Expert advice from an experienced UK fishkeeper. Every guide is backed by cited sources, including peer-reviewed papers, FishBase, IUCN, SeriouslyFish and trusted expert videos, so the page helps customers choose with confidence before they buy.
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Best starting points
These guides help customers understand cycling, water testing and plant basics before they pick fish for the tank.
Setting up your first tropical aquarium is exciting — and doing it right from the start saves you from the mistakes we see every week at the shop. This guide walks you through the shopping list, fishless cycling, first stocking, and the first 30 days of maintenance.
Water quality is the single biggest factor in fishkeeping success — more important than tank size, lighting, or filtration. This guide explains every parameter that matters (pH, GH, KH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, TDS, temperature), the UK regional water map, and why stable beats perfect every time.
Live plants transform a fish tank from a box of water into a working ecosystem — they oxygenate, absorb nitrates, provide shelter, reduce algae, and lower fish stress. This guide covers the easiest plants for beginners, planting technique, lighting, and how plants make every fish you buy from us thrive.
Expert Care, Cited Sources
Every guide is backed by FishBase, peer-reviewed papers, and real-world experience
11 guides
Peaceful shoals, livebearers and centrepiece fish for mixed tanks.
Neon Tetras are small, peaceful shoaling fish for a mature, planted aquarium at least 60 cm long. Keep a suitable group, provide open horizontal swimming space, and match tank mates to their 20-26°C range.
Cardinal tetras are small, social blackwater fish, but they need more than a small volume of water. Our conservative starting policy is a mature, filtered aquarium at least 60 cm long and about 60 litres, a group of 10 or more, a routine target of 24-27 °C, and water chosen from measured supplier and home values rather than a fixed UK tap-water recipe.
Ember tetras are very small Brazilian social fish, with a maximum recorded length of 2.0 cm excluding the tail. Keep them only in a fully cycled, stable aquarium. We recommend a group of at least 10 and about 45 litres with a 45 × 30 cm footprint rather than using a litres-per-fish formula.
Our conservative starting policy is a mature, filtered aquarium at least 60 cm long and about 60 litres, eight or more fish, and measured water screened against 22-25 °C, pH 5-7 and 5-12 dGH.
Celestial pearl danios — also called galaxy rasboras — are one of the most beautiful nano fish in the hobby. Stunning spotted pattern, easy care, shrimp-safe.
Guppies are social livebearers suited to a prepared beginner, not a fish-per-litre formula. Use a mature filtered aquarium, tested neutral-to-alkaline mineral-bearing water, deliberate sex and population planning, open swimming room, cover and a separation option.
Endler's livebearer is a small, social, rapidly reproducing Venezuelan fish. Start with a mature filtered aquarium, a deliberate sex and population plan, stable tested medium-hard water, open swimming room and cover. Our conservative house screen is an aquarium at least 60 cm long and a group of five or more where capacity allows.
Platies are one of the best beginner fish — hardy, colourful, peaceful, and available in dozens of colour varieties. Perfect for community tanks of all sizes.
Lively, colourful livebearers for hard UK water, including black, dalmatian, sailfin and lyretail varieties with careful UK dispatch available.
The honey gourami is a peaceful, colourful labyrinth fish perfect for small community tanks. Hardy, gentle, and stunning golden colour. UK delivery available.
The betta fish is one of the most popular and most misunderstood freshwater species. This guide covers everything from proper tank size to the truth about tank mates.
5 guides
Catfish, loaches and grazing species that need the right setup.
Identify the exact cory catfish before choosing care. Our starting policy for many common medium species is six compatible conspecifics, a mature 60 x 30 cm aquarium of about 60 litres, smooth fine sand and measured species-appropriate water.
The kuhli loach is a peaceful, eel-like bottom dweller for soft-water community tanks. Honest UK care guide covering tank size, sand substrate, hiding behaviour and group size.
A practical guide to Otocinclus setup, feeding, group care and tank mates, with an emphasis on mature planted aquariums and established grazing surfaces.
Peaceful algae-grazing catfish ideal for UK community tanks. Stays small (12-15 cm), loves driftwood, easy to breed. Sent by licensed live-animal courier with Live Arrival Guarantee.
Plecos are the ultimate algae-eating catfish for freshwater aquariums. From the tiny bristlenose to the massive common pleco, there's a pleco for every tank size.
4 guides
Invertebrate guides for planted tanks and clean-up crews.
Choose an identified shrimp before copying care numbers. A mature, filtered 20-litre aquarium is our cautious starting policy for a small group from a source-documented Neocaridina davidi trade line—not a biological minimum or per-litre formula. Test your actual tap and tank water, protect the filter inlet, provide established grazing surfaces, and treat tank mates, medicines and breeding as species-specific decisions.
Add vibrant red colour and natural algae control to your aquarium with Cherry Shrimp. Peaceful, hardy Neocaridina ideal for planted nano tanks. Order today for UK delivery.
Add the hobby's best algae-eating shrimp to your aquarium with Amano Shrimp. Peaceful, hardy, and larger than cherries — ideal for planted community tanks. Order now for UK delivery.
Nerite snail is a trade umbrella, not one species. Confirm the supplied taxon and holding water, use a mature covered aquarium with established grazing surfaces, stock from food availability rather than a litre formula, and treat egg capsules, medicines and tank mates as species-specific decisions.
3 guides
Higher-care species where tank size and water stability matter.
Cichlids are one of the most diverse fish families in the hobby. From tiny apistogrammas to massive oscars, this guide covers the basics of keeping them well.
Freshwater angelfish are tall South American cichlids, not small community fish. OATA gives 120 litres as an industry floor for a compatible pair and says the aquarium must be sufficiently tall. We prefer planning around roughly 200 litres, a 100 × 40 cm footprint and about 50 cm height for an adult pair, with more space and an exit plan for a group.
Keep the king of the aquarium — Discus Fish are striking South American cichlids for experienced keepers. Soft warm water, group living, and patience required. UK delivery available.
