Dustin's Blog — Dustinsfishtanks

Read Time: 6 minutes What is a biotope tank? A biotope aquarium is basically an underwater snapshot. The goal is to replicate a specific environment via animals, plants, decor, etc. There are hundreds of ideas: Burmese rivers, Florida swamps, floodplains, African lakes…if there's an aquatic region you like, chances are you can replicate it in your tank (The cover photo is an Indian biotope).  An African Biotope Tank Pros and cons for biotope tanks? The most obvious pro is that natural tanks are gorgeous, but they also provide an environment in which your fish can express natural behaviors (a...

Read Time: 5 mins Usually, thinking of planted tanks conjures up images of fish, or maybe of aquascaped tanks with no animals at all. But there’s a whole other side to the aquarium hobby that might hook you the way it’s hooked me: amphibians and invertebrates. If you’re looking for a unique planted tank idea and/or want to know which plants to put with your non-fish companions, then look no further. Here, we’ll match tried-and-true aquarium plant species with tank inhabitants you might have overlooked. A leucistic axolotl in a planted tank Aquarium Plants for Axolotls I’ve seen several posts from...

Read Time: 4 minutes So, you’ve got some experience with aquariums; you’re seeing growth on your beginner aquarium plants; and you’ve realized how awesome this whole planted tank thing is. But now, you’re squinting at other species and wondering, “Are there aquarium plants for people who want to try something new without biting off more than they can chew? Maybe I want to get better lights? I think I want to try fertilizer.” Congrats. You’ve landed on the right page. Welcome to part two of the series on which aquarium plants are right for you based on difficulty, maintenance, and...

Read Time: 5 mins “Can I have a planted tank without special lights, fertilizers, or a CO2 system?” This is a question everyone in the freshwater aquarium hobby has asked at some point, and we have good news: the answer is a resounding yes. If you want beautiful aquatic plants without feeling like you have to sell a kidney to afford tech to keep them alive, we've got you.   This is the first of a two part series on which aquarium plants are right for you based on how much maintenance they need. In this post, we'll list out some...

6 Tips and Tricks for Aquarium Conventions, Aquarium Clubs, and Other Aquarium Communities Read Time: 5 minutes   At this point, the stare aquarium hobbyists get after talking about their tanks with non-fishtank folks has to be universal. “You mean you don't keep your goldfish in a bowl?” “...you spent HOW much on a piece of driftwood?” “Why is there a 125 gallon where the couch used to be?” “No, you can't spend this year's grocery budget on a single fish 'because it would look cool in the living room.'” We don't need that kind of negative energy around here....