Arctic Charr (Salvelinus alpinus)

The Arctic Charr or Salvelinus alpinus can survive in both freshwater and saltwater. It can weigh in at not much more than 20lbs. These edible fish are native to the Arctic and Sub-Arctic areas, in fact no fish can survive as far north as the Arctic Charr. They have also been reported in deep, cold glacial lakes in Scotland, Iceland and even Siberia where they are known as Golets. They have many other names throughout the world including Charr, Blueback Trout, Ilkalupik, Martson Trout, Quebec Red Trout, Silver Trout, Sunapee Trout, and White Trout.

Arctic Charr are part of the Salmon and Trout family and have a lot of the same characteristics. They are usually dark with a lighter belly. Their tail's are forked and during spawning these fish will become brightly colored. Arctic Charr will turn pink or orange on their bellies with blue or brown backs. Their fins will also be brightly colored during the spawning process.The Arctic Charr are commercially farmed and easily caught in the wild as well. Once caught or bought at the store, you will find out that the Arctic Charr has a delicious flavor. The Monterey Bay Aquarium "Seafood Watch" program has recently added farmed Arctic char as an environmentally sustainable Best Choice for consumers, stating: "Arctic char use only a moderate amount of marine resources for feed. In addition, Arctic char are farmed in land-based, closed systems that minimize the risk of escape into the wild."

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Ram Cichlid (Papiliochromis ramirezi)

The Ram or Papiliochromis ramirezi is a species of Cichlid that really has a intimidating appearance for its small stature. This fish has many common names including the Blue ram, German Blue Ram, Asian Ram, Butterfly Cichlid, Ramirez's Dwarf Cichlid, Dwarf Butterfly Cichlid and Ramirezi. They have a spiked dorsal fin with brilliant deep blue coloration with just a bit of pink, red, gold and orange.Rams are peaceful fish that will get along with most tankmates. If they pair off and mate with another Ram, they will stick with the same mate for all of their lives. To encourage spawning you should add peat to the water and provide the female with a flat spot to lay her eggs. Once the fry are hatched both the male and the female participate in mouth brooding with simply means that if they fry are in danger or for a period of time the fry will stay in the mother or father's mouths for protection. Once the threat is over they will open their mouths and let them swim out. To check out the Ram Cichlid spawning watch the video below...

If you are thinking of buying a Ram for your aquarium be sure you have the following water conditions, 72-79° F, KH 5-12, and pH 5.0-7.0. This freshwater fish should be kept in an aquarium of at least 25 gallons with plenty of hiding spots, plants and very clean water. The Ram is a small fish only growing to about 3" in maximum length. This fish can become aggressive if they are not given enough hiding spaces or while they are spawning so be careful. These fish are omnivores that should be fed a variety of foods including bloodworms, brine shrimp, live foods, pellets, and flakes.

If you would like to buy a Ram Cichlid for your aquarium just click the picture directly below...

European Eel (Anguilla anguilla)

The European Eel or Anguilla anguilla was once commonly found in many places in Europe from Scandinavia to Spain, Italy to Greece. Due to pollution and changes in habitat due to human activities this Eel is now critically endangered. This species of Eel can grow to about 100 cm (40 in) in length and weigh up to 9 kg (20 lb). The color of the European Eel varies depending on its age, but it is normally brown or silver. They have several life cycles in which they are called a variety of things including Glass Eel, Elver, Yellow Eel and Silver Eel once they are sexually mature. To learn more about these eels and their life cycle check out the video below...

European Eels are normally found in muddy river bottoms or gaps in between rocks. They will normally eat carrion, small fishes and other small aquatic creatures. Over the course of their lives they go from freshwater to saltwater. They use their slimy outer layer to protect themselves from the salt. When the female European Eel gets old enough they migrate to the Atlantic Ocean to lay their eggs. Once the new babies reach about 3 years old they follow the streams and river into freshwater Europe. The European Eel can live 30 years or more and is considered to be quite delicious when prepared properly!If you have more information about the European Eel that you would like to share please leave us a comment below...