By Gary Elson Swordtails are one of the most interesting fish in the hobby. We have the beautiful hybrids in pet stores – elegant fish that are usually shades of orange with varying degrees of black markings. Sometimes we see helleri type swords, green swords that are close to the original natural species that entered the hobby. The orange versions are artificially selected, based on meticulous, hard work done by breeders starting close to [...]
By Tom SaracThe bushy or bristlenose catfish is one of the most popular of the suckermouth catfish. A member of the Loricariidae family, the largest family of catfish on the planet, the Ancistrus genus is likely the best known. The genus consists of many species - at the time of writing, 76 are recognized - such as A. cirrhosus, A. pirareta, A. triradiatus, and others.These highly useful suckermouths are compact in size, averaging around 3-4” [...]
Brackish water?Brackish water - the word ‘brackish’ originating from the 16th century Low German word ‘brack’, meaning ‘salty’ - is created as a result of freshwater and saltwater mixing together. Most commonly, this occurs in estuaries, the tidal mouths of rivers, where river or stream water meets seawater and mixes. Other brackish water habitats include mangrove swamps and various seas and lakes, such as the Baltic and Caspian seas.Fish species inhabiting brackish waters are generally [...]
By Gary Elson Glossolepis wanamensis is a fish species being pulled in several directions, and we as hobbyists can have an influence on where and how it goes. In nature, it is probably doomed. It’s red-listed as critically endangered, but has not been seen in its home lake for quite some time. Hopefully, there are some hanging on somewhere in the Lake Wanam region of Papua New Guinea, but the introduction of African Tilapia [...]
By Gary Elson Many people see killifish as the orchids of the aquarium world. While it’s true that they have orchid-like colors, they are generally pretty easy fish to keep. If we are looking at “reasonable” micro-tanks of 5 gallons / 20 liters, you can easily put a trio of these beauties in one. Why only three? It’s a micro-tank, and despite sketchy advice you may have been given, fish need room to live. [...]