The Importance of Observation
By Ted Judy Some species of aquarium fish are very well documented in hobby (and scientific) literature, and many, many more are not. What should you do if published advice is lacking? Use the power...
View ArticleQuick and Easy Egg Tumbler
By Ted Judy Materials: • 1-inch diameter rigid plastic tube (standard lift tubing), a 2-inch piece, and a 6- to 8-inch piece • 2 bull’s-eye pieces from sponge filter frames • 2 pieces of fish...
View ArticleAn Easier Fishroom
By Ted Judy When people visit my fishroom one of the questions that usually comes up is how I find the time to maintain more than 60 aquariums. My room is small, compared to many, and I do not have a...
View ArticleBaby Brine Shrimp and Microworms
By Mike Hellweg I feed newly hatched brine shrimp (Artemia nauplii) to my fish every day, and have done so for more than 30 years. It is one of my keys to success in raising large numbers of fry....
View ArticleInfusoria, an Instant Live Food
By Mike Hellweg Throughout this challenge I have had many successful spawns from egglayers—anabantoids, tetras, rasboras, barbs, danios, etc. All of these fish produce large numbers of tiny fry....
View ArticleMättenfilters
By Mike Hellweg Over the past few years, as I’ve been visiting various clubs and getting to see other’s fishrooms, I’ve come across a “new” type of filter. They are easy to make, easy to use, and...
View ArticleMini Filters and Lasagna Containers
By Mike Hellweg Necessity is the mother of invention, as the proverb goes. When I began using a large number of lasagna containers for newly hatched fry, I needed something to hold an airstone in...
View ArticleThe Heat and Humidity of Summer
By Mike Hellweg One of the unexpected problems that I encountered during this year-long contest was temperature control in the fishroom. My fishroom has been up and running for nearly 15 years, so this...
View ArticleLive Interview with Cichlid World Columnist Ted Judy
By Gary MacDonald On Saturday, March 12th, 2011, Ted Judy participated in the first Online Interview we’ve had in a few years. Needless to say, Ted has given some stellar information and been a great...
View ArticleInterview with Mike Hellweg
The “TFH Breeder’s Challenge” Champion and author of the book Culturing Live Foods was kind enough to participate in an interview on Monday May 23, 2011. He provided advice about fishkeeping and...
View ArticlePreparing the Fishroom
By Mike Hellweg When Ted first approached me with the idea for this contest, I jumped at the chance to help promote my favorite part of the hobby, breeding fish. I knew I would have to step up my game...
View ArticleConditioning Breeders
By Mike Hellweg Fish will do what comes naturally and spawn in our aquaria IF we give them what they need. With many species that means approximating the spawning season, giving the adults what barb...
View ArticleWorth the Wait
By Ted Judy Mike and I are racing through species trying to see who can get the most to spawn in a year. I do not want to give the impression that this is the normal work rate we have in our fish...
View ArticleA Basic Strategy for Spawning Tetras, Barbs and Danios
By Ted Judy There are many species of tetras, barbs and danios that are not difficult to spawn. A good rule of thumb to figuring out a species’ difficulty is to compare prices at a fish store. Fish...
View ArticleColony-breeding Cichlids Finally Come Through
By Ted Judy Twenty years ago I kept and bred a lot of Lake Malawi cichlids. It is hard to beat the riot of color in a well-stocked Malawi community. Matthew (my 7-year-old fish fanatic in the making)...
View ArticleSpawning Pygmy Cories
By Jennifer Wilkinson Pygmy cories appreciate a well planted tank with plenty of cover. Photograph by Mark Smith. The pygmy cory (Corydoras pygmaeus) is found in South America, but was originally...
View ArticleSneaking Success
By David E. Boruchowitz Cichlids demonstrate extremely sophisticated reproductive strategies. One of the least common involves cooperative breeding in groups or colonies. Lake Tanganyikan...
View ArticleYarn is Easy
By Ted Judy The store clerk says, “You buy a lot of green yarn.” To which I reply, “I like the color green.” “A whole 10 bundles worth of green?” she asks. “Sometimes I buy dark blue. But only when...
View ArticleBreeding Common Fish
By Mike Hellweg As promised, I spent some time in a couple of local big box stores and a couple of local fish stores. In both big box stores the pickings were mighty slim for me— mostly big fish like...
View ArticleCaptive breeding could transform the saltwater aquarium trade and save coral...
Dr. Joan Holt is the associate director of the Fisheries and Mariculture Lab at the University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas. She’s done pioneering work in the field of...
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