More common fishes in aquaria and how to care for them (with pictures)

Introduction to the articles
The freshwater aquarium is the most popular aquarium in the world of fishkeeping. Their versatility and hardiness compared to marine aquaria have made them popular since the 20th century. Many tropical fish live in these aquaria, therefore making them popular to the hobby. The other four freshwater fish we're looking at, in detail, the livebearers, barbs, angelfish and tetras.



LIVEBEARERS

About the livebearers
The Poecillidae are a diverse group of freshwater fish mostly native to the Americas and Africa. There are three subfamlies to the Poecillidae and these fish from the family are known as 'livebearers'. Fish from the family include guppies and Endler's livebearer, swordtails, platies, mollies and lampeyes. These fish are named due to the fact that they give birth to live fry.

How to build a livebearer tank
The build will depend on which species of livebearer you are keeping. If you are building a tank for guppies and Endler's livebearers, you will need a gravel or aquasoil for the substrate and some plants i.e. guppy grass for shelter. Pour a decent amount of the substrate in the tank (10-20 gallons) and decorate the tank using hardscape (rocks or driftwood). For the other livebearers, it it similar but with a few differences. You will need a larger tank for swordtails and common mollies because they get fairly large in size. Fill the tank and let it cycle. Put the fish you want in the tank.

Livebearer care
Care depends on the livebearer you are keeping. Most livebearers do best between 74° and 78° F and pH between 7.0 and 8.4. The ratio of males-females for livebearers should be 1:3. Livebearers are omnivores, meaning they eat both meat and plant matter. Mollies are more herbivorous, so a little extra spirulina or other vegetable matter in their diet will result in better growth and colour. Guppies and Endler's livebearers, on the other hand, are more carnivorous. Since many types of livebearers are native to coastal brackish environments some experts recommend adding a tablespoon of non-iodized aquarium salt per 5 gallons of water, and even more for mollies. Others feel that minerals like calcium and magnesium that make water "hard" are key to keeping their livebearers healthy. Before adding salt or any other additive to your aquarium, make sure the other tank inhabitants will tolerate it. Do a 25% water change to keep them healthy.

Conclusion
A recap of the article:

1. Guppies and Endler's livebearers, mollies, swordtails, lampeyes and platies belong in the Poecillidae family.
2. Care depends on the livebearer you choose
3. Mollies need more salt in the water than most livebearers

The livebearers are easy to care and perfect for beginning fish breeders. These fish are known for their colours and popularity for the aquarium hobby. So, what are you waiting for? Get a livebearer at your local fish store today!






BARBS

About the barbs
Barbs belong in the Cyprinid family, the same family where the danionins and goldfish are in. These pretty fish are a schooling fish, in groups of 10 or more to reduce aggression. Barbs are popular to the aquarium hobby because of their schooling behaviour and colourful bodies. There are 28 genera that has the common name 'barb' in it. Some are aggressive (tiger barb) while others are peaceful (cherry and golden barb).

How to build a barb tank
You will need the correct substrate, plants and hardscape for this build. Put some dark gravel, aquasoil or sand in first, then the hardscape then finally the plants. You may want plants that are native to their range to help them call the tank home. Pour in some of the substrate on the tank, then spread it. Put some large rocks or driftwood for the decoration of the build. Place some plants in the substrate. You may need root tabs for this if you have gravel. Fill the tank and let it cycle. Put some compatible barbs in the tank.
Barb care
While many barbs are found in soft, acidic water in the wild, the majority of aquarium species sold today are raised commercially in water that often has a higher pH and alkalinity than their native environments. The pH should be between 6.8 and 7.8, alkalinity between 3° and 8° dkH (50 ppm to 140 ppm) and temperature between 75° and 80° F. Clean 10-25% of their water every week or few weeks. Smaller species can be kept in 20 gallon aquaria, while tiger and rosy barbs can be kept in a 30 gallon, the redline torpedo barb can be kept in a 60 gallon tank. Barbs need to be schools of 10 or more and require a lot of swimming space. Barbs are omnivores, so feed them some frozen or live foods as an occasional treat.

