There are tons of different types of aquarium lights available to hobbyists, but how do you know which one to choose for your aquarium? One important question to ask is whether or not the light source is bright enough to grow the aquarium plants you’re looking to get. Let’s talk about PAR as a helpful determining factor when choosing your next planted tank light. Defining PAR PAR is simply an abbreviation for Photosynthetically Active Radiation (sometimes referred to as Photosynthetically Available Radiation). It quantifies the brightness levels of light that are used by plants in order t ..read more

Have you ever kept Medaka rice fish? Because of their ability to reproduce very quickly at a young age and tolerance for a wide temperature range, they are commonly used in research areas such as biology, genetics, and toxicology. In 1994, they even became the first vertebrate to successfully mate and lay eggs that hatched while in space. Medaka rice fish have been raised as pet fish in Japan for hundreds of years but recently gained more popularity in the worldwide aquarium trade. Learn how to care for this amazing fish in your home or outdoor mini pond. Platinum white Medaka What are Medaka ..read more

Small fish tanks between 5–20 gallons are some of the most popular sizes in the freshwater aquarium hobby because of their reduced footprint and cheaper cost. Even with the size limitation, there are countless possibilities when it comes to choosing the species, layout, and purpose of the fish tank. To help get your creative juices flowing, here are 5 stocking ideas that might be perfect for your next nano fish tank. 1. Nano Aquascape Simple aquascape with center island of plants surrounded by rocks If you’ve never tried your hand at aquascaping or making a beautifully designed planted tank ..read more

If you have a freshwater aquarium that is infested with bladder snails, ramshorn snails, or Malaysian trumpet snails (MTS), it may seem impossible to get rid of them. It’s hard to root out every single egg or baby snail hiding amongst the plants and substrate, and chemical pesticides can often have a negative impact on the other living creatures in your fish tank. Luckily, there is a little helper you can employ that will happily sniff out any pest snails — the amazing assassin snail. Learn how to care for this industrious critter and even breed them for profit in your own home. What are Assas ..read more

When shopping for your first betta fish at the pet store, it can be a little confusing trying to make heads or tails of all the different types. While they are all technically considered to be Betta splendens, these beautiful creatures have been selectively bred and hybridized with other Betta species over many, many generations to create the vast number of varieties we see today. The International Betta Congress (IBC) is a worldwide organization that holds betta fish shows on six continents, and they have set the standards for each category of fin shape, tail type, color groups, patterns, and ..read more

If you add a new aquarium plant to your tank, it may look great for a couple weeks, but then it starts losing some leaves or just looks like it’s dying back in general. Don’t give up! It is common for aquarium plants to change and adapt when they experience a disruption in growing conditions. Learn about 7 reasons why this may happen and what you can do to give your plants the best chance to grow to their fullest potential. 1. You just got a brand-new plant from the store or online and added it to your aquarium. Many plant farms actually grow aquarium plants out of water or emersed. This is fo ..read more

Contrary to popular belief, aquarium fish are not necessarily the cheapest animals at the pet store. By the time you buy the fish tank, heater, filter, and decorations, you may find that you have a limited budget for the actual fish themselves. The last thing you want to do is get a fragile animal that is difficult to care for or won’t last very long. To help you narrow down the huge selection of fish at the pet store, we’ve compiled our top 5 freshwater fish that are not only affordable but also hardy and safe for community tanks. Plus, most of these species either live for a long time or are ..read more

Cory catfish are one of our favorite bottom dwellers because of their easy-going personalities, constant scavenging, and silly antics. With more than 150 Corydoras species to choose from, the salt and pepper cory is one of our best-selling fish at Aquarium Co-Op. Find out why these nano bottom dwellers are so popular and how to provide them with a comfortable environment to thrive in. Salt and pepper cory in a planted tank What are Habrosus Corydoras? Corydoras habrosus is the largest of the three species of “dwarf corydoras,” with the round-bellied females reaching 1.5 inches (3.5 cm) and ma ..read more

With so many aquarium fish available in the fish store, many species are commonly sold but end up going unnoticed by hobbyists. Sometimes they are looked down upon as “beginner fish” that aren’t as rare or unique enough. Other times, they may have once been all the rage but then fell out of favor for more newly discovered species. Most of these animals are pretty hardy and not hard to find, so take a look at our top 5 underappreciated fish that you should consider trying in your next aquarium. 1. Common Goldfish Carassius auratus While fancy goldfish like ranchus and orandas often get a lot o ..read more

Are you curious about tissue culture plants and what their benefits and drawbacks might be? Let’s talk about the process of how tissue culture plants are produced and whether or not they are the right choice for your next planted aquarium. What are Tissue Culture Plants? The term “tissue culture” (sometimes called “in vitro” or “lab-grown”) sounds a little intimidating and scientific, but it is not too complicated once you break it down. In order to create a tissue culture plant, the facility or laboratory does the following: Cut off a tissue sample or part of an existing plant. Add the plant ..read more