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TropicalFish Co

Aquarium Guides & Tutorials

In-depth guides to setting up aquariums, picking the right fish, and keeping a healthy tank — written by UK aquarists, updated regularly.

Species Deep-dives

An albino corydoras (amelanistic Corydoras aeneus) showing the pink-white body and pink eyes, photographed over smooth sand

Albino Corydoras UK: Care, Eyesight & Honest Buying Guide

UK albino corydoras guide — the pink-eyed bronze cory strain. Shoal size, the eyesight quirk, sand not gravel, and in-stock fish. Read or listen.

11 min read
A male Apistogramma agassizii Super Red showing the line-bred orange-red body and the species' low, even dorsal fin and spade-shaped tail, photographed in our holding tank

Apistogramma agassizii UK: Care, Strains & Honest Buying Guide

UK guide to Apistogramma agassizii, the spade-tailed Agassiz's dwarf cichlid: ID vs cockatoo apistos, soft-water care & in-stock strains. Read or listen.

12 min read
A male Apistogramma cacatuoides showing the tall spiky cockatoo-crest dorsal fin and orange-edged tail, photographed over driftwood in our holding tank

Apistogramma cacatuoides UK: The Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid Guide

UK guide to the cockatoo dwarf cichlid (Apistogramma cacatuoides) — the beginner's apisto. Harem ratio, hard-water care, the red strains & in-stock fish.

12 min read
Assassin snail (Anentome helena) on sandy substrate in a planted aquarium

Assassin Snail UK: The Pest-Snail Predator That Cleans Your Tank

Assassin snails (Anentome helena) for sale in the UK — the natural way to control pest snails. Care, water parameters, what they eat, breeding, and live stock with tracked UK delivery.

8 min read
A group of assorted balloon mollies (Poecilia latipinna morph) over driftwood, showing the rounded short-bodied shape the line is bred for

Balloon Molly UK: Honest Care & Welfare Buying Guide

Honest UK balloon molly guide — what the round body really is, the welfare facts, lifespan, hard-water care & in-stock fish. Read or listen first.

11 min read
A shoal of black neon tetra (Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi) showing the iridescent green-and-black horizontal stripe in a densely planted blackwater aquarium

Black Neon Tetra: The UK Keeper's Complete 2026 Guide

Black neon tetra care, tank mates and how it differs from the common neon tetra — the hardy schooler that thrives in UK tap water. See live stock.

10 min read
A school of boesemani rainbowfish (Melanotaenia boesemani) showing the half-blue front and orange-red rear bodies in a brightly planted aquarium

Boesemani Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia boesemani): UK Care & Buying Guide

Boesemani rainbowfish (Melanotaenia boesemani) care for UK tanks — tank length, group size, water and tank mates. Shop the live shoal today.

12 min read
A common brown Bristlenose Pleco (Ancistrus sp.) grazing on driftwood, showing the male's branched snout bristles

Bristlenose Pleco UK: Care, Varieties & Algae-Eater Guide

UK bristlenose pleco guide — the dwarf algae-eater that won't outgrow your tank. Size, driftwood, varieties, breeding & in-stock fish. Read or listen.

11 min read
A bronze corydoras (Corydoras aeneus) showing the coppery-green flank patch, photographed over smooth sand in our holding tank

Bronze Corydoras UK: Care, Shoaling & Honest Buying Guide

UK bronze corydoras guide — shoal size, the smooth-sand rule, the 'cleaner fish' myth busted, hard-water care and in-stock cories. Read or listen.

11 min read
A Chinese algae eater (Gyrinocheilus aymonieri) gripping driftwood with its sucker mouth in a planted aquarium

Chinese Algae Eater UK: The Honest Care Guide (Before You Buy)

The Chinese algae eater grows to 28 cm, turns aggressive, and stops eating algae as an adult. The honest guide before you buy — plus a better algae crew.

11 min read
A bronzed comet goldfish (Carassius auratus) showing the long single-lobed tail and slim body the comet variety is named for, photographed in our coldwater holding system

Comet Goldfish UK: The Honest Care & Buying Guide

Honest UK comet goldfish guide — they're coldwater, hit 30 cm+, live 20+ years and need a pond or huge tank, never a bowl. Care, sarasa, in-stock fish.

