Gabriel 
Meet the African Sideneck Turtle The African Sideneck Turtle isn’t the kind of animal you keep by accident. You don’t just walk past it in a pet store, shrug, and toss it in your cart like a houseplant. No—this is the kind of pet that stops you in your tracks. That peculiar sideways tuck of … Read more
The Allure (and Reality) of the Musk Turtle) I remember the first time I saw a Musk Turtle in a pet shop tank—no bigger than the palm of my hand, a pair of curious eyes peeking just above the waterline, and that slow, deliberate paddle of its tiny legs. The shop owner called it a … Read more
The Little Bottom-Dwellers With Big Charm If you’ve ever sat in front of an aquarium long enough, you know there’s a whole little drama unfolding down at the bottom. It’s quieter there, slower somehow—like the calm end of a party where the interesting conversations happen. That’s where Corydoras Catfish live. These little armored fish are … Read more
A Splash of Color: An Introduction to Betta Fish There’s something magical about the first time you see a Betta Fish. Not just glance at one in a store tank under those buzzing fluorescent lights, but see it—fins unfurling like silk in slow motion, colors shifting and shimmering as if someone had dipped a paintbrush … Read more
Getting to Know the Chinese Pond Turtle There’s a certain quiet magic to the Chinese Pond Turtle, a charm that doesn’t shout for attention but pulls you in the longer you watch it. I remember the first time I saw one in person—its dark, almost charcoal shell glinting under a ripple of water, eyes fixed … Read more
Meeting the Painted Turtle If you’ve ever wandered along the edge of a quiet pond on a warm summer afternoon, you might’ve seen a little flash of color—red and yellow markings glinting just beneath the surface or on the curve of a sunbaked log. That’s the Painted Turtle, a species that somehow manages to be … Read more
Red-Eared Slider – A Little Aquatic Dinosaur There’s something about the way a Red-Eared Slider watches you—head slightly tilted, bright eyes following your every move—that makes you feel like you’re being studied just as much as you’re studying them. They’ve got this quiet, ancient vibe, but at the same time, they can be surprisingly playful… … Read more