Store

The Chain Loach is also called the Dwarf Loach due to its small size. It is black on the upper body and whitish on its lower sides and belly. The black region is punctuated with a row of large white blotches giving the appearance of chain links. This loach is peaceful and can be kept alone or in groups. It is an ideal addition to most community aquariums. Like other loaches, the Chain Loach is scaleless, and so is particuarly sensitive to chemicals in the water such as medications. It is not a picky eater, accepting a variety of foods. It will eat snails, making it a valuable addition to planted aquariums. Provide hiding places such as plants, driftwood, and rocks.

The Yellowtail Botia is a blue-gray-green colored fish that has an orange-yellow tail. The other fins are lighter-orange tinged. An irregular black marking appears at the edge of the caudal peduncle. This marking varies between specimens. This loach is rather shy, and will spend most of the day hiding. Provide rocks and other decor that allows it to do so. This loach can become aggressive at times, so be sure to keep it with tankmates that are of similar size and can withstand some aggressive behavior. The orange finned loach is a scavenger, and feeds by digging through the substrate in search of food such as worms, insect larvae, and leftover food. It is a big fan of snails! For this reason it is important to provide gravel or sand that is smooth sided and of relatively small size. This will prevent the loach from injuring itself when it digs. If live plants are included in the tank, be sure that they are firmly rooted, or they will quickly be dug up by this loach. You may find this loach lounging on its side- this is a normal behavior, and doesn't necessarily indicate illness.

The Red Tail Botia, Botia modesta , is generally dark gray to an almost blue appearance with red or orange fins. They are scavengers that will spend the majority of their time on the aquarium bottom searching for food in the gravel. Caves, tunnels and plants are needed when keeping these loaches because of their secretive behaviors. Without sufficient hiding places these fish will become very skiddish and prone to diseases. If diseases ever occur in the tank containing these fish extreme care must be taken in medicating the tank because the loaches skin is very sensetive to many types of medications. Generally sinking pellets are the easiest to feed to the loaches but they will except other forms of food. Frozen foods may be offered to them as a treat but should not be the only food fed to them. They are vey calm fish and can be housed with many types of tropical fish.

Christmas Fulu, formerly named as a Haplochromis, is a magnificent cichlid from plant infested, muddy bottomed rivers and lakes of the Victorian basin. They are light blue with red on the face, flanks, and tail. The rear half of the fish is golden yellow, and black markings adorn the face and sides. These cichlids are plant eaters, and they should be fed a vegetative rich diet in the home aquarium. They are semi-aggressive, and males in particular may show territorial behavior towards each other. They like a murky environment, furnish the tank with artificial plants and wood to make the fish comfortable.

Variatus are one of the most common freshwater aquarium fish and come in a variety of colors and forms. They do well on most flake or small pellet foods and get along with other community fish and livebearers like tetras, guppies, swordtails, platies and mollies. A small amount of salt in the aquarium will help to avoid parasites and assist in the gill function and health of the fish. Variatus are livebearers and very easy to breed. Males have a modified pointed anal fin known as a "gonopodium" while this fin is held fanned out in females. A harem ratio (one male to two or more females) will produce the most successful broods. The pregnant female should be removed to a breeding container or tank and the fry raised separately.

The Tiger Platy has a very variable coloration between individuals. The general coloration is a light golden or yellow body with dark spots and markings. The amount or pattern of these markings varies highly. Platies are one of the most common freshwater aquarium fish and come in a variety of colors and forms. They do well on most flake or small pellet foods and get along with other community fish and livebearers like tetras, guppies, swordtails, and mollies. A small amount of salt in the aquarium will help to avoid parasites and assist in the gill function and health of the fish. Platies are livebearers and very easy to breed. Males have a modified pointed anal fin known as a "gonopodium" while this fin is held fanned out in females. A harem ratio (one male to two or more females) will produce the most successful broods. The pregnant female should be removed to a breeding container or tank and the fry raised separately.

This calico platy has a very variable coloration between individuals. The general coloration is a pearl white body accented with a red rear and black spots. The amount of spots or pattern of these markings is variable. Platies are one of the most common freshwater aquarium fish and come in a variety of colors and forms. They do well on most flake or small pellet foods and get along with other community fish and livebearers like tetras, guppies, swordtails, and mollies. A small amount of salt in the aquarium will help to avoid parasites and assist in the gill function and health of the fish. Platies are livebearers and very easy to breed. Males have a modified pointed anal fin known as a "gonopodium" while this fin is held fanned out in females. A harem ratio (one male to two or more females) will produce the most successful broods. The pregnant female should be removed to a breeding container or tank and the fry raised separately.

