Fish Care

Everything You Need to Know About Betta Fish

Finding the Triggers

The income tax cheque came back, and the boss of the house gave me permission to set up my second 10 gallon aquarium... The zebra danios appeared to be ready to spawn and I decided to start making our fortune: Bought three pounds of marbles so the eggs would fall through out of the parents' reach, and put in a pair. At first nothing much happened, but soon … [Read more...] about Finding the Triggers

A Guide to Fish Compatibility

Fish compatibility is the most difficult subject in the industry, and the greatest topic of controversy among professional aquarists. Those of us at the Aquarium Professionals Group with many years of experience are still learning about the subject. The problem is that there are no definite right or wrong answers when it comes to deciding which fish we can keep together in an … [Read more...] about A Guide to Fish Compatibility

Hybrids

The rules for most typical society bowl shows as well as auctions usually have somewhere buried amongst them a simple statement that reads something like the following: “No Hybrids”. This rule is ostensibly placed there because there’s something in the club constitution about preserving natural species and being responsible aquarists and other such moral pronouncements that … [Read more...] about Hybrids

Shipping a Betta – the HB way

Many people wonder how I have gotten bettas to their destination with absolutely no color loss and eating right out of the bag. I got my shipping tips from a local breeder that ships their show bettas and takes great care in how they do it. Because I have vested much time and energy into getting my rescues 100% back to health, I take the extra step (and a little extra money) … [Read more...] about Shipping a Betta – the HB way

Parvi & Paleo

Once upon a time, two young amazon boys wondered down to the river. Paleo and Parvi looked in awe at the sun streaming through the canopy above into the slowly trickling tepid water. The shores of the river were covered in masses of vegetation of every texture and hue of green imaginable. They stood by the shore of the river skipping stones across the water, wondering where … [Read more...] about Parvi & Paleo

Sorting Out the Grey Dogs

What's in a name? As a fishkeeper, you've seen it time after time: A bunch of guys at a society meeting, arguing over a white plastic pail... "It's Heros," says one. "I believe Conkel calls it Nandopsis," replies another. "They're working on the whole family...I think they put that one in Parapetenia," chimes a third. After a while the breeder's award honcho steps … [Read more...] about Sorting Out the Grey Dogs

Tropheus brichardi ‘Mpimbwe’

I bought 20 Tropheus brichardi 'mpimbwe' from Jeff Black in April 1997. Actually, I had wanted T. dubosi, but he didn't have any. I had a 75 gal just bubbling away, cycled and waiting for some fish, and Jeff showed me these little (2cm) striped guys and, well, you know the story, the next thing I know, I'm driving home with these fish in a bag. I thought I had … [Read more...] about Tropheus brichardi ‘Mpimbwe’

Tropheus? No and Yes

Lets start with the "no" which began about three years ago. Although Im not a fan of African cichlids, I am a fan of West African cichlids, and one of the few source books on this group is "Cichlids from West Africa", by Linke and Staeck. This book created a desire for many fish rarely seen in the hobby and started my West African wish list. The last fish on my list was "The … [Read more...] about Tropheus? No and Yes