12 min read
A large common pleco (Hypostomus plecostomus) suckermouth catfish resting on driftwood in a planted aquarium

Common Pleco UK: The Fish That Outgrows Your Tank (2026)

Common plecos hit 30–45 cm and need a 300 L+ tank — most buyers don't realise. Read our honest UK size, tank and care guide before you buy a pleco.

12 min read
An electric blue ram (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi 'electric blue') showing the near-solid neon-blue body of the selectively-bred colour morph, over driftwood in a planted soft-water tank

Electric Blue Ram UK: The Blue Morph, Honestly Explained

Electric blue ram care, honestly — the solid-blue morph of Mikrogeophagus ramirezi, why it's delicate, warm 27–30°C water, and the blue rams in stock. Shop now.

12 min read
A male El Tigre Endler (Poecilia wingei) showing the black bar pattern and orange flanks, photographed over driftwood in our holding tank

Endlers in the UK: Care, Strains & Honest Buying Guide

UK guide to Endler's livebearers — Endler vs guppy, the hybrid problem, hard-water care, sexing, breeding and which in-stock strains to buy. Read or listen.

10 min read
A firemouth cichlid (Thorichthys meeki) flaring its red throat and gill covers in a planted, rocky aquarium

Firemouth Cichlid UK: Care, The Red-Throat Bluff & Stock

UK firemouth cichlid guide — why it flares that red throat, real tank size, water, honest tank mates and the live Thorichthys meeki we ship. Read it first.

13 min read
A shoal of flame tetras (Hyphessobrycon flammeus) with warm red-orange bodies in a densely planted aquarium

Flame Tetra UK Care Guide: The Von Rio Tetra Worth Saving

Flame tetra care for UK tanks — the red-orange Von Rio schooler that tolerates cooler water, the group size it needs, plus live stock to buy.

11 min read
A red-and-pearl flowerhorn cichlid with a large nuchal hump (kok) and bold black flower markings in a spacious aquarium

Flowerhorn UK: Cichlid Care, Tank Size, the Kok & Live Stock

Honest UK flowerhorn guide - real tank size, why they live alone, the kok, water, feeding and welfare-first buying advice. See flowerhorns in stock.

13 min read
A pair of German blue ram cichlids (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi) with iridescent blue speckling and golden bodies in a planted soft-water aquarium

German Blue Ram UK: Care, Colour Forms & The Rams In Stock

German blue ram care made honest — warm 27–30°C, soft stable water, tank size, tank mates and the electric blue & gold rams in stock. Shop now.

12 min read
A lively school of gold barbs (Barbodes semifasciolatus) with metallic golden bodies in a bright planted aquarium

Gold Barb UK: Care, Tank Mates & Live Stock (2026)

Gold barb care for UK tanks — the hardy golden schooler that shrugs off cool water and hard tap. Tank size, mates, hardiness, and live stock. Shop now.

10 min read
A male green swordtail (Xiphophorus hellerii) with its long lower-tail sword among colourful swordtails in a planted aquarium

Green Swordtail (Xiphophorus hellerii): UK Care & Buying Guide

Read or listen to our UK green swordtail guide — sword vs no sword, ratios, jumping lids, tank size, strains and live delivery. Shop swordtails in stock.

11 min read
A standard Jack Dempsey cichlid (Rocio octofasciata) showing the dark body and rows of iridescent blue-green spangles, photographed over driftwood in our holding tank

Jack Dempsey Cichlid UK: Care, Tank Size & Honest Buying Guide

UK Jack Dempsey cichlid guide — real tank size, temperament, the Electric Blue morph, hard-water care, tank mates and in-stock fish. Read or listen.

12 min read
A Corydoras trilineatus — the 'false julii' — showing the reticulated maze head pattern and bold mid-body stripe, over smooth sand

Julii Corydoras UK: The False Julii Truth & Care Guide

UK julii corydoras guide — the honest truth that nearly all 'julii' sold here are false julii (C. trilineatus). How to tell them apart. Read or listen.

