Aquarium

How many lights do I need to grow plants successfully in my aquarium & how long should I leave them on?

As aquarists, we are lucky in that never before has such a wide selection of aquatic plants been available from all corners of the world....

How hard is it to keep Marine Fish?

“I’ve been keeping tropical fish for years and fancy stepping up to marines, but all the forums I see make it seem so hard! What’s the sc...

Why might a well-established coral suddenly die?

Many avid marine aquarists will have a well-established reef tank that provides the perfect conditions for growth thanks to proper water ...

What's the best Goby for my reef aquarium?

The perfect reef fish should be "invert safe", peaceful, colourful, suitable for small tanks and as an added bonus it would be nice if th...

Why is my coral sulking?

Like most issues in aquaria, water quality is vital to success and should be the first thing to investigate if any of the animals in your...

I want to start my first marine tank - what are the fish to avoid?

Unfortunately, Damselfishes are a problem in new setups and some species such as Neoglyphidodon or Dascyllus are only really suitable if ...

Why does my anemone move around my tank so much?

Anemones are fairly mobile, it enables them to find the perfect environmental conditions to thrive. It also allows them to take shelter t...

Why are marine tanks generally more expensive to set up than freshwater ones?

Blame the fish. Most freshwater species inhabit changing environments where they’ve evolved a need to adapt to changing conditions. This ...

What is the smallest viable marine tank and what equipment do I need?

It can be said with all honesty that the better you know the rules, the more you can bend them before they break. Once you've run a large...

How long do reef fishes live?

Unlike many popular freshwater fishes that naturally live from one wet season to the next, reef fish are built to last. In the wild, the ...

Why are so many Marine fish so specialised in their diet?

In the complex environment of a coral reef, there are huge numbers of species and many of them are in competition. One way to beat the op...

How does the partnership between algae and coral work?

If you live permanently attached to a site under the tropical sun, it makes sense to be solar powered. Although this is common in plants,...

Apart from the zooxanthellae, how else do corals feed?

Not all corals live in sun-drenched shallows, or grow slowly enough to gain all their nutrient needs from their symbiotic algae. D...

Why are most Marine fish so territorial?

Coral reefs are an island of life in otherwise low nutrient seas. Most of the resources are tied up in the tissues of plants and animals ...

Is there a dominance hierarchy amongst corals?

Like trees in a forest, corals are in competition for space and light in a reef environment. Because of this, they have evolved ways to d...

Why are my fish gasping at the water’s surface?

When fish gasp at the surface, it generally follows that they are short of oxygen. Often this is due to other pollutants such as ammonia ...

The only space I can put a fish tank is in a busy hallway and wanted to know if that is ok?

An aquarium is a combination of water, electricity and glass - sitting one somewhere where accidents are likely needs careful considerati...

Will my fish only grow to the size of the tank?

“I’ve often heard people say that fish only grow to the size of the tank, but is that true?” No, this really is a myth. Fish...

What are dyed fish and why don't you sell them?

If you're a beginner, visiting an aquarium shop can be like a trip to Willie Wonka's chocolate factory; everywhere you look there are fis...

Which aquarium fish are easy to keep?

"I’m looking for something for my little boy who's 5 years old. I realise that I'm the one who'll be properly looking after them, so I’d ...

Why do I have to wait before I can put fish in my aquarium?

Now this is a question that generates many different opinions. There are many conflicting arguments regarding the maturing or establishin...

Why do I need to test my aquarium water?

For aquarists, two factors are important when discussing water - clarity and quality. A glimpse of some of the habitats that fishes call ...

Why do the new fish I buy for my aquarium die while my others are “ok”?

Firstly, do ensure that the water conditions in your aquarium are safe and within acceptable levels for the new fish you’re adding. Test ...

Do I need to quarantine my new fish, and if so how do I do it?

There are a number of different ideas and thoughts about quarantine. If you are buying all your fish from the same aquatic shop, then you...

