#I know fishblr is a thing

[theborzoiarebackintown]

I’ve acquired two aquatic additions!! A beta named Crunchwrap Supreme, and a mystery snail named Queso! I’ve always loved fish and have wanted a beta for years and have finally “dipped my toes in the water” so to speak.

[chipped-chimera]

Finally got a fancy(tm) pic of my aquarium - think I figured out the solution to awful photos is just I have to do them at night because the hugeass window in my room directly adjacent ruins everything. Going to try and take a pic like this weekly to track growth!

Anyway it's looking close? Closeish? to being cycled so the question is: WHAT COLOUR SHRIMP

[itistimetodisappear]

Cory and his 3 dads

[trix-or-treatz]

fish people can you tell me some cool fish (and maybe include an image of the fish) I need to expand my fish horizons for mermay thank you

[veunho]

I present to you:

✨BARTOLO THE TURTLE🐢✨

[cthulhusstepmom]

Gaz is a fish person.

His collection was truly impressive before he joined the SAS and now that he's in the 141 with a semi permanent home base he has a few tanks in his room(2 planted 10gals and a blackwater 5gal, for a small community tank, a copper plakat Betta, and a mustard gas Betta).

When Price finds out about the fish he gets Gaz a goldfish(a little calico from the local Petco/smart/whatever they have in that barbaric country) and Gaz dies inside while trying to gently explain just how big of a space goldfish need to his CO (also the fact that it's a Coldwater fish and that he values the plants in his tanks thank you). He puts her in a bowl for the time being until he can return her in the morning but he wakes up to an exhausted Price telling him to go the rec room. Lo and behold there is a brand new 75 gallon tank with a huge canister filter and the highest quality Goldfish pellets money can buy.

Eventually Gaz gets three more goldfish for the 75 gallon in the rec room(once it's cycled and he's sat the team down to explain the nitrogen cycle, proper maintenance and "for the love of God let me add any fish").

An old oranda that someone was looking to re-home named Cap.

A ryukin with a ridiculously tall fin named Dawn.

And a giant black moor named Spooky.

The little calico? Her name is Monster.

[bassultra]

she tackle on my box till i bait

[seventh-district]

why have i suddenly been gripped with the desire to get back into fishkeeping

[fishyfishyfishtimes]

Hot take, I really don’t think we should assign human morals onto animals and call them bad or evil. Fishblr has internalised this idea really well with sharks, and I think that’s good! Sharks don’t deserve all the fearmongering they suffer from in media. But… can we please remember to extend this to other animals too? Even to intelligent animals like dolphins (most commonly bottlenose dolphins) and orcas. It seems to be a counter to pop culture’s tendency to show dolphins as complete angels when they partake in some messed up things, but like…. Dolphins are still animals? They may be able to recognize themselves in mirrors and they may have language and culture and know how to use tools but their intelligence is still on the level of a human child (and how empathetic are those!!??). I see people talk about how evil dolphins are but I never see people talking about other animals the same way, like, why aren’t sea otters and their “evilness” the topic of discussion? :/

[trust-me-i-just-get-weirder]

I have a question for fishblr

You know the deal, pls reblog for sample size! I’m so curious.

[fleetingfutures]

Psst... fishblr... I'd love to hear some opinions on my new ten gallon tank! I want it to be more heavily planted than it is right now, but I can't decide how to go about it. Should I add some new species, a few more plants of the same species I already have, or just be patient and wait for what I currently have to grow in more? Initially I was fine doing the latter, but I saw some people online acting like any tank that starts with less than, like, 75% plant coverage is doomed to be completely overtaken by algae and fail, and it got me worried since I'm starting to see my first bits of brown algae on the substrate and driftwood. It kinda just feels like bullshit marketing designed to sell more plants, but who knows, maybe it's not.