Tiger barb- nice or mean?
The tiger barb (Puntigrus tetrazona) is one of the aquarium hobby's most popular species of barb worldwide. However these fish can be fin nippers if you put them with incompatible tank mates with long, flowing fins. They also nip each other's fins if there is a lack of food. The fish are known that because of their temperament. To prevent this from happening, it's best to do a species-only aquarium with this fish. The tiger barb was also used to be sold as GloFish, genetically modified fish.
Conclusion
A recap on the article:

1. Barbs are schooling fish (10 or more is required)
2. Tiger barbs can get aggressive if you put the wrong tank mates in
3. Some barbs need to be in a large tank

The barbs are some of the aquarium hobby's more well known fish to keep. Despite the aggressiveness of some species, their hardiness and versatility have made them popular in the hobby. Some barbs are underrated in the hobby such as the golden barb and cherry barb. If you want a school of barbs or wanting to get one, this is the care guide for you.


ANGELFISH
About angelfish
Angelfish are some of the most popular cichlids originating from South America sold in aquarium shops around the world. They are hardy and unique for being tall instead of being wide due to their long, flowing fins. The angelfish are known to be peaceful at times, but one species is aggressive and that species is Pterophyllum leopoldi. Angelfish are great for cichlid lovers and experienced aquarists. If you want to own an angelfish or a school of them, read this care guide.
How to build an angelfish tank
If you want to keep angels in a species only aquarium, you will need a massive, tall tank (40-55 gallons) for the build. You will need a gravel substrate, hardscape and compatible plants. The driftwood should be horizontal or vertical to simulate fallen trees. Some floating plants should be added for shaded areas. Broadleaf plants such as Amazon sword are required in an angelfish tank. Fill the tank and let it cycle. Put the angelfish in the tank.
Angelfish care guide
Angelfish accept a wide range of water conditions, although they prefer slightly warmer water. The pH should be between 6.8 and 7.8, with hardness between 3° and 8° dKH (54 to 145 ppm). Temperature is best kept between 78° and 84° F. Maintain good filtration and perform water changes of 10% weekly or 25% every other week. Angelfish can be kept with discus if the temperature is above 82° F. While angelfish are generally peaceful fish, they are cichlids and can be aggressive toward one another, especially when attempting to pair off and spawn. Also, they will not hesitate to eat smaller fish. This does not mean they are aggressive, as many aquarists believe. Like most fish they are opportunistic and will eat anything that fits into their mouth.

Conclusion
A recap of the article:

1. Angelfish can get taller than wide due to their long fins
2. A species-only aquarium is your best bet if you want to keep angelfish
3. Angelfish can be kept with discus

Angels are popular because of their long flowing fins. These cichlids must be kept in either in a species-only aquarium or community aquarium. Their mostly peaceful temperament and hardiness have made them a perfect choice for cichlid lovers. If you keep them once, it will be worth it at the end.


TETRAS
About the tetras

Tetras are popular aquarium fish native to the Americas and Africa from the Characiformes order. There are 3 main families of tetras: Alestiidae, Characidae and Lebiasinidae. Many tetras are blackwater fish, meaning they live in tannin-stained water environments. Tetras are relatively easy to look after in the home aquarium. Many are peaceful community fish, but some are aggressive or semi-aggressive, so pick your tetra carefully. There are even blind tetras living in caves such as Astyanax mexicanus. We will dive into more detail of this species. The most popular tetras in the aquarium hobby include cardinal tetras, neon tetras, emperor tetras and ember tetras. All of these tetras are popular because of their bright colours and hardiness for the aquarium.


Mexican/blind cave tetra

One unique member of the Characidae family is Astyanax mexicanus, the Mexican tetra. It is native to the Nearctic realm which includes the lower Rio Grande and the Nueceses and Pecos Rivers in Texas, as well as central-east Mexico. The blind cave form is the best known variant of the Mexican tetra. Depending on the exact population, cave forms can have degenerated sight or have total loss of sight and even their eyes due to down-regulation of the protein αA-crystallin and consequent lens cell death. The fish in the Pachón caves have lost their eyes completely whilst the fish from the Micos cave only have limited sight. They grow up to 12cm in length. The non-cave version is grey with a black stripe near the tail and red fins. The natural habitat of this species are dark caves that are very rocky. There are many underground caves available that facilitate providing the ideal atmosphere for this blind species. Along with being blind, they have developed pigmentation issues in the skin cells and clear fins. Most of the fish do not have eyesight and are blind. It can survive in the natural environment without any issues. This is because they possess sensory organs which are efficiently stimulated by vibrations and changes with the pressure in water. This stimulation facilitates them to find food and adjust in the dark.


