Species Profiles
2402 articles- Sexy Shrimp care guideSexy Shrimp (Thor amboinensis) — minimum tank 30 L, temperature 24-26 °C, pH 8.1-8.4.
- Najas Grass care guideNajas Grass (Najas guadalupensis) — low light, 18-28 °C, pH 6-8, no CO2.
- Parrot Feather care guideParrot Feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum) — medium light, 16-28 °C, pH 6-8, no CO2.
- Slender Pondweed care guideSlender Pondweed (Potamogeton gayi) — medium light, 20-27 °C, pH 6-7.5, no CO2.
- Water Hyacinth care guideWater Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) — high light, 20-30 °C, pH 6-8, no CO2.
- Myriophyllum Guyana care guideMyriophyllum Guyana (Myriophyllum sp. 'Guyana') — high light, 22-28 °C, pH 5.5-7, CO2 recommended.
- Red Lionfish (Pterois volitans) Care GuideAn iconic and dramatic marine fish with elaborate, fan-like pectoral fins and venomous dorsal spines. Its maroon and white striped body crea
- Snowflake Moray Eel (Echidna nebulosa) Care GuideOne of the most docile moray eels and a popular choice for marine aquariums. It features a white body covered with black and yellow snowflak
- Fiddler Crab (Uca sp.) Care GuideA charismatic semi-terrestrial crab best known for the males' one oversized claw used for display and territorial signaling.
- Panther Crab (Parathelphusa pantherina) Care GuideA striking fully aquatic freshwater crab endemic to Lake Matano in Sulawesi, Indonesia. Distinguished by its bright yellow-orange body cover
- Blue Zaire Frontosa (Cyphotilapia gibberosa) Care GuideThe southern Lake Tanganyika variant of the frontosa, recently recognized as a separate species. Distinguished by having seven rather than s
- Olive Nerite Snail (Neritina reclivata) Care GuideA smooth-shelled nerite snail with a distinctive olive green to dark brown coloration. One of the most efficient algae-eating snails in the
- Whiptail Catfish (Rineloricaria lanceolata) Care GuideA flat-bodied, bottom-dwelling catfish with a distinctive elongated tail filament. Blends perfectly with sandy substrates due to its mottled
- Yellow-tail Acei Cichlid (Pseudotropheus sp. "acei") Care GuideAn unusually peaceful mbuna with a distinctive purple-blue body and bright yellow tail and dorsal fin. Unlike most mbuna, it is a mid-water
- Silver Dollar (Metynnis argenteus) Care GuideA large, round, shimmering silver schooling fish related to piranhas but entirely herbivorous. Named for its disc-shaped body resembling a s
- Maxima Clam (Tridacna maxima) Care GuideA photosynthetic bivalve with a stunning iridescent mantle in blues, greens, golds, and purples. Harbors symbiotic zooxanthellae like corals
- Peacock Mantis Shrimp (Odontodactylus scyllarus) Care GuideOne of the most fascinating marine creatures — a vibrant green and red crustacean that strikes prey with club-like appendages at the speed o
- Sea Cucumber (Holothuria sp.) Care GuideA slow-moving detritivore that processes sand substrate, extracting organic matter and returning clean sand. Excellent for maintaining sand
- Brittle Star (Ophiocoma sp.) Care GuideA nocturnal scavenger with long, flexible arms that hides in rockwork during the day. Excellent cleanup crew member that consumes detritus,
- Condylactis Anemone (Condylactis gigantea) Care GuideA hardy Caribbean anemone with thick tentacles tipped in pink, purple, or green. One of the easiest anemones to keep. Does NOT typically hos
- Long Tentacle Anemone (Macrodactyla doreensis) Care GuideA graceful anemone with long, flowing tentacles that buries its foot in a sandy substrate. Requires a deep sand bed and will not thrive on r
- Carpet Anemone (Stichodactyla sp.) Care GuideA large, powerful anemone that can spread over 60cm across. Has an extremely potent sting capable of killing fish and causing painful welts
- Bubble Tip Anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor) Care GuideThe most popular anemone for hosting clownfish in captivity, with distinctive bulb-tipped tentacles. Comes in green, rose, and rainbow varie
- Montipora (Montipora sp.) Care GuideThe most beginner-friendly SPS coral, available in plating, encrusting, and branching growth forms. More tolerant of slightly elevated nutri
- Acropora (Acropora sp.) Care GuideThe gold standard of SPS corals, forming intricate branching structures in vibrant colors. Demands pristine water quality with undetectable
- Plate Coral (Fungia sp.) Care GuideA unique free-living solitary coral that sits on the sand bed rather than attaching to rock. Disc-shaped with radiating septa and short tent
- Kenya Tree Coral (Capnella sp.) Care GuideA tree-like soft coral that reproduces prolifically by dropping branches that reattach to nearby surfaces. Very hardy and tolerant of varyin
- Green Star Polyp (Pachyclavularia viridis) Care GuideAn encrusting soft coral forming a mat of bright green star-shaped polyps on a purple base. Extremely hardy and fast-growing — can cover roc
- Xenia Coral (Xenia sp.) Care GuideA mesmerizing soft coral known for its rhythmic pulsing movement — polyps open and close continuously. Grows rapidly and can become invasive
- Toadstool Leather Coral (Sarcophyton sp.) Care GuideA hardy soft coral resembling a mushroom with a thick stalk and broad cap covered in tiny pulsing polyps. Can grow very large in aquariums.
