Species Profiles
2402 articles- Paralabidochromis sp. "Rock Kribensis" Care GuideThe Rock Kribensis is a Lake Victoria haplochromine cichlid (linked to Paralabidochromis sauvagei) from rocky littoral zones, with colourful
- Haplochromis sp. "All Red" Care GuideThe All-Red Haplochromis, traded as the Hippo Point Salmon (Ptyochromis sp.), is a Lake Victoria cichlid in which dominant males develop dee
- Haplochromis sp. "Flameback" Care GuideThe Flameback is a Victoria-region haplochromine cichlid with a red dorsal stripe, growing to about 10 cm and brooding eggs in the female's
- Neolamprologus ocellatus "Blue" Care GuideNeolamprologus ocellatus is a dwarf shell-dwelling cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika, reaching about 6 cm; the "Blue" form is a wild-type c
- Neolamprologus falcicula Care GuideNeolamprologus falcicula is a Brichardi-group cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika off Burundi, reaching about 8 cm and forming cooperative co
- Pincushion Urchin Care GuideTripneustes gratilla, the collector or pincushion urchin, is an Indo-Pacific algae grazer with dense short spines that often collects debris
- Chocolate Chip Sea Star Care GuideProtoreaster nodosus is an Indo-Pacific sea star named for the dark conical knobs on its arms. It is not reef safe and suits fish-only-with-
- Echinodorus horizontalis Care GuideEchinodorus horizontalis is an Amazon-basin sword whose heart-shaped leaves grow horizontally rather than upright, needing space and a nutri
- Ophthalmotilapia boops Care GuideOphthalmotilapia boops is a featherfin cichlid from the southern shore of Lake Tanganyika, a plankton-feeder of rocky slopes.
- Xenotilapia flavipinnis Care GuideXenotilapia flavipinnis is a slim sand-dwelling Lake Tanganyika cichlid that forms schools over sandy bottoms and broods its young in the mo
- Red Linckia Sea Star (Linckia multifora) Care GuideLinckia multifora is a mottled red Indo-Pacific sea star with slender arms that reproduces via regenerating "comets"; it needs a mature reef
- Compressiceps (Altolamprologus compressiceps) Care GuideAltolamprologus compressiceps is a laterally compressed Tanganyika cichlid with many regional morphs, a specialist ambush predator.
- Lemon Cichlid (Neolamprologus leleupi) Care GuideNeolamprologus leleupi, the Lemon cichlid, is a slim cave-dwelling Tanganyika species whose colour ranges from bright yellow to brown.
- Common Mushroom Coral Care GuideDiscosoma neglecta is a hardy mushroom corallimorph that tolerates low light and flow, making it a beginner-friendly reef invertebrate.
- Majano Anemone Pest GuideAnemonia majano is a small pest anemone that stings corals and can overrun a reef tank; this guide covers identification and control.
- Aiptasia (Glass Anemone) Pest GuideAiptasia pallida (now Exaiptasia diaphana) is a persistent reef-tank pest anemone that stings corals and spreads rapidly; this guide covers
- Haddon's Carpet Anemone Care GuideStichodactyla haddoni is a sand-dwelling Indo-Pacific carpet anemone with a potent sting that hosts clownfish and can capture small fish.
- Mpimbwe Frontosa Care GuideThe Mpimbwe Frontosa is a blue-bodied form of Cyphotilapia gibberosa from southern Lake Tanganyika, a large slow-growing centrepiece cichlid
- Burundi Six-Bar Frontosa Care GuideThe Burundi Six-Bar is a regional form of Cyphotilapia frontosa from Lake Tanganyika, a slow-growing centrepiece needing a large tank and a
- Pigeon Blood Discus Care GuidePigeon Blood is a captive-bred Symphysodon colour morph that keeps the warm, soft, acidic water and frequent water-change needs of wild disc
- Heteractis crispa (Sebae Anemone) Care GuideHeteractis crispa, the sebae or leathery anemone, is a large host anemone with a warty column and purple-tipped tentacles that hosts many cl
- Ranunculus papulentus Care GuideRanunculus papulentus is an Australian aquatic buttercup (Ranunculaceae) grown in aquaria for its lobed green leaves; trade plants closely m
- OB Peacock Care GuideThe OB peacock is an aquarium hybrid cichlid with an orange-blotch pattern, produced by crossing Aulonocara peacocks with OB-patterned mbuna
- Sun Coral Care GuideTubastraea is a non-photosynthetic large-polyp stony coral that must be regularly target-fed because it lacks zooxanthellae.
