10 Facts About Albino Cory Catfsh

As a dedicated aquarist, some of my favorite fishy companions include a trio of albino corydoras catfish, or "cory cats" for short. These small, frisky, active catfish are excellent community fish and tolerate a wide range of water parameters. Because they are hardy, forgiving and social, albino cory cats are ideal pets for beginning fishkeepers.

Here are 10 interesting facts about albino cory catfish.

1. Most albino cory catfish are selectively bred from the bronze cory catfish, or Corydoras aeneus.

2. Albino corydoras catfish do not occur naturally in the wild; they have been bred exclusively for the commercial ornamental fish trade.

3. Most catfish are nocturnal, but the albino corydoras is most active during the day.

4. The name "corydoras" comes from the Greek kory (helmet) tand doras (skin). It literally translates to "helmet skin".

5. Albino cory catfish engage in an unusual mating behavior, in which the female attaches herself to the male's underside and drinks his sperm.

6. Female albino cory catfish are usually plumper than the males, but this is not a universal trait.

7. Cory catfish thrive at a temperature between 72-78 degrees. In homes that are kept consistently warm, they may thrive without a heater.

8. High nitrate levels can cause albino cory catfish to develop infected barbels; this makes it difficult for them to navigate and eat normally. Maintain nitrate levels below 20 ppm.

9. Most cory catfish die after 2-5 years in captivity. However, some live surprisingly long lives. One was recorded to live to be 27 years old!

10. Albino cory catfish sometimes rise to the water's surface to "drink" small amounts of air.

Visit Fishlore for more information about caring for albino cory cats.

10 Facts About Australian Rainbowfish

Australian rainbow fish are stunningly beautiful, so they are popular choices for stocking home aquariums. While some species of Australian rainbowfish are surprisingly hardy, others require carefully maintained water parameters and specialized care.

The most common Australian rainbowfish in the home aquarium include the Australian red-tailed rainbowfish, the dwarf rainbowfish and the threadfin rainbowfish.

Know these 10 interesting facts about Australian rainbowfish if you are interested in keeping them in your own fish tank.

1. Australian rainbowfish are closely related to the tropical marine rainbowfish that populate the saltwater ecosystems around Australia and Oceana. True freshwater fish are rare in Australia, and the fish have entered freshwater streams over hundreds of years.

2. In general, Australian rainbowfish do best when trace amounts of salt are added to the water. While they can survive in brackish-water ecosystems, high salt levels are not ideal.

3. Newly hatched Australian rainbowfish fry accept very fine grades of live food. Baby brine shrimp, artemia and daphnia are ideal.

4. Female Australian rainbowfish have shorter fins and duller coloration than males.

5. The tiny Australian rainbowfish Pseudomugil signatus remains guppy-sized throughout life, but teh red-tailed rainbowfish may grow to 4 inches or more.

6. Australian rainbowfish live primarily around North-Eastern coast of Australia, including the fresh and brackish-water streams of Queensland.

7. Because Australian rainbowfish are hardy and can survive a wide temperature range, they have the capacity to become a dangerous invasive species in the U.S. never-- ever--- release Australian rainbowfish or any other species into the wild.

8. Related freshwater species that are similar to Australian rainbowfish live in Madagascar, Mexico and Cuba.

9. The closest relatives of freshwater Australian rainbowfish populate the Great Barrier Reef. Saltwater species are generally larger than their inland cousins.

10. Ideal tankmates for Australian rainbowfish include mollies, guppies, swordtails and other salt-tolerant livebearers. Several species of gourami, barb and tetra can also thrive in a tank with Australian rainbowfish.

10 Facts About Black Skirt Tetras

The black skirt tetra is a very popular fish for home freshwater aquariums. I have had the honor of keeping these beauties in my own tanks, but I was dissuaded from serious interest in the species by its uninteresting adult coloration.

Nevertheless, the black skirt tetra is a fascinating species, and its undemanding nature makes it ideal for beginning aquarium enthusiasts.

Know these ten interesting facts about the black skirt tetra.

1. The black skirt tetra is a member of the characin family, which also includes the piranha and the neon tetra.

2. Black skirt tetras are omnivores, but they prefer meaty foods as a staple. In the wild, they eat insects, crustaceans and worms. They usually accept flake food.

3. Adult black skirt tetras lose their juvenile coloration. After about one to two years of age, they lose their characteristic "skirt".

4. Female black skirt tetras are usually larger than males and have a wider anal fin. Otherwise, there are no obvious differences between male and female black skirt tetras.

5. A black skirt tetra has an average life expectancy of 3-5 years in captivity, but its life expectancy is much shorter in poorly-kept tanks.

6. Angelfish and bettas are incompatible with black skirt tetras; the tetras will eagerly nip th efins of slow-moving tankmates.

7. Black skirt tetras are sometimes confused with black phatom tetras, which are a completely distinct species.

8. Other names for the black skirt tetra include the black widow tetra, blackskirt, blackamoor, petticoat tetra or butterfly tetra.

9. In general, these frisky fish will breed in captivity. However, adult males often eat their own eggs.

10. As a schooling fish, black skirt tetras should be kept in groups of 3 or more at all times. They may become more aggressive if they are kept in social isolation.

10 Facts About Tiger Barbs

The tiger barb fish offers impressive coloration and beautiful schooling behavior. More than any other cyprinid species, tiger barbs can provide fishkeepers with years of beauty and entertainment with very little labor input. These tough, hardy fish can thrive in a large aquarium if they are kept in suitably large schools.

If you are interested in this species, know these 10 interesting facts about tiger barbs.

1. Tiger barbs have a strong need to be in large groups. They are highly social and will only thrive when kept in groups of eight or more.

2. A school of tiger barb fish will develop a pecking order, similar to a pack of wolves or a pod of dolphins. If you learn to discern the differences between your tiger barbs, you will see that they eat in the exact same order every time.

3. The tiger barb looks very similar to its two closest relatives, the black ruby barb and the five-banded barb. It will willingly interbreed with most other barb species.

4. Selective breeding has produced many interesting varieties of tiger barb, including long-finned, albino, golden, rosy, red and green strains. These varieties can all interbreed with one another.

5. Tiger barbs will school with fish that have similar patterns of color. Watch your tiger barbs school alongside clown loaches, five-banded barbs, and even flame tetras.

6. Female tiger barbs can lay as many as 1000 eggs in a day.

7. Depending on the strain of tiger barb fish, adults may reach anywhere from 2-4 inches in size.

8. The term "barb" applies to all members of the genus, which differ from other cyprinids in that they completely lack barbels near the mouth.

9. Tiger barbs are notorious for their fin-nipping tendencies; they may harass members of other species. However, this behavior is usually minimal in barbs kept in sufficiently large schools.

10. Tiger barbs have no obvious sexual differences, but the females may be a bit stouter than the males.