My current plants are vallisneria, pearlweed, amazon sword, moneywort, dwarf hairgrass, and a moss ball. They're all doing pretty well: the vallisneria has already produced five runners, the sword is making lots of new leaves, and the moneywort reached the surface so I trimmed and replanted the tips. The pearlweed melted really badly at first, but it's filling out now and I'm probably going to trim it soon too. I also just added some red root floaters, amazon frogbit, dwarf water lettuce, and water spangles that may or may not survive (lots and lots of melting so far, but I'm also starting to see a few new leaves on some of the plants. The frogbit in particular seems to be doing well even though the plants had exactly zero roots upon arrival).

Some assorted information that might be helpful: this is my first planted tank ever, so I'm starting with plants that are on the easier side of things. It's been set up for about a month with medium-ish light, no CO2, root tabs, very light dosing of a complete liquid fertilizer, and a basic sand substrate. I'm trying for a roughly triangular scape with taller plants in the back left and shorter plants in the front right. It's going to be home to a betta and some invertebrates (nerite snails/mystery snails/amano shrimp/cherry shrimp, still undecided).

Right now, I'm leaning towards just getting some moss or other epiphytes like anubias to stuff in the spaces between the rocks and the driftwood to hide my atrocious glue job and letting everything else grow out more before making new additions.

Any thoughts?

[spidermilkshake]

Well, fishblr, I have splurged!

Meaning, I found a maker of acrylic tanks which was very reliable which made a shape of 10-gallon tank which handily fits in my cleared desk space!

I have started to ponder the live plants to get it set up with once it arrives (eventually) and is leak-tested. I know the lighting system that comes with the tank is rated to support live plants, but I'm being cautious and wanting to keep mostly low-light plants about. Sure things so far in my plans are clumps of java moss attached to hides and a driftwood piece, as well as an Anubia minima positioned towards the mid-right of the set-up, by otherwise I'm still juggling several potential plant species, including Dwarf Sagittaria, Java fern, and mini red Ludbergia. Any suggestions on other plants, or where they're best to go in the set-up?

[bufomancer]

Choosing the Right Fish for You

Fish can make excellent pets for the right owner, but with the vast number of species in the hobby, all with differing care requirements, it can be difficult to figure out exactly which one(s) are the best choices for you. Especially for a first time owner!

The aim of this guide is to cover the majority of the topics that you’ll need to consider in order to determine which fish is the best fit for you. You can do these topics in any order, but you’ll want to think about all of them before deciding exactly what to get.

Fish are very rewarding to keep, but they’re definitely not for everyone, so it’s important to take the time to carefully consider their care needs before bringing one home. This guide is focused on freshwater fish as I have no experience with saltwater, but these points still apply to saltwater fish plus of course the added layer of “managing salinity”.

Click “read more” to continue...

First: Is a fish in general right for you?

While different species can have vastly different care needs, there are some basic things that ALL fish require. These underlying traits may be exactly why fish are the best option for you, or they may be exactly why you should consider a different type of animal instead.

All fish need an appropriately sized, cycled aquarium. The nitrogen cycle is how beneficial bacteria convert fish waste to ammonia, then nitrites, and finally nitrates. Nitrates are removed by water changes and are also used by plants as fuel to grow! Cycling an aquarium can be a drawn out process, taking usually between 4-8 weeks. Here is one guide to aquarium cycling, but there are many others online. There are many methods, but the simplest and most reliable is to use 100% ammonia to kickstart the cycle- not fish food (which is imprecise and messy) and not a fish-in cycle (which is difficult and can be harmful to the fish).

All fish need water changes. Eventually their waste will turn into nitrates. Nitrates are not as harmful to fish as ammonia and nitrites, but in high quantities is toxic. Since this is the end stage of the nitrogen cycle, it needs to be removed or used up by other means. In a lightly stocked, heavily planted aquarium you may not need to do water changes as often as in a more heavily stocked aquarium with few to no live plants. The plants will use up the nitrates, removing them from the water column. Generally, 20-25% water changes once a week are necessary, but if you monitor your ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels you can modify this schedule as needed. Pro tip: if you have houseplants, water them with your dirty fish water- they’ll love the nitrates! You’ll also need to be replacing the water that is lost over time due to evaporation.

