Author name: Fish Laboratory

With decades of collective fishkeeping experience, we are happy to share the fish care tips that we've picked up along the way. Our goal at Fish Laboratory is to keep publishing accurate content to help fishkeepers keep their fish and aquarium healthy. Check us out on YouTube, Instagram, and learn more about us!

Dwarf Hairgrass Care: Seed, Soil, Gravel & Carpet Planting

Dwarf Hairgrass is a very popular small plant that’s name is almost perfectly descriptive of itself. Dwarf Hairgrass has blades instead of leaves. The blades are tightly packed together, and under aquarium lighting, they will show up as a bright green. There are fine hairs along the blades that aid the plant in photosynthesis. Dwarf Hairgrass helps oxygenate the water, control nitrate levels, and remove pollutants. It is also the perfect shelter for bottom dwelling fish.
Dwarf Hairgrass has the appearance of grass in your aquarium, and it will grow into a carpet that covers the bottom. It is a wonderful addition to any tank setup that includes fish, and it has been a popular choice for people in the aquascaping hobby.

Alien Betta

Alien Betta: Care, Size, Breeding, Genetics & More

Betta fish have been a long sought after type of fish in the fish keeping hobby. They offer a wide range of color and are relatively easy fish to care for in comparison to other fish out there. Alien Betta fish are a type of Betta fish that is created by mixing two other species of Betta fish together. They do this for the striking patterns, and the vibrant color.

Dwarf Aquarium Lily: Care, Temperature, Propagate & More

Dwarf Aquarium Lilies are considered easy for aquarium plant enthusiasts to keep and propagate. They have triangle shaped leaves that show up in a range of pink, green, or red color. The coloring will change to brownish as well. It is encouraged to trim the leaves once they turn brown. They grow leaves under the water’s surface, and they also grow and send lily pads up to the surface of the water.

Orange Hatchet Danio: Care, Lifespan, Breeding & More

Orange Hatchet Danios are similar in size and shape to most other Danios, but they can be identified by the orange hues they have on their body. The Orange Hatchet Danio was first found in India. They can be identified by the orange highlights, which is a rare color in Danios. The males are usually darker, especially when they are ready to spawn. The females are more plump in shape when compared to the males. Both male and female Orange Hatchet Danio have a more arrow-like shape to their bodies which helps aid the fish in jumping. It is important to keep a lid on your tank. If startled, the Orange Hatchet Danio is an excellent jumper, and they will jump out of your tank.

Umbee Cichlid Care: Max Size, Tank Mates, Breeding & More

Umbee Cichlids are a beautiful species of fish that are found in South America in rivers of Columbia. They are a rather large fish at full maturity. This means that you will always be able to see their striking pattern from far away, and anywhere in your aquarium. Their faces are dark but they are marked by turquoise and blue reflective dots only under around their eyes, and extending outward.

Phoenix Tetra Care: Diet, Lifespan, Size, Breeding & More

Phoenix Tetras are a vibrant fish with a grey silvery body, and their body also has a delicate gold colored sheen. Their fins have a beautiful red coloration with white extensions that look very ornate. Mature females are noticeably more stocky than the males are. The males have longer filaments on their fins, and they show off a flashy bright red color. The caudal fin is translucent in color in the female Phoenix Tetra. Mature male Phoenix Tetra have elongated dorsal and anal fins. These differences make it easy to distinguish male Phoenix Tetras from females.

Pearl Gourami: Care, Tank Size, Tank Mates, Size & More

The pearl gourami (Trichopodus Leerii) is a species of fish native to Thailand, Malaysia, and the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. They are mainly found in lowland swamps near the sea where the acidic water is more to their liking. Though some have been introduced into Singapore and Columbia.

Pearl gourami are considered to be one of the more attractive species of gourami. They have the usual elongated body shape of other gouramis, but thin and long ventral fins which appear like long feelers that dangle while they swim. As well as a long horizontal black stripe that runs down along their length, starting at their mouth and ending at the dorsal fin.

Checker Barb Care: Diet, Lifespan, Tank Size & Tank Mates

Checker Barb fish are a tropical, freshwater fish named for their distinctive black and silver checkered markings and colorations that resemble a checkerboard. This pattern is so distinct that even their nicknames refer to their checkerboard patterning. They are described as having a torpedo-esque shape to their bodies, and a round middle. The males are slimmer and smaller than the females. The juvenile Checker Barb fish may have little fin color, while the mature males have red fins with a black outline. The females have a more yellowish color to their fins. The color of both male and female fish will get darker as they become ready to spawn, and when they are fed a good diet of a wide variety. A well set up aquarium will help this nano schooling fish thrive, and will also help aid in deepening its coloration.