The “fireman’s dream” is a type of flowerhorn cichlid created by legendary Thai breeder Wuddy! What Are Flowerhorns? Flowerhorns are hybrid cichlids, they are created by mixing several different species of Central American cichlids. The trimac cichlid is thought to be the base used for flowerhorn strains. You can see evidence of this in the … Read more
Hillstream loaches are often sold in the cold water section of your local pet store or fish store. When they first arrived in the hobby they were often mislabeled as “hong kong plecos” or “coldwater algae eaters”. Although, luckily, the tendency to mislabel these fish is declining. So, since they’re sold next to coldwater fish … Read more
Oscar vs flowerhorn! Which is the best wet pet? It’s tough to say, so I thought I’d run through the pros and cons of each. If you’ve been struggling to decide between them, well, hopefully by the end of this article you will have made your mind up! What Is A “Wet Pet” Anyway? You … Read more
Have you ever noticed your oscar laying on its side, on the bottom of the aquarium? The first time you see your oscar do this, you might be inclined to panic. Because, after all, it’s usually a bad sign to see a midwater aquarium fish laying, almost motionless on the bottom of the tank. But, … Read more
A lot of people like to feed young goldfish and minnows to their oscars. Feeder fish is a tough topic in our hobby. In my experience, how people feel about it depends on how “sentimental” a person is about fish. And I’m very sentimental. I love fish, and the idea of feeding one fish to … Read more
Oscars fight, it’s what they do. Not all of them fight, but a good portion of oscars are just naturally quarrelsome. In nature oscars are territorial. In the wild their territory will be much bigger than the tanks the vast majority of us can provide. But, like I say, not all oscars fight—some are nice … Read more
Maybe you’re thinking about breeding angelfish? Or you might have some tiny ones for sale at the fish store? Well, in that case, you’ll be wondering what the angelfish growth rate is. This article will cover how fast angelfish grow, what their maximum size is, and how to best achieve healthy, fast growing angelfish. Disclaimer … Read more
Let’s talk about the difference between red and super red Texas cichlids, because for the newcomer it can seem confusing! Obtaining red coloration via selecting breeding (or hybridizing in this case) has always been a bit of a unicorn in the fishkeeping hobby. Red in goldfish is challenging to obtain and sustain, and if you … Read more
The thing about red Texas cichlids is the price, isn’t it? Sometimes they go for hundreds and hundreds of dollars, and yet, you can pick them up at PetSmart for less than $50! It can be tempting to go for that less expensive fish, but you just can’t kick that nagging feeling that the more … Read more
The cherry barb is one of those special fish: a beginner mainstay, at the same time as being an expert’s favorite. And, heck, even intermediate fishkeepers love cherry barbs. It’s easy to understand why when you see the rich cherry color of the male. The Various Names The Cherry Barb Goes By This fish’s scientific … Read more
