Aquarium keeping you can trust
Ichthyologist-reviewed guides, species profiles, and an interactive simulator to plan your tank without trial and error.
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Experts on the team
Every piece is reviewed by an ichthyologist whose name and credentials are credited.
Real sources
We cite FishBase, Seriously Fish, peer-reviewed research and practitioner experience.
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No 'top 10 in one click'. Long-form guides with verifiable numbers and rationale.
10 gallon aquarium setup under $150: a complete starter kit
A real equipment list with prices, step-by-step setup, stocking ideas. The most popular beginner tank size with a concrete budget.
Read the full guidePopular species
Fish species →
Neon Tetra
BeginnerParacheirodon innesi
- Tank volume:
- from 60 L
- Maximum size:
- up to 4 cm
- Temperature:
- 20–26 °C
- pH:
- 5–7

Betta
BeginnerBetta splendens
- Tank volume:
- from 20 L
- Maximum size:
- up to 6.5 cm
- Temperature:
- 24–28 °C
- pH:
- 6.5–7.5

Guppy
BeginnerPoecilia reticulata
- Tank volume:
- from 40 L
- Maximum size:
- up to 5 cm
- Temperature:
- 22–28 °C
- pH:
- 7–8

Bronze Corydoras
BeginnerCorydoras aeneus
- Tank volume:
- from 80 L
- Maximum size:
- up to 7.5 cm
- Temperature:
- 22–28 °C
- pH:
- 6–7.5
Freshwater Angelfish
IntermediatePterophyllum scalare
- Tank volume:
- from 200 L
- Maximum size:
- up to 15 cm
- Temperature:
- 24–30 °C
- pH:
- 6–7.5

Discus
ExpertSymphysodon aequifasciatus
- Tank volume:
- from 250 L
- Maximum size:
- up to 17 cm
- Temperature:
- 28–30 °C
- pH:
- 5.5–7
Latest articles
Articles →Cherry shrimp (Neocaridina davidi): care and breeding for beginners
The easiest aquarium shrimp for beginners: parameters, food, breeding, colour grades, common mistakes. Real numbers for keeping a colony from 10 individuals to hundreds.
Betta fish care: a complete beginner's guide (Betta splendens)
Tank size, temperature, filtration, diet, tankmates, common diseases, breeding — everything you need to know about bettas before buying one. Real numbers, no 'lives in a cup' myths.
Filters and aeration for aquariums of every size — the complete guide
How to size a filter to your tank, calculate turnover, pick the right type, and decide if you need extra aeration. From nano cubes to large biotopes.
Topics
Articles →Aquarium fish diseases — diagnostic algorithm and 8 key conditions
How to spot illness by behaviour and look, a four-step diagnostic protocol and treatment outlines for the 8 most common diagnoses: ich, velvet, columnaris, dropsy, swim bladder, saprolegnia, internal parasites, gill flukes.
Velvet disease (oodinium) in aquarium fish — symptoms, treatment, prognosis
Golden-grey 'dusty' coating on the skin, fast breathing, loss of appetite. A dangerous dinoflagellate parasite — treated with darkness, copper and heat. Without therapy, mortality in 3–7 days.
Columnaris in aquarium fish — telling it from fungus and treating it
A bacterial disease often mistaken for fungus. Greyish-white cotton-like patches on head and fins; the aggressive strain can kill in 24 hours. Treatment — antibiotics, lower temperature, salt.
Dropsy (pinecone) in fish — what it is, causes and odds of saving them
Raised scales, bloated belly, bulging eyes — not a disease in itself but a symptom of severe internal infection. Prognosis is grim: fewer than half survive even with correct treatment.
Swim bladder disorder — why your fish is swimming on its side
The fish floats belly-up, lies on its side, can't hold its position in the water. Causes range from simple constipation to bacterial infection and congenital deformity. A clear diagnostic and treatment plan.
Saprolegnia (fungus) on fish and eggs — treatment and root causes
White cotton-like tufts on wounds, fins or eggs. The fungus is an opportunist — it only attacks already-stressed fish. The key to treatment is removing the underlying cause (injury, bad water, stress); the fungus itself comes off easily with methylene blue.