That Fish Blog – Aquarium Advice and Information

A few years ago our plant suppliers introduced new items for sale that were just too fun and interesting to pass up. They were simply called moss balls. If ever there was an aquarium plant with personality, this would be it. They have a certain character, and can almost become like a pet in the aquarium even if they aren’t dazzlingly colored or active like the fish we keep. The vague nomenclature was accurate enough, but the story of where and how these mysterious moss balls come to be is as interesting as they are to look at when you place them in your aquarium.

Marimo, Japanese for “ball seaweed”, were named by a Japanese botanist decades after they were originally described by someone else in Austria around 1820. They originated in shallow areas of a few freshwater lakes in the world including several in Japan, Iceland, Scotland and others. In the trade they are referred to as moss balls or Japanese moss balls, but they also have several other names given by those who encounter them in their native waters. The name seems fitting…each ball has a velvety, thick, fuzzy texture much like a mound of filamented moss. However, moss balls aren’t really moss at all. These unique formations are actually colonies of the filamentous algae Aegagropila. They were previously classified as Cladophora aegagropila, but modern research proved that they actually belong in genus Aegagropila. Don’t let their classification as algae scare you, this is a fun, non-invasive kind! Read More »

Sometimes shopping for that special someone can be rough, especially if your special someone’s favorite past time is aquarium keeping. You may not know what they already have or what they need, or what they use on a regular basis. Here are a few suggestions sure to please the budding fish lovers or seasoned aquarium keepers of the family.

Let’s get the obvious choice out of the way. You could play it safe with a TFP gift card. Purchase the card for any amount and allow the recipient to spend at his or her leisure.

Maybe you have a child that has expressed an interest in keeping fish, or you have a friend who may not have the time for a real tank, but would enjoy a low maintenance pet. A betta set-up may be the perfect gift solution! With several new and attractive bowl habitats available, setup is quick, easy, and fun.  The Tetra Waterfall Globe is an excellent option, and it includes simple filtration and LED lighting. Elive Betta Bowl Planters are unique setups that combine betta enclosures with live plants!  Top off the gift by taking the recipient out to pick out a beautiful, easy to care for betta and maybe some decor to adorn their new bowl.

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Here at That Fish Place – That Pet Place, our retail store display tanks are ever-changing.  Whether we add some new livestock, hook up the latest equipment or simply get bored with what’s out there, our tanks are in a constant state of flux. This blog takes a look at a few of these displays, and points out a couple highlights about their designs and the staff whom maintain them here at the store. As always, if you have any questions or comments regarding specifics or anything else about the tanks, feel free to shoot us an email at marinebio@thatpetplace.com or hit us up on Facebook or Twitter.

Matt’s 34 gal. AquaEuro Nano Reef Setup

Maintained by

Floor Supervisor Matt Maurer

Unique Equipment

• Aqua Euro USA 34 Gallon Reef Aquarium System – 150W HQI & 6 LED
• 1/10 HP Aqua Euro Chiller

Livestock Highlights

Maurer’s Reef is highlighted by a pair of mated Seahorses

Doug’s 65 gal. 250 Red Sea Max SPS Tank

Set up and Maintained By

Floor Supervisor Doug Fries

Unique Equipment

• Standard Lighting and Filtration from Max 250 Aquarium
• Bigger protein skimmer to support corals – Super Reef Octopus LX1000S HOB Skimmer
• Upgraded Giesemann Bulbs
• 2 Vortech MP40 Pumps for improved circulation
• TAAM Poly Media Reactor for dosing

Livestock Highlights

• Lots and lots of coral: Acropora sp., Montipora sp., Pocillopora sp., Frogspawn, Green Hairy Mushrooms, Various Zoanthid sp., Purple Star Polyps
• Blue & Orange Crocea Clam
• Male and Female Onyx Percula Clownfish, Male and Female Lyretail Anthias, Starry Blenny, Six Line Wrasse

Cory’s 55 Gallon Freshwater Planted Community Tank

Maintained by

Aquatics expert Kory Stahl

Unique Equipment

• 48 in. Marineland Reef Capable LED System
• Marineland C360 Canister Filter
• Koralia Evolution 550 for circulation

Livestock Highlights

Cory’s gorgeous planted tank is highlighted by a wealth of aquatic plants. Including Pearl Grass, Water Sprites and a Tiger Lotus. The community fish setup includes a koi freshwater angel and various tetras.

Check our our Facebook page for additional pictures of all of our store displays, past and present. We’ll highlight updates to our larger displays in a later blog.

Have a great holiday!

I love a green aquarium…not green in the algae-covered, pea soup kind of way, but green as in dense with varying colors and textures of aquatic plants. We all know that there are many types of aquarium plants, from slow growing Anubias to massive Echinodorus, but one of the often overlooked groups is the mosses. These colonies of simple, prehistoric plants have a special niche in the aquarium when it comes to aquascaping, and they’re also really useful to many types of fish. Here’s a little primer on common mosses for aquariums and what they can bring to your tank.

About Mosses

Mosses aren’t like other plants. They’re simpler in structure, lacking roots and the thick vascular leaves of true plants. These plants don’t blossom or produce seeds.  Most mosses reproduce with spores, relying on moisture to fertilize and create the next generation. Aquatic mosses simply spread, creating new plants with their existing vegetation, so a small portion can populate a vast area. Simply place or anchor small bits or strands where you want them to grow and, under the right conditions, you’ll have lush mounds in just a few short weeks.  Read More »

If you have a healthy, well-established aquarium and happy fish, there is a good possibility that you may be blessed with batches of eggs or baby fish from time to time.  A common question our customers pose is “What do I have to do for them?” That’s a question that can have several different answers. As with most things aquarium, the first things to consider are your set up and the fish in concern.

Nature’s Course

The most passive answer is “do nothing”. It may not be the answer you want to hear, but depending on your situation, it may be the best one. Some fish are naturally attentive parents. They may actively defend and even nurture the fry their brood. As long as the threats within the tank are minimal (few if any predators, low flow, ect.) and the small fish have plenty of cover, they will have a chance.  A few of of the offspring may survive to maturity, but most will disappear, just as it happens in the wild. Read More »