Dustin's Blog — Easy

Read Time: 5 mins If you want a killer background aquarium plant with a ton of variety, you'll want to Apono-get on board with these guys (no, I'm not even slightly sorry for that pun). This post will give you info on the background/history of Aponogeton, as well as a care guide and a list of some awesome species to try out in your freshwater planted tank. History/Background of Aponogeton Aponogeton belongs to the Alismatids order of plants, so it's a cousin to plants like taro and snake lilies. In fact, some places use the plants' roots for food. There are...

Read Time: 5 mins "LOOK a fish tank!" "Can we go see the fish?!" "IT'S NEMO!" Haven't met a kid yet who saw an aquarium and didn't immediately run over to press their face against the glass and ask me what all the fish's names were. If you're looking for a fun family project, a first pet, a healthy outlet/hobby, a classroom pet, or cool ways to teach and entertain your kids, aquariums are an epic option. We've got some tips and tricks to make it easier.  Freshwater or Saltwater Aquarium? For most families, freshwater is the easiest, most readily...

Read Time: 5 minutes Hygrophila History, Biology, and Taxonomy - AKA how Petunias, Australia, and Diabetes are Related Taxonomy Hygrophila (sometimes called swampweed) is the more popular of the two aquatic genuses in the Acanthaceae family, which makes it a "cousin" to other commonly kept plants like Acanthus (Bear's Breeches), wild petunias (Ruellia), and the polka dot plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya). There are about 100 Hygrophila species currently recognized. Botanists and taxonomists are in the process of re-evaluating how to define the genus and its species, though, so the number might change in the near future. History (Or, how I came...

Read Time: 5 mins Welcome back to the second installment of the aquarium history series (Check out the first on the history of fishkeeping and aquariums)! We'll dig into the history of one of the coolest and most popular fish species on the planet: the betta.  When, where, and how were betta fish discovered? Bettas are all over the world these days, but they're native to southeast Asia, originating in Thailand (fun fact: they're the national aquatic animal of Thailand). Thailand, previously called Siam, is where their history with humans began, as they were collected in shallow pools and pitted...

8 Facts about the banana plant (Nymphoides aquatica), a fun and easy grower sure to be a conversation-starting newcomer in your planted fish tank.  Read Time: 5 minutes 1. Funny enough, the 'bananas' really are food  What are the bananas on Nymphoides aquatica? They're actually uniquely modified storage organs (tubers) designed to build up nutrients for later use. We eat bananas for food. So does Nymphoides, in a way.  2. When we say they're easy to keep, they're easy in every way you can think of Like most aquarium plants, they're great in high-light/high-nutrient conditions, but aquatic banana plants can survive (even thrive) as a...