Building Aquarium Filters

I recommend you to use as big a tank as you can for your gar, and I wouldnt recommend keeping gars in an aquarium smaller than 200 Gallon/720 L. And that should be considered a minimum; a 400 gallon/1400 L tank is preferable.

The tank should be decorated in accordance with gar behaviour. Gars are ambush predators, and as such th

A properly decorated tank with plenty of hiding places and caves allows the fish to "feel at home," so they dont fight and stress each other to the point of killing one another.

The behavior patterns and aggressiveness of various fish is also a factor that can limit how many fish can be kept together. Keeping fish together that are unevenly matched in aggressive tendencies usually leads to a tank with one or

This species is spotted on the posterior part of the body and to a lesser extent on other parts of the body.

Tropical gar, Atractosteus tropicus
A very rare species.

Manfari or Cuban gar, Atractosteus tristoechus
Looks very similar to the alligator gar and since it is very rare in the trade you can usually assume that your gar is an alligator gar and not a Cuban gar unless otherwise stated. The Cuban gar has a broader snout and lacks pattern on its body.

Beside these species there are a number of hybrids such

If you have an unusually-shaped fish tank, such as a hexagonal, or extra high aquarium, try keeping one inch of fish for every 12 square inches (length times width) of aquarium surface area. Remember to allow for growth.

New-Tank Cycle (Ecological Break-in) Information:

Start with 25% of the total capacity of the aquarium in inches. Wait at least two weeks before adding more fish. Waiting three weeks is better. Do a 25% water change before you add new fish, not immediately after. Add in increments of 100% of the number of inches of fish the aquarium already contains (if you already have two inches of fish, only buy

To keep expenses very low, PVC elbows (usually 45-degree) and nipples (short lengths of pipe) are the best way to go. Fittings for small plastic pipe generally cost well under $1 each, or several for a dollar in bulk. A single stock length of straight pipe is like-wise but a few dollars. Short nipples of pipe (1-3") can be used to connect unglued 45-degree elbows to each teed outlet. The tapered slip sockets of the elbows will afford a snug and

Why Do My Fish Hide All The Time?
Fish that hide all the time are a baffling and frustrating problem for the owner. Here are suggestions for how to coax your fish out into the open where you....

30g Oceanic Cubes - What Lights Do You Have?
Just wondering what lights folks are running on 30 or 50g Oceanic's? If you have pics, please post them. Thanks..

African Cichlids in the aquarium

african cichlids

Cyprichromis leptosoma

The most popular African cichlids come from Lake Malawi and lake Tanganyika. The cichlids from lake Malawi are generally more colorful, but the cichlids from lake Tanganyika have a more diverse breeding behavior. Malawi cichlids are a.