Fiddler crabs are often sold as freshwater pets, but they slowly die in fresh water. What they really need: brackish water, a big land area, marine salt and a hydrometer. Plus the…
Ramshorn snails show up uninvited on new plants, then multiply. Why that's usually a sign of overfeeding, what they actually do for your tank, and how to keep the population in check…
Musk turtles stay small, walk the bottom instead of swimming, and can live for decades. What they need in a riparium, what they'll eat, the federal 4-inch rule, and the salmonella precautions.
Shorter days change the light coming through your windows. How many hours to run your aquarium lights, why a timer beats your memory, and how to light the plants growing above the…
Powerheads push a narrow, steady jet. Wavemakers make wide, variable flow. Which one builds a better river current, how much flow you need, and how to place it so fish can still…
Zebra danios are cheap, hardy, fast, and love a strong current. Group size, temperature, tankmates, the long-fin and GloFish varieties, and how to keep them from nipping fins or jumping out.
Mystery snails grow to about 2 inches, come in gold, blue, black and ivory, and lay egg clutches above the waterline. How to keep them healthy, what they need in a river…
Two plants that never go in the gravel and don't mind current: how to tie or glue java fern and anubias to rock and wood, light and care, and growing them above…
Ghost shrimp are sold by the bag as fish food, but they make great see-through scavengers. How to keep them alive, what they eat, who they can live with, and the look-alike…
Bristlenose plecos stay around 4 to 5 inches, cling to rocks in the current, and eat algae all day. Tank size, caves and wood, food, males vs. females, and why they beat…
Ghosts, eels, glass skeletons and a shrimp called a vampire: eight strange-looking freshwater animals, how big they get, and which ones actually fit a river tank.
Fire-bellied toads are hardy, active and spend half their time in the water, which makes them a natural fit for a riparium. Setup, food, tankmates and the one thing to know about…
