Species Profiles
2402 articles- Orinoco Festivum (Mesonauta egregius) Care GuideMesonauta egregius is a peaceful festivum cichlid from the Meta and Vichada systems of the Orinoco basin, described by Kullander and Silfver
- Acora Festivum (Mesonauta acora) Care GuideMesonauta acora is a peaceful festivum cichlid from the Tocantins and Xingu basins of eastern Brazil, described by Castelnau in 1855.
- Echinopora pacificus (Pavement Coral) Care GuideEchinopora pacificus is a photosynthetic Pacific stony coral forming encrusting pavement-like plates; a hardy beginner LPS coral.
- Rainbow Favia (Dipsastraea) Coral Care GuideRainbow Favia is a photosynthetic Dipsastraea brain-coral morph with concentric multicolour rings; an LPS coral for the home reef.
- Lamprometra palmata Featherstar Crinoid Care GuideLamprometra palmata is a featherstar crinoid (an echinoderm, not a coral), a demanding filter feeder with very poor captive survival.
- Astroides calycularis (Mediterranean Cup Coral) Care GuideAstroides calycularis is a temperate Mediterranean non-photosynthetic cup coral, bright orange and requiring coolwater conditions, not a tro
- Balanophyllia Cup Coral Care GuideBalanophyllia is a solitary, non-photosynthetic cup coral related to Tubastraea; bright orange-yellow and dependent on frequent feeding.
- Antipathes Black Coral Care GuideAntipathes is a deep-water, non-photosynthetic black coral with a protein-chitin skeleton; CITES-protected, very slow growing and rare in tr
- Gymnocoronis spilanthoides (Senegal Tea Plant) Care GuideGymnocoronis spilanthoides is a fast-growing South American stem plant and strong nutrient sink, but a regulated invasive species in the EU.
- Eichhornia diversifolia Care GuideEichhornia diversifolia is a submersed American stem plant with fine ribbon-like leaves, suited to soft, bright, CO2-supplied tanks.
- Ludwigia 'Marilia' Care GuideLudwigia 'Marilia' is a Brazilian Ludwigia variant with rounded bronze-orange leaves, colouring strongly at the shoot tips under light and C
- Rotala sp. 'Burma' Care GuideRotala sp. 'Burma' (Myanmar) is a demanding red-colouring stem plant from the Burmese region, needing strong light, CO2 and iron.
- Rotala 'Fujian' Care GuideRotala 'Fujian' is a Chinese locality form of Rotala rotundifolia with broader leaves and orange-pink colour under strong light and CO2.
- Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani (Softstem Bulrush) Care GuideSchoenoplectus tabernaemontani is a tall reed-like sedge for pond margins and paludariums that tolerates fresh and brackish water.
- Mesonauta mirificus Care GuideMesonauta mirificus is a flag cichlid (festivum) from the western Amazon, a surface-oriented species often seen in the aquarium trade.
- Heros notatus Care GuideHeros notatus is a spotted severum from the Amazon and Rio Negro basins of Brazil, reaching about 15 cm standard length.
- Red-Spotted Severum Care GuideRed-Spotted Severum is a colour form of Heros efasciatus, an Amazonian cichlid notable for being a regular fruit-eater.
- Astronotus crassipinnis Care GuideAstronotus crassipinnis is a less common Oscar species from the southern Amazon and Paraná–Paraguay basins, often confused with A. ocellatus
- Leopold's Angelfish Care GuidePterophyllum leopoldi is the smallest angelfish of its genus, native to the Amazon basin and Guyana, with a single dark patch over the gill
- Green Discus Care GuideSymphysodon tarzoo is the green discus from the western Amazon, a red-spotted wild discus that practises exceptional biparental brood care.
- Blue Discus Care GuideSymphysodon aequifasciatus is the wild blue/brown discus of the eastern Amazon, a demanding warm-water cichlid kept in groups.
- Orinoco Eartheater (Biotodoma wavrini) Care GuideBiotodoma wavrini is a peaceful sand-sifting eartheater cichlid from the Rio Negro and Orinoco basins, suited to soft, warm blackwater tanks
- Greenstreak Eartheater (Biotodoma cupido) Care GuideBiotodoma cupido is a peaceful sand-sifting eartheater cichlid from the Amazon and Essequibo basins, suited to soft, warm community tanks.
- Nephthyigorgia (Chili Coral) Care GuideNephthyigorgia (chili coral) is a bright red non-photosynthetic soft coral that needs regular fine-plankton feeding but is among the easier
- Scleronephthya gracillima Care GuideScleronephthya gracillima is a bright pink-red azooxanthellate soft coral resembling a strawberry that requires a demanding feeding regimen.