12 min read
A koi angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare) with an orange crown, black koi markings and a white body in a tall planted aquarium

Koi Angelfish UK: The Orange-Crowned Scalare Strain Explained

Koi angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare koi) explained - the orange crown, why patterns shift with stress, tank size and tank mates. See ours in stock.

11 min read
A pair of kribensis cichlids (Pelvicachromis pulcher) with pink-purple bellies and gold-edged fins beside a cave in a planted aquarium

Kribensis UK: Care, Colour Forms & The Kribs In Stock

Kribensis care made honest — the perfect first cichlid. Tank size, water, cave breeding, tank mates and the rainbow kribs in stock. Shop now.

12 min read
A shoal of lambchop rasbora (Trigonostigma espei) with copper-orange bodies and slim black lambchop-shaped markings in a planted blackwater aquarium

Lambchop Rasbora (Trigonostigma espei): UK Care & Buying Guide

Lambchop rasbora (Trigonostigma espei) care for UK keepers — the slim copper cousin of the harlequin. Tank size, water, tank mates. Shop live stock now.

11 min read
A school of lemon tetras (Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis) with yellow fins in a lush planted aquarium

Lemon Tetra in the UK: The Complete 2026 Care & Buying Guide

Lemon tetras are the hardy yellow schooler that thrives in UK tap water. Tank size, tank mates, feeding and colour tips — plus live stock to buy today.

11 min read
A small group of Mickey Mouse platies (Xiphophorus maculatus) with orange bodies and the three-spot tail pattern in a planted aquarium

Mickey Mouse Platy: The UK Care & Buying Guide (2026)

Read or listen to our UK Mickey Mouse Platy guide — the three-spot tail, tank size, how many to keep, breeding, tank mates and live fish to buy now.

11 min read
A jet-black molly (Poecilia sphenops) photographed over driftwood in our holding tank, showing the velvety melanistic body the strain is bred for

Molly Fish UK: Care, Types & Hard-Water Buying Guide

UK molly fish guide — short-fin vs sailfin, the colour strains, why hard tap water is ideal, sexing, breeding & in-stock mollies. Read or listen.

12 min read
A shoal of neon dwarf rainbowfish (Melanotaenia praecox) with iridescent powder-blue bodies and red fins in a planted aquarium

Neon Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia praecox): UK Care & Buying Guide

Neon rainbowfish (Melanotaenia praecox) care for UK tanks — group size, the tank length they need, water and tank mates. Shop the live shoal.

11 min read
A tiger oscar (Astronotus ocellatus) with black and fiery orange marbling in a planted aquarium with driftwood

Oscar Fish UK: Astronotus ocellatus Care, Colour Forms & Live Stock

Read or listen to our UK oscar fish guide - real tank size, the colour forms, tank mates, feeding and welfare-first buying advice. See the oscars in stock.

13 min read
A shoal of panda corydoras (Corydoras panda) foraging on sand in a planted aquarium

Panda Corydoras UK: Care, Tank Mates & Live Cory Catfish

Panda corydoras care made simple — group size, cooler water, sand substrate, tank mates and live UK-bred cory catfish in stock. Read, listen and buy today.

11 min read
A shoal of pygmy corydoras (Corydoras pygmaeus) hovering in mid-water above sand in a planted nano aquarium

Pygmy Corydoras UK: The Tiny Mid-Water Cory for Nano Tanks

Our UK pygmy corydoras guide — group size, the mid-water habit, nano tank size, sand substrate and shrimp-safe tank mates. Buy live cories today.

10 min read
A rainbow shark (Epalzeorhynchos frenatum) with a dark body and red-orange fins patrolling driftwood in a planted aquarium

Rainbow Shark UK: Honest Care, Aggression & Tank Mates

The rainbow shark isn't a shark — it's a territorial cyprinid that bullies its own kind. Honest UK care, tank size, real tank mates. See ours in stock.

