We all know that washing our hands and bodies helps control germs and diseases but what about in our aquariums? Fish and corals may not have hands to wash but we still have a similar option: Dips and Baths. We use these to remove parasites and pests or treat for some conditions and infections. A “dip” – whether it is for fish or corals – involves removing the organism from the aquarium and placing it in a separate container with the dip solution for a short period of time before putting it back into the tank. Similarly, a milder treatment known as a “bath” uses a weaker solution for a longer p ..read more

The Yellow Tang has been one of the most popular and iconic saltwater aquarium fish for decades and its popularity increased even more after Disney’s “Finding Nemo” introduced us to Bubbles, the neurotic Yellow Tang kept in Dr. Sherman’s dental office at 42 Wallaby Way. However, its days as an aquarium mainstay may be over due to new legislation from Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) banning Hawaiian aquarium fish collection. Yellow Tang (Zebrasoma flavescens) Some History The waters around the Hawaiian islands are some of the most unique habitats on Earth. According to ..read more

One of the most common questions we get is “How much does it cost to set up a tank?” This is also one of the most difficult questions for us to answer because there are so many options! Every piece of equipment – filters, lighting, heaters and more – has different varieties, options and price levels. Some may be more efficient than others and some may be more cost-effective. We are always happy to go over the options available to you and what we would recommend for any tank you are trying to create. To give you a general idea of tank costs, we’ve gone through some of our store display tanks to ..read more

Springtime = Pond Fish Time! At our retail store in southcentral Pennsylvania, there are a few things we can always count on as soon as the temperatures start to rise: that particular fragrance as farmers get their fields ready for planting, new road construction projects, and our pond customers to start looking for new pond fish and plants for their outdoor ponds. However, those first warm days of the year aren’t the best time to start stocking your ponds. In our area in particular, the first warm days don’t mean it will stay warm. It is pretty common during a Pennsylvanian spring to have su ..read more

Here at That Fish Place – That Pet Place we are doing our best to educate our customers on the dangers and risks of using goldfish as bait. In addition to offering an extreme risk to native species, anglers also face steep fines if they are caught in possession of goldfish for bait.  In Lancaster County Pennsylvania, where we are located, there are several bait and tackle shops that offer better alternatives for fishing.   History of Goldfish in the US A western aquarium of the 1850s illustration from Shirley Hibber, The Book of the Aquarium and Water Cabinet Goldfish are  ..read more

The saltwater aquarium hobby has seen huge blooms after the release of Disney’s “Finding Nemo” in 2003 and again with “Finding Dory” in 2016. Many movie-goers want to take a real live Nemo or Dory home for their own aquarium but don’t realize what that actually involves. So, what do you need to take your favorite animated fish home without becoming a Darla? © 2016 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved. © 2003 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved. The fish and other sea creatures featured in these movies are, first and foremost, saltwater animals. That means they need a saltwater aquarium. This is ..read more

“Baby Tears” is one of the most popular aquarium plants available and is popular as a foreground and midground plant. It has very small leaves and will stay short to cover the bottom under high lighting or will grow taller and bushier under moderate lighting. However, as is often the problem with common names, when we discuss “Baby Tears”, we may be talking about different plants. There are several plants that may be referred to as “Baby Tears”. That description above can apply to any of them. They all have small roundish leaves and grow in similar conditions…so which is the “real” o ..read more

Dave here. Most of you have heard of making a “bucket list”, a list of things that you feel you have to do before you die to make your life complete.  Well, I am far too disorganized to have much of a list, but one thing that I would have had on by bucket list if I were to have made one, I have been lucky enough to do:  Diving on the Great Barrier Reef. I just got back from a long awaited vacation to Australia, part of which I spent in Northern Queensland, where I was able to make a couple of visits to the outer reefs for some amazing diving and snorkeling fun.  Having been born ..read more

Hey there!  This week I wanted to talk about something a little different than my usual cichlid blog. I wanted to share some tips on how you can develop spectacular color on tropical fish in a way you may have never considered. A few years ago, we moved into a house that had a small pond in the front yard. It was one of those rigid, preformed round ponds about 15 inches deep with a  50 to 80 gallon capacity. We kept a few goldfish in there the first year. They grew and made it through the winter just fine as we expected. The following ..read more

Choosing an Aquarium Filter. Where do we start? The modern aquarium hobby is full of a variety of options claiming to keep your aquarium cleaner easier, cheaper and more effectively than the next. Like any technology, weeding through what you need and don’t need can be a difficult task. Which is why the experts at That Fish Blog got together to create a complete guide on how to to choose the right aquarium filter for your tank and your situation.   Grading Scale Below, we will go into the the types of aquarium filters and highlight some of the main points about each type.  We will gr ..read more