That Fish Blog – Aquarium Advice and Information

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.  Responsible aquarists are usually interested in conservation, and those of us living in the USA are fortunate in having available a number of organizations that utilize volunteers to help study and preserve rivers, marshes, lakes and other vital freshwater habitats and the fishes and other creatures that they support.  The organizations highlighted here tend to take an ecosystem approach – please see the articles cited below for projects focusing solely on fishes and other aquatic animals.

General Habitat and Animal Conservation

American Rivers, one of the nation’s largest organizations focusing on freshwater conservation, helps volunteers to organize local projects and provides technical assistance.  Present and past projects have involved fish surveys, water quality sampling, wildlife monitoring, shoreline cleanup, emergent vegetation re-planting and a host of other interesting and important activities.  American Rivers also hosts “River Action Day”, an annual event that draws hundreds of concerned activists to Washington, D.C. Read More »

Hello everyone! Craig here again. Within the hobby there are certain niches that develop for fish keeping. You have your African Cichlid aficionados like Jose, reef geeks like Cory, the discus fanatics, and many others.  Then you have those hobbyists that are into livebearers.  When I say livebearers, I am not just talking about Mickey Mouse Platies or Twinbar Swordtails, but also odd and wonderful livebearers known as Goodeids. Read More »

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 them all the same, it is nice to read a story about one of our tiny ocean friends that is just as amazing and inspiring.

The story is about a tough little seahorse that (it is assumed) was picked up by a seagull on the British coast and dropped three miles inland.  The incredible thing is the amazing little lady survived the ordeal!  The species, Hippocampus guttulatus, is native to the southern and western coastlines of the isles in eel grass beds.  These rare Seahorses are currently being tagged and researched in hopes of preserving their dwindling populations.  The destruction of their natural habitat by anchors and boats is currently the biggest threat they face.  This one is super lucky to be alive!

You can read the full story here:   http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1181596/The-incredible-journey-Seahorse-miles-inland-scooped-seagulls-beak.html

And for more on the current research and conservation of seahorse species:  http://www.theseahorsetrust.org/
Enjoy!