Fish are not animals you can physically interact with. They’re gorgeous to watch, and with time and patience you can teach tricks to some fish, but they can’t be pet or cuddled and should not be removed from the aquarium unless necessary. They are strictly a look-but-don’t-touch pet.

If you’re okay with a hands-off pet that will still need a lot of time and attention, and you feel able to cycle an aquarium and perform regular water changes, then a fish may be perfect for you! But if those things don’t sound like something you’re willing to do, they may not be quite the right choice. It’s okay to not love the maintenance aspects of keeping an aquarium (cycling is nobody’s favorite thing!) so as long as you feel able and willing to do what needs to be done for their welfare, even if you don’t particularly enjoy lugging gallons of water to and from the tank every week, a fish may still be right for you!

Now, assuming you’re still interested in fish, onto everything else.

What kind of fish do you already like?

If you’re looking into owning fish, chances are you’ve seen aquariums and pet fish online or in person and thought it might be fun to have some of your own. So what about them appealed to you? There are hundreds of fish species in the hobby. Your average pet store has dozens of different species for sale, and a specialized aquarium store has even more. So it can be difficult to narrow down what you’re interested in, especially if you don’t know all the options available to you.

Try scrolling through online listings for aquarium stores and sales websites like aquabid and liveaquaria. Go visit a pet store that carries fish and see what they have. Don’t worry yet about whether these websites or stores are a good, reputable place to get fish- you’re just looking to see what species are available, not picking them out to take home yet! That comes later.

If there is a species that really interests you, take a look at the rest of the points on this list to see if their care needs suit what you want from your aquarium. Getting a fish that you are passionate about is just as important as making sure your aquarium meets the needs of the fish you choose. Keep in mind that some species are delicate and may not be well suited for a first time fish owner! But also don’t fall into the trap of thinking you need to get a species listed as “best for beginners” if you aren’t genuinely interested in the fish itself.

You can also look through the points on this list and write your own list of what you want from your fish and then ask around on fish forums, fishblr, facebook groups, your local fish club, your friends who have fish, etc to generate some ideas for species that fit those criteria. Then see if any of them interest you! Make sure to double check all suggestions for suitability, as some aquarists may be misinformed about the care needs of the fish they’re recommending.

pH Needs

PH can be controversial. There are many aquarists out there who do not believe that pH matters, but this is unfortunately a dangerously incorrect belief. Fish have evolved for as long as they’ve existed for specific habitats. PH is one feature of these habitats. If it’s been a while since you’ve had to think about chemistry, here’s a quick refresher: pH sits on a scale of 0-14. 0 is the most acidic, 14 is the most alkaline/basic, and 7 is exactly in the center at neutral. Pure water with no additives is a pH of 7, but bodies of water in nature DO have additives which raise or lower the pH- minerals, tannins, etc etc etc. Keeping a fish outside the pH range they are used to will stress them and can cause illness or premature death. Parasites and pathogens also have ideal pH ranges, so by keeping a fish outside the range they’re adapted to you are also exposing them to pathogens their immune system is not used to, on top of the stress causing their immune system to be less effective to begin with!

I recommend starting by measuring the pH of your tap water. You can bring water samples to chain pet stores like Petco and Petsmart to test, or a local aquarium specialty store may be able to do it too. You can also do it at home with the purchase of a liquid test kit like this one. This test kit also includes testing for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates which you’ll need to test while cycling your tank, so it’s worth the price. Testing strips exist but are not as accurate as the liquid kits. Test your pH right out of the tap, after sitting for a day, and after sitting for a week and notice any differences- oxygen or CO2 from your tap can cause the reading straight from the tap to be higher or lower than what you’ll see after letting it sit. In many parts of the US, tap water is pretty basic. Where I live in Minnesota, I usually measure between 8.0-8.4 as the pH of my tap! But this varies. 