How to build a tetra tank

Most tetras (including cardinal tetras and rummy nose tetras) prefer a basic blackwater setup with botanics and driftwood with hardy plants that survive in blackwater conditions or a community tank with other tetras. Use the substrate you want to build a community tank (gravel or aquasoil) or biotope (sand). Pour a decent amount of substrate into a 20-30 gallon tank and spread it using a substrate spreader. Place the hardscape next. You can use bigger objects for the background and smaller objects in the foreground. Place some plants native to their range depending on the species of tetra you are looking for. You may want to put some root tabs if you have a sandy or gravel substrate. Fill the tank and let it cycle. Put the tetras in the tank.

For Mexican tetras (blind cave form), you need a gravel substrate and some rocks to imitate their natural habitat. You can make stalagmites by carving a tall piece of rock into the shape you want. Repeat that many times until you have the cave feel in your build. The tank size must be 40 gallons or more to hold a school of these fish. Fill the tank and let it cycle. Put the blind cave tetras in.


Tetra care

For most tetras, pH should be between 6.8 and 7.8, alkalinity between 3° and 8° dkH (50 ppm to 140 ppm) and temperature between 75° and 80° F. Exceptions like the Buenos Aires tetra do better in cooler water. For Mexican tetras, they prefer warmer tank temperatures between 68°F and 77°F (20°C to 25°C) and a water hardness around 30 dGH. The Mexican tetra likes neutral to slightly alkaline water as well, so keep the pH between 6.5 and 8.0. You should do a 10-25% water change depending the species of tetra you are looking after.


Conclusion
A recap of the article:

1. Tetras belong in three families from Caraciformes order
2. The blind cave variant of the Mexican tetra is unique
3. They possess olfactory senses to detect food sources
4. Tetra care depends on the species you're looking for

Tetras are incredibly hardy because they live in a wide range of water parameters. These fish are very easy to care for, and would be highly recommended for the beginner aquarist. The Mexican tetra is a unique fish for experienced hobbyists who want blind fish to keep. If you're getting a school of tetras in a community tank or biotope aquarium, this care guide is for you.


Conclusion of the articles
These four fish are beginner-advanced for fish keepers young and old. If anyone owns one of the four fish, they will be happy to care for them. Barbs and tetras are easy schooling fish for beginners, livebearers for intermediate aquarists and angelfish for advanced aquarists. There is a plus side to owning these four fish, care is mostly simple. If you're getting one of the four fish for your freshwater aquarium, this article is for you.

There's a very important thing to mention once you want to start a care guide about livebearers. And that is to start off with mentioning that livebearing fish can be divided into two categories, namely: viviparous livebearers and ovoviviparous livebearers. Most common known livebearers are ovoviviparous. Most wild livebearer species to be found on this globe are ovoviviparous. The number of viviparous livebearers is smaller. But still significant to mention.
And secondly depending on the type of livebearer species, they can be superfetative. And third: Most (so, not all) ovoviviparous female livebearers can store donated sperm packets for over a year. All viviparous female livebearers can not store any donated sperm. Fourth: The gestation period for livebearers is between 3-8 weeks (sometimes even longer). Mollies for instance will take about 6-8 weeks and not about 4 weeks as most think. That's been generalized because it does go for guppies, platies and swordtails. Unless, there's too much nutrients in an egg of a molly embryo, the gestation period will be shorter. Otherwise, it will take up to at least 6 weeks for a molly to drop fry. But there are more livebearer species which have a longer gestation period.

elephantnose3334 said:

About the livebearers
The Poecillidae are a diverse group of freshwater fish mostly native to the Americas and Africa. There are three subfamlies to the Poecillidae and these fish from the family are known as 'livebearers'. Fish from the family include guppies and Endler's livebearer, swordtails, platies, mollies and lampeyes. These fish are named due to the fact that they give birth to live fry.

Click to expand...

