This month's Quick Catch: The Spotted Congo Puffer (Tetraodon schoutedeni) — the smallest African puffer at under 4 inches, surprisingly community-friendly, and the fish that gave Mike 8 years of one of his all-time favorite tanks.
Mike's "How to Outsmart Your Aquatic Plants" series: Monte Carlo (Micranthemum tweediei) — the three key reasons most hobbyists struggle with this popular carpeting plant, and exactly how to fix them.
This month's Quick Catch: The Zebrina Pike Cichlid (Crenicichla zebrina) — Mike's all-time favorite cichlid, with its stunning yellow zebra stripes on olive green, bright red throat, and surprisingly peaceful disposition for a large pike.
Mike's "How to Outsmart Your Aquatic Plants" series: Red Root Floater (Phyllanthus fluitans) — why yours isn't red, why it keeps dying, and how water flow, lighting, and iron are the three keys to success.
This month's Quick Catch: The Panda Garra / Rainbow Garra (Garra flavatra) — one of Mike's all-time favorites, a striking black, yellow, and red algae-eating community fish that eats even black beard algae.
Mike's "How to Outsmart Your Aquatic Plants" series: Amazon Sword (Echinodorus bleheri) — the right way to plant, the reason your leaves melt after purchase, and exactly how to propagate new plants from runners.
This month's Quick Catch: The Fahaka Puffer (Tetraodon lineatus) — Mike's favorite XL fish, a highly intelligent wild-caught puffer that can live 20+ years, grow 18 inches, and requires a 150-gallon minimum and a species-only tank.
Mike makes a passionate case for why you should NEVER buy a Common Pleco (Hypostomus plecostomus) — sharing real-life stories from his pet store about the invasive species problem and the reality of how large these fish truly get.
Mike's "How to Outsmart Your Aquatic Plants" series: African Water Fern (Bolbitis heudelotii) — including the crucial tip about the melting phase and why you should never throw this plant away.
This month's Quick Catch: The Cardinal Tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi) — a staple of Mike's tanks since childhood, with its iconic full-body red stripe, peaceful schooling behavior, and mesmerizing presence in planted aquariums.