- Mushroom Coral (Discosoma sp.) Care GuideOne of the easiest corals for beginners, featuring flat disc-shaped polyps in a rainbow of colors including red, blue, green, and purple. To
- Iridescent Shark (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) Care GuideA massive catfish that grows to 130cm and is absolutely NOT suitable for home aquariums despite being commonly sold as a juvenile. A nervous
- American Flagfish (Jordanella floridae) Care GuideA small killifish-relative with males displaying a pattern resembling the American flag — red stripes on an iridescent blue-green body.
- Half-Banded Spiny Eel (Macrognathus circumcinctus) Care GuideA small, peaceful spiny eel with distinctive dark vertical bands on the upper body. One of the best spiny eels for community aquariums due t
- Peacock Eel (Macrognathus siamensis) Care GuideA peaceful, slender eel-like fish with beautiful eye-spots along its dorsal fin. Loves to burrow in sand substrate with only its head visibl
- Nassarius Snail (Nassarius vibex) Care GuideA small, burrowing snail that lives beneath the sand substrate, emerging to feed on detritus and uneaten food. An essential sand-bed cleaner
- Peacock Gudgeon (Tateurndina ocellicauda) Care GuideA gorgeous small goby with vivid red, blue, and yellow markings and a distinctive eyespot on the tail base. Males develop a prominent nuchal
- Freshwater Stingray (Potamotrygon motoro) Care GuideA mesmerizing disc-shaped ray with beautiful eye-spot patterns on its dorsal surface. Has a venomous tail barb that can cause painful stings
- Archer Fish (Toxotes jaculatrix) Care GuideFamous for its ability to shoot jets of water at insects perched on branches above the water surface. A brackish water species with a sleek
- African Butterfly Fish (Pantodon buchholzi) Care GuideA unique surface-dwelling fish with large, wing-like pectoral fins that allow it to glide above the water. A living fossil unchanged for mil
- Elephant Nose Fish (Gnathonemus petersii) Care GuideA unique fish with a distinctive elongated chin appendage used for probing the substrate for food via weak electrical impulses. Has exceptio
- Spotted Blue-Eye (Pseudomugil gertrudae) Care GuideA delicate, tiny rainbowfish with spotted fins and striking blue eyes. Males develop spectacular fan-shaped pectoral fins with black spots.
- Flowerhorn Cichlid (Hybrid (Amphilophus × Vieja)) Care GuideA highly prized hybrid cichlid famous for its prominent nuchal hump (kok) and vivid red, orange, and blue coloration with dark markings.
- Severum (Heros severus) Care GuideA large, disc-shaped cichlid sometimes called the 'poor man's discus' for its similar body shape. Available in gold, green, and red color mo
- Red Claw Crab (Perisesarma bidens) Care GuideA small semi-terrestrial crab with distinctive bright red claws and a dark brown to olive body. Requires a brackish paludarium with land acc
- Electric Blue Crayfish (Procambarus alleni var. blue) Care GuideA selectively bred variant of the Florida crayfish with an intensely vivid, neon-like blue coloration. Behaves identically to the standard B
- Pom Pom Crab (Ptychognathus barbatus) Care GuideA tiny fully aquatic freshwater crab named for the tufts of fine hairs (setae) on its claws that resemble pom-poms, used to filter food part
- Vampire Crab (Geosesarma sp.) Care GuideA small, strikingly colored semi-terrestrial crab with bright purple or orange legs and yellow eyes. Requires a paludarium setup with both l
- Tiger Nerite Snail (Neritina semiconica) Care GuideA beautifully patterned nerite snail with orange to amber shell covered in dark tiger-like stripes. Thrives in freshwater but may benefit fr
- Aussie Scoly Care GuideAussie Scoly (Homophyllia australis) is a LPS coral. Care covers 50-150 PAR, low flow, reef parameters and feeding; advanced level.