Dwarf suckermouth catfish a.k.a oto cat
otocinclus affinis

It belongs to the family Loricariidae

Click here to learn more about the catfish in general.

Origin:
Southeast Brazil

Description:
A slender catfish with a suckermouth. A fairly high dorsal fin, but no adipose fins. About 1 ½ inches in length (4cm).

Color:
A base color that is light greenish gray to a muddy yellow. The fins have no color, or in some cases a light green.

Sexual distinction:
Mature females will be much bulkier.

Tank conditions:
Needs a current of some kind. So you can’t just have one in a bowl that doesn’t have a filter current, or current from a bubble curtain. Temperature 68-73 degrees Fahrenheit (20-23 Celsius). The ph and hardness ratings are not that important. The tank should be well planted with lots of hiding places.

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And don’t worry about the plants, the oto cat a.k.a dwarf suckermouth catfish will eat the algae that grows on them. That brings me to my next subject.

Food:
Will mainly eat vegetation, will also eat very small worms. Most people often buy the oto cat a.k.a dwarf suckermouth catfish to eat the algae growing in their tank, which it will earn it’s keep by doing.

Behavior:
Usually remains under cover during the day, most active at dusk and during the night, which is it’s normal feeding time. Will attach it self to the sides of vertical slabs of rock, plant leaves and stems or the side of the glass.

Sexual reproduction:
A difficult fish to breed, but what I’ve learned is that they breed similar to Corydoras. The eggs hatch after 2-3 days. The fry should be feed baby brine shrimp (artemia nauplii) micro worms or egg yolk powdered very very fine.

Compatibility:
Somewhat territorial but harmless. They will be just fine in a mixed aquarium when enough room is given.

Angelfish
Pterophyllum scalare

It belongs to the family Cichlidae

Click here to learn what a cichlid is.

Cost: $5-45, the more expensive Angelfish are the ones that are either wild, or are of a new cultivated form. The cheaper ones are usually home-bred youngsters.

Short Bio: The Angel seems to be one of the most popular cichlids around, even though most fish keepers don’t know that it’s a cichlid. That’s just because of the unusual shape that the angel fish has.

Origin:
Amazon drainage, South America.

Size:
Both, males and females get to around 5 in (13 cm) long.

Sexual distinctions:
There are some who can say that by physical differences, that they can tell the different sexes, but when it comes to Angelfish the best known way to tell the sexes apart are is to observe the genital papilla during spawning. During spawning the males will be pointed, and the females will be blunt.

Tank conditions:
The tank size should measure, 24 x 16 x 16 in (60 x 40 x 40 cm). For a pair the tank size should be 36 x 16 x 16 in (90x 40 x 40 cm) for a community.
All the conditions below are for both community tanks and specie tanks.

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Temperature 77-82 Fahrenheit (25-28 Celsius). Water, for tank-bred strains the water conditions are not as critical and they can thrive in almost any type of water chemistry. Now, for wild specimens the water chemistry is actually important. For the wild Angelfish use soft, slight acid (Ph 6-6.5) water. Avoid having strong currents in the tank.
The tank should be well planted with bogwood, but for tank-bred strains this is not critical.
The Angelfish will prefer to stay at the top of the tank, and since in the wild there are shoals of Angelfish, so there really is not limit to the number of Angelfish that you can keep in a tank the has adequate space.

Food: In the wild Angelfish eat aquatic invertebrates, but in aquariums will eat any type of omnivore or carnivore foods.

Behavior:
A very peaceful cichlid even during breeding but be warned, may eat small tank mates.

Breeding:
Tank-bred Angelfish will breed in the tank but odds are they will eat the brood, so artificial hatching may be needed. Two females will “pair” and spawn if no male is present.

FireMouth Cichlid
chichlasoma meeki

It belongs to the family Cichlidae

Click here to learn what a cichlid is.

Cost: $5-45, with the wild caught specimens costing more.

Origin:
Guatemala Yucatan (Mexico)

Description:
Typical cichlid shape, but with a larger head. Upper body more arched then lower one. About 6 inches (15cm).

Color:
Consists of many different colors, the basic solo is a bluish gray with a nice purple sheen. The back tends darker, while the belly is a yellowish olive, the throat an lower jaw define what the fish is called because they are a magnificent brick red. A black line that is often divided in to spots, starts at the top edge of the gill cover and extends all the way to the bas of the tail. In the middle of the body there is a large gray-edged patch.

Sexual Distinction:

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Female will be duller in color, while having less pronounced spines of the anal and dorsal fins.

Tank conditions:
Temperature 68-73 degrees Fahrenheit (20-23 Celsius). Ph and hardness rating that too important, middle ranges with soot this fish best. Does not do well in planted tanks.

Food:
Live food, with a little plant food.

Behavior:
A relatively peaceful fish. Does better with other cichlids.

Sexual maturity and reproduction:
Reach a sexual maturity at around 3 inches (8cm). Pair forming, and when trying to breed you can raise the tank water to 75-79 degrees Fahrenheit or (24-26 Celsius).

Compatibility:
Should be kept with other cichlids. Become territorial.

Red-bellied piranha
pygocentrus nattereri

For more information on Characins click here.

Cost:
Before I tell you how much the Red-bellied piranha cost let me just lay down a few facts. The price will vary on these factors; specimen size, maturity and supplier. Now that you understand the variable the common price for the Red-bellied piranha is $7-15.

Short Bio:
The popular opinion about the Red-bellied piranha is the they are bloodthirsty beasts, well this is not the normal case. The Red-bellied piranha is actually a very timid fish when kept in small numbers in the home aquarium, with the younger specimens are actually spooked rather easily. The bloodthirsty beast side of the Red-bellied piranha is only applied to the large school found in the wild and that side is still greatly exaggerated. Even though I just tried to make you think twice about the ruthless nature that is so commonly associated with Red-bellied piranha think carefully before purchasing any.