- Diodogorgia nodulifera Care GuideDiodogorgia nodulifera is a brilliant orange-red non-photosynthetic Caribbean gorgonian requiring constant feeding; an expert-level coral.
- Pseudopterogorgia bipinnata Care GuidePseudopterogorgia bipinnata is a tall photosynthetic Caribbean sea plume with feather-like, double-pinnate branching for reef aquaria.
- Acanthus ilicifolius Care GuideAcanthus ilicifolius is a salt-tolerant mangrove shrub with holly-like spiny leaves and blue flowers, used in brackish biotope displays.
- Schoenoplectiella mucronata Care GuideSchoenoplectiella mucronata is a tall sedge-like plant with triangular green stems, used in marsh and brackish-tolerant paludariums.
- Acrostichum aureum Care GuideAcrostichum aureum is a robust mangrove fern tolerant of brackish swamps, used as a tall background plant in mangrove paludariums.
- Carex elata 'Aurea' Care GuideCarex elata 'Aurea' (Bowles's Golden Sedge) is a tussock-forming golden sedge for pond margins and bog gardens.
- Nuphar lutea Care GuideNuphar lutea is a European yellow pond lily with floating leaves and yellow flowers, suited to ponds and large coldwater tanks.
- Sagittaria latifolia Care GuideSagittaria latifolia is a robust North American emergent with arrow-shaped leaves, suited to ponds and marginal plantings.
- Acorus gramineus 'Variegatus' Care GuideAcorus gramineus 'Variegatus' is a slow grass-like sweet flag for paludariums and pond margins, usually grown emersed.
- Iris pseudacorus 'Variegata' Care GuideIris pseudacorus 'Variegata' is a variegated yellow flag cultivar for pond margins, with cream-and-green spring foliage and yellow flowers.
- Stripefin Eartheater Care GuideGymnogeophagus rhabdotus is a striped eartheater cichlid from Uruguay and Brazil that lays eggs on cleaned substrate and tolerates cool subt
- Thick-Lip Eartheater Care GuideGymnogeophagus labiatus is a Brazilian eartheater cichlid notable for its thick lips; it sifts sand and is a larvophile mouthbrooder toleran
- Che Eartheater Care GuideGymnogeophagus che is an eartheater cichlid known only from a single Argentine stream, a sand-sifting species tolerant of cooler seasonal te
- Gymnogeophagus terrapurpura Care GuideGymnogeophagus terrapurpura is a recently described eartheater cichlid endemic to Uruguay, a substrate brooder of cool subtropical waters.
- Naked-Cheek Eartheater Care GuideGymnogeophagus gymnogenys is a sand-sifting eartheater from Brazil and Uruguay that broods larvae in the mouth and tolerates cool subtropica
- Paraguay Eartheater Care GuideGymnogeophagus balzanii is a South American eartheater in which dominant males develop a large nuchal hump; it tolerates cool water and broo
- Mapirito Eartheater (Satanoperca mapiritensis) Care GuideSatanoperca mapiritensis is an eartheater cichlid from the lower Orinoco basin in Venezuela, reaching about 12-15 cm.
- Lilith Eartheater (Satanoperca lilith) Care GuideSatanoperca lilith is an Amazonian eartheater cichlid distributed along the Solimões/Amazon channel, reaching about 20-25 cm.
- Three-Spot Eartheater (Satanoperca daemon) Care GuideSatanoperca daemon is a blackwater eartheater cichlid from the Rio Negro and upper Orinoco systems, reaching about 20-25 cm.
- Sharp-Headed Eartheater (Satanoperca acuticeps) Care GuideSatanoperca acuticeps is a sand-sifting eartheater cichlid from the central Amazon basin in Brazil, reaching about 14-17 cm.
- White-Spotted Eartheater (Satanoperca leucosticta) Care GuideSatanoperca leucosticta is an eartheater cichlid from the Guiana Shield, reaching about 13-15 cm and brooding larvae in the mouth.
- Jurupari Eartheater (Satanoperca jurupari) Care GuideSatanoperca jurupari is a peaceful sand-sifting eartheater cichlid from the Amazon basin, reaching about 15-18 cm standard length.
- Iporanga Eartheater (Geophagus iporangensis) Care GuideGeophagus iporangensis is a Brazilian eartheater from the Ribeira de Iguape basin, long confused with related coastal species.
- Thick-Lip Eartheater (Geophagus crassilabris) Care GuideGeophagus crassilabris is a Panamanian eartheater from flowing waters of central and eastern Panama.
- Common Eartheater (Geophagus proximus) Care GuideGeophagus proximus is a hardy Amazon eartheater often confused with G. surinamensis in the trade, best kept in groups.