Patty here. For any of you that do not know already, we receive several shipments each week of freshwater fish and saltwater fish and inverts.  For our local customers it is just a short ride away to see what is new, nice and interesting each week, but the process is understandably more complicated for many [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.  In the jawfishes (Family Opistognathidae) we find some of the most entertaining and interesting of all marine aquarium subjects.  Constantly popping in and out of their uniquely constructed burrows, all are very active and quite comical to behold.  Although perpetually occupied with minor territorial disputes, they get along well in groups, [...]

Patty here.
Just a quick blurb on some of our newest additions to stock this week!  We received a few things that we don’t see very often, so if you’re in the mood for something new check it out. 
On the salty side you’ll find our biggest excitement for the week, a male Crosshatch Trigger.  He’s big, [...]

Also known as the Tailbar Cichlid, this particular species hails from the rivers of Central America. It frequents areas of still or slow moving waters , hiding amongst root tangles.  An uncommon fish in the hobby, we have been carrying 2″ juveniles for a little while now, along with a beautiful 6″ male in a [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.
Anchor worms are crustaceans (specifically copepods) and as such are more closely related to shrimp than to worms.  They often make their presence known in outdoor ponds as winter turns to spring.  Lernaea elegans, the most commonly encountered species, remains dormant during the winter and becomes active as the water reaches 55 [...]

I’m a sucker for animal stories in the news.  This morning I came across this short article in a news feed.  I found it pretty amazing and worthy of sharing here on the blog. Most of the stories we see in the news are about dogs, cats, and other furry creatures, and while I love [...]

Check out the 1st part of Eileen’s Aquarist’s Glossary of Terms here.
Water chemistry terms:
 

 Alkalinity: Alkalinity is often confused with pH or water hardness. In technical terms, the alkalinity is the ability of a solution to neutralize acid. In an aquarium, this can be seen in changes in pH. The higher the alkalinity, the more difficult it [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.
I have always looked to public aquariums and botanical gardens for inspiration in my own work.  I have visited koi ponds in many places, including some of the famed beauties in Kyoto, Japan (I plan an article on these shortly), but my favorite is, oddly enough, located in the heart of Brooklyn, [...]

Patty here. Just about anyone with an ornamental pond has either heard of water hyacinth or has a personal experience with hyacinth to share.  I find it to be an interesting and useful plant, and here in PA we don’t have to worry about its invasive tendencies and notorious reputation like those of you in [...]

Hi Dave here, just wanted to post an update to Frank Indivigio’s blog about HR 669, the Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act.  As many of you know, HR 669 was introduced into Congress this past January, and went to committee hearing on April 23rd. 
As I listened to the hearings, it quickly became clear that the [...]