AQUACARE

Common Name: Angelfish Scientific Name: Pterophyllum scalare Wild Distribution: Tributaries and basins. South America Length: Up to 6 inches Water Temperature: 74 to 83f If you are an avid fish breeder, you know what the angelfish is all about. If not, boy are you missing out! I can't think of anything much more rewarding than a prized pair of angelfish with their young. This fish teeters a hobbyist into a new realm of fish keeping.  Over the years, angelfish have taken many faces. Like the fancy guppy, they have jogged the genetic trail: silvers, marbles, gold marbles, leopards, blushers - the list goes on and on. For this reason it is difficult to give you a description.  Angelfish are from the cichlid family and can be very aggressive at times. Experience will tell you that there is a time and a place for angelfish in the community tank. As with most large fish, angels develop a personality. There's no comparing one to the next. Males and...

Blood Red Parrot Cichlid, a Hybrid Cichlid   The Blood Red Parrot cichlid is an odd ball man made Hybrid that has stirred quite a bit of controversy in the fish world but has gained a huge popularity with many. Whether you approve of hybrid fish or not, these wonderful Blood Red Parrot Cichlids are here to stay. They are very compatable for a community tank as they are peaceful, curious and they interact well with their fish keepers once they get to know you. Blood Red Parrot fish should not be confused with the true Parrot Cichlid (Hoplarchus Psittacus) or the Salt Water Parrot (Callyodon Fasciatus). When choosing Blood Red Parrot fish you will notice that the baby Parrots are very dark with stripes. As they start to grow they change color quickly from dark to a mottled black and orange to a true solid Orange. This happens very quickly within the first four months. Parrot Cichlid History First created in Tiawan in the 1980's the Blood Red Parrot Cichlid ...

The Oscar fish is also known as the Red, Albino and Tiger Oscar. Originating in the waters of the Amazon, the Oscar fish is another extremely popular fish. Their popularity stems from their personality, which has been compared to that of a puppy. Many keepers experience begging around meal times or the seemingly playful greetings they receive from their fish when they get home. There are a few color varieties of the Oscar Fish including albino, olive-green, brown and dark gray. They can get quite large, usually 12-14 inches and should be kept in a 75 gallon or larger aquarium. The Oscar is also known for being one of the more messy tropical fish to keep. Try to get the best filtration system possible for them and be prepared to perform frequent water changes. They are known to rearrange their environment from time to time and to bash in to filter uptake tubes and heaters. If you are wanting to keep live plants in an aquarium you may not want to get an Oscar bec...

Severum - Heros efasciatus   The Severum (Heros efasciatus) is known as the common severum - the fish pictured is actually a wild collected Heros notatus. H. efasciatus gets to about 12 inches (31 cm) and needs at least a 55 gallon aquarium or larger. Severum Scientific Name : Heros efasciatus Common Names : Severum, Common Severum, Hero Cichlid Severum Care Level : Easy to keep and will adjust to a relatively wide range of water parameters. Size : 12 inches (31 cm) Water Parameters : pH 6 - 8 | dH range: 5 - 25 | Temperature : 75°F - 85°F (24°C - 29°C) Lifespan : 5 to 8 years, maybe longer Origin / Habitat : South America, Amazon River basin and its tributaries (ref: fishbase) Temperament / Behavior : May eat smaller fish as it grows and can become aggressive with other fish (it is a cichlid) Severum Breeding : Can become quite aggressive during spawning. They are egg guarders and really need their own tank for breeding. Aquar...

Silver Arowana - Osteoglossum bicirrhosum The Silver Arowana comes from the Amazon River in South America. The silver arowana is a very beautiful and a fascinating fish to watch. However, because of their huge adult size of 35 - 40 inches (89 - 102 cm) they are not recommended for the beginning aquarist. Actually, this is one of those fish that are probably best kept in the wild or in huge public aquariums. The Silver Arowana requires at least a 200 gallon (750 liters) tank to adequately keep them. You also need an excellent aquarium filter such as an external canister filter. Arowanas are also excellent jumpers so you will need a good, tight fitting hood with no escape holes. In the wild, the Silver Arowana can jump out of the water at insects and small animals on overhanging branches. Because of their potential adult size, there are not many compatible tank mates that quickly come to mind but you may be able to keep an Arowana with a larger Common Pleco. Th...