What's the most effective way to lower my aquarium's pH?

The best way to lower the pH of an aquarium is to reduce the hardness, as by doing this, the buffering capacity drops. Once the carbonate...

What's the best way to swap my livestock to a new tank?

Given the luxury of space, the easiest way to relocate aquatic pets is to prepare the new tank and move livestock and a mature filter sim...

Why won't my aquarium's cloudy water clear up?

Cloudy water is caused by three main factors and identifying which one is to blame is the first stage in fixing the problem.

How can I get my fish to shoal in my aquarium?

Some species have a very flexible attitude to shoaling. Many fish have a concept of personal space and some of the more feisty tetras are...

Is rainwater safer than tap water for my tank?

Depending on where you live, tap water can be absolutely awful and only marginally suitable for aquarium use. It may be full of chlorine,...

What is the best size aquarium to start with?

This used to be an easy question to answer and a lot of the advice still holds true today. A larger tank tends to be more stable and hold...

Why do I need to add bacteria (e.g. Aquarium Munster’s Bactosprint) to my tank?

No matter how posh or basic your aquarium, all conventional filtration is powered by bacteria. This has always been the case and although...

What type of fish would be best for a child’s first aquarium?

This is traditionally a job for goldfish which seem to have gained a reputation for being easy (and disposable!) pets. Perhaps your paren...

How do I get rid of Nitrate in my fish tank?

Nitrate is a plant food and is normally rare in situations where plant growth is abundant such as ponds and natural water bodies - this i...

What should I do if I have a power cut on my aquarium?

First and foremost - don't panic! Most aquarium inhabitants can happily survive the slightly lower temperatures of a heated room for a li...

How often and much do I need to change my aquarium water and clean my filter?

A good general rule of thumb is 'keep your water clean and your filter dirty' and this is really the secret of successful fish keeping. A...

How many fish can I keep in my 60 litre tank?

With modern filtration and regular water testing, the old stocking levels quoted by many sources are now a little obsolete. Variables suc...

How do I get rid of black algae in my aquarium?

Black beard algae is actually a red algae and thrives in high-phosphate environments. What this means is that if you have it in your aqua...

How many of each fish should I keep in my aquarium?

Very few species of tropical fish are naturally solitary or pair forming and so most need to be kept as shoals or groups for best results...

Why are my loaches bullying my catfish?

Although catfishes are a very broad group and include some species that you wouldn't want to share a tank with, most commonly-kept commun...

Can I aquascape my coldwater aquarium?

The term "Aquascape" has become attached to the rather "designer" Iwagumi layouts where fishes are often secondary to the overall aesthet...

Why are my goldfish changing colour in my aquarium?

Goldfish are a domesticated form of a brown wild ancestor and their familiar bright colours are a result of many generations of selective...

Why does my Goldfish keep swimming upside down in my aquarium?

As goldfish are mostly vegetarian by nature, they have a long gut to digest high-fibre foods. Although a diet based on dry food has all t...

Can I keep Goldfish in a bowl?

Lots of us can remember having childhood goldfish that were won from the fair, or bought by our parents who carefully swapped dead fish w...

What should I look out for when buying second-hand aquarium equipment?

In a word, reliability. Typically aquariums, heaters and filters are fairly crucial in keeping fish alive and their failure can be disast...

How can I make my aquarium setup less noisy?

There was a time when aquarium filtration was almost entirely driven by air pumps and many of us over a certain age still enjoy the sound...

What is the best gravel for my aquarium?

On the face of it this is a simple subject but it does have some unforeseen effects. Starting with particle size, large grades of gravel ...

How does a protein skimmer work?

We’ve all seen foam on the beach or river banks and this is a natural phenomenon exploited by the technique of ‘Foam Fractionation’. This...

What is R.O. water?

Reverse osmosis, or R.O. water for short, is water that has been stripped of most of its mineral content by a membrane that only allows c...