To avoid any misunderstandings, you should mention that the Poeciliidae family consists of livebearers and killifish. For you've mentioned Africa. Livebearers from the Americas are related to the killifish in Africa despite of the fact that we're dealing with livebearing fish and egglayers. Lampeyes are killifish. You shouldn't have used the lampeyes in one line with endler's livebearers, swordtails, platies and mollies. For the following line was: These fish are named due to the fact that they give birth to live fry. That would suggest that lampeyes are livebearers as well. The livebearer species that you've mentioned are just a few that are part of the Poeciliidae family. For there are a lot more.

elephantnose3334 said:

How to build a livebearer tank
The build will depend on which species of livebearer you are keeping. If you are building a tank for guppies and Endler's livebearers, you will need a gravel or aquasoil for the substrate and some plants i.e. guppy grass for shelter. Pour a decent amount of the substrate in the tank (10-20 gallons) and decorate the tank using hardscape (rocks or driftwood). For the other livebearers, it it similar but with a few differences. You will need a larger tank for swordtails and common mollies because they get fairly large in size. Fill the tank and let it cycle. Put the fish you want in the tank.

Click to expand...

There's no specific way to build a livebearer tank. Every single livebearer species has got it own needs in how the environment must look like. You've already mentioned that it does differ per livebearer species, which is a good thing of you to mention. But that's also the main reason why we can't speak about how to build a livebearer tank. Using plants like guppy grass is of no need for endlers for they won't chase nor eat their fry. Maybe it can be used for some females to shelter but endler males won't chase female's that heavily as guppies will do.
There are also livebearers that are not happy in a planted tank. It comes down to the type of livebearer that's kept.

elephantnose3334 said:

Livebearer care
Care depends on the livebearer you are keeping. Most livebearers do best between 74° and 78° F and pH between 7.0 and 8.4. The ratio of males-females for livebearers should be 3:1. Livebearers are omnivores, meaning they eat both meat and plant matter. Mollies are more herbivorous, so a little extra spirulina or other vegetable matter in their diet will result in better growth and colour. Guppies and Endler's livebearers, on the other hand, are more carnivorous. Since many types of livebearers are native to coastal brackish environments some experts recommend adding a tablespoon of non-iodized aquarium salt per 5 gallons of water, and even more for mollies. Others feel that minerals like calcium and magnesium that make water "hard" are key to keeping their livebearers healthy. Before adding salt or any other additive to your aquarium, make sure the other tank inhabitants will tolerate it. Do a 25% water change to keep them healthy.

Click to expand...

Most common livebearers do well between 68°F and 78°F, where they have a better lifespan and can be kept healthy. But if we speak about the whole range of livebearer species we are talking about a range of 59°F and 82°F. There are specific livebearer species that won't do well above 68°C. And there are livebearer species that won't do well lower than 79°F and higher than 83°F.
Most livebearer (vivparous and ovoviviparous) species are better off in moderate hard till hard water. But there is also a fair number of livebearer species that should be kept soft water till moderate soft water to keep them well.
I believe you meant: male:female rato should be at 1m:3F instead of what you've mentioned:

he ratio of males-females for livebearers should be 3:1.

Click to expand...

But it depends on the livebearer species whether this is needed or not. For it's a generalization that all male livebearers harass females for the whole day. And the ratio that you've mentioned is actually not that weird (despite of the fact that I do think that you meant the other way around). It's already been proven that more males than females in a larger group will distract the males from harassing those females because they're too busy with other males in competition of who's the best alpha male around here. Even I have a number of tank with more males in it and it works perfectly.

Depending on the type of livebearer, livebearer species can be omnivores, herbivores or carnivores. So, it would be in correct to state that livebearers are omnivores. But yes, most mollies (so, not all) are more herbivores than carnivores. Guppies and endlers are real omnivores and don't have a bigger taste for being carnivores.

I wouldn't say that many livebearers occur in coastal brackish environments. Yes, there's a large group of them but many in this line setting gives the impression that most livebearers occur in such areas. For that would be incorrect. It really depends on the type of livebearer to state that. There are a lot of species that only occur in freshwater. But using a tablespoon of salt won't hurt them and will prevent them from certain diseases like fungus for instance. And damaged skin will heal faster. But that's it. But yes, those which live in brackish water, adding salt from time to time is a plus for sure. So, it does come down on the type of livebearer species. But be also aware of it that a lot of breeding forms of wild livebearer species that came from brackish waters are already used to total freshwater instead of brackish. So, be careful with some remarks about the need of salt.

I keep also a number of livebearer species that need some dirt in the water and they hate a frequent water change. And it's a fact that not all livebearer species need a frequent water change to keep them healthy. This goes more for the breeding forms that need a more frequent water change.

elephantnose3334 said:

The livebearers are easy to care and perfect for beginning fish breeders. These fish are known for their colours and popularity for the aquarium hobby.

