Ruth wrote: This is a fairly long story here but I feel it is very important. Please bear with me. I am fairly new at this betta obsession. I have been at it a little over a month now. It was not something I decided to do on my own. I, in fact, am one of the people who received a betta in a bowl gift. Not having a clue on how to care for the little guy, I started … [Read more...] about Bettas & Filters. My experience – Negative Results.
Melanochromis johanni
I have two thirty gallon tanks in which I keep my "Africans" and I keep a variety of these cichlids. Among them were two pairs of Melanochromis johanni. The males were separated but the females were kept together. Since I had raised these pairs from half a dozen small fry given to me by a friend, I was wondering when they might spawn. The males changed colour after about one … [Read more...] about Melanochromis johanni
Goldfish FAQ
What are goldfish? How long do goldfish live? Goldfish are all the same, right? Is it still a goldfish if it isn't gold? Why has my goldfish changed colors? What is that growth on my goldfish's head? What are the names of my goldfish's fins? What does the inside of my goldfish look like? Is my goldfish male or female? Why can't I keep my goldfish in a bowl? What kind … [Read more...] about Goldfish FAQ
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
The Fish Speak: Labeotropheus Fuelleborni
"Look out Fran! To the right! Faster! No get behind that pipe! That green thing is still after you, faster Fran, Keep going! Oh no it’s got her." Hello there, my name is Fred Fuelleborni and I am an African Cichlid. That was my mate Fran I was just shouting at. I was trying to save her from that green thing but I guess it’s too late now. It got her. She was my favourite … [Read more...] about The Fish Speak: Labeotropheus Fuelleborni
Cyprichromis leptosoma
If there is such a thing as an underrated Rift Lake Cichlid, the Cyprichromis leptosoma is it. C. leptosoma, is sometimes known as the "cyp" (pronounced "sip") and sometimes as the "blue flash", although the latter is more often used to identify a particular variety of cyp. Sometimes it is also referred to as a "sardine cichlid", which is a reference to its streamlined shape. … [Read more...] about Cyprichromis leptosoma
Keeping and Spawning Cyprichromis leptosoma
The genus Cyprichromis contains four species that were previously considered to be in the genus Limnochromis. The four species are C. nigripinnis, C. brieni, C. leptosoma and C. microlepidotus.Cyprichromis species are endemic to Lake Tanganyika, so they obviously like hard alkaline water. Most of the dissolved salts in Lake Tanganyika are derived from carbonates of calcium, … [Read more...] about Keeping and Spawning Cyprichromis leptosoma
Breeding & Raising Triops
I decided to attempt to raise Triops, a very interesting invertebrate, as an additional source of food for my ocsars. Triops were around during the Triassic Period and haven't changed much if any since then. They lived in small water puddles that would form during the rains. They evolved to grow quickly and have a short lifespan to be able to lay their eggs before the puddle … [Read more...] about Breeding & Raising Triops
Chalinochromis sp. “Ndobnoi”
In the hobby, the genus Chalinochromis takes a back seat to Julidochromis in popularity. It’s hard to see why after keeping and spawning these small, relatively peaceful fish. Fish of the genus Chalinochromis are very similar to Julidochromis in body type, with long, thin bodies. They tend to have a white background color over which dark markings may be present depending on the … [Read more...] about Chalinochromis sp. “Ndobnoi”
Breeding the African Butterfly Cichlid
The African Butterfly cichlid is a small riverine cichlid from western Africa; specifically Sierra Leone, southeast Guinea, and western Liberia. It rarely grows to more than four inches in total length and it has a temperament quite similar to that of the kribensis - relatively peaceful, rarely digs in the substrate, and it seldom bothers plants. They form pairs and tight … [Read more...] about Breeding the African Butterfly Cichlid