Written by Katherine Barrington Updated July 06, 2017

Marine fish are some of the most colorful creatures on the planet, though many of them cannot be seen by the light of day. Tropical reefs are a hustle and bustle of activity during the day but that activity doesn’t completely stop at night – it just changes. When the sun sets and the moon rises, a whole separate group of marine inhabitants comes out to play.

If you want to take your marine aquarium to the next level, think about adding some nocturnal fish or other tank inhabitants. Keep reading to learn more about nocturnal aquarium fish and how to simulate nocturnal lighting in your home aquarium.

Aquarium fish are generally divided into two categories – freshwater or saltwater. Within each category, however, there are different subcategories. One way to further divide the category of saltwater fish is by the time of day during which they are most active. Diurnal marine fish are those species that are most active during daylight hours while nocturnal fish are most active during the night. There are also crepuscular species which tend to be active around the hours at dawn and dusk. Some species of fish can adapt to becoming more active during another time of day while others remain consistent.

In order to thrive during the night, nocturnal species of marine fish have developed certain adaptations. Here is a quick overview:

Written by Katherine Barrington Updated July 06, 2017

When it comes to stocking your tank – especially your first tank – it is easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of options available. There are literally thousands of different species of freshwater fish to choose from, though not all of them are readily available or recommended for the aquarium trade.

If you’re looking for an easy way to stock your tank that will minimize your maintenance but maximize your value, consider stocking your tank with livebearers. Keep reading to learn more about what livebearers are, which species are the most popular, and how to keep them happy.

As you can probably guess from the name, livebearers are simply fish that give birth to live, free-swimming young instead of eggs. The name livebearer is used by the aquarium community to refer to a number of different species, most of which belong to the family Poeciliidae. The fish belonging to this family are typically found in the southern United States all the way through Mexico and Central America into various parts of South America. Livebearers generally reach a maximum size around 2 to 3 inches, though the exact details vary from one species to another, and they are generally peaceful in terms of their temperament. Livebearers make excellent community fish and they can tolerate a range of temperatures between 64°F and 82°F as well as a pH between 5.5 and 8.0.

Now that you know a little...

Written by Katherine Barrington Updated May 30, 2017

Discus fish are a unique and beautiful species that can transform your home aquarium into a colorful aquatic paradise. If you are thinking about adding discus fish to your tank, take the time to learn as much as you can about them and their needs. Keep reading to learn more about these beautiful fish and what discus fish-related topics are trending this spring!

On May 29, Twitter handle @AquariumTalks posted a picture of a beautiful pair of orange discus fish caring for their newly laid eggs. The photo was posted with the text, “Parents with newly hatched fry… these guys are the best parents among #Pet #Fish.”

Cichlids in general are known for being some of the most dedicated parents in the aquatic world, but discus fish are particularly good at parenting. According to an article posted by the North American Discus Association (NADA), the key to breeding discus fish is to select and thoroughly condition a breeding pair. Purchasing a proven breeding pair can be expensive, but it is well worth it if you want to have a successful spawn. If you’re up to the task of starting from scratch, however, you can purchase a group of five or more juvenile discus fish and raise them to adulthood. Hopefully, over time, a pair or two will naturally form and you can start conditioning them for breeding around 9 to 14 months of age.

Once you...