11 min read
A shoal of serpae tetras (Hyphessobrycon eques) with deep blood-red bodies and black shoulder markings in a densely planted aquarium

Serpae Tetra UK Care Guide: The Beautiful Fin-Nipper

Serpae tetra care for UK tanks — why this red tetra nips fins, the group size that stops it, the tank mates to avoid, plus live stock to buy.

11 min read
A purple-and-orange vampire crab (Geosesarma) on mossy driftwood at the water's edge of a planted paludarium

Vampire Crab UK: Geosesarma Colour Forms & Paludarium Setup

Our UK vampire crab guide - Geosesarma colour forms, the paludarium they actually need, group size, diet and safe live delivery. Shop in stock now.

12 min read
A group of sunset-orange and yellow variatus platies (Xiphophorus variatus) in a lush planted aquarium

Variatus Platy UK: Buying & Care Guide for Xiphophorus variatus

Read or listen to our UK variatus platy guide — hardiness, tank size, ratios, fry control, tank mates and cooler-water care. Buy live variatus today.

11 min read
A shoal of white cloud mountain minnows (Tanichthys albonubes) with red-tipped fins in a planted coolwater aquarium

White Cloud Mountain Minnow UK: Care & Live Stock (2026)

White cloud mountain minnow care for UK tanks — the hardy coldwater nano fish that thrives unheated. Tank size, mates and live stock. Shop now.

11 min read
An Amano Shrimp (Caridina multidentata) grazing algae on driftwood

Amano Shrimp UK: Algae-Eating Specialist Every Planted Tank Needs

Amano shrimp (Caridina multidentata) — the algae crew every UK planted tank needs. Why they can't breed in freshwater, what they actually eat, welfare-first delivery.

10 min read
A Marble Angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare) in profile

Angelfish UK: Species Biology, Welfare & The Colour Strains In Stock

Read or listen to our UK angelfish guide - tank size, colour strains, adult behaviour, tank mates, breeding pairs and welfare-first buying advice.

12 min read
A Fire Red Cherry Shrimp (Neocaridina davidi) at grade 5 colour saturation

Cherry Shrimp UK: Colour Strains, Water, Welfare & Every In-Stock Morph

Read or listen to our UK cherry shrimp guide - colour strains, stable water, colony size, tank mates, feeding and safe live-shrimp delivery.

12 min read
A Salt and Pepper Catfish (Corydoras habrosus) on soft substrate

Corydoras UK: The Substrate Community Fish Every Tank Should Have

Read or listen to our UK Corydoras guide - smooth substrate, group size, species choice, feeding, tank mates and welfare-first buying tips.

11 min read
A Kuhli Loach (Pangio kuhlii) on a planted tank substrate

Kuhli Loach UK: The Nocturnal Specialist Every Planted Tank Wants

Kuhli loaches (Pangio kuhlii) — the eel-like substrate-burrowers every UK planted tank wants. Social biology, substrate welfare, species ID, and live stock.

10 min read

How-to Guides

A tall planted community aquarium with angelfish swimming above a shoal of rummy-nose tetras and corydoras on the substrate

Angelfish Tank Mates: What Lives Safely With Angelfish (UK Guide)

Which fish live safely with freshwater angelfish - and which to avoid. Honest UK compatibility guide with the calm, in-stock tank mates we ship. Read on.

11 min read
A male betta in a planted community aquarium alongside small corydoras and a shoal of tetras

Betta Fish Tank Mates: What Can Live With a Betta (UK)

Betta fish tank mates that actually work in the UK — safe corydoras, tetras, shrimp and snails, the fish to avoid, and tank-size minimums. Read now.

12 min read
A mixed shoal of colourful tetras — neon, cardinal and ember — schooling together in a planted blackwater aquarium

Tetra Fish in the UK: Types, Care & the Best Tetras to Buy

Which tetra suits your tank? Compare neon, cardinal, ember, lemon and more — schooling, water, tank size, and live tetras in stock. Shop UK tetras today.

11 min read
A planted tropical community aquarium held at the ideal 24–26 °C, with a thermometer on the glass and healthy fish

Tropical Fish Temperature: The Complete UK Guide (2026)

Most tropical fish want a steady 24–26 °C. Get the ideal range, heater sizing, a by-species table and UK heatwave fixes — then shop our live stock.