Click to expand...

This remark of being good beginner's fish goes only for a number of livebearer species. When we speak about coloration of livebearers, that goes mostly for the common breeding forms. Although, there are some wild livebearer species that do have sparkling colors. But that goes for a minority of wild livebearers.

Sorry for all the adding to this topic but it's care guide or it's not a care guide.

Seeing this picture makes me say: WOW...! I love natural looking tanks...

Tiger Barbs ! ! !

Yeah, I don’t know where you got this information from @elephantnose3334 but it’s not very good information.

“Barbs are schooling fish”…. You can’t make such sweeping generalisations about an enormous and varied group of species. Same with tetras. They come from all over South America and Africa and have filled every niche. It’s very misleading to make people think they’re all similar in their requirements.
I can think of more than 3 families of tetras. Which ones are you thinking of?

Ichthys said:

Yeah, I don’t know where you got this information from @elephantnose3334 but it’s not very good information.

“Barbs”…. “are a schooling fish”…. You can’t make such sweeping generalisations about an enormous and varied group of species. Same with tetras. They come from all over South America and Africa and have filled every niche. It’s very misleading to make people think they’re all similar in their requirements.

Click to expand...

I only replied to the livebearer part for I already thought that more would chime in about the other fish care guides. Well, he does mean well by writing these care guides. Let's be honest about that. But yes, it's age and inexperience that puts the mistakes in the care guides. But his enthusiasm is admirable for someone his age. But with some guidance, he could become better in it. Let's support that part for we're here to help another...

You just have to be careful as in someway it does represent the forum as it is published as a care guide rather than a journal.

AlexT said:

You just have to be careful as in someway it does represent the forum as it is published as a care guide rather than a journal.

Click to expand...

I do agree with you...

Editors and critics... are useful. @elephantnose3334 can write, and that's a strong skill to have. It's simply a matter of narrowing the subjects because it's too easy to over generalize. Most people in the hobby have trouble with the species idea, preferring to talk about breeds or types. You could write a book about barbs (I did) and not be able to cover the diversity in how to keep them or how to understand them. It's the same for all the groups discussed - @elephantnose3334 just tried to cover too much in too small a resume.
With that writing skill, we'll hopefully see more texts on specific fish. There's no end to the learning, and to the sharing of discoveries.

emeraldking said:

There's a very important thing to mention once you want to start a care guide about livebearers. And that is to start off with mentioning that livebearing fish can be divided into two categories, namely: viviparous livebearers and ovoviviparous livebearers. Most common known livebearers are ovoviviparous. Most wild livebearer species to be found on this globe are ovoviviparous. The number of viviparous livebearers is smaller. But still significant to mention.
And secondly depending on the type of livebearer species, they can superfetative. And third: Most (so, not all) ovoviviparous female livebearers can store donate sperm packets for over a year. All viviparous female livebearers can not store any donated sperm. Fourth: The gestation period for livebearers is between 3-8 weeks (sometimes even longer). Mollies for instance will take about 6-8 weeks and not about 4 weeks as most think. That's been generalized because it does go for guppies, platies and swordtails. Unless, there's too much nutrients in an egg of a molly embryo, the gestation period will be shorter. Otherwise, it will take up to at least 6 weeks for a molly to drop fry. But there are more livebearer species which have a longer gestation period.

To avoid any misunderstandings, you the Poeciliidae family consists of livebearers and killifish. For you've mentioned Africa. Livebearers from the Americas are related to the killifish in Africa despite of the fact that we're dealing with livebearing fish and egglayers. Lampeyes are killifish. You shouldn't have used the lampeyes in one line with endler's livebearers, swordtails, platies and mollies. For the following line was: These fish are named due to the fact that they give birth to live fry. That would suggest that lampeyes are livebearers as well. The livebearer species that you've mentioned are just a few that are part of the Poeciliidae family. For there are a lot more.

There's no specific way to build a livebearer tank. Every single livebearer species has got it own needs in how the environment must look like. You've already mentioned that it does differ per livebearer species, which is a good thing of you to mention. But that's also the main reason why we can't speak about how to build a livebearer tank. Using plants like guppy grass is of no need for endlers for the y won't chase nor eat their fry. Maybe it can be used for some females to shelter but endler males won't chase female's that heavily as guppies will do.
There are also livebearers that are not happy in a planted tank. It comes down to the type of livebearer that's kept.

