Aquarium Care Guides
2881 articles- Orchid Dottyback Breeding GuideHow to breed the captive-bred Orchid Dottyback (Pseudochromis fridmani): pairing, courtship, demersal egg balls guarded by the male, and the
- Purple Firefish (Nemateleotris decora) Breeding GuideBreeding the purple firefish (Nemateleotris decora): a monogamous, burrow-associated dartfish whose pelagic larvae make home breeding imprac
- Helfrichi Firefish (Nemateleotris helfrichi) Breeding GuideBreeding the Helfrichi firefish (Nemateleotris helfrichi): a deep-reef, monogamous dartfish whose pelagic larvae make home breeding impracti
- Fire Goby (Nemateleotris magnifica) Breeding GuideBreeding the fire goby (Nemateleotris magnifica): a monogamous, burrow-dwelling dartfish whose pelagic larvae make home breeding impractical
- Lyretail Anthias (Pseudanthias squamipinnis) Breeding GuideBreeding the lyretail anthias (Pseudanthias squamipinnis): a protogynous, harem-forming, pelagic-spawning reef fish that is not bred in home
- Lined Seahorse (Hippocampus erectus) Breeding GuideBreeding the lined seahorse (Hippocampus erectus): male pouch pregnancy, ~20-21 day gestation, large broods, and the challenge of rearing pa
- Dwarf Seahorse (Hippocampus zosterae) Breeding GuideBreeding the dwarf seahorse (Hippocampus zosterae): male pouch pregnancy, courtship, ~10-day gestation, and rearing the independent, benthic
- Pyramid Butterflyfish (Hemitaurichthys polylepis) Breeding GuideBreeding the pyramid butterflyfish (Hemitaurichthys polylepis): a schooling, pelagic-spawning planktivore with planktonic larvae that is not
- Longnose Butterflyfish (Forcipiger flavissimus) Breeding GuideBreeding the longnose butterflyfish (Forcipiger flavissimus): a monogamous pelagic-spawning reef fish with planktonic larvae that is not bre
- Raccoon Butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunula) Breeding GuideBreeding the raccoon butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunula): a pelagic-spawning reef fish with a planktonic larval stage that is not bred in home
- Tailspot Blenny (Ecsenius stigmatura) Breeding GuideBreeding the tailspot blenny (Ecsenius stigmatura): demersal nesting in the genus Ecsenius and why raising the planktonic larvae at home is
- Midas Blenny (Ecsenius midas) Breeding GuideBreeding the midas blenny (Ecsenius midas): demersal nesting in the genus Ecsenius and why raising the planktonic larvae at home is rarely s
- Bicolor Blenny (Ecsenius bicolor) Breeding GuideBreeding the bicolor blenny (Ecsenius bicolor): demersal nesting habits of the genus Ecsenius and why larval rearing remains very difficult
- Pinktail Triggerfish Breeding GuideMelichthys vidua is a planktivorous Indo-Pacific triggerfish that builds nests and guards eggs in the wild. It is not bred in home aquaria,
- Blue-jaw Triggerfish Breeding GuideXanthichthys auromarginatus is a planktivorous triggerfish with strong sexual dimorphism that spawns in pairs over sand. It is not bred in h
- Picasso Triggerfish Breeding GuideRhinecanthus aculeatus is a haremic, demersal nest-spawner: females attach eggs to substrate and guard them. It is not bred in home aquaria,
- Pygmy Cherub Angelfish Breeding GuideCentropyge argi is a small Atlantic dwarf angelfish living in small harems and, like its genus, spawning pelagically. Its planktonic larvae
- Lemonpeel Angelfish Breeding GuideCentropyge flavissima is a protogynous dwarf angelfish living in harems and, like its genus, spawning pelagically. Its planktonic larvae are
- Bicolor Angelfish Breeding GuideCentropyge bicolor is a protogynous dwarf angelfish living in harems and spawning pelagically at dusk. Its planktonic larvae make home breed
- Queen Angelfish Breeding GuideHolacanthus ciliaris is a large protogynous Atlantic angelfish that pair-spawns near the surface, releasing pelagic eggs. Its planktonic lar
- Melanurus Wrasse Breeding GuideHalichoeres melanurus is a pelagic-spawning Western Pacific wrasse. It was first captive-bred at a research lab in 2015, but rearing its pla
- Leopard Wrasse Breeding GuideMacropharyngodon meleagris is an Indo-Pacific wrasse with sex-linked colour patterns and pelagic broadcast spawning. Its planktonic larvae m
- Carpenter's Flasher Wrasse Breeding GuideParacheilinus carpenteri is a Western Pacific flasher wrasse whose males perform colour-flashing courtship dashes. It is a pelagic broadcast
- Yellow Coris Wrasse Breeding GuideHalichoeres chrysus is a protogynous Indo-Pacific wrasse that lives in small groups and broadcast-spawns. Its pelagic larvae make home breed
- Cleaner Wrasse Breeding GuideLabroides dimidiatus is a protogynous, harem-living broadcast spawner. Its pelagic larvae are not rearable in home aquaria, so captive breed
