Captive Aquatics: The Freshwater, Saltwater & Reef Aquarium Blog

Aquarium Spring Cleaning!

I know when winter ends I am the first to start cleaning out my stuffy home, but don't forget  your aquarium!  Here are some great tips on how to freshen up your aquarium for spring!

1.  Keep up with water changes : hopefully you have been consistent with water changes though winter but if that isn't the case you can start right now.  Studies have shown that aquarium fish live longer, healthier lives when their aquarium water is changed consistently and frequently.

2.  Change media and air stones: many hobbyists tend to forget that the media in their filtration systems needs to be switched with new media and that air stones tend to become brittle over time.  It is proper aquarium care to check up on the filter media and air stones to check for deterioration and change appropriately.

Basic Cichlid Care - Part 1

Okay, so you may have kept the bettas, goldfish and every possible combination of freshwater fish, and you may have even set up a nature aquarium, so now what?  Many hobbyist have seen cichlids in their LFS or online vendor and wondered about them.  You're usually told "you can't keep them with your current fish" and you may wonder how hard are they to keep?  Well, I have personally asked myself these exact questions and decided to share with other pondering freshwater hobbyist in this two part post.

Fun Freshwater Aquarium Invertebrates!

 I personally enjoy having freshwater aquariums full of interesting and active fish but, I have to admit, I love freshwater invertebrates more!  Invertebrates (animals without backbones) are mostly seen in saltwater aquariums, but you can find a few interesting animals to include in a freshwater aquarium.  Listed are a few highlighted favorites of mine and their basic care requirements.

Five Tips for New Aquarium Owners

My first aquarium was giving to me by my parents during Christmas and like my parents, I didn't know how to set up and run an aquarium.  So for those parents and happy kids alike I have assembled a Frequently Asked Questions for beginners to get started on the right foot with their first aquarium.

Four Holiday Fish Feeding Tips

During the holidays many hobbyist leave to visit family and find that they have forgotten to plan on feeding their fish during their vacation time.  Don't worry!  Here is a simple list of suggestions for when you are away and the fish must stay.

Cloudy Aquarium Water, and How to Fix It

Many hobbyist at some point will encounter aquarium water that is cloudy, hazy and just plain annoying.  You can't see your fish or enjoy your aquarium, when the water is cloudy!  Here are the three reasons why you  may have cloudy aquarium water:   

International Aquatic Plant Layout Contest Video

The title says it all, almost: a video collage of pictures of some of the most stunning freshwater nature aquarium layouts from all over the world! 

Share:

© Captive Aquatics™ / Captive Aquatics™ Blog / Sponsor Info

Species Spotlight: Tiger Oscars

A very popular species of cichlid, the tiger oscar, is a very fun and interactive fish that any freshwater hobbyist can appreciate.  These rather mild mannered fish are great for hobbyist who wants to try their skills at keeping a large freshwater fish.  Here is a spotlight on the care and requirements to properly keep a tiger oscar.

5 Quarantine Tank Tips

What's all the fuss about a quarantine tank, you ask yourself?  Do I really need one?  These are some of the questions I hear often from many beginner hobbyists.  The simple answer is yes, and here are a few reasons:

ADA Gallery Video

Here is an awesome video courtesy of Aqua Design Amano in Japan displaying their incredible showroom!  In this video you get to check out amazing planted aquariums, as well as reef aquariums and nano aquariums.  Enjoy this neat prequel to Merritt's full ADA coverage!

Share:

© Captive Aquatics™ / Captive Aquatics™ Blog / Sponsor Info