9 min read
A planted UK community aquarium full of colourful tropical fish — neon tetras, guppies and a gourami among green plants

Tropical Fish: The Complete UK Guide for Beginners

Tropical fish guide for UK beginners — what they are, the easiest species to start with, tank size and water basics. Read, then shop our in-stock range.

14 min read
A Standard Male Betta (Betta splendens) at the correct 26 °C display temperature

Betta Fish Temperature UK: The Complete 2026 Care Guide

The right betta fish temperature is 25–27 °C — below that they stop feeding, above that their lifespan drops. UK heater sizing, summer-cooling tips, and our live stock.

8 min read
A beautifully planted freshwater aquarium showing an established beginner-friendly tank

How to Set Up Your First Aquarium: A UK Beginner's Guide

Step-by-step guide to setting up your first freshwater aquarium — tank, filter, cycle, fish. UK-specific advice from a 15-year aquarist. Start here.

12 min read

Comparisons

Several freshwater angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare) of different colour strains in a tall planted aquarium

Angelfish Types UK: Koi, Platinum, Marble & The Strains We Stock

Compare the freshwater angelfish types - koi, platinum, marble, veil, zebra and altum - by pattern, rarity and price. See every strain we have in stock.

11 min read
A male cockatoo apistogramma dwarf cichlid with an orange-edged spiky dorsal fin in a planted, leaf-litter blackwater aquarium

Apistogramma UK: How to Choose Your Dwarf Cichlid

Compare apistogramma dwarf cichlids - cacatuoides, agassizii, borellii and more - by colour, difficulty and water needs. See every form we stock in the UK.

12 min read
A group of male fancy guppies in many colours and tail shapes in a bright planted aquarium

Guppy Types UK: Tail Shapes, Colour Strains & Endlers

Confused by guppy fish types? Our UK guide decodes tail shapes, colour strains and fancy-vs-Endler — then shows the strains we have in stock. Browse now.

10 min read
A vividly coloured male killifish with orange and electric-blue patterning among fine plants in a soft-water aquarium

Killifish UK: Types, Care & The Killis We Stock

Killifish made simple: annual vs non-annual, the types we stock - Aphyosemion, Gardner's, Nothobranchius, lampeyes - plus care. See our live killis.

12 min read

Buying Guides

A male halfmoon betta (Betta splendens) with flowing fins in a planted nano aquarium

Betta Fish UK: The Complete 2026 Buying & Care Guide

Buy betta fish in the UK with confidence — tail types, tank size, heater, tank mates and live Betta splendens we ship this week. Read or listen now.

11 min read
A group of female guppies (Poecilia reticulata) with soft pastel colouration in a planted aquarium

Female Guppy UK: The Complete 2026 Buying & Care Guide

Read or listen to our UK female guppy guide - all-female tanks, breeding ratios, are they already pregnant, tank mates, hard-water care and buying tips.

11 min read
A lush planted freshwater community aquarium with colourful tetras, livebearers and corydoras swimming among green plants and driftwood

Freshwater Fish: The UK Guide to Choosing & Buying

The UK guide to freshwater fish — the main groups, the most popular species, how to choose, and what to start with. Browse live in-stock fish today.

16 min read
A group of colourful freshwater dwarf shrimp grazing on moss and driftwood in a planted nano aquarium

Freshwater Shrimp UK: Neocaridina vs Caridina vs Amano, Compared

Which freshwater shrimp suits your UK tank? Neocaridina, Caridina, Amano and wood shrimp compared on difficulty, water and breeding. Buy live, shop now.

13 min read
A group of Lake Malawi cichlids - electric-yellow labs and blue mbuna - among rocky outcrops in a bright African cichlid aquarium

Lake Malawi Cichlids: Mbuna, Peacocks & Haps for UK Tanks

The honest UK guide to Lake Malawi cichlids - mbuna vs peacocks, hard water, aggression and tank size, plus the live fish we stock. Shop the colours.

