Aquariums

In 2011 the construction of the dam on the Rio Xingu has brought more turmoil and ill effects on biodiversity to our hobby than anything in recent history. The Belo Monte Dam project on the Xingu River in the state of Pará, Brazil has forever affected many animal species within …

Green water algae can be a big problem for the aesthetics of your aquarium. No one wants a planted tank, or any tank really, with water that looks like pea soup. It seems to come up quickly but luckily there are a few things you can do to combat it …

Cryptocoryne thwaitesii grows in the stable watershed that springs out from the deep forest. The natural growth method is very special and it is not growing in the whole stream, but it seems that a small number of plants are growing only in a very narrow range of meters below …

This plant was first registered as a new species in 1830.  Before its nineteenth-century discovery, it’s had a long history of use for its medicinal properties in Ayurveda throughout India. Ayurveda, or Ayurvedic medicine, is a holistic medicinal practice dating back 3000 years. This water plant has many synonyms with …

Technical Description: Blackwater Rio Atabapo aquarium biotope. Dimensions of tank: 110 x 55 x 60 cm Lighting: Spot spotlights LED 10W 2 pcs and T8 fluorescent tubes 2x18W Filtration:  Eheim Classic 2217 and Tetra ex 800 plus. Hardscape: Due to the fact that the river passes through the jungle there is a lot …

Brunei is a small nation within Borneo, neighboring Malaysia and the South China Sea.  The area is home to a jungle environment with rich biodiversity.  Betta macrostoma is one of these gems that inhabit the area. In a small tannin stained stream below a trickling waterfall Betta macrostoma can be found . Some …

This morning we travel to the Western coast of Australia, to the twin port cities of Dongara and Port Denison in the shire of Irwin. They are both sleepy crawfishing spots with small populations. Here locals all have a favorite creek to collect at so we follow a local. Among …

Tonight we will become investigators on a confusing case, that even I am not positive where the answer lies. Its a tale of two nearly identical fish, and its still going strong. It begins in 1908, on the Island of Dutch New Guinea (currently West Papua) when Weber describes an …

Today we travel to the verdant forests of Eastern Nigeria, following the meandering path of the Cross River and its associated systems. Dense rainforests envelop this area, the humidity creating mists and fogs. Here is one of the last bastions of Cross River Gorillas, only fully described in 2000, first …

I get made fun of for many things but one of them is my disdain for “low tech” planted aquariums. It’s not the tank, it’s the actual term “low tech”. It’s misleading in my opinion. It doesn’t mean necessarily cheap or low maintenance. Limited Supplementation System, Enriched Systems, and High …