy, social nature makes it an easy and rewarding fish to keep.

Opt for gentle water movement, driftwood and live plants when setting up your aquarium.

This popular Australian prefers an active social life rather than that of solitude ensuring that they will thrive in a school of fellow rainbowfish. They are active swimmers so be sure to provide open swimming areas.

Perform frequent partial water changes to ensure optimum health of your fish.

Article/Books:
Culturing Live Foods: A Step-By-Step Guide to Producing Food for Your Home Aquarium
Setting up a Tropical Aquarium Week by Week
Today’s Essential Guide to Growing Aquarium Plants: The Aquamaster Series
Recommended Compatible Species:

Rainbowfish are a great community species in terms of their temperament and therefore live happily with most Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They are also great tank mates with Discus, CorydorasCatfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbaiand Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppyand Platy and most Gourami(such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also can live happily with most Danio(particularly the Zebra Danioand Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish make great tank mates. One thing you should take into consideration when housing rainbows with these recommended species is the water quality. Temperature and Hardness are similar but P.H. can be quite different, although it is not ideal, if you keep your water at a P.H. of 7 this should keep your community happy.

Rainbowfish are schooling fish and should be kept in groups consisting of at least six individuals, preferably no less than 10-15. Mix it up with enough females to give them a rest when the males are on the chase, but provide enough males to bring out their vibrant colours when they are in competition for female attention. Whilst this is beneficial to the health and wellbeing of the fish, a large school is rewarding for the aquarist because a school of iridescent Rainbowfish is more dramatic to the eye than a few shy fish peeking out from behind dense vegetation.

Originally posted 2009-11-03 23:21:08. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Family: Lebiasinidae

Distribution: Copeina guttata, or Red-Spotted Tetra, is a South American freshwater species distributed in the streams and rivers of the middle Amazon River basin.

PH: 6.5 – 7.5

Temperature: 23°C – 28°C (73 – 82F)

Hardness: 8 – 12 dH

Description: Copeina guttata can grow a maximum of 8 cm in a tank environment, although they have been recorded as reaching 15 cm in the wild.  The Red-Spotted tetra has a green-brown colouration on its dorsal region – which gets darker at the flanks – and a light-yellow ventral surface colouration.  It is named the Red-Spotted Tetra due to a red marking on each large scale.  This species can live anywhere from 3 – 8 years.

Diet: Copeina guttata is omnivorous and will accept a varied diet of fish flakes, pellets, frozen foods and vegetables, but should also be given live food such as brine shrimp, insect larvae and small flying insects.

Breeding: The Red-Spotted Tetra should be bred in a pair.  The male, who will display great colouration in the form of a red dotted flank, will mate with the female when she lays her eggs in your gravel substrate or on a flat stone.  The female can produce around 300 eggs.  You should remove the female at this point.  You should also remove the male once the fry have hatched from the eggs and can swim on their own.

Comments: Copeina guttata is best kept in larger tanks where it has plenty of swimming space. A tank of at least 30 gallons in volume is recommended.  This species is quite hardy but careful attention should be paid to water quality.  You can add plants to your tank, along with flat rocks and several hiding places.  This species is suitable for beginners and newcomers to the aquarium hobby.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: They will live happily with most Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They are also great tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, Corydoras Catfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami (such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also can live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danio and Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-01-15 12:50:24. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Information regarding Killifish will be coming soon

Originally posted 2010-05-01 11:16:28. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Siganus spinus “Scribbled Rabbitfish”

Siganus spinus (Scribbled Rabbitfish)
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Originally posted 2009-11-06 10:18:14. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Heniochus varius (Humphead Bannerfish)
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Originally posted 2009-11-05 20:20:52. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Heros efasciatus (Green Severum)
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Originally posted 2009-11-05 11:59:41. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Pseudotropheus socolofi “Snow White”
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Originally posted 2009-11-05 20:28:59. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Chaetodon punctatofasciatus (Spotband Butterflyfish)
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Originally posted 2009-11-05 22:15:36. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Family: Cyprinidae

Distribution: Rasbora dorsiocellata, commonly known as Eyespot Rasbora, is an Asian freshwater species found in the Malay Peninsula and in Sumatra, Indonesia; it lives in streams and areas with high acidity.

PH: 6.0 – 6.5

Temperature: 20°C – 25C (68 – 77F)

Hardness: 0 – 10 dH

Description: Rasbora dorsiocellata can reach a maximum length of around 6 cm.  This elongated fish has a reflective, silver colouration, and a pointed snout.  There may be a slight pink colour in the ventral area between the operculum and the pelvic fins.  The dorsal fin is white with a large, eye-shaped black oval, which is the reason for its common name.  Females have a fuller body than males, but it is a difficult species to sex.  This species has a life expectancy of 8 – 10 years.

Diet: This omnivorous species will accept most foods in an aquarium environment, including quality flake or pellets, brine shrimp and bloodworm.