- Sea Apple Care GuidePseudocolochirus violaceus is a colourful filter-feeding sea cucumber that can release toxic holothurin when stressed, making it an advanced
- Halloween Hermit Crab Care GuideCiliopagurus strigatus is a brightly banded Indo-Pacific hermit crab kept in reef aquariums as an active algae grazer and scavenger.
- Scarlet Reef Hermit Crab Care GuidePaguristes cadenati is a small Caribbean hermit crab valued in reef aquariums as a peaceful algae grazer and detritus scavenger.
- Sand-Sifting Starfish Care GuideAstropecten polyacanthus is a burrowing Indo-Pacific sea star that sifts sandy substrate for detritus and small invertebrates in marine aqua
- Eastern Emerald Elysia (Elysia chlorotica) Care GuideElysia chlorotica is a green sacoglossan sea slug that practises kleptoplasty, retaining chloroplasts from the alga Vaucheria litorea to pho
- Cerith Snail (Cerithium spp.) Care GuideCerithium are small elongated marine snails that sift sand and crevices for detritus, diatoms and algae, valued as reef cleanup crew.
- Brunneus Turbo Snail (Turbo brunneus) Care GuideTurbo brunneus is a small Indo-Pacific turban snail with a glossy brown shell, kept in warm reef tanks as a hardy algae grazer.
- Fighting Conch Care GuideStrombus alatus is a Western Atlantic conch used as a sand-bed cleaner; it is a herbivore and detritivore, peaceful to tankmates though male
- Cerith Snail Care GuideCerithium is a genus of small, elongated marine snails used as reef cleanup crew; they burrow in sand by day and graze algae and detritus, m
- Trochus Snail Care GuideTrochus is a genus of top-shaped marine snails used as reef cleanup crew; they graze film algae and diatoms and right themselves more readil
- Birdsnest Coral Care GuideSeriatopora hystrix is a small-polyp stony coral forming tangled, needle-like branches; it is a fast-growing reef species kept under bright
- Chalice Coral Care GuideEchinophyllia, traded as chalice coral, is an Indo-Pacific large-polyp stony coral forming foliaceous, plate-like colonies prized for their
- Open Brain Coral Care GuideTrachyphyllia geoffroyi is a free-living LPS coral of soft-sediment reef slopes and lagoons; in aquaria it is kept on the sand bed and feeds
- Candy Cane Coral Care GuideCaulastraea furcata is a hardy, beginner-friendly LPS coral with rounded polyps on trumpet-shaped stalks, valued in reef aquaria for its ada
- Cauliflower Coral (Pocillopora damicornis) Care GuidePocillopora damicornis is a hardy branching SPS coral with verrucae-covered branches, photosynthetic and a classic beginner choice for reef
- Bumblebee Snail (Engina mendicaria) Care GuideEngina mendicaria is a small carnivorous marine gastropod with black-and-yellow banding, kept in reef tanks as a sand-bed scavenger of meaty
- Rhizophora mangle (Red Mangrove) Care GuideRhizophora mangle, the red mangrove, is a viviparous coastal tree grown from propagules in marine and brackish refugiums for nutrient export
- Gracilaria hayi Care GuideGracilaria hayi is a bright red Caribbean macroalga with rigid branching fronds, kept in marine refugiums as grazing food for tangs and ange
- Ulva lactuca (Sea Lettuce) Care GuideUlva lactuca, or sea lettuce, is a thin green leafy macroalga that thrives in nutrient-rich water and is widely cultivated in refugiums as g
- Gorgonian Sea Fan Care GuideGorgonians are branching octocorals (sea fans and sea whips) with eight-tentacled polyps; photosynthetic species are easier to keep than azo
- Palythoa Care GuidePalythoa is a hardy colonial coral related to zoanthids with larger fleshier polyps; many species contain potent palytoxin and must be handl
- Zoanthids Care GuideZoanthus is a genus of colonial button polyps popular in the reef hobby for being easy to keep and very colourful, spreading across rockwork
- Berghia Nudibranch Care GuideBerghia stephanieae is a small Florida aeolid nudibranch that feeds exclusively on Aiptasia pest anemones, making it a biological control in
- Black Cap Gramma Care GuideGramma melacara is a deep-reef western Atlantic basslet with a purple body and black cap, known for swimming inverted beneath overhangs.
- Coral Guard Crab care guideCoral Guard Crab (Trapezia cymodoce) — minimum tank 100 L, temperature 24-26 °C, pH 8.1-8.4.
- Spotted Porcelain Anemone Crab care guideSpotted Porcelain Anemone Crab (Neopetrolisthes maculatus) — minimum tank 80 L, temperature 24-26 °C, pH 8.1-8.4.