Mike's "How to Outsmart Your Aquatic Plants" series: Subwassertang (Lomariopsis lineata) — the easy-care, seaweed-like floating fern that's perfect for shrimp tanks and fry rearing.
This month's Quick Catch: The Zebra Pleco (Hypancistrus zebra, L046) — one of the most coveted fish in the hobby with its stunning black-and-white pattern, critically endangered status, and fascinating breeding challenges.
Mike's "How to Outsmart Your Aquatic Plants" series: Cryptocoryne wendtii — the one plant you actually DON'T need to outsmart. Hardy, colorful, CO2-free, and thriving in virtually any substrate or lighting condition.
This month's Quick Catch: The Vampire / Viper Shrimp (Atya gabonensis) — a peaceful West African filter feeder that changes colors, grows up to 6 inches, and makes a stunning and compatible addition to community freshwater tanks.
Mike's "How to Outsmart Your Aquatic Plants" series: Dwarf Aquarium Lily (Nymphaea stellata) — including the most important rule: when the leaves die back, DON'T throw the bulb away. It's NOT dead.
This month's Quick Catch: The Sunshine / Goldie Pleco (Scobinancistrus aureatus, L014) — one of Mike's all-time favorite plecos, known for its stunning black-and-gold transformation from juvenile to adult, peaceful temperament, and 15-year lifespan.
This month's Quick Catch: The African Butterfly Fish (Pantodon buchholzi) — the Arowana's distant cousin that glides through the air, snatches crickets mid-leap, and makes a fascinating surface-dwelling predator for the right tank.
This month's Quick Catch: The Electric Blue Acara (Andinoacara pulcher) — a man-made hybrid of the Blue Acara with stunning electric blue coloring, peaceful temperament, and impressive longevity of up to 20 years.
This month's Quick Catch: The Red Neon Blue Eye Rainbowfish (Pseudomugil limitatus) — one of Mike's all-time favorite nano fish, with its stunning neon red/orange body, blue-ringed eyes, and suitability for shrimp tanks.
This month's Quick Catch: The Red Miurus Puffer (Tetraodon miurus) — the rare red variant of the Congo Puffer that looks like a potato, buries itself in sand to ambush prey, and is 100% a solo-tank fish.
