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

Illustration of a large common or sailfin-type pleco resting side-on across aquarium driftwood

Common Pleco Size & Tank Guide UK: Identify Before Buying

Common pleco size and tank planning for UK aquariums: identify the fish, compare Hypostomus and sailfin records, check food, water and rehoming.

15 min read

Illustrative group of olive, gold and orange variable platyfish swimming in a planted freshwater aquarium

Variatus Platy: Size, Temperature & Male vs Female

Variatus platy guide for UK keepers: compare adult size, temperature, male and female features, water, groups, fry risk and buying checks.

13 min read

Blue male Betta splendens with short rounded fins in an aquarium

Betta Fish Tank Mates UK: A Compatibility Guide

Can a betta live with other fish? Compare tank size, shoaling needs, water and behaviour before choosing fish, shrimp or snails—and plan separation.

15 min read

Group of black phantom tetras swimming through a planted aquarium with an open mid-water lane

Black Phantom Tetra Care UK: Size, Tank & Sexing

Black phantom tetra care for UK aquariums: size, 80 cm tank footprint, group, sexing clues, water, tank mates and a current availability check.

14 min read

Bristlenose Pleco Size: How Big Do They Get?

How big do bristlenose plecos get? Compare the 15 cm UK care figure with 9.1 cm standard length, plus measurement, identity and tank-planning limits.

11 min read

Kribensis Pelvicachromis pulcher showing a dark side stripe and pink-purple abdomen

Kribensis Care UK: Tank Size, Pairs & Buying

Kribensis care for UK aquariums: 80 cm tank guidance, pairs, water, breeding behaviour and tank mates, with live fish shown only when available.

16 min read

School of lemon tetras swimming through a planted aquarium with open mid-water space

Lemon Tetra Care UK: Size, Tank Mates & Water

Lemon tetra care for UK aquariums: adult size, tank length, group, water, tank mates and identification, with live stock shown only when available.

14 min read

Siamese Algae Eater UK: Size, Tank & Care

Siamese algae eater size, tank and care explained for UK keepers: identity limits, 120 cm aquarium guidance, algae diet, grouping and tank mates.

12 min read

Source-labelled Chinese algae eater with a dark lateral stripe resting on aquarium wood

Chinese Algae Eater UK: Size, Care, Tank Mates & Buying

Chinese algae eater care for UK tanks: 28 cm maximum standard length, tank planning, diet, aggression risks, tank mates and buying checks explained clearly.

13 min read

Two electric blue ram cichlids with turquoise-blue bodies swimming above aquarium plants

Electric Blue Ram UK: Care, Size, Tank Mates & Buying

Electric blue ram care for UK aquariums: adult size, 27–30°C water, tank size, tank-mate risks and buying checks, with live stock shown when available.

12 min read

Side view of an Oscar fish with dark bands, orange markings and an orange-ringed eyespot near its tail

Oscar Fish UK: Tank Size, Care & Colour Forms

Oscar fish care for UK keepers: adult tank size, growth, feeding, colour forms and compatibility risks, with live stock shown only when available.

13 min read

A male paradise fish (Macropodus opercularis) showing electric blue and red vertical barring with flowing fins in a planted aquarium

Paradise Fish UK: Macropodus opercularis Care, Colour Forms & Live Stock

Paradise fish (Macropodus opercularis): one of the oldest aquarium fish, stunning, hardy and happy in an UNHEATED tank (16-26C) - but feisty. Honest care + live UK stock.

10 min read

Altum Angelfish (Pterophyllum altum): UK Care & Buying Guide

Altum angelfish (Pterophyllum altum) for sale UK — the tall wild Orinoco angel. Tank size, water, tank mates and honest care for an advanced keeper. Live stock.

11 min read

Chili Rasbora (Boraras brigittae): UK Care & Buying Guide

Chili rasbora (Boraras brigittae) for sale UK — care, tank size, water and tank mates for this tiny red nano fish. Live stock with live arrival guarantee.

10 min read

Galaxy Rasbora (Celestial Pearl Danio): UK Care & Buying Guide

Galaxy rasbora (celestial pearl danio) for sale UK — care, tank size, tank mates and water for this jewel-spotted nano fish. Live stock, live arrival guarantee.

10 min read

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 careful UK dispatch.

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

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 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 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 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 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 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 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

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

Amano shrimp for sale UK (Caridina multidentata) — the most effective algae crew for planted tanks. Care, feeding, why they can't breed in freshwater. Live delivery.

10 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

Illustrative neon, cardinal, ember and black neon tetra groups in a planted freshwater aquarium

Tetra Fish Types: Compare Size, Tank & Temperament

Compare popular tetra fish by adult size, swimming space, water needs and temperament. A UK guide to choosing a suitable shoal before you buy.

14 min read

Blue male Betta splendens swimming side-on in a home aquarium

Betta Fish Temperature: 26–28°C UK Guide

Set a typical domestic Betta splendens tank to a stable 26–28°C. Learn how to check the water, choose a thermostatic heater and handle changes safely.

10 min read

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 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 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

Buying Guides

Source-labelled turquoise-pink female Betta splendens with short fins in side view

Female Betta Fish: UK Care, Buying & Sorority Risks

Shop female betta fish in the UK and read an honest care guide covering solo tanks, sorority risks, tank size, water, feeding and suitable tank mates.

14 min read

Source-labelled female Poecilia reticulata with a silver body and dark rounded tail among broad green aquarium leaves

Female Guppy Fish: UK Sexing, Groups & Buying Guide

Browse female guppy fish in the UK and learn how to sex mature guppies, plan female-only or mixed groups, manage fry risk and buy responsibly.

13 min read

A mature planted community aquarium with driftwood and a white sand path — the kind of tank an online fish order is heading for

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

Buy tropical fish online in the UK — licensed live-animal courier checks, retailer standards, acclimation steps and live arrival guarantees.

16 min read

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 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 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 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

Buy cold water fish online UK — goldfish, white cloud mountain minnows, rosy barbs, pearl danios and the 10 best no-heater species, with live delivery.

10 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

Comparisons

Six source-labelled domestic guppy varieties shown in a two-column photographic comparison

Guppy Types: Colours, Tail Shapes & Endlers

Compare guppy types by colour pattern, tail shape and species. See six photographed varieties, Endler differences and UK care checks before choosing.

13 min read

Three blue Neocaridina davidi shrimp grazing on wood in a planted aquarium

Cherry Shrimp Types UK: Colours, Patterns & Buying

Compare red, blue, yellow and rili Cherry Shrimp types in the UK. Learn what colour names mean, what photos cannot prove and what to check before buying.

12 min read

Red-and-white crystal shrimp beside its shed exoskeleton in a freshwater aquarium

Freshwater Shrimp Types UK: Compare & Choose

Compare Neocaridina, crystal, Amano and bamboo shrimp by water, breeding and aquarium role, then check live UK sizes, prices and availability.

11 min read

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 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

Best-of Lists

Large planted freshwater aquarium with several small fish at Malta National Aquarium

Tropical Fish for Sale UK

Tropical fish for sale UK — tetras, cichlids, bettas, guppies and corydoras. Specialist delivery backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

8 min read

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