£0.00(0 Items)
Posted by CD Aquatics on Jul 29 2022
When we think of aquariums, we instantly think of either tropical or freshwater fish. But there are some exciting alternatives to fish that can happily live in your standard home aquarium.
We have listed 4 non-fish species that can make your aquarium tank an even more interesting feature of your home.
These friendly little Mexican natives are amphibians even though they spend their entire lives underwater. They grow to about 12 inches when fully grown but can be bigger. Axolotls are predominantly solitary creatures but they can live happily in pairs so it’s important to find the right sized tank for them. A 20-gallon fish tank is fine for one axolotl because they are known for producing a lot of waste so a larger tank means it can stay cleaner for longer. These members of the salamander family are predatory carnivores so it’s best not to keep any other fish in the tank with them. If you plan to keep 2 axolotls, invest in a 30-40 gallon tank and a good quality filter so that the excess waste produced by the two amphibians can be cleaned efficiently.
Turtle species like the Red-Eared Slider are extremely popular and make excellent aquarium pets. These turtles can live for over 20 years and are social creatures that are usually active during the day. When it comes to turtle tanks, you’ll need to make sure your turtles have enough room to swim and bask. This means your aquarium is technically a paludarium, which is a tank that contains water and land. A turtle paludarium should be 30-50 gallons to comfortably house one red-eared slider. A UV lamp is an essential part of your turtle tank set up so that your turtle can bask in the warmth which helps them metabolise.
As fully aquatic amphibians, African Dwarf frogs spend their days underwater, occasionally coming to the surface for air. They like to feel secure so adding aquatic plants is recommended to provide the frogs with a place to hide. African Dwarf Frogs enjoy foraging so sand is the recommended substrate for your frog tank. Socially, African Dwarf Frogs live peacefully with other fish of a similar size but avoid housing adult frogs with smaller fish as they will eat small fry and tiny fish. It’s just as important that bigger, nippier species of fish are not be kept with peaceful African Dwarf Frogs as aggressive fish may bully and nip at the frogs. If you plan to keep your African Dwarf Frogs in a tank with another frog or other aquarium fish, then at least a 20-gallon tank should be used as well as a suitable filter and filter media. Solitary African Dwarf Frogs or even a pair of frogs can thrive in a 5-gallon aquarium.
Recently, the art of Aquascaping has become increasingly popular. The hobby involves crafting beautiful underwater landscapes with aquatic plants, substrates, driftwood and other natural materials. With care and the right fish tank planting supplies, this form of underwater gardening creates stunning pieces of living art. Live aquarium plants will need nutrient-rich substrates and plenty of CO2 to help with the process of photosynthesis. CO2 kits help your aquarium plants create the aesthetically pleasing colours that make aquarium planting such a popular hobby. If you plan to keep small fish in your aquascape aquarium, be sure to get an adequate aquarium filter to keep all the tank dwellers healthy and thriving.
At CD Aquatics we have a wide range of aquarium supplies to choose from and years of experience in the aquatic business. Whether you plan to keep fish or something a little more unique in your fish tank, we have the right aquariums and aquarium accessories to keep any aquarium pet happy. Check out our range of products and for more information, call us on 01922 416284 or contact our friendly team.
Sign up to receive the latest offers & news