Questions & answers
What is your favorite thing about working at Aquarium Co-Op?
Aquarium Co-Op offers me the opportunity to solve problems for others, which is my favorite part about it. It could be problems within the company, or we may want to improve our business. It can also be challenges that our customer may be faced with, where we have helped them with their aquarium journeys and maybe solved a problem with their aquatic pet or plant.
What’s your favorite moment while working at Aquarium Co-Op. I don’t think there is one best moment. It has been a series of recurring moments. These moments are where I have the opportunity to meet customers, viewers, and share our knowledge and help. It is rewarding to interact with people I have helped in an industry I love and it will always be a special moment that I will treasure.
What do you do in your daily job at Aquarium Co-Op? My role at Aquarium Co-Op covers a few areas of our business. On the Marketing side, I am responsible for all social media planning, production, and publication, both in video and written form. I’m also responsible for the planning and execution of events, as well participation in those events. On the Customer Engagement side, I manage our customer service department, I am responsible for our relationship with our Aquarium Co-Op Retail Partners, and I am also responsible for our engagement on various platforms like the Aquarium Co-Op CARES Forum, with our Aquarium Co-Op Club members, and on other social media platforms.
What is your favorite fish and why? It is hard to choose a favorite fish. With so many amazing fish in the aquarium and pond hobby, it isn’t easy to choose one. With that being said, I would probably choose koi as my favorite fish. They are beautiful, majestic, easy to keep under the right conditions, personable, and a joy to have. One day I hope to be able to have a larger pond with multiple koi to enjoy.
What would your dream aquarium be? My dream aquarium would be a 12-foot long Lake Tanganyika biotope-type tank, with multiple levels in the aquarium, which would allow me to keep both small and large Tanganyikan species together in the same tank. I even have gone as far as to sketch designs of what this dream aquarium might look like.
What is your current favorite aquarium at home?
– Type of tank: My favorite aquarium that I have now is actually two tanks (I can’t choose just one!). Both tanks are 40-gallon displays tanks. One is a planted shrimp tank, and the other is a brackish paludarium with a waterfall. When was it set up? It was installed in the late summer 2022. The paludarium was added in early 2019. – Fish stocking list: In the shrimp tank, I have red cherry shrimp, Amano shrimp, and a couple of otocinclus. In the paludarium, Indian mudskippers are kept, along with bumblebee and Amano shrimps. – Biggest goal or challenge with this aquarium? Both tanks are very easy to care for. The biggest challenge that I have with any aquarium is spending enough time just enjoying them.
What products do you highly recommend? We have so many amazing and well-thought-out products at Aquarium Co-Op, and I could easily recommend dozens of different products – from amazing live plants to fish foods and medications to our most recent Easy Plant LED light. If I had to pick a few must-have products, it would be our Easy Green fertilizer and Easy Root tabs. With these three products, aquarists are capable of achieving great success in both plant health as well as enjoyment.
– Install a timer on each tank with lights. This can be either a Wi Fi device with programmable settings or a dial-based timer. Avoid collecting too many aquariums, no matter how tempting it might be. It is better for you to be patient and learn from your first aquarium. Then, slowly, add to your collection if you find that you are in need of more creative stimulation. A lot of people get too excited about their first aquarium and end up having multiple tanks. This can make it difficult to enjoy your hobby and hinder your ability learn. – Find and join a local fish club. Check our online club locator to find out if one is near you. If none exist, you can start one! Meeting other enthusiasts will bring you a new passion for aquarium hobby. – Test your water. If you need to diagnose a problem, this is the best place. It will also help make your life simpler, since the test will show you if your aquarium is healthy and requires less maintenance than you planned. Join the Aquarium Co-Op CARES Forum. It’s free and friendly.