Most common livebearers do well between 68°F and 78°F, where they have better lifespan and can be kept healthy. But if we speak about the whole range of livebearer species we are talking about a range of 59°F and 82°F. There are specific livebearer species that won't do well above 68°C. And there are livebearer species that won't do well lower than 79°F and higher than 83°F.
Most livebearer (vivparous and ovoviviparous) species are better off in moderate hard till hard water. But there is also a fair number of livebearer species that should be kept soft water till moderate soft water to keep them well.
I believe you meant: male:female rato should be at 1m:3F instead of what you've mentioned:

But it depends on the livebearer species whether this is needed or not. For it's a generalization that all male livebearers harass females for the whole day. And the ratio that you've mentioned is actually not that weird (despite of the fact that I do think that you meant the other way around). It's already been proven that more males than females in a larger group will distract the males to harass those females because they're too busy with other males in competition of who's the best alpha male around here. Even I have a number of tank with more males in it and it works perfectly.

Depending on the type of livebearer, livebearer species can be omnivores, herbivores or carnivores. So, it would be in correct to state that livebearers are omnivores. But yes, most mollies (so, not all) are more herbivores than carnivores. Guppies and endlers are real omnivores and don't have a bigger taste for being carnivores.

I wouldn't say that many livebearers occur in coastal brackish environments. Yes, there's a large group of them but many in this line setting gives the impression that most livebearers occur in such areas. For that would be incorrect. It really depends on the type of livebearer to state that. There are a lot of species that only occur in freshwater. But using a tablespoon of salt won't hurt them and will prevent them from certain diseases like fungus for instance. And damaged skin will heal faster. But that's it. But yes, those which live in brackish water, adding salt from time to time is a plus for sure. So, it does come down on the type of livebearer species. But be also aware of it that a lot of breeding forms of wild livebearer species that came from brackish waters are already used to total freshwater instead of brackish. So, be careful with some remarks about the need of salt.

I keep also a number of livebearer species that need some dirt in the water and they hate a frequent water change. And it's a fact that not all livebearer species need a frequent water change to keep them healthy. This goes more for the breeding forms that need a more frequent water change.


This remark of being good beginner's fish goes only for a number of livebearer species. When we speak about coloration of livebearers, that goes mostly for the common breeding forms. Although, there are some wild livebearer species that do have sparkling colors. But that goes for a minority of wild livebearers.

Sorry for all the adding to this topic but it's care guide or it's not a care guide.

Click to expand...

Ichthys said:

Yeah, I don’t know where you got this information from @elephantnose3334 but it’s not very good information.

“Barbs are schooling fish”…. You can’t make such sweeping generalisations about an enormous and varied group of species. Same with tetras. They come from all over South America and Africa and have filled every niche. It’s very misleading to make people think they’re all similar in their requirements.
I can think of more than 3 families of tetras. Which ones are you thinking of?

Click to expand...

I have tried my best on writing this care guide. I wanted to do it on my own words. Emerald, I accidentally swapped the ratio on the livebearer section. I will fix the typo. Ichthys, I'm thinking of the main family of tetras that cardinal, ember and rummy nose tetras belong.

GaryE said:

Editors and critics... are useful. @elephantnose3334 can write, and that's a strong skill to have. It's simply a matter of narrowing the subjects because it's too easy to over generalize. Most people in the hobby have trouble with the species idea, preferring to talk about breeds or types. You could write a book about barbs (I did) and not be able to cover the diversity in how to keep them or how to understand them. It's the same for all the groups discussed - @elephantnose3334 just tried to cover too much in too small a resume.
With that writing skill, we'll hopefully see more texts on specific fish. There's no end to the learning, and to the sharing of discoveries.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the constructive criticism everyone. I will remember to fix some mistakes I made along the way.

Fixing errors is easy - but keeping on writing is the hard part. You could be the next Baensch or Innes - hang in there!

I didn't realise you put all this into your own words. I commented earlier, but it's really none of my business what you are writing. There are lots of contributions from experienced members on your content. I think we should be building people up on here and not just focusing purely on the fish care. The fish care is totally important to get right, but, we are still humans with emotions trying to interact as best we can. It is a forum, not a laboratory. We can get both elements right on here, if we try hard.