Zebra Danio Care: The Toughest Little River Fish
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.
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Mystery Snail Care: Size, Colors, and How to Keep Them in a River Tank
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…
Java Fern and Anubias: Plants That Grow on Rock in Strong Flow
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: Cheap Feeder or Keeper?
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 Pleco in a River Tank: The Best Algae Eater for Current
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…
7 Spooky-Looking Freshwater Fish (and One Vampire Shrimp) for a Halloween Tank
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 in a Riparium: Care and Setup
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…
Native North American Fish for Aquariums (and the Rules on Collecting)
Some of the most colorful aquarium fish swim in American creeks. Five natives that do well in a river tank, and the rules you need to know before you net one.
Why Did My Fish Die? A Calm Checklist After a Sudden Loss
Finding a dead fish is upsetting, and the first instinct is to start dumping in medicine. Here's a calm, step-by-step checklist to find out what happened and protect the rest of the…
Why Is My Fish Digging? Gravel Moving Explained
You wake up and the gravel has been rearranged, plants are floating and there's a pit in the corner. Here's why fish dig, which ones do it, and when it means something's…
Algae Wafers: Who Eats Them and How Much to Feed
Algae wafers are made for the bottom of the tank, but not every bottom-dweller should live on them. Who eats them, how many to drop in, when to feed, and how to…
Underrated Freshwater Fish That Deserve a River Tank
Skip the usual suspects. Six hardy, active freshwater fish that rarely get the spotlight but look great in moving water: rosy and Odessa barbs, glass bloodfins, panda garras, zebra loaches and cherry…