The Jungle Express

The Jungle Express Aquarium and Reptiles

08/13/2026

How many do you see?

A group of Koi Angelfish — the orange, black and white morph named for its koi-carp patterning. No two are marked the same, and the pattern keeps shifting as they grow. That orange on the head usually deepens with age.

Angelfish are one of the classic centerpiece fish for a reason. Tall, slow, deliberate — a mature one commands a tank the way almost nothing else its size does. Give them height rather than floor space; they grow up more than out. Eighteen inches of tank height is the minimum you want.

Down on the sand you'll spot Venezuelan Corys (Osteogaster venezuelanus, still sold as Corydoras venezuelanus almost everywhere). They're a bigger, stockier cory than the common bronze, and they work the bottom all day. Keep them in groups of six or more — they're social and get shy on their own.

Interested? Hit us up and we'll get you set up with one of these beauties.

Count them and drop your number in the comments.

More arrivals coming before the site goes live 9.11.26 — www.jungleexpress.net

08/12/2026

Our first snakes have landed.

Box just hit the table and there are four in here — every one of them a juvenile, and every one going into the collection.

Albino Okeetee Corn Snake
Albino Striped CA King Snake
Anerythristic Tessera Corn Snake
Black & White Banded CA King Snake

Corn snakes and California kings are two of the best places to start if you've been curious about keeping a snake — calm, hardy, and they stay a manageable size.

Interested? Hit us up and we'll get you set up with one of these beauties.

Which one would you take home? Tell us in the comments.

More arrivals coming before the site goes live 9.11.26 — www.jungleexpress.net

08/11/2026

Guess what's coming.

Jungle Express is getting its own home online. www.jungleexpress.net goes live September 11, 2026.

And we're not showing up empty-handed. Three new arrivals are coming with it: one reptile, one cichlid, and one more we're not ready to name yet.

Slow & steady? Fins & flair? Wild colors?

Drop your guess in the comments — we'll reveal them one at a time between now and launch day.

Mark your calendar: 9.11.26

08/05/2026

How many baby red-footed tortoises can you spot? 👀 Some of these guys blend in with their grass and greens better than you'd think — take a guess and drop your number in the comments, we'll tell you if you got it right.

Red-footed tortoises are one of the most popular beginner tortoise species out there — omnivores that eat fruit, veggies, and the occasional protein, and unlike desert species they actually need humidity to thrive. These little ones grow into 11-14 inch adults that can live 40-50+ years, so getting one means committing to decades of care.

Thinking about adding one to your collection? Reach out and we'll walk you through what it takes.

08/04/2026

Wild-caught & breeding: Apistogramma commbrae 🐟

These tiny dwarf cichlids (males top out around 1.3") were wild-caught in Uruguay, south of Bella Unión — and this pair is now raising fry right in the tank. Mom guards the cave, fans oxygen over the eggs, and shepherds the fry once they're free-swimming.

They live low in dense, mossy vegetation, which makes them experts at hiding. See if you can spot her.

A few pairs available. Questions? Drop them below!

07/30/2026

Meet the Redhead Cichlid (Vieja melanura) 🔥

That fire-red head and blue-green spangling only get bolder with age. These are big, personality-loaded Central American cichlids — adults push 12–14 inches, so they need room (think 100+ gallons) but reward you with color most fish can't touch.

The genus name Vieja means "old woman," a nod to the nuchal hump older fish develop. Native to the lowland rivers of southern Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala.

A few available now. Which one's your favorite? 👇

07/29/2026

Blink and you'll miss him. 🐟

Our Crenicichla zebrina spends a good chunk of the day tucked into the rockwork — and that's not shyness, that's strategy. Zebrina are ambush predators. Sitting motionless in a crevice waiting for something to swim past is exactly what they're built to do.

This one's a juvenile, which is why he's gold with a dark stripe. The zebra barring that gives the species its name comes in as they mature — and they get big, up to 12–15 inches, so a 120-gallon tank is the realistic starting point.

They come from the Río Ventuari in Venezuela, a tributary of the upper Orinoco, where the water runs fast, warm, and clear. Worth knowing they're also one of the more even-tempered large pikes, which is part of why they're so wanted in the hobby.

Limited availability. 👇 Anyone else keeping pikes?

07/23/2026

Take a walk through our outdoor Chinese Box Turtle enclosure — can you spot him before we do? 🐢

Our box turtles love a mix of grass, shade, and a shallow pond to soak in. This natural setup lets them explore, dig, and bask just like they would in the wild.

Fun fact: Chinese Box Turtles are one of the few turtle species with a hinged bottom shell — they can pull their head, legs, and tail all the way in and seal themselves up like a lockbox. In the wild across China, Taiwan, and Japan's Ryukyu Islands, they're Endangered due to habitat loss and overcollection, so captive-bred turtles like ours help take pressure off wild populations.

Did you spot him? Let us know below 👇

07/22/2026

Meet the Jenynsia onca — and yes, I caught these myself in the Rio Yi in Uruguay. 🇺🇾🐟

These spotted little fish are "one-sided livebearers," and they have one of the strangest reproductive strategies out there: males can only mate from one side, and females can only be fertilized from one side. Nature gets weird sometimes.

They're rarely seen in the hobby and prefer cooler water (they don't do well above 75°F), so getting to keep a wild-caught group like this is a real treat. Only a limited number available.

Stick around to the end and you'll spot my Hoplisoma longipinne (long-finned cories) resting in the sand — armored catfish from the same corner of South America. 👇 Ever seen either of these before?

07/21/2026

Meet the Calico Damba (Paretroplus kieneri) -- one of the rarer cichlids we've had come through Jungle Express.

Currently at 2" and available now. Fully grown, they top out around 4.7-5.5", with the occasional giant pushing close to 10". They're endemic to Madagascar and considered vulnerable in the wild, so every captive-bred one that gets kept well matters.

They're actually one of the calmer Madagascar cichlids temperament-wise, but they do need room -- plan on 75+ gallons long term.

Comment or send me a message if you want more info.

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Newberry, SC

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