When talking about the cognitive abilities of pets we keep in our households, we tend to leave aquarium fish out of the conversation. For example, goldfish are said to have the memory retention skills of an ant, but this is an incorrect assumption that has no scientific basis. Research into the memory mechanisms goldfish use has shown that they’re able to remember the color of tubes containing food up to one year after interactive feeding. Moreover, a 1980 study published in the Behavioral and Neural Biology journal determined that goldfish exhibit emotional responses comparable to those of a 5-year-old child. Tropical fish intelligence tends to be a lot higher than …

Read more…

Even people who aren’t into fish keeping are often familiar with popular aquarium species such as neon tetras, mollies, and goldfish. These tropical freshwater fish are very resilient and highly adaptable, thus making them ideal for beginners, but there’s a wide range of other species you can keep in a tank. When saltwater aquarists get started with their reef tanks, they often gravitate toward clownfish and tangs for similar reasons, but they’re ignoring dozens of more exotic species. Not all aquatic creatures can be raised outside of their natural habitats. However, the friendly and knowledgeable staff at Aquatic Warehouse have listed six unusual species that can make a nice addition …

Read more…

The aquarist hobby can be very rewarding in terms of learning new things. When you get into fish keeping, one of the recommendations you’ll invariably hear is related to stocking the tank. Seasoned aquarists will tell you to start out with a tank that isn’t too small nor too large—10—20-gallon tanks are the sweet spot for beginners. They’ll also recommend that you take your time establishing the tank with plants and to start off with just two hardy species to stimulate bacterial bloom and fully establish the tank. Once your aquarium is established with a healthy ecosystem, chances are you’ll want to return to your aquarium supplier and get more …

Read more…

If you enjoy dining at Asian cuisine restaurants, you may have noticed that many of these eateries have a nice aquarium on display. We’re not talking about seafood restaurants with live-hold tanks right outside the kitchen, which are meant to keep the catch as fresh as possible. We’re talking about ornamental tanks that look like they’re lovingly kept. More than likely, these tanks are placed in the southeast quadrant of the dining hall, which corresponds to the feng shui practice of attracting wealth and good fortune. Asian restaurants aren’t the only commercial establishments where aquariums can be appreciated. If you explore Chinatown districts in major metropolitan areas, there’s a good …

Read more…

When it comes to saltwater and freshwater planted aquariums, standard sizes begin at 2.5 gallons and continue all the way past 180 gallons with several size variants in between. With acrylic tanks, which tend to be pricier than their glass counterparts, you have a greater range of sizes and shapes that go far beyond the traditional rectangles. When you’re getting started in the fish keeping hobby, size matters significantly. You really should begin with at least a 10-gallon tank (did you know that a 20-gallon aquarium will hold four times more fish than a 10-gallon tank?) because smaller ones require more frequent maintenance. At the same time, larger aquariums that …

Read more…

Within the fish keeping hobby, aquascaping refers to the tasteful decoration of the tank and its habitat, which may involve lighting, backgrounds, plants, ornaments, driftwood, and rocks. However, there’s more than just aesthetics to consider when formulating an aquascaping plan. For example, plants are a major improvement to both freshwater and saltwater tanks because they create a more natural ecosystem. In the case of rocks that are larger than the substrate, they can serve purposes that are more important than simply adding style to your tank. Rocks can provide hiding and resting places for some of your species, and they can also serve as rooting objects for aquatic plants. In …

Read more…

Every now and then, images of creatures that live in the depths of the ocean are posted on social networks, and they tend to elicit gasps from those who see them for the first time. This has been happening more in recent years because of advances in underwater digital photography, and the species we’re seeing for the first time often have a terrifying appearance, at least when compared to the nice, friendly, and colorful fish we enjoy seeing in aquariums. To make matters worse, we give these creatures scary names to match their looks, such as pelican eel, goblin shark, dragonfish. Something that’s even more interesting than the appearance of …

Read more…