If you have your heart set on a fish that requires water outside the range of your tap, you can still do this! You’ll just need to manually raise or lower your pH, and be able to keep it stable within the range that species requires. In order to change your pH, you also need to know your kH (carbonate hardness). If your kH is very high, it will be difficult to change pH. If it is low, it will be difficult to keep the pH stable. The range you’re looking for is a kH of 4-6. Here is a brief guide explaining how to change pH. And here is a link to a gH and kH test kit.

Make sure you are able to get the pH into the range you want as well as keep it stable within that range BEFORE getting your fish. If all that sounds too complicated, don’t worry. Just get a species that will thrive in the pH you already have. You can always reconsider changing pH once you’ve gotten more comfortable with general fish care, if that’s something you want but don’t yet feel ready for.

Temperature

This is another feature of a fish’s habitat that is important, but luckily is much easier to change than pH! You can buy adjustable aquarium heaters in order to raise temperatures, and chillers if you need to lower them. If you don’t want to have a heater in your aquarium, that’s just fine too! Monitor the water temperature of your aquarium over the course of a few days to observe any fluctuations and then look for a species that will be happy within that range.

Sociability

Some fish are solitary, some do best in pairs or trios, and some need big shoals of 8+ members of the same species to feel secure. Which interests you most? If you want a community tank of multiple species, consider whether one of the species is aggressive or very boisterous and whether it will harm or stress out the other fish you want. A shy species may be outcompeted in a community tank and spend most of their time hiding, but may be more visible and relaxed in a species-only tank.

Diet

While most commonly kept species will readily adapt to a prepared diet of pellets or frozen foods, some will only accept live offerings of invertebrates which will need to be raised separately. Like all animals, species are herbivores, some are carnivores, and some are omnivores. A varied diet is best for enrichment and health, so consider the diet of the fish you want and how you will provide that in your home.

General Habitat

What do the waterways these fish naturally inhabit look like? There is a lot of variety. Stagnant lakes with very little vegetation, blackwater tributaries full of decaying leaves, fast flowing hillstreams with cold clean water, rivers so thickly choked with vegetation you can hardly see… You want your aquarium to look like a little slice of the wild. This doesn’t mean you can’t have artificial plants, or cute hides shaped like houses or flowers, just that the items in your tank need to be filling the same roles as the rocks, wood, and vegetation in their wild habitat.

If you get one species, you just need to mimic their habitat. But if you have multiple you need to ensure they come from the same type of habitat, and then of course mimic that.

Tank Size

How big of an aquarium are you able to provide? If you’re not sure, look at a chart of common aquarium dimensions and measure the space you’re wanting to put the tank in and see what will fit. Small tanks are more susceptible to changes in water chemistry and limit your options for fish, but large tanks are more expensive to fill with substrate and decor. I find that 20-40 gallons tends to be a good sweet spot for a first time fish owner. A 20 gallon “long” aquarium (I recommend this over a 20 high which is just a 15 gallon but taller) is 30x12x12 inches and a 40 gallon “breeder” aquarium is 36x18x18 inches.

Now, determining whether a species will fit in your tank is where things can get messy. Many people have very different philosophies of fish care and their spatial needs, and these discussions can get heated.

First, I will say that the “inch per gallon” rule is horribly outdated and inaccurate. Two aquariums of the same volume can have wildly different dimensions and therefore different species will fit comfortably. If someone is relying on or recommending that rule, I would not take their advice on aquarium sizing and would take any other advice of theirs with a grain of salt. Similarly, I do not recommend AqAdvisor as a reliable source for stocking information. Here is a post about why.

