How Often Do You Feed Fish (and How Much)? If you’re new to aquariums, figuring out how to feed your pet fish can be a little confusing. They always come up to the glass and beg for food, but does that mean you should give it to them? Keep reading to learn all about how much and how often to feed fish, what to give them, and how long they can go without food if you’re on vacation. What Do Fish Eat? When looking at rows and rows of fish foods at the pet store, it becomes clear that not all fish eat the same thing. The ingredients in be...

How to Make a Mini Outdoor Pond for Aquarium Fish When the weather warms up and summer is upon us, everyone is itching to go outside. What better way to enjoy nature than to set up your first mini pond for breeding aquarium fish? If you live in a temperate climate that experiences distinct seasonal changes, then your mini pond fun usually lasts for 3 to 4 months in the summer (e.g., sometime between May and September in the United States). However, if you live in the subtropical zone that stays above 50°F or 10°C for most of the year (like F...

How to Treat Livebearer Disease Livebearer disease is a catch-all term used to describe many disorders that commonly affect livebearers (or fish that bear live young). These different ailments can include the shimmies, wasting disease, body fungus, and more. The first step is to properly diagnose your fish and then treat for their specific type of livebearer disease. Why Are So Many Diseases Called “Livebearer Disease”? Livebearers are frequently raised in hard water or brackish environments (see this article for more detai...

5 Best Schooling Fish for Beginners There’s something so peaceful and awe-inspiring about seeing a large school of fish swimming back and forth in perfect harmony. If you’re looking for a beautiful schooling fish to get started with, check out our top five species that are easy to care for and will look amazing in your aquarium. 1. Cardinal Tetras Paracheirodon axelrodi has to be on our list because of the striking red and blue stripes that run down the sides of their bodies. This 2-inch (5 cm) tetra is a fairly tight schooling...

New Fish Checklist: How to Set Up a Fish Tank If you’re starting a new aquarium, the amount of information on the internet can be overwhelming. Wouldn’t it be nice if an experienced aquarist could lead you step-by-step through the entire process? Follow along as we share our best practices for setting up the perfect home for your new pet fish. While some of these instructions may seem overly detailed, please take them seriously to avoid the most common pitfalls for beginners. After years of running a fish store, we find that it’s very im...

10 Best Algae Eaters for Freshwater Aquariums If your aquarium is covered with unsightly algae, you need some hungry helpers to get the outbreak under control. In this top 10 list of amazing algae eaters, we’ve gathered animals that are not only safe for aquatic plants but can often work together for increased effectiveness. At Aquarium Co-Op, we’ve sold thousands of live plants, and one of our main concerns is keeping the plants as free of algae as possible. That’s why we utilize the most effective algae eaters in the aquarium hobby for...

Care Guide for Freshwater Angelfish – The Feisty Angel of the Aquarium Angelfish are a very popular fish because of their long and majestic fins, spirited personalities, and ease of breeding. To learn more about this unique cichlid, we sat down with master breeder Dean, who has successfully kept them for the past 40 to 50 years and produces high-end strains to sell at the Aquarium Co-Op fish store. This article reveals his real-world experiences and answers to the most frequently asked questions about keeping freshwater angelfish. What are Angelfish? There can b...

10 Best Clean-Up Crew Ideas for Freshwater Aquariums Looking for a fish or invertebrate that will clean your aquarium so that you never have to do tank maintenance? Sorry, that mythical creature doesn’t exist. However, many animals do an excellent job of eating leftover food, algae, dying plant leaves, and even pest snails. Keep reading to discover our top 10 favorite clean-up crew members that every freshwater aquarium should have. 1. Rainbow Sharks and Redtail Sharks These freshwater “sharks” might seem like an odd group to start with, but yo...

How to Clear Up a Cloudy Fish Tank Cloudy water can be very frustrating, since it prevents you from fully enjoying your beautiful fish tank. In this article, we explore the many reasons why your aquarium may look hazy and how to clear up the murkiness as quickly as possible. The first thing you need to do is pour some of the tank water into a plastic cup or bucket that is solid white on the inside. This will allow you to examine the color and cloudiness of the water more carefully without interference. 1. Particles in the Wate...

10 Best Coldwater Fish That Don’t Need a Heater Most freshwater pet fish require an aquarium heater because they’re used to tropical temperatures, but did you know there’s a whole class of coldwater fish that are perfectly fine at room temperature? Goldfish are the most well-known coldwater fish in the aquarium hobby, so in this article, we’re going to cover 10 more cool species that can live without a heater. 1. Sunset Variatus Platy We have a special place in our hearts for livebearers (or fish that bear live young) because of how readil...

Care Guide for Discus Fish – The King of the Aquarium Discus fish are one of the most beautiful freshwater fish in the hobby, known for their spectacular colors and large, circular shape. However, they’re notorious for being extremely difficult to keep, with Internet forums often recommending strict practices like 100% water changes every day. In reality, only a small percentage of people are able to follow those rules, and the rest of the world uses more low maintenance methods. We’ve spent many years keeping discus personally at home, caring f...

Care Guide for Guppies – The Most Popular and Colorful Livebearer Guppies (Poecilia reticulata) are one of the most popular fish in the aquarium hobby because of their brilliant colors, lively personalities, and ease of breeding. In this care guide, we answer your most frequently asked questions about this simple yet beautiful species. Why Are Guppies So Popular? Discovered in South America around the 1860s, this hardy livebearer (or fish that gives birth to live young) was once used as pest control for mosquitos. They were eventually introduced to the pet ...

The Easy Guide to the Nitrogen Cycle for Aquariums Are you getting started with your first fish tank? Then you may have heard of something called the “aquarium nitrogen cycle,” followed by a bunch of complicated scientific terms and graphs that seem a little overwhelming. No need to panic! Keep reading as we explain the nitrogen cycle in this very short and simple guide. What is the Nitrogen Cycle for Aquariums? The nitrogen cycle basically describes how nature creates food (in the form of microorganisms and plants), fish eat the food and pro...

How to Culture Vinegar Eels for Fish Fry Are you getting into fish breeding but need a way to feed teeny-tiny fry that are too small to eat regular fry food? Try vinegar eels! This live food is very easy to culture and is perfect for raising babies until they’re big enough to eat baby brine shrimp. What Are Vinegar Eels? Vinegar eels are harmless, white roundworms or nematodes that feed on the microorganisms commonly found in vinegar and fermented liquids. Growing up to 50 microns in diameter and 1 to 2 mm in length, they are one of...

How to Use Pothos as a Natural Aquarium Filter One of the reasons we love aquarium plants so much is because of their ability to absorb toxic nitrogen compounds (produced by fish waste) from the water, but what if you own fish or aquatic pets that are natural-born plant killers? It’s time to get a pothos plant for your aquarium! While pothos won’t mechanically filter out particles from your tank water, they’re great at reducing nitrate levels (and algae growth) so that you don’t have to do as many water changes to keep your fish happy and...

Top 10 Easy Aquarium Plants for Beginners Planted aquariums are very popular nowadays because of their natural beauty and amazing ability to consume the toxic nitrogen compounds produced by fish waste. However, many beginners excitedly try and then fail to keep their green foliage from turning brown. After more than a decade of keeping, propagating, and now selling aquarium plants, we’ve thoroughly vetted out our list of top 10 easy aquarium plants that can stand up to a beating and won’t break the bank. 1. Marimo Moss Ball Known ...