Difficulty: Beginner-FriendlySize: 4–5 inchesTemperament: Peaceful bottom-dwellerLifespan: 10–12 years 💧 Tank Setup - Tank Size: Minimum 20 gallons for one, 30+ for pairs. - Water Parameters: 72–80°F, pH 6.5–7.5, soft to medium-hard water. - Environment: Provide driftwood (they need it — it’s part of their digestion) and multiple hiding spots. - Lighting: Moderate; dim corners help them feel secure. - Filtration: Strong but gentle flow — they like oxygen-rich water. 💡 Pro Tip: Add cholla wood or almond leaves. They release tannins that reduce stress and promote natural grazing behavior. 🍽️ Diet - Staple: Algae wafers and high-quality sinking pellets. - Supplement: Fresh veggies — blanched zucchini, cucumber, spinach, and sweet potato. - Protein Boost: Once a week, give frozen bloodworms or Repashy gel food. 💡 Lesser-Known Fact: They’re nocturnal eaters — feed after lights out for better nutrition and cleaner tanks. 🧬 Breeding Behavior - Type: Cave spawners. - Pairing: One male with a plump female — males have larger bristles on their heads. - Trigger: Slight temperature drop (2–3°F) and heavy feeding mimic rainy season conditions. - Caring for Eggs: The male guards eggs until hatching (4–6 days). Leave him alone — removing him too early risks fungus. 💡 Advanced Tip: Use pleco caves tilted slightly downward — males feel more secure guarding entrances. 🌿 Compatibility Great with tetras, corydoras, rasboras, and peaceful dwarf cichlids.Avoid housing with aggressive or fin-nipping species. What’s your favorite veggie to feed your plecos — and how do you prepare it? 🥒 Do you blanch it, skewer it, or just drop it in raw? Share your method (and maybe a photo)!

Difficulty: Beginner → IntermediateSize: 3–4.5 inchesTemperament: Peaceful but activeLifespan: 3–5 years 💧 Tank Setup - Tank Size: 20+ gallons for a small group. - Water Range: 75–82 °F, pH 7.5–8.5, prefers hard, mineral-rich water. - Decor: Open swimming space with plants like guppy grass or hornwort. - Filtration: Steady current and good oxygenation — they love clean, moving water. 💡 Lesser-Known Tip: Mollies do great in slightly brackish water — adding 1 tablespoon of aquarium salt per 5 gallons helps prevent disease and boosts coloration. 🍽️ Diet - Staple: Algae-based flakes or spirulina pellets. - Treats: Blanched veggies (zucchini, peas) + live or frozen brine shrimp. - Feeding Routine: Twice daily — just what they can finish in 1–2 minutes. 💡 Fact: Mollies are constant grazers — in the wild they feed on algae films, so a mature tank with biofilm keeps them happier and healthier. 🧬 Breeding Behavior - Type: Livebearer — females give birth to live fry every 4–6 weeks. - Fry Count: 20–100 depending on age and size. - Gestation: ~30 days; gravid spot near the anal fin darkens before birth. - Fry Care: Move newborns or provide dense floating plants for cover. 💡 Breeder Insight: Keep a 1 male : 3 female ratio — males chase nonstop, and this reduces stress for females. 🤝 Tank Mates Excellent with guppies, platies, swordtails, corydoras, and peaceful tetras.Avoid aggressive cichlids or fin-nippers. Who’s kept mollies in slightly salty water before? 🌊 Share your results — did you notice brighter colors or fewer illnesses? Drop a photo of your favorite color strain (black, dalmatian, gold, or balloon)!

Difficulty: IntermediateSize: 6 inches long / up to 10 inches tallTemperament: Semi-aggressive (territorial when breeding)Lifespan: 8–10 years 💧 Tank Setup - Tank Size: Minimum 30 gallons for a pair; tall tanks are best. - Water Range: 76–82 °F, pH 6.5–7.5, soft to medium-hard water. - Environment: Tall plants (Amazon swords, Vallisneria), driftwood, and calm zones for resting. - Filtration: Gentle flow — they dislike strong currents that disturb their fins. 💡 Lesser-Known Tip: Angelfish come from slow, tannin-stained waters — adding almond leaves or driftwood brings out deeper color and natural behavior. 🍽️ Diet - Staple: Quality flakes or cichlid pellets. - Treats: Frozen bloodworms, mysis shrimp, and chopped earthworms. - Feeding Routine: 2–3 small meals daily. 💡 Pro Tip: Feed near the center of the tank — it encourages that graceful mid-water feeding behavior everyone loves. 🧬 Breeding Behavior - Type: Egg layer; pairs form naturally. - Trigger: Slightly warmer water (82 °F) and increased protein intake. - Setup: Flat surfaces (filter intakes, broad leaves, glass) for egg laying. - Parental Care: Both parents fan and guard eggs — if they eat them the first few times, don’t panic; it’s normal! 💡 Breeder Insight: Once bonded, pairs often remain loyal for years. Move bonded pairs together — separating them can break pair bonds permanently. 🤝 Tank Mates Compatible with peaceful species that won’t nip fins — tetras, corydoras, gouramis, and smaller plecos.Avoid fin-nippers or very small fish (they may become snacks). Who else has had angelfish pair off in their tank? 💞 Share your story — did they parent their fry successfully or eat the eggs? Post pics of your pair or their spawning site!