For solitary or paired fish I recommend an aquarium no shorter than 5x the length of the fish and no narrower than 2x the length (preferably 3+). So, a 3 inch betta would need an aquarium of 15x6 inches at a bare minimum. A standard 5 gallon is 16x8 inches. This rule does not take into account activity levels, so for an active species (such as a betta), go up at least one size (so a 10g minimum for a betta). There is NO SUCH THING AS TOO BIG! Only a tank that is poorly set up. If the tank does not meet the needs of the fish, it’s unsuitable no matter how big or small it is. It is easier and cheaper to heavily clutter a smaller tank than a larger tank, but that doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t go larger if you’re able.

For shoaling fish this is more difficult. Try to imagine how the fish will look inside of the tank. You can draw a scale diagram of the tank and the fish and think if it will feel crowded. Look for images of other people’s tanks for that species and think if that size looks like enough space or if it should be bigger. I recommend erring to the side of larger if you’re not sure, to reduce the chances of needing to upgrade later.

Most care guides err on the side of recommending smaller aquariums, so another place to start is to see what most care guides recommend and go up at least one size. That may still be too small, but at least it gives you a number to start off with.

Research

This is the crucial step, and the way you get the answers to the questions above: careful research. But what does that look like? Here are some sources you can get information from, and things to consider when checking accuracy.

Other Aquarists: Speaking to people who have kept the fish you want to keep is great. These people can be a wealth of information and can give you the names of websites, scientific papers, books, etc to read to learn about the species. The downside is not all aquarists share the same standards, so you may find that they are giving subpar or outdated care advice that you shouldn’t follow. Listen to what they say, but take it with a grain of salt and compare it to other sources.

Books, blogs, and websites: Similar to other aquarists- this is a great option depending on the quality of the information and who it is coming from. Are they able to back up their recommendations with solid evidence and reasoning? Does what they’re saying make sense, or are they asking you to just trust them because they claim to know what they’re talking about? Do they cite other sources where they’ve gotten their information from?

Scientific papers: This is usually my go-to source of information. Scientists can be biased and have wrong or misleading information, of course, but generally these are more reliable than some of the other potential sources. As always, think critically and compare to the other information you’ve found. Papers that merely use the fish you’re researching a test subject may not have a ton of useful information, but papers describing the species to science usually have a TON, discussing things like adult size and the habitat they came from. The biggest downside is that these may have complicated scientific jargon that can be difficult to understand. Don’t hesitate to ask someone else to help you understand what you’re reading!

Research the habitat: Once you figure out which waterways they come from, you can look for information on that habitat, not just information directly relating to the fish! You may be able to find photos and information from tourist and travel websites, parks and preserves, and more.

Research sympatric species: Sympatric means they live in the exact same waterways together. So, if you find that the species you want is sympatric with another species, you can also look for information on that species. Since they share habitats, you can use the habitat information from those articles to increase your knowledge of the habitat for the fish you’re actually researching.

Put it all together

Now, once you’ve done all your research, you’ve decided on the species you want, you know their care needs, and you’ve picked out the aquarium and the supplies, it’s time to put it all together by setting up and cycling the tank, and then once everything is fully cycled and settled, you’re ready for fish. You’ll want to quarantine your new fish, even if they’re the only fish going into the aquarium and here’s why.

Once all that’s done: be proud of yourself! You’ve spent a lot of time and energy creating a wonderful habitat for your new pet and now you get to reap the rewards of seeing your fish healthy and happy in their new home. Congratulations!

[eatyourdamnpears]

…got any games on your phone?

[narelleart]

EDIT: i will always welcome being sent catfishy things, but update: I have a dissertaion topic, officially! :0 So that part of this post is out of dat.

Hey, actually, want to help me out with progress towards a dissertation topic?

I need to spend some time just thinking about fishes.

I'm not looking for suggestions for my topic, just anything to inspire my brain to obsess about catfishes more. It won't take much.

Please send me images / videos / your favorite facts about catfishes!

[freshwaterbepe]

fishblr I need help!

I reallllllyyy want to upgrade to a 125G soon but I’m living in an apartment on the second floor. is that too much weight? Should I wait for now or would it be okay???