Captive Aquatics: An Aquarium and Ecology Blog

Fluval Chi Aquarium Video

 

A nice video overview of the Fluval Chi from the Fluval Blog.  I like the Fluval Chi aquarium design - I've seen one in person, and it's very tranquil, with a unique cube design.  The Chi is perfect for a nano nature or betta aquarium! 

Check out more aquarium videos here, subscribe to our free RSS updates, or free weekly newsletter for updates about the Fluval Chi!

 

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Shipping Fish and Corals Using Heat Sealed Bags

 

Editor's Note: this post introduces Miguel Toloso, a coral farmer and wholesaler saltwater livestock reseller from Los Angeles and a new author here at the Captive Aquatics blog.  He is the owner of practicalcoralfarming.com.

Rubber bands are so 2009...

How do you ship fish and coral? Just about everyone shipping corals these days uses rubber bands to seal their bags.  The biggest issue with rubber bands is that if the bags are hit hard enough they will leak, and if your the styrofoam cooler is leaking, the carrier usually delays or returns the shipment, which kills a lot of corals or fish.  It's also really time consuming to bag up corals with rubber bands, and doing so for long enough will make for some pretty annoying blisters as well! Fortunately, there's a much better way that's not only faster and safer for the corals, but can save a lot of time and money!

 

 

The Gold Australe Killifish: A Breeding Project

The gold australe killifish is an uncommon but beautiful fish, and is one of the first out-of-the-ordinary fish that I have ever managed to breed.  If you’re like me, and you don’t have a ton of time and money to devote to breeding, these are the perfect fish for beginners to try albeit being somewhat difficult to find.  Known scientifically as Aphyosemion australe, these fish tolerate most normal freshwater aquarium conditions, being affected only by far out parameters. Not only are they extremely hardy, but they are really easy to breed!  In captivity, the Gold Australe Killifish lives for approximately 3 years, making them one of the longest living killifish.

 

Basic Cichlid Care in the Aquarium - Part Two

Basic cichlid care part 2: aquascaping in cichlid aquariums.  In part one I wrote about the natural environment of cichlids, as well as appropriate water chemistry and conditions for cichlid tanks.  If you did not read the first part click here to get caught up! In this part, I'll discuss appropriate tank size as well as aquascaping a cichlid aquarium.

Jumpstart Your New Aquarium's Cycle!

So you've bought your first freshwater aquarium, installed the filter, got your decorations, and now you want to add fish...but you have to wait 4 to 6 weeks.  That's no fun!  Want to shorten the wait?  Here are three things you can do to your aquarium to jump start the cycling process in your new aquarium, and get you closer to those adorable goldfish you have your eye on!

1.  Add Bacteria
Many products are in LFS and online that have beneficial bacteria in a bottle.  One of these products, once added to an aquarium can, help establish the beneficial nitrifying bacteria that break down fish waste into less harmful substances - getting you closer to buying fish.  I recommend Seachem's Stability.

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 in the Aquarium

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.