Betta Fish or Siamese Fighting Fish Scientific Name: Betta Splendens (given this scientific name in 1909 after previously being named Macropodus Pugnax) Common Name: Siamese Fighting Fish Genus (groups of animals from the same family): Betta Betta Fish are often referred to as Siamese Fighting Fish and people sometimes wonder why. Other people who know them as … [Read more...] about The History of Betta Fish
Stories
A Betta Goodbye
No matter how long we want our bettas to live, there comes a time in our lives, and theirs, when their death becomes inevitable. How can we better grieve for our little guys. No matter how hard you try, your betta's life will eventually come to an end be it to an untreatable illness or old age. It's not something I like to think about, but I have had my share in losing … [Read more...] about A Betta Goodbye
My Experience in Color Morphs
This article is dedicated to the unnamed Royal Blue and Magenta Betta that tragically died of a protozonine illness and to Dexter, the red betta that inspired this article. If you have read much about betta genetics, it is likely you have heard that some reds don't stay that way. If you're like me, the mystery of this statement interests you. Well, recently I purchased … [Read more...] about My Experience in Color Morphs
The Thrill of the Buy
Once a week, usually Mondays, I drive during my lunch break to the LFS of my youth. Filled with clean tanks, they showcase the best of each breed of freshwater, pond and saltwater animals. Right in front, just as you pass the 1,300-gallon shark tank, are the Bettas. Three tiers, each having 10 partitions, state-of-the-art filtration, and full-spectrum lighting; here is the … [Read more...] about The Thrill of the Buy
What is a Fish Worth?
I recently saw an article in the Buntbarsche Bulletin about how many supposed F0 (wild) African cichlids are actually farmed there at the shore of the lakes. When people are paying premium prices for wild caught fish and they don't get wild caught fish, they are being gypped, aren't they? This issue got me to thinking about an even more general issue and that is how much you … [Read more...] about What is a Fish Worth?
Neolamprologus brevis/BREVIS SUNSPOT
Hi my name is Ben Brevis and this is my mate Brenda. As mentioned above we are Neolamprologus brevis, also known by our friends as Brevis Sunspots. Now a bit about our family if I may. Our ancestors emigrated originally from Lake Tanganyika, Africa, but for many years now my parents and theirs have lived here in North America. In Lake Tanganyika our breed usually … [Read more...] about Neolamprologus brevis/BREVIS SUNSPOT
Metriaclima mbenji (Mbenji Zebra)
Most people know this fish as the "Red Top Cobalt Zebra" or the "Mbenji Zebra". It is a beautifully coloured mbuna (rock dwelling fish) from the Mbenji Islands in Lake Malawi. Coloured males are an overall light cobalt blue with red dorsal, caudal and pectoral fins. Females tend to show more brownish tones with some hints of blue. The female also retains some red in the … [Read more...] about Metriaclima mbenji (Mbenji Zebra)
The Search for the Elusive “Marmalade Cat”
The search for the elusive "Marmalade Cat"! That term, "marmalade cat" is applied to several Malawi cichlid species that have special markings: OB (originally "orange blotched" but now, any 'blotched' mbuna), an orange dorsal fin, and 'calico-like' body colors (i.e. blue or blue hued). You'll generally not see two OB fish with similar markings the pattern develops randomly. … [Read more...] about The Search for the Elusive “Marmalade Cat”
Shell Dweller Sampler
My interest in shell dwellers started when I began exploring the smaller species of theLamprologus genus. These fish initially caught my fancy because of the limited amount of tank space that I have. I started out keeping Lamprologus like L. leleupi, L. cygnus, and L. brichardi.These are roughly three to four inch fish and are quite adaptable in medium sized community setups … [Read more...] about Shell Dweller Sampler
Diamonds are Forever (Moenkhausia pittieri)
Last year I purchased 10 Diamond Tetras at a monthly DSAS auction. Joe Kaznica who had bred them had offered them at auction. Joe has a great knack breeding tetras and I know all his fish are well maintained. The sparkling appearance of these fish is what caught my eye and so I bid on them, but was not really prepared to house them when I got home. I had a 20-gallon long tank … [Read more...] about Diamonds are Forever (Moenkhausia pittieri)