Difficulty: BeginnerSize: 2 inchesTemperament: Energetic and peacefulLifespan: 4–5 years 💧 Tank Setup - Tank Size: 15–20 gallons minimum — they’re active swimmers! - Water Range: 64–75 °F, pH 6.5–7.5 — one of the few tropicals that thrive in cooler water. - Group Size: Keep 6 or more — small groups = fin chasing and stress. - Decor: Open swimming area with plants at the edges. - Lighting: Moderate; brighter light brings out their reflective stripes. 💡 Lesser-Known Tip: Zebra Danios can handle cooler temps because they come from mountain streams in India and Nepal — they’re perfect for unheated tanks in warm climates! 🍽️ Diet - Staple: High-quality flakes or micro pellets. - Supplements: Baby brine shrimp, mosquito larvae, or daphnia. - Feeding Routine: Twice a day; small amounts. 💡 Fact: They’ve been used in scientific research for decades — even in genetic and medical studies — because of their transparent eggs and regenerative ability. 🧬 Breeding Behavior - Type: Egg scatterer. - Trigger: Separate males and females for a week; then reunite with a morning light cycle and cooler water change. - Setup: Use marbles or mesh on the bottom so eggs fall through — parents will eat them otherwise. - Egg Care: Remove adults post-spawning; fry hatch in about 2 days. 💡 Breeder Insight: They usually spawn at sunrise — mimic dawn lighting with a dim room light first, then your tank light 30 minutes later. 🤝 Tank Mates Great with guppies, corydoras, rasboras, and small tetras.Avoid slow, long-finned species (like bettas) — danios are too fast and can annoy them. 💬 Community Prompt Who’s kept Zebra Danios before? 🦓Post a video or photo — do yours zip around the glass or stay together in a tight school? (Bonus: share if you’ve ever seen them spawn at sunrise!)

Difficulty: Beginner-FriendlySize: 1.5–3 inches (varies by species)Temperament: Peaceful bottom dwellerLifespan: 5–8 years 💧 Tank Setup - Tank Size: Minimum 20 gallons; always keep in groups of 6+ — they’re schooling catfish. - Substrate: Fine sand or smooth gravel — rough substrate can wear down their barbels. - Water Range: 72–78 °F, pH 6.5–7.5, soft to moderately hard water. - Environment: Add driftwood, smooth stones, and live plants for shade and oxygenation. 💡 Lesser-Known Tip: Corydoras gulp air from the surface using a modified intestine — it’s normal! But if they do it constantly, check for low oxygen levels. 🍽️ Diet - Staple: Sinking pellets or wafers. - Supplements: Frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, and crushed snails for protein. - Feeding Routine: Feed 30 minutes after lights out — they forage best in dim light. 💡 Pro Tip: Rotate foods — a mix of pellets, veggies, and occasional live snacks leads to thicker, healthier bodies and brighter eyes. 🧬 Breeding Behavior - Type: Egg layer (T-position spawn). - Trigger: Large cool-water change (simulate rainfall). - Setup: Smooth surfaces or spawning mops for eggs; remove adults afterward. - Egg Care: Add methylene blue or Indian almond leaves to prevent fungus. 💡 Breeder Insight: Females “cup” eggs in their pelvic fins before sticking them to glass — an amazing behavior to watch! 🤝 Tank Mates Perfect with tetras, rasboras, livebearers, shrimp, and peaceful dwarf cichlids.Avoid large or aggressive fish that may outcompete them for food. Which Cory species do you keep — Panda, Sterbai, or maybe a rare one like Orange Laser? 🧡Post a photo of your favorite and tell us what substrate or food keeps them happiest in your tank!