Aquarium

What is the difference between a UV steriliser and a UV clarifier?

Why have the fish I just bought developed white spots?

Is it normal for fish to rub against rocks?

How do I know if my water is too hard or too soft for my fish?

What are gill flukes and how do I get rid of them?

How do I calculate the volume of my aquarium/pond?

Why are Siamese Fighting Fish popular and what’s the best way to take care of one?

Why are my guppies fighting?

What’s the easiest Cichlid to start off with?

How can I ensure my community tank is peaceful?

What fish are best for a tropical nano tank?

What is a “Tankbuster”?

How long do I need to leave my tropical tank before I can add my first fish?

How do I get rid of the nuisance snails in my tropical aquarium?

What puffer fish are suitable for a tropical freshwater community tank?

Can I keep Goldfish with Tropical fish?

What is the best way to keep Shrimps in my tropical freshwater tank?

Why do you sell plants that are not true aquatic ones?

Why have my aquarium plants stopped growing?

Do I need CO2 to grow plants in my aquarium?

Are real plants better for my aquarium than plastic plants?

How many lights do I need to grow plants successfully in my aquarium & how long should I leave them on?

​How hard is it to keep Marine Fish?

Why might a well-established coral suddenly die?

What's the best Goby for my reef aquarium?

Why is my coral sulking?

I want to start my first marine tank - what are the fish to avoid?

Why does my anemone move around my tank so much?

​Why are marine tanks generally more expensive to set up than freshwater ones?

​What is the smallest viable marine tank and what equipment do I need?

How long do reef fishes live?

​Why are so many Marine fish so specialised in their diet?

​How does the partnership between algae and coral work?

​Apart from the zooxanthellae, how else do corals feed?

​Why are most Marine fish so territorial?

Is there a dominance hierarchy amongst corals?

​Why are my fish gasping at the water’s surface?

​The only space I can put a fish tank is in a busy hallway and wanted to know if that is ok?

Will my fish only grow to the size of the tank?

​What are dyed fish and why don't you sell them?

Which aquarium fish are easy to keep?

Why do I have to wait before I can put fish in my aquarium?

Why do I need to test my aquarium water?

Why do the new fish I buy for my aquarium die while my others are “ok”?

Do I need to quarantine my new fish, and if so how do I do it?

What's the most effective way to lower my aquarium's pH?

What's the best way to swap my livestock to a new tank?

Why won't my aquarium's cloudy water clear up?

How can I get my fish to shoal in my aquarium?

Is rainwater safer than tap water for my tank?

What is the best size aquarium to start with?

Why do I need to add bacteria (e.g. Aquarium Munster’s Bactosprint) to my tank?

What type of fish would be best for a child’s first aquarium?

How do I get rid of Nitrate in my fish tank?

What should I do if I have a power cut on my aquarium?

How often and much do I need to change my aquarium water and clean my filter?

How many fish can I keep in my 60 litre tank?

How do I get rid of black algae in my aquarium?

How many of each fish should I keep in my aquarium?

Why are my loaches bullying my catfish?

Can I aquascape my coldwater aquarium?

Why are my goldfish changing colour in my aquarium?

Why does my Goldfish keep swimming upside down in my aquarium?

Can I keep Goldfish in a bowl?

What should I look out for when buying second-hand aquarium equipment?

How can I make my aquarium setup less noisy?

What is the best gravel for my aquarium?

How does a protein skimmer work?

What is R.O. water?

How hard is it to keep Marine Fish?

Why are marine tanks generally more expensive to set up than freshwater ones?

What is the smallest viable marine tank and what equipment do I need?

Why are so many Marine fish so specialised in their diet?

How does the partnership between algae and coral work?

Apart from the zooxanthellae, how else do corals feed?

Why are most Marine fish so territorial?

Why are my fish gasping at the water’s surface?

The only space I can put a fish tank is in a busy hallway and wanted to know if that is ok?

What are dyed fish and why don't you sell them?