Black Coffee Platies are dark brown or black with lighter trim. The amount of this trim varies between individuals. Platies are one of the most common freshwater aquarium fish and come in a variety of colors and forms. They do well on most flake or small pellet foods and get along with other community fish and livebearers like tetras, guppies, swordtails, and mollies. A small amount of salt in the aquarium will help to avoid parasites and assist in the gill function and health of the fish. Platies are livebearers and very easy to breed. Males have a modified pointed anal fin known as a "gonopodium" while this fin is held fanned out in females. A harem ratio (one male to two or more females) will produce the most successful broods. The pregnant female should be removed to a breeding container or tank and the fry raised separately.

Mickey Mouse Platies are small, livebearing fish that make great additions to most community aquariums. They receive their name because of the three black dots located at the base of the caudal fin that resemble Mickey Mouse. The body color of these platies is typically red, white, yellow or orange. Platies are one of the most common freshwater aquarium fish and come in a variety of colors and forms. They do well on most flake or small pellet foods and get along with other community fish and livebearers like tetras, guppies, swordtails, and mollies. A small amount of salt in the aquarium will help to avoid parasites and assist in the gill function and health of the fish. Platies are livebearers and very easy to breed. Males have a modified pointed anal fin known as a "gonopodium" while this fin is held fanned out in females. A harem ratio (one male to two or more females) will produce the most successful broods. The pregnant female should be removed to a breeding container or tank and the fry raised separately.

Swordtails are a peaceful fish that should get along with everyone else in a community aquarium. Ideal tankmates for these fish are other livebearers like platies and guppies or peaceful barbs, tetras or danios. Male swordtails have a modified pointed anal fin known as a "gonopodium" while this fin is held fanned out in females. Mature male swordtails also have the namesake long "sword" on their tail fin. Swordtails are livebearers and if you have males and females, you are almost guaranteed they will breed, as long as water conditions are suitable. If you would like to raise some of the babies, it might be wise to separate the female into another tank at just about the time she is going to give birth, and then remove her as well once the babies are born, or they might become dinner. Swordtails can have about 20-30 babies at a time, almost once a month. This fish is not too picky about their diet, feed flake, freeze dried, and occasionally frozen- mysis, brine, and other small foods. They will thrive in planted tank and will cohabitate just fine with tetras, angels, and other community fish.

The Red Twinbar Swordtail generally has a deep orange-red body coloration. The top and bottom edge of the tail fin is black, giving these fish their "twinbar" common name. Swordtails are a peaceful fish that should get along with everyone else in a community aquarium. Ideal tankmates for these fish are other livebearers like platies and guppies or peaceful barbs, tetras or danios. Male swordtails have a modified pointed anal fin known as a "gonopodium" while this fin is held fanned out in females. Mature male swordtails also have the namesake long "sword" on their tail fin. Swordtails are livebearers and if you have males and females, you are almost guaranteed they will breed, as long as water conditions are suitable. If you would like to raise some of the babies, it might be wise to separate the female into another tank at just about the time she is going to give birth, and then remove her as well once the babies are born, or they might become dinner. Swordtails can have about 20-30 babies at a time, almost once a month. This fish is not too picky about their diet, feed flake, freeze dried, and occasionally frozen- mysis, brine, and other small foods. They will thrive in planted tank and will cohabitate just fine with tetras, angels, and other community fish.

Swordtails are a peaceful fish that should get along with everyone else in a community aquarium. Ideal tankmates for these fish are other livebearers like platies and guppies or peaceful barbs, tetras or danios. Male swordtails have a modified pointed anal fin known as a "gonopodium" while this fin is held fanned out in females. Mature male swordtails also have the namesake long "sword" on their tail fin. Swordtails are livebearers and if you have males and females, you are almost guaranteed they will breed, as long as water conditions are suitable. If you would like to raise some of the babies, it might be wise to separate the female into another tank at just about the time she is going to give birth, and then remove her as well once the babies are born, or they might become dinner. Swordtails can have about 20-30 babies at a time, almost once a month. This fish is not too picky about their diet, feed flake, freeze dried, and occasionally frozen- mysis, brine, and other small foods. They will thrive in planted tank and will cohabitate just fine with tetras, angels, and other community fish.