13 min read
A Longfin Bristlenose Pleco (Ancistrus sp.) photographed on driftwood

Ancistrus Pleco UK: The Complete 2026 Bristlenose Guide

Read or listen to our bristlenose pleco guide - Ancistrus size, food, wood, caves, colour morphs, tank mates and UK buying tips.

11 min read
A Black Phantom Tetra (Hyphessobrycon megalopterus) on driftwood

Black Phantom Tetra UK: Complete 2026 Buying & Care Guide

Black phantom tetras are larger, bolder, and better behaved than neons or cardinals. Tank size, sexing, red phantom counterpart, and our live UK stock.

9 min read
A boxed live-fish shipment ready for a licensed live-animal courier delivery, with oxygen-charged bags visible inside the insulated polystyrene liner

How to Buy Tropical Fish Online in the UK: Complete Buyer's Guide

Read or listen to our UK online fish-buying guide — safe delivery, retailer checks, acclimation steps, live-arrival guarantees and first-order tips.

16 min read
Cardinal Tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi) photographed over driftwood in our holding tank

Cardinal Tetras in the UK: The Complete 2026 Buying Guide

Read or listen to our UK cardinal tetra guide - school size, neon comparisons, water stability, tank mates, feeding and safe buying tips.

9 min read
A zebra-striped L204 Panaqolus albivermis clown pleco on driftwood

Clown Pleco UK: L-Number Guide for UK Aquariums (2026)

Clown plecos (L-numbers) stay small enough for a 90 L tank but need wood and specific water conditions. L204, L206, L226 compared. The 5 lines in UK stock today.

10 min read
A Rosy Barb Gold (Pethia conchonius) — one of the UK's classic cool-water schoolers

Cold Water Fish for Sale UK: The Complete 2026 Buying Guide

Cold water fish for UK unheated tanks — goldfish, white cloud mountain minnows, rosy barbs, pearl danios, and the 10 species we ship no-heater-needed.

10 min read
An ember tetra (Hyphessobrycon amandae) photographed over driftwood

Ember Tetras in the UK: The Complete 2026 Buying Guide

Everything UK aquarists need to buy and keep ember tetras — the nano-tank schooler that actually tolerates UK tap water. Tank size, mates, feeding, and live stock.

10 min read
A Halfmoon female betta (Betta splendens) photographed over driftwood

Female Betta Fish UK: The Complete 2026 Buying & Care Guide

Read or listen to our UK female betta guide - solo tanks, sorority risks, tank mates, planted setups, feeding and buying advice.

10 min read
A German Sunset fancy male guppy over driftwood — one of our current in-stock strains

Guppies in the UK: The Complete 2026 Buying & Care Guide

Read or listen to our UK guppy guide - sex ratios, breeding control, tank mates, hard-water care, delivery and live guppy buying tips.

11 min read
A Marbled Hillstream Loach (Sewellia marmorata) on driftwood at our warehouse

Hillstream Loach UK: The Complete 2026 Buying & Care Guide

The hillstream loach is the UK's go-to high-flow specialist — sucker-bodied, cool-water, algae-eating. Species ID, tank setup, and the 5 varieties we ship.

10 min read
A true Siamese algae eater (Crossocheilus oblongus) photographed over driftwood

Siamese Algae Eater UK: The Complete 2026 Planted-Tank Guide

The Siamese algae eater is the only fish that eats black beard algae — but most UK shops sell the wrong species. How to buy the real Crossocheilus, care, and tank mates.

10 min read

Best-of Lists

A planted beginner community tank with guppies, platies, and a small school of harlequin rasboras — stocked sensibly for a 90-litre setup

The 10 Best Beginner Tropical Fish for UK Aquariums

Read or listen to our beginner tropical fish guide — 10 hardy UK-friendly species, stocking order, tank size and simple first-community picks.

17 min read
A mature planted community tank showing a mixed school of tetras, corydoras on the substrate, and a bristlenose pleco tucked in driftwood

Tropical Fish for Sale in the UK: Our Top Picks for 2026

Read or listen to our UK tropical fish guide — top community species, tank-matching advice, live stock, licensed courier delivery and arrival guarantee.

15 min read