Planted Tank Care and Aquarium Problem Fixes

Three green marimo moss balls on white sand in a glass jar of water

Marimo Moss Ball Care: What It Is, Why It Floats and How to Keep It Green

Quick answer: A marimo moss ball is not a moss at all. It is a slow-growing green algae, Aegagropila linnaei, that rolls itself into a velvety ball on the floor of cold lakes in Japan, Iceland and Northern Europe. Marimo are one of the easiest living things you can keep. Give them cool water around 64 to 77°F (18 to 25°C), low to moderate light out of direct sun, a water change every one to … Read more about Marimo Moss Ball Care: What It Is, Why It Floats and How to Keep It Green

By Anum Saeed, ago
Fish tank sizes chart showing small to large planted freshwater aquariums side by side

Fish Tank Sizes Chart: Gallons, Dimensions and Weight for Every Aquarium

Quick answer: Standard glass fish tanks come in a fairly fixed set of sizes. The most common are the 10 gallon (20 x 10 x 12 inches), 20 gallon long (30 x 12 x 12), 20 gallon high (24 x 12 x 16), 29 gallon (30 x 12 x 18), 40 gallon breeder (36 x 18 x 16), 55 gallon (48 x 13 x 21) and 75 gallon (48 x 18 x 21). A filled … Read more about Fish Tank Sizes Chart: Gallons, Dimensions and Weight for Every Aquarium

By Anum Saeed, ago
Planted 29 gallon fish tank with neon tetras on a black aquarium stand

29 Gallon Fish Tank: Dimensions, Weight, Stand and Best Fish

Quick answer: A standard 29 gallon fish tank measures 30 x 12 x 18 inches (76 x 30 x 46 cm). It weighs about 40 to 45 pounds empty and roughly 300 to 330 pounds once it is filled with water, substrate and decor, so it needs a real aquarium stand, not a dresser or a bookshelf. It has the same footprint as a 20 gallon long, just 6 inches taller, which makes it one … Read more about 29 Gallon Fish Tank: Dimensions, Weight, Stand and Best Fish

By Anum Saeed, ago
School of neon tetras with glowing blue stripes swimming in a planted aquarium

Neon Tetra Care Guide: Tank Size, Tank Mates, Lifespan and Breeding

Quick answer: Neon tetras (Paracheirodon innesi) are tiny, peaceful schooling fish from the Amazon basin, famous for their glowing blue stripe and red tail. They grow to about 1.5 inches (4 cm), and with good care they can live 5 years or more, though many only reach 2 to 3 because of stress and poor water. Keep a group of at least 10 in a planted tank of 10 gallons or more, ideally 20, at … Read more about Neon Tetra Care Guide: Tank Size, Tank Mates, Lifespan and Breeding

By Anum Saeed, ago
Planted 55 gallon fish tank with tetras and angelfish on a black cabinet stand

55 Gallon Fish Tank: Dimensions, Weight, Stand and Best Fish

Quick answer: A standard 55 gallon fish tank measures 48 x 13 x 21 inches (122 x 33 x 53 cm), holds about 208 liters, and weighs around 75 to 80 pounds empty and roughly 600 to 650 pounds once it’s filled with water, substrate and decor. That weight means it needs a proper aquarium stand on a level, solid floor. It’s a great size for a big community tank, a group of angelfish, schooling … Read more about 55 Gallon Fish Tank: Dimensions, Weight, Stand and Best Fish

By Anum Saeed, ago
School of round silver dollar fish swimming in a large aquarium with driftwood

Silver Dollar Fish: Size, Types, Tank Mates and Care Guide

Quick answer: Silver dollar fish are peaceful, disc-shaped South American schooling fish, related to pacu and piranhas but completely gentle. The common silver dollar (Metynnis argenteus) and the spotted silver dollar (Metynnis lippincottianus) grow to about 6 inches (15 cm), while the red hook silver dollar gets much bigger. They live around 10 years, need a group of at least 5, and do best at 75 to 82 F with pH 6.0 to 7.5. Adults … Read more about Silver Dollar Fish: Size, Types, Tank Mates and Care Guide

By Anum Saeed, ago
Planted 5 gallon fish tank with a single betta fish on a wooden desk

5 Gallon Fish Tank: Size, Best Fish, Betta Setup and Stocking

Quick answer: A standard 5 gallon fish tank measures about 16 x 8 x 10 inches (41 x 20 x 25 cm), holds about 19 liters, and weighs roughly 55 to 62 pounds once it’s filled with water, gravel and decor. It’s the ideal size for one betta, a colony of cherry shrimp, a few snails, or a tiny group of nano fish like chili rasboras. What most people get wrong is treating a 5 … Read more about 5 Gallon Fish Tank: Size, Best Fish, Betta Setup and Stocking

By Anum Saeed, ago
Bladder snails with thin glossy shells and a clear egg clutch on aquarium glass

Bladder Snails: Eggs, Good or Bad and How to Get Rid of Them

Quick answer: Bladder snails (Physella acuta, also called Physa acuta) are tiny freshwater snails with a thin, see-through, teardrop-shaped shell that opens on the left side. They grow to about 0.4 to 0.6 inches (1 to 1.5 cm), live a few months to about a year, and lay small, clear jelly egg clutches on glass and plants. Each snail is both male and female and can even fertilize itself, so one hitchhiker on a new … Read more about Bladder Snails: Eggs, Good or Bad and How to Get Rid of Them

By Anum Saeed, ago
Planaria flatworms with triangle heads gliding on aquarium glass near moss

Planaria in Aquarium: How to Identify, Remove and Prevent Them

Quick answer: Planaria are small free-living flatworms, usually 2 to 15 mm long, with a triangle-shaped head and two dark eyespots that make them look cross-eyed. They glide smoothly over the glass and substrate, and they’re white, gray or brown. In a fish-only tank they’re mostly a harmless nuisance, but in a shrimp tank they’re a real problem, because they eat baby shrimp, shrimp eggs, snail eggs and fish eggs, and can attack molting shrimp. … Read more about Planaria in Aquarium: How to Identify, Remove and Prevent Them

By Anum Saeed, ago
Red cherry shrimp grazing on java moss and driftwood in a planted aquarium

Cherry Shrimp Care Guide: Colors, Breeding, Tank Mates and Water

Quick answer: Cherry shrimp (Neocaridina davidi, also called red cherry shrimp or RCS) are small, hardy freshwater shrimp that grow to about 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5 to 4 cm) and live 1 to 2 years. They do best in a cycled, planted tank of 5 gallons or more, at 68 to 78 F with pH 6.5 to 8.0, GH 4 to 10 and KH 1 to 8. They eat biofilm, soft algae and leftovers, … Read more about Cherry Shrimp Care Guide: Colors, Breeding, Tank Mates and Water

By Anum Saeed, ago