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  1. What aquarium plants are safe to put with goldfish? Goldfish are notorious for munching on or digging up aquatic plants, which is a shame because live plants are both beautiful and beneficial. Thankfully, we’ve found several plant species that are not only easy to care for but also tough enough to stand up to your goldfish’s curious nibbling. Read this article on 5 easy plants for goldfish aquariums.
  2. How do I make Repashy gel food? Gel food for aquarium fish is a unique addition to the hobby that goldfish aficionados, catfish enthusiasts, and fish breeders have come to love. Read this article to find out how to make a batch of Repashy gel food in only 7 minutes.
  3. Do you ship live snails or shrimp? Unfortunately we don't sell fish, invertebrates, or any other live animals online, but we have partnered with other vendors that offer discounts through their affiliate programs. See the full list here.
  4. My fish is bloated. What should I do? If your fish has a swollen abdomen, it could be caused by several things. Run down this checklist to see which disease your fish may have: Obesity: If you are overfeeding your fish, it may be overweight. In this case, fast the fish for 3-7 days and then decrease its food portion size. Constipation: If the fish is unable to pass any waste, its digestive system becomes backed up with food. Stop feeding the fish for 3-7 days and then feed it high-quality fish food with lots of roughage, such ...
  5. How to get rid of black beard algae (BBA) BBA is one of the most problematic algae that people run into because not many things eat it. As per its name, it grows in very thick, bushy clumps that are usually black or grey in color (but sometimes reddish or brownish). This algae likes to grow on driftwood, aquarium decor, and plants, and if left unchecked, it can completely engulf an aquarium in one to two years. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of different things that can contribute the growth of BBA, so there’s no one simple way to trea...
  6. How to get rid of blue-green algae (BGA) Blue-green algae (BGA) is technically not a type of algae, but rather a cyanobacteria that grows like a slimy blanket coating the substrate, plants, and decor. It comes with a rather distinctive smell that many fish keepers learn to recognize before the bacterial colony is even visible. No one is 100% sure what causes BGA, but in general, improved aquarium upkeep and increased water circulation with an air stone or powerhead can help keep it away. Algae eaters typically will not eat the stuff...
  7. How to get rid of green water If your aquarium water looks like pea soup, you probably have green water, which is caused by a proliferation of free-floating, single-celled phytoplankton. Unfortunately, they replicate so quickly that you cannot flush them out with large water changes. Green water can come from too much lighting (especially if the tank gets direct sunlight sometime during the day), an excess of nutrients (such as accidentally double-dosing fertilizers), or an ammonia spike (such as from a new tank that has ...
  8. How to get rid of green spot algae (GSA) Green spot algae (GSA) looks like tiny, hard green spots on the aquarium walls and slower growing plants that are very difficult to clean off. A lot of things can cause an outbreak, such as too much light or an imbalance of phosphate. Try using a glass-safe or acrylic-safe algae scraper (with the blade attachment) to remove the algae from aquarium walls. A simple razor blade can also work. Nerite snails are also a good first line of defense since they seem to like eating GSA. Just be aware th...
  9. How to get rid of hair, staghorn, string, and other filamentous algae Filamentous algae refers to the many types of algae that look like wet hair when you take them out of the aquarium (e.g., hair algae, staghorn algae, string algae, and thread algae). These algae can be problematic because they grow so rapidly or are hard to get rid of. They’re generally caused by an excess of certain nutrients (such as iron), too much light, or not enough nutrients (to match the long lighting period). Therefore, try decreasing your lighting period, increasing fertilization, o...
  10. Why is my banana plant losing its bananas or tubers? Banana plants are known for their unique banana-shaped tubers, so it can be disappointing if yours start to lose them. Most likely, the banana plant is not getting enough nutrients, so it has started to consume its stored energy in the tubers in order to survive. Feed your banana plant a root tab or two every 3 months (or as needed) to ensure it gets enough to eat. This phenomenon can also happen with other bulb plants (like the dwarf aquarium lily or tiger lotus) where the bulb will start t...
  11. How to get rid of brown diatom algae Brown (and sometimes green) diatom algae looks like a dusty, flour-like substance covering your aquarium walls, substrate, and other surfaces. Because it’s so soft, it easily rubs off, and many animals (like otocinclus catfish, snails, and shrimp) like to eat it. Diatom algae is most commonly seen in newly planted tanks and is often caused by high levels of phosphates and silicates. It’s one of the simplest algae to get rid of because if you just give it some time, the plants will naturally c...
  12. How do I plant my anubias, java fern, or other rhizome plant? The most popular types of rhizome plants include anubias, java fern, and bolbitis. They all have a rhizome, which is like a thick, horizontal stem or trunk. All the leaves and stems grow upwards out of the rhizome, while the roots grow downwards from the rhizome. The great thing about rhizome plants is that you don’t need any substrate to grow them. You can wedge them between cracks in rocks or mount them to driftwood using super glue gel or sewing thread. (For more details on how to use supe...
  13. How do I plant my carpeting plants? There are many kinds of foreground plants and even mosses that can be used to cover the ground in your aquarium, but this section is specifically referring to short, dense carpeting plants with lots of tiny leaves and very weak roots. Examples include monte carlo, dwarf baby tears, and pearl weed (not the grass-like carpeting plants such as dwarf sagittaria, micro sword, and dwarf hair grass). Most websites recommend breaking up a pot of carpeting plants into very small pieces and planting th...
  14. How do I plant vallisneria, dwarf sagittaria, or other grass-like plants? "Grass-like plants" refers to vallisneria, dwarf sagittaria, micro sword, and other stoloniferous plants. These species propagate via stolons or runners – little horizontal stems that produce a small plantlet at the end, eventually creating a long chain of connected plants. As with rosette plants, plant the roots into the substrate, and don’t cover the base of the plant’s leaves. Oftentimes, one pot comes with several individual plants, so plant them separately (not in one, single bun...
  15. How do I plant my cryptocoryne? Cryptocoryne plants, also known as “crypts” for short, are a kind of rosette plant that requires substrate and needs root tabs to grow well. Common types include Cryptocoryne wendtii, Cryptocoryne spiralis, and many other species. Similar to sword plants, you want to bury their roots while keeping the crown of the plant above ground. Crypts are very prone to melting whenever they’re introduced into a new aquarium, so don’t throw away your crypt if its emersed leaves fall off. Once the plant g...
  16. How do I plant my Amazon sword or other type of sword plant? Swords are classified as a rosette plant, which means all the leaves grow out of the base of the plant in a circular pattern. Examples include the Amazon sword, red flame sword, and dwarf chain sword. Many sword plants grow very tall, so make sure to plant them in the midground or background of the aquarium so they won’t block your view of other plants. Use your fingers to dig a hole in the substrate and bury the roots of the sword, or you can use planting tweezers to push the plant roots int...