Origin:
South Brazil, Amazon River Basin.

Sexual Distinctions:
The male Red-bellied piranha will be slightly more slender and while in breeding condition will darken greatly.

Tank conditions:
Your tank should measure at least 60 x 24 x 24 inches (150 x 60 x 60 cm).
The temperature should be between 72-82 degrees Fahrenheit (22-28 Celsius).
Red-bellied piranhas are able to thrive in many different types of water conditions, just avoid very hard and alkaline water. The tank should be decorated with hidings spot amongst large pieces of bogwood. If you have a desire to use plants in that tank be sure to use more robust species the Red-bellied piranha may eat more delicate species.

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The Red-bellied piranha should be housed in groups of at least four, try to keep an eye out for weaker ones in the group since you may need to remove the weaker one if fighting or bullying occur or it may end up as lunch.
The Red-bellied piranha prefers to occupy the middle of the tank and is best kept in a species tank.

Food:
There diet for the Red-bellied piranha should be split up into two parts.
First you have the frozen meaty foods, which includes but is not limited to, cockles, mussels, and fish. You can also feed the Red-bellied piranha larger live foods such as shrimp or fish, just make sure the live fish are not diseased.
The second part of the diet should consist of dried pellet foods. Almost all typed of dried food will work, the reason they need this type of food is that it contains many vitamins and minerals that may be lacking in their other foods.

Behavior:
Here’s the section that I’m sure many have been waiting for. The Red-bellied piranha is rather scatty when younger, and actually slow-moving and quite timid when mature. But none the less may still take bites out of tanks mates. With adequate feeding and hardy, larger sized tankmates the Red-bellied piranha can make a great addition to your home aquarium.

Breeding:
When breeding the Red-bellied piranha you will need a very large aquarium and the spawning will usually take place after a water change. The parents will protect their young.

These videos are about 95% accurate for the information that they provide. I do not agree with everything that is said in them, but there are good tidbits of information on them so that’s why I left them there.

If you have a questions after watching a video just simply leave a comment below, you don’t need to join.

Checkout Mark’s pet fish the forum by clicking here

That paragraph above only pertains to the video that had multiple videos in it.

All the fish videos after this line _________ are fine, they are ones that I’ve posted myself.

Here is a video of a single Pictus Catfish just doing its thing.

Click here to learn more about the Pictus Catfish.

Here is a video of a male Malawi Butterfly Cichlid. At the 25 second mark the male is singled out really good, so if your having a hard time figuring out which one the camera is focused on just wait until then.

Click the link under the video for the profile on the Malawi Butterfly Cichlid.

Click here to learn more about the Malawi Butterfly Cichlid.

Here is a video of some very nice looking Angelfish.

Click here to learn more about the Angelfish and how to keep them.

Here is a video of what a Frontosa looks like.

Click here to learn more about the Frontosa and how to care for them.

Here is a male Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid chasing a female Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid.

Click here to learn more about the Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid and how to care for them.

Here is a great video on what a Midas Cichlid looks like.

Click here to learn how to keep Midas Cichlids.

Here are what two common swordtails look like. The male has the longer tail.

Click here to learn how to keep Swordtails.

Here is a video of a Sailfin Pleco a.k.a Common Pleco eating.

Click here to learn more about the sailfin Pleco a.k.a Common Pleco

Here is a video of a Ram with its fry.

Click here to learn how to keep the Gold & Blue Ram Butterfly Dwarf Cichlid.

Here is what the common platy looks like, and a bonus, it gives birth at the end. Just remember you can get these guys come in many different colors, such as solid black, yellow, dalmatian, mixes.

Click here to learn how to keep the Common Platy.

Here is a video of some of the best looking Guppies I’ve seen. This video should at least show you just how diverse the guppy species is. Very cool looking, second one is my favorite.

P.s It’s not me talking in the video.

Click here
to learn how to keep the Guppy a.k.a Millions Fish.

Here is a beautiful pair of convicts spawning.

Click here to learn how to keep the Convict Cichlid.

These are Tiger Barbs and the one is doing a head stand as a mating sign.

Click here to learn how to keep the Tiger Barb a.k.a Sumatra Barb.

This is a must see video even if you own Bettas. WOW! that’s all I have to say.

Click here to learn how to keep the Betta a.k.a Fighting Fish.

Here is a funny video of the most commonly bought Oscar.

Click here to learn how to keep the Oscar a.k.a Velvet Cichlid.

Here is a video of a fully grown Giant Gourami.

Click here to learn how to keep the Giant Gourami.

This is a great video on what the Bleeding Heart Tetra looks like.

Click here to learn how to keep the Bleeding Heart Tetra.

Here is a video of a blue and red Dwarf Gourami

Click here to learn how to keep the Dwarf Gourami.

Here is a video of a pair of Blue Acara cichlids with their fry.

Click here to learn how to keep the Blue Acara Cichlid.

Here is a very well put together video on the Black Neon Tetra, and as a bonus it’s teaching you how to breed them.

Click here to learn how to keep the Black Neon Tetra.

Here is a video of a small school of cardinal tetras.

Click here to learn how to keep the Cardinal Tetra.

Here are a couple of Otos just doing what they do.

Click here to learn how to keep the Dwarf Suckermouth Catfish a.k.a Oto Cat.

Here is a video of a Firemouth defending the young fry.

Click here to learn how to keep the Firemouth Cichlid.

Here is a pair of Jack Demspeys.

Click here to learn how to keep the Jack Dempsey Cichlid.