- Convict Tang (Acanthurus triostegus) Breeding GuideAcanthurus triostegus is a pelagic broadcast spawner that gathers in spawning aggregations; with long-drifting acronurus larvae, home breedi
- Scopas Tang (Zebrasoma scopas) Breeding GuideZebrasoma scopas is a pelagic broadcast-spawning surgeonfish with long-drifting acronurus larvae; it is not bred in home aquaria, only resea
- Chevron Tang (Ctenochaetus hawaiiensis) Breeding GuideCtenochaetus hawaiiensis is a pelagic broadcast-spawning surgeonfish with long-drifting acronurus larvae; it is not bred in home aquaria, on
- Kole Tang (Ctenochaetus strigosus) Breeding GuideCtenochaetus strigosus is a pelagic broadcast-spawning surgeonfish with long-drifting acronurus larvae; it is not bred in home aquaria, only
- Naso Tang (Naso lituratus) Breeding GuideNaso lituratus is a pelagic broadcast-spawning surgeonfish with long-drifting acronurus larvae; it is not bred in home aquaria, only researc
- Sailfin Tang (Zebrasoma veliferum) Breeding GuideZebrasoma veliferum is a pelagic broadcast spawner with planktonic eggs hatching in a day and long-drifting acronurus larvae; home breeding
- Purple Tang (Zebrasoma xanthurum) Breeding GuideWhy Zebrasoma xanthurum cannot be bred at home: tangs are pelagic broadcast spawners with long planktonic acronurus larvae, achieved only in
- Green Spotted Puffer (Tetraodon nigroviridis) Breeding GuideBreeding the green spotted puffer Tetraodon (Dichotomyctere) nigroviridis: brackish-only spawning, male egg- and fry-guarding, and why fry a
- Green Puffer (Tetraodon fluviatilis) Breeding GuideBreeding the brackish green puffer Tetraodon (Dichotomyctere) fluviatilis: flat-surface spawning, male egg-guarding and why home breeding is
- Doria's Bumblebee Goby Breeding GuideBreeding Brachygobius doriae: sexing by ovipositor and color, cave spawning of 100-200 eggs, male egg-guarding, 7-9 day incubation and infus
- Bumblebee Goby (Brachygobius xanthozona) Breeding GuideCave-spawning bumblebee goby breeding: sexing, brackish setup, male egg-guarding and infusoria-fed fry, plus the identity confusion around B
- Shuttles Hoppfish Breeding GuideHow Periophthalmus modestus spawns inside an air-filled burrow chamber where the male guards and aerates the eggs, and why home breeding is
- Atlantic Mudskipper (Periophthalmus barbarus) Breeding GuideMudskippers spawn in air-filled burrow chambers where the male guards the eggs; home breeding is rare due to the burrow biology.
- Orange Chromide (Pseudetroplus maculatus) Breeding GuideThe orange chromide is an accessible biparental substrate spawner whose free-swimming fry graze on their parents' protective body mucus.
- Green Chromide (Etroplus suratensis) Breeding GuideThe green chromide is a biparental substrate spawner whose pair tend eggs and move free-swimming fry between excavated nursery pits.
- Spotted Scat (Scatophagus argus) Breeding GuideScats spawn in coastal marine waters with a pelagic larval phase and are not bred in home aquaria; aquaculture relies on induced spawning.
- African Mono (Monodactylus sebae) Breeding GuideAfrican monos have only very rarely been bred in captivity; they move from brackish to marine water and spawn in open coastal habitats.
- Silver Mono (Monodactylus argenteus) Breeding GuideSilver monos move from freshwater juveniles to marine adults and are not bred in home aquaria; reproduction occurs in open coastal waters.
- Wide-bar Datnoid (Datnioides quadrifasciatus) Breeding GuideDatnioides quadrifasciatus is an invalid synonym of D. polota, a brackish partial spawner that is not bred in the aquarium.
- Four-bar Tigerfish (Datnioides polota) Breeding GuideThe brackish four-bar tigerfish is a year-round partial spawner in the wild and has not been bred in the aquarium.
- Largescale Archerfish (Toxotes chatareus) Breeding GuideLargescale archerfish have not been bred in captivity; in the wild they scatter tens of thousands of buoyant eggs in shallow lagoons.
- Bumblebee Goby (Brachygobius xanthomelas) Breeding GuideBumblebee gobies are cave spawners: the male guards eggs deposited inside a cave or shell until they hatch in about a week.
- Bluntnose Knifefish (Brachyhypopomus pinnicaudatus) Breeding GuideA weakly-electric knifefish in which warm temperatures trigger maturity and males develop a sex-specific electric signal used in courtship.
- Electric Eel (Electrophorus electricus) Breeding GuideElectric eels are not bred in home aquaria. In the wild, males build saliva nests and provide months of parental care.
- Banded Knifefish Breeding GuideGymnotus carapo is an electric knifefish whose male builds a bottom nest and guards the eggs and larvae; aquarium breeding is rarely documen