Wild fish are probably foragers feeding on algae, organic detritus, small insects, worms, crustaceans, and other zooplankton.

In the aquarium it’s easily-fed but the best condition and colours offer regular meals of small live and frozen foods such as bloodworm, Daphnia, and Artemia, alongside good quality dried flakes and granules, at least some of which should include additional plant or algal content.

The wild fish can exhibit several different types of patterning. P. latipinna has been selectively bred into many different colour morphs for the aquarium trade, and has also been crossbred with other molly species, particularly P. sphenops. They will also interbreed readily in the aquarium and in order to avoid this we suggest keeping only one species of molly per tank. There also exists a (in our opinion) grotesque 'balloon' variety of this fish in which the body is malformed and rou…

Native to the lower Amazon river basin in Brazil with some populations exhibiting differences in colour pattern to one another, particularly in respect of the degree of red and blue pigmentation on the body and fins.

Type locality is given simply as ‘Amazon River, Brazil’.

Field observations suggest it to display a pref…

Dicrossus Maculatus are not commonly available in the trade. Sometimes they are mistaken for the more common and popular Dicrossus Filamentosa.

The Spadetailed Checkerboards are an absolutely fascinating species to keep. They are a challenge to breed, requiring such acidic and soft water, but when it does happen it is a very rewarding experience.

Reports maintain that the pH and temperature of the water when conceived, eggs laid, eggs hatched and in the first month of the fry's life c…

Dicrossus Filamentosa were once part of the Crenicara genus, but now share the Dicrossus genus with Dicrossus Maculata. The two species look similar, but the Maculata lack the lyretailed of the Filamentosa. Some say however, that the Maculata has even more striking body colouration than the already impressive Filamentosa.

These fish aren't impossible to find, but aren't readily available in local fish shops either. They are seen as a challenge to breed, but plenty of breeders have h…

Taeniacara Candidi are the source of much discussion amongst dwarf cichlid keepers. They are a highly attractive species, but require very specific water parameters and as such are seen as a challenge amongst even experienced south american cichlid keepers.

Candidi are renowned for not liking water changes – they will commonly get "moody" after a water change, and will sulk at the bottom of the tank for over a day in some cases. Try to keep new water at the same temperature as the C…

Nannacara Anomala are widely available in the trade, and are generally regarded as an excellent beginner's fish. If a beginner is interested in keeping Cichlids and learning about breeding, then these fish are absolutely ideal.

Anomala are attractive, hardy and usually quite cheap to purchase. Like some species of the Apistogramma genus, the mother may use fascinating body language to communicate with her fry when she is caring for them.

If there is more than one male in a tank smalle…

Also known as the mosquito fish, least killifish or dwarf top minnow, H. formosa is the smallest known livebearing fish species, and one of the smallest overall fish species in the world. It's not often seen for sale these days, although it's quite widely available in hobbyist circles. When buying these, ensure they have been identified correctly as they're sometimes confused with the much more aggressive mosquito fish of the genus Gambusia….

Cichlasoma Trimaculatus is a large colourful cichlid, if a little aggressive. It is believed to be one of the fish that was used to create the hybrid Flowerhorn cichlid. We prefer it in its natural state.

As with most large cichlids they can be fairly messy eaters so ensure decent filtration is provided. It is recommended to use a spraybar to disperse the water returning to the tank as trimacs will not appreciate strong flow….

Wild examples are rarely-seen in the aquarium hobby although selectively-bred ornamental strains are widely-available for which care is identical.

These are normally traded as ‘red’ or ‘yellow’ chromide and have a solid yellow-orange colour pattern with no dark elements.

It exhibits a widespread sympatry with the con…