Planted Tank Care and Aquarium Problem Fixes

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

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

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

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

Quick answer: Malaysian trumpet snails (Melanoides tuberculata, also called red-rimmed melania or MTS) are small, cone-shaped freshwater snails that grow to about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in aquariums and live roughly 1 to 2 years. They spend the day buried in the substrate, eat leftover food, detritus and algae, and keep sand from compacting. They’re harmless to fish, shrimp and healthy plants. Most Malaysian trumpet snails reproduce without a mate and give birth to live … Read more about Malaysian Trumpet Snails: Care, Good or Bad and How to Control Them

Quick answer: Cherry barbs (Rohanella titteya, formerly Puntius titteya) are small, peaceful barbs from Sri Lanka that grow to about 2 inches (5 cm) and live 4 to 6 years. Keep a group of at least 6 in a planted tank of 20 gallons or more, at 73 to 81 F with pH 6.0 to 7.5. Males turn deep cherry red, while females are tan with a dark side stripe. They’re hardy, easy to feed … Read more about Cherry Barb Care Guide: Tank Size, Tank Mates and Breeding