Breeding: The Eyespot Rasbora is an egg-scattering species that requires soft, acidic water in order to breed in a captive environment.  You should add fine-leaved plants or Java Moss for the female to deposit her eggs on.  Feed the adults a life food diet to increase chances of effective spawning; you must remove the adults once you see the eggs in the tank.  The eggs will hatch in 24 – 36 hours and can be fed infusoria or freshly hatched brine shrimp once they are swimming freely.

Comments: You could probably house a small group of Eyespot Rasbora in a 60 litre tank.  Your tank should have plenty of open swimming space, as well as dark soil, shady areas and some densely planted zones.  Keep Rasbora dorsiocellata in soft, slightly acidic water and make sure the tank is well filtered.  This species requires moderate care and is suitable for people with some experience in the hobby.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: Rasbora dorsiocellata should be housed in groups of at least six.  It can be a nipper of long-finned fish so avoid housing it with such species.  They will live happily with most Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetraand Black Tetra). They are also great tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, CorydorasCatfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppyand Platyand most Gourami(such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also can live happily with most Danio(particularly the Zebra Danioand Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-01-24 19:57:41. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Apistogramma hongsloi (Redstripe Dwarf Cichlid)
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Originally posted 2009-11-07 22:18:49. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Family: Characidae

Distribution: Hemigrammus rhodostomus is found in the lower Amazon River basin in Paraguay and Aripiranga, South America.

PH: 5.0 – 6.0 pH

Temperature: 22 – 28°C (73 – 81°F)

Hardness: 5 – 12 dH

Description: The Rummy Nose Tetra can be identified by its bright red nose.  It is elongated and slender, with a base colouration of silver with green iridescent scales where the upper back of the head meets the body.  The red continues into the upper part of the iris and continues into the gill plate.  The caudal fin sports black and white horizontal stripes; eye-catching when flitting about the tank.

Hemigrammus rhodostomus is often confused with Hemigrammus bleheri and Petitella georgiae, as they all look alike.  Hemigrammus rhodostomus is the ‘True’ Rummy Nose.  They are the least colourful of all three, however it is also the hardiest and easiest to breed. Hemigrammus bleheri has more variety in its colouration, and Petitella georgiae is a lot less red.

The species grows up to 5cm and, like the rest of the Hemigrammus family, the female is more rotund than the males.  They should be kept in shoals of at least 6.

Diet: Hemigrammus rhodostomus will happily survive on high quality flake foods with live or frozen foods supplemented.

Breeding: This species is hard to breed.  The Rummy Nose Tetra requires a tank that includes exceptionally soft and slightly acidic water, as well as some plants and rocks on which to spawn.  If you find aquarium-bred Hemigrammus rhodostomus, they will be easier to breed.  Remove the parents after spawning has occurred as they are carnivorous.

The eggs will hatch in 3-4 days, and the fry will be free swimming in another 2-4 days.

Comments: Keep your Hemigrammus rhodostomus in a densely-planted 200L aquarium with an area for swimming in the centre.  They can be extremely sensitive to water conditions, thus gradual changes are recommended.  They need a medium-speed filter to imitate their natural environment.

The Rummy Nose Tetra is not recommended for beginners due to their water sensitivity and their difficulty to breed.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: They should live happily with other Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They also should be good tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, CorydorasCatfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami(such as the Blue Gouramiand Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also should live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danioand Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish could make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-04-20 15:03:13. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Apistogramma are a dwarf cichlid from South America, most only growing to a maximum of 3 inches.

The name “Apistogramma” litterally means “irregular lateral line” which refers to the pattern on many of the Apistogramma’s, especially the females.

There are over 250 types recorded so far and more being found every year, some of these are the same species and just different colour variations, others are completely different species which are just waiting to be scientifically described.

These are truly one of the most under-rated tropical fish, with their brilliant colours and interesting personalities they are certainly a fish which should be kept when possible.

This is a list of some of the described Apistogramma species-

1. Apistogramma Acrensis
2. Apistogramma Agassizii
3. Apistogramma Alacrina
4. Apistogramma Amoena
5. Apistogramma Angayuara
6. Apistogramma Arua
7. Apistogramma Atahualpa
8. Apistogramma Baenschi
9. Apistogramma Barlowi
10. Apistogramma Bitaeniata
11. Apistogramma Borellii
12. Apistogramma Brevis
13. Apistogramma Cacatuoides
14. Apistogramma Caetei
15. Apistogramma Commbrae
16. Apistogramma Cruzi
17. Apistogramma Diplotaenia
18. Apistogramma Elizabethae
19. Apistogramma Eremnopyge
20. Apistogramma Erythura
21. Apistogramma Eunotus
22. Apistogramma Geisleri
23. Apistogramma Gephyra
24. Apistogramma Gibbiceps
25. Apistogramma Gossei
26. Apistogramma Guttata
27. Apistogramma Hippolytae
28. Apistogramma Hoignei