That Fish Blog – Aquarium Advice and Information

Everyone has that one fish that started it all for them. Most aquarists can remember that one species of fish that got them hooked into this hobby. Maybe it was an Oscar that would beg for food like a dog, a pair of black convicts that would spawn like rabbits every few weeks, or maybe those beautiful fancy tailed guppies got you interested in keeping fish. For me, it was the Pearl Gourami. I can still recall seeing that first adult trio of Pearl Gouramis in a fully planted aquarium. I was amazed at how the male almost glowed when he was around the two females. Read More »

Owning a reef tank is a really rewarding hobby, but it can be challenging at times.  Besides keeping the water chemistry in good condition, there are other problems that can harm the coral and cause damage to your reef. There are many different corals and therefore many different pests that may prey on each species.  A lot of invertebrates in the ocean evolve to only eat a specific food item. This is the case for many of the nudibranchs, and many have adapted to be coral eating nudibranchs.  As a reef keeper there is a possibility that you will encounter Zooanthid eating nudibranchs, aptasia eating nudibranchs, soft coral eating nudibranchs, and hard coral eating nudibranchs to name a few. Today, I want to discuss is the soft coral eating type.  Read More »

When in doubt, dip it. Whether you are a beginner, or veteran, reef aquarium keeper, your prized corals are susceptible to a wide range of pests, parasites and infections. Acropora Eating Flatworms (AEFW), Montipora Eating Nudibranchs (MENS), Zooanthid Eating Nudibranchs, snails and spiders, and pathogenic bacteria causing Rapid Tissue Necrosis (RTN) are far too common problems we face in the hobby. Wild harvested, farm raised, or even the coral you traded with a friend for, can potentially introduce some nasty little critters into your aquarium. Read More »

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.  It takes some doing to stand out among brackish water fishes, in whose ranks we find the tree-climbing Mudskipper and the insect-shooting Archerfish.  However, in both appearance and behavior, the Four-eyed Fish (Anableps anableps) manages to so quite easily.  Less often kept than other brackish water species, it is well worth considering if you favor unusual, responsive fishes.

Natural History

Four-eyed Fishes are found along coastlines and associated tidal streams and marshes from Oaxaca in southern Mexico to Brazil.  Although sometimes encountered well inland and in the ocean, they spend the majority of their time in brackish water.  Three species have been described, with Anableps anableps being most commonly available in the trade. Read More »

Hello everyone, Craig here again. If you have read some of my previous blogs, you know that I am a catfish fan. If it is weird and ugly, has whiskers and swims, I probably think it is one of the coolest things ever! Last night I was watching River Monsters. One of the trivia questions posed during a commercial break asked the show’s host what fish had given him his most painful injury. Though answer choices ranged included piranhas, catfish and others, and it was indeed the catfish that host Jeremy Wade said had given him his most painful injury. Apparently, one of the 8 inch barbs from an African species of catfish had run through the length of his finger. Having been stuck by my fair share of catfish (though much smaller species), I can say that a catfish spine can be an extremely painful injury with long-lasting effects. Read More »