Care Guides

Feeding corydoras and other bottom dwellers

Feeding corydoras, loaches and other bottom dwellers: sinking wafers and pellets that reach them, how much to feed, and why they still need their own food.

Shrimp-safe medications — and what will kill yo...

Which aquarium medications are safe for shrimp and snails, why copper and many ich treatments kill invertebrates, and how to treat fish without a wipeout.

Peaceful community fish that actually get along

Build a calm freshwater community that gets along: the best peaceful tetras, rasboras, corydoras and gouramis, the right group sizes, and fish to avoid.

Aquarium heater sizing by tank volume

Short answer: size an aquarium heater at roughly three to five watts per US gallon. That points to about 50 watts for a 10 gallon, 75 to 100 watts for...

Choosing a filter: HOB vs canister vs sponge

Short answer: for most beginners a hang-on-back (HOB) filter is the easiest all-rounder and a great choice for community tanks from about 10 to 55 gallons. A sponge filter is...

How many fish can I put in a 10, 20, 29, or 40 ...

Short answer: there is no exact formula, but as a rough starting point: a 10 gallon suits one betta or a single small school with shrimp; a 20 gallon holds...