Art's Fish Room

25/10/2026

What's actually inside the canister filter under your tank? 🐟 I've pulled one apart in a 2-minute animated blueprint.

You'll see how water runs down to it, why the media goes coarse sponge first, ceramic next and fine floss last, and how the sealed motor spins a magnetic impeller through a plastic wall. There's also what weak flow, rattling and gurgling usually mean, and how to clean it without killing the bacteria.

Every part is also on a free A3 blueprint poster you can download and print: https://www.artsfishroom.co.za/pages/free-posters

How often do you service yours? Tell me in the comments 👇

25/10/2026

🐟 New Addition Alert: Hatchetfish! 🐟

Looking for a unique surface-dweller to complete your planted community tank? Hatchetfish are now available on our Weekly List!

These peaceful schooling fish are known for their striking deep-keeled shape and lively personality.
Keep them in groups of 6 or more in soft, slightly acidic water (23-27 degrees Celsius)

⚠️ Pro Tip: Make sure your tank has a tight-fitting lid as these guys are incredible jumpers!

📲 Check out this week's full list on our website.

24/10/2026

Firemouth cichlids, swordtails and platies all come from the same clear, hard-water rivers in southern Mexico 🪨 This calm cut-paper animation shows that river, and how to bring it home.

It's part 9 of 9, the last in our Biotopes in a Box series. You'll see the pale stones and sand, the Vallisneria in the sun, and why these three fish work together. There's also a reminder that swordtails have gone wild in parts of South Africa, so never release them.

Which of the nine biotopes would you build first? Tell me in the comments 👇

24/10/2026

Elevate your aquascape with the lush, energetic look of Hydrocotyle Tripartita!

With its distinct miniature clover-like leaves and creeping growth habit, this popular plant quickly forms dense, bright green carpets, beautiful cascading bushes, or accent mounds along rocks and driftwood.

* Growth Habit: Creeping, carpet-forming or bushy stem plant with small three-lobed leaves
* Pot Size: ~5 cm net pot (ready to divide, plant, or place in your tank)
* Care Level: Easy to Moderate (fast growing under moderate to high light)

Price: R29 per pot 🐠🌿 Find yours on our website!

24/10/2026

This popular product is available from Art's Fish Room - order yours now! https://www.artsfishroom.co.za/products/oceansix-grove-aquarium-plant-fertilizer-500ml

Grove is our all-in-one plant system for planted aquariums. The nutrients are bio-available, ready for your plants to take up, and it's made to be safe for your fish and invertebrates.

Dosing: 5 ml (one capful) per 50 litres, once a week. Dosage may be increased for heavily planted tanks.

Ask your local fish shop for Grove, or find a dealer near you: oceansix.co.za/dealers

Made in South Africa by Oceansix Labs.

23/10/2026

Zebra danios are most common in flooded rice paddies, not rushing rivers 🌾 This calm cut-paper animation shows the monsoon paddy they come from, and how to bring it home.

It's part 8 of 9 in our Biotopes in a Box series. You'll see the shallow, sunny water, the silt and rice stems, and three fish that suit the tank: zebra danios, honey gouramis and guntea loaches.

Did you know zebras came from paddies? What was your first zebra danio tank like? Tell me in the comments 👇

23/10/2026

Bring fine, lush texture to your aquarium with Micranthemum Umbrosum!

Characterized by tiny, round bright green leaves growing in dense, bushy clusters, this beautiful plant is ideal for creating lush midground accent bushes or cascading foreground scapes.

Growth Habit: Compact, fine-leaved stem plant with bright green foliage
Care Level: Moderate (thrives with good light and nutrients)

Price: R20 per portion - www.artsfishroom.co.za/products/micranthemum-umbrosum

22/10/2026

Threadfin rainbowfish are under 4 cm long, and they lose out at feeding time to faster fish 🌿 This calm cut-paper animation shows the weedy New Guinea lagoon they come from, and how to build it at home.

It's part 7 of 9 in our Biotopes in a Box series. You'll see the slow, soft water, the lilies and dense plants, and the two small fish that belong together: threadfin rainbowfish and spotted blue-eyes.

Have you kept threadfins? What did you keep them with? Tell me in the comments 👇

22/10/2026

Elevate your aquarium's aesthetic with the rich, eye-catching foliage of Ludwigia Glandulosa!

Known for its striking leaf colouration, ranging from deep olive greens to vibrant rusty reds and purples, this beautiful stem plant makes a perfect focal point or midground-to-background feature in any planted tank.

Growth Habit: Bushy stem plant with broad, pointed leaves and rich red-green accents
Pot Size: ~5 cm net pot
Care Level: Moderate (thrives under good lighting to bring out deep red tones)

Price: R20 per pot 🐠🌿 www.artsfishroom.co.za/products/ludwigia-glandulosa-red

21/10/2026

Hillstream fish from southern China want cool, fast, oxygen-rich water, not a warm tropical tank 🪨 This calm cut-paper animation shows how to bring that stream home.

It's part 6 of 9 in our Biotopes in a Box series. You'll see the boulders and pebbles, the algae film the loaches graze, and three fish that suit the tank: butterfly loaches, White Cloud Mountain minnows and white-cheeked gobies.

Have you ever set up a river tank with real current? What did you use for flow? Tell me in the comments 👇