The Fish Room Blogs

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A live stream on YouTube each Wednesday (audio and visual) week, and the release audio only on Spotify on the Sunday.

Is light-hearted fun, information, and different views on all things aquarium and tropical fish tank-related

Tips and tricks that we have learned over the years of keeping tropical fish.

Blackwater Aquariums

How do we create such an environment? We can either tint the water by adding tannic acid directly into the water. Or a much more aesthetically appealing and natural approach is to add botanicals.

March 13, 2022
2 min read

International Womans Day, In the aquarium world

Mary Kingsley, dispite the difficulties of the times, sucessfully collected and transported 60 species back to the UK and contributed hugely to what would become the hobby we all love to this day.

March 09, 2022
1 min read

How much aquarium soil should I use in my aquarium?

Some plant species like Amazon Sword or Crinum calamistratum grow large root networks and draw most of their nutrients from the soil and as such, a substrate which is between 3 and 5cm will be enough space for healthy growth.

March 09, 2022
2 min read
1 Comment

Species Spotlight Bala Shark

On top of their good looks, they are generally compatible with most community fish. That is until they begin to grow. The Bala shark will reach lengths of 35cm and for this reason, only large aquariums of 500l should be considered as a potential home.

March 06, 2022
2 min read

Plant of the month March - Ambulia

Most Ambulia are sold as bright green plants but when in the home aquarium. If high levels of strong lighting is provided along with regular dosing of micronutrients, the Ambulia will produce reddish leaves towards the top of the plant.

March 04, 2022
1 min read

Supplier product spotlight - Sera Catappa Leaves

February 15, 2022
3 min read
2 Comments

Bleeding Heart Tetras, the St Valentines Day love fish

The Bleeding Heart Tetra can be found on the border between Peru and Brazil. They commonly live in waterways filled with fallen tree branches, leaves and tannic acid, turning the water a dark, tea-like colour with a soft sandy substrate. Such an environment is easy to replicate in the home aquarium and when done correctly, can look amazing and natural.

February 14, 2022
1 min read

How do you tell the difference between a male and a female livebearer?

When it comes to other livebearers, we look for the same differences in the fins and body shape. If we look at the Platy, the quickest way to tell the difference is by looking at their anal fins. Again, males show a longer and narrow fin while females have a triangular fan shaped anal fin.

February 07, 2022
1 min read

TFR Brand Spotlight February - Sera

Started by Josef Ravnak in 1970, Sera have been developing products for the aquarium industry for over 50 years and you can find their vast knowledge of fishkeeping present in each product they make.

February 05, 2022
1 min read

Plant of the Month Anubias Nana

Anubias nana provides a nice texture and colour to any planted tank and will look great once it grows along the surface of your hardscape.

February 02, 2022
2 min read

Fish of the Month February Silver Tip Tetra

Suitable for both clear and blackwater setups, they look just good in a planted tank as they do a plantless biotope style setup. They are best kept in groups of 6-8 and will shoal together which is rather aesthetic due to the silvery white tips on their fins.

February 01, 2022
1 min read

Why are my aquarium nitrates high ?

High nitrates are generally caused by a lack of aquarium maintenance, but they can also be a sign of overstocking or over-feeding your aquarium fish. Too many fish produce more waste than the bacteria in your aquarium can process which results in the excess fish waste becoming highly toxic and fish may even die of nitrate poisoning if left unresolved.