The tank sat in the corner of the living room for three weeks before any water touched it. That was the first mistake — buying the aquarium on impulse at a weekend market in Chatuchak, hauling it back on a songthaew with the seatbelt barely reaching around the glass, and then leaving it empty while…
The LFS employee made it sound simple. “Just toss in a few feeder guppies. They’ll produce the ammonia, the bacteria will grow, and in a few weeks, you’re set.” What he didn’t say was that the process involves dead fish, cloudy water, and at least one moment when the ammonia test reads so high the…
Six Days of Quarantine and the New Corydoras Still Won’t Eat The catfish weren’t in the bag for more than twenty minutes, one of those clear plastic sacks from the shop sealed with a rubber band, and by the time they hit the quarantine tank they were already clamped up against the sponge filter. That…
Selecting Substrate With Buffering in Mind The mistake had a slow creep to it, not a dramatic crash. For three weeks, the tank looked fine — Java fern unfurling, water clear, the lone bristlenose pleco grazing contentedly on driftwood. Then the cherry shrimp stopped breeding. Then the cardinal tetras began breathing harder than they should,…
How to adjust drip acclimation timing for wild-caught pencilfish Pencilfish from the genus Nannostomus arrive in aquarium shops in a state that has almost nothing to do with the fish most hobbyists picture. A wild-caught Nannostomus marginatus coming out of a shipping bag looks washed out, skittish, and sometimes barely breathing. The acclimation protocol that…
Why my loricariid won’t touch zucchini until it’s been blanched exactly 90 seconds I’ve been keeping fish for about six years now, and I still make mistakes that make me feel like a beginner. The kind where you stand in front of the tank, holding a piece of vegetable, and realize you’ve been doing it…
The Night I Smelled My Tank Before I Saw It I was three weeks in, and the water in my 40-gallon looked like someone had brewed tea with gravel. That’s when the phone rang. My supplier—a guy named Darren who runs a shop out of a garage in an industrial park—said the rock had arrived….
Introducing Fish to a New Pond: A Step-by-Step Guide to a Stress-Free Transition When it comes to fish care, introducing fish to a new pond can be a daunting task. With the right approach, however, you can minimize stress and ensure a healthy environment for your fish to thrive. In this article, we’ll cover the…
Caring for Sensitive Fish: The Dwarf Gourami Guide When it comes to keeping dwarf gourami as pets, it’s essential to understand their specific needs and requirements. As a sensitive fish species, they demand careful attention to their environment, diet, and health. In this article, we will delve into the world of dwarf gourami care, covering…
Setting Up a Thriving Reef Aquarium: A Comprehensive Guide to Lighting, Flow, and Water Quality When it comes to creating a stunning and healthy reef aquarium, lighting, flow, and water quality are the three crucial elements to focus on. A well-designed reef aquarium requires a delicate balance of these components to support the growth and…