Questions & answers

Q: Your Favorite thing about working at Aquarium Co-Op?

A: That’s a tough one as there are so many awesome things about working for the Co-Op, but if I had to pick one it would be working with vendors/manufacturers to improve existing, or source entirely new, products. It is very satisfying to know that my customers will be as excited about new and improved products as I am.

– Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Sacramento State University – MBA with Supply Chain specialization at San Diego State University – APICS Certified Supply Chain Professionals (CSCP) – Creator and host of the Aquarist Podcast

A: Attending my first CIPS (China International Pet Show) in Shanghai with Cory has to be one of the most memorable. Between my first time in China, the enormity of the venue and event, and seeing so many cool fish and aquascapes made this a great experience.

A Although I wear many hats at Aquarium Co-Op my primary responsibility is the oversight of the e-commerce business. Each day presents new and unexpected challenges. However, I am responsible for placing orders with vendors, developing new products, maintaining our warehouse stocked with supplies, as well as looking out for ways to improve our operation.

A I’m going with a super red bristlenose pleco. I really enjoy raising these up in my fish room and after spending a lot of time with them you see they have some very funny behavior. I like that I can always bring these plecos into the Co-Op and they can be housed in almost any aquarium.

A: An Iwagumi aquascape setup by a world-class aquascaper. It is a beautiful aquarium with a simple aesthetic, but I know that it can be very difficult to build one.

– Type of tank: 75 gallon planted tank, crypt heavy with a dwarf aquarium lily bulb and crinum calamistratum – How long has it been setup? I have had the tank for about 3 years, with its current setup being about 8 or 9 months old – List the fish in it: Cardinal Tetras, Rummynose Tetras, Reed Tetras (Hyphessobrycon elachys), Lemon Tetras, Super Red Bristlenose, and some Cherry Shrimp – What is your biggest goal or challenge with this aquarium? The biggest goal of this aquarium is to have an easy-to-maintain planted display tank. I used to have more aquariums in the house in addition to the fish room, but I felt it was time to reduce the number of tanks in the house to one. Given that, I wanted something that would provide a lot of relaxation with minimal upkeep. I think I achieved that. I enjoy watching the crypts gradually fill in, as well as the tetras. The aquarium is complete when I sit down in two comfortable chairs. The black beard alga is the biggest challenge to this aquarium. It is not as easy to control as I would prefer, so I will be adding mano shrimp to the aquarium in the future. They can help keep the BBA under control and not be too harassed by the Tetras.

– Aquarium Co-Op Coarse Sponge Filter – better flow rate and doesn’t float compared to fine sponge filters. Xtreme Krill Flakes – Any of our live plants, as we have the best system for delivering plants and the best packing to ensure they are safe and healthy.

Top 5 Tips to Hobbyists

– Be patient. Be patient, no matter how small or large the task. Be patient and don’t feel like there is a rush or deadline. – Join a local fish club, or two. Friends and family don’t always share your nerdy passion for fish. Join your local fish club and you will find a diverse group of people who would love nothing more than to hear about your fish and tell you about theirs. Also, don’t miss the club auctions. They offer some amazing deals! – Learn from and embrace failure. Everyone in this hobby has had some level of failure, difficulty, or outright disaster. Learn from your mistakes and don’t be afraid to open and seek advice at your local fish club or internet fish group. – Change your hobby if it seems like you’re getting bored. You may not feel the same passion about your aquariums as you used to. Try something different. You can discover new species, new methods of aquascaping and biotope creation by changing your aquariums. Accept the many-faceted nature of your hobby. There are many ways to get involved in this hobby, from aquascaping and tank busters. Learn as much as you can. Find what interests you most and follow it. Be respectful of others’ hobbies. Nano fish, oddballs, puffers, African cichlids, goldfish, or Flowerhorns, the options are nearly endless and all are worth enjoying.