Month: October 2018

Top 5 Fish For Fresh Water Aquariums

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When it comes to caring for pet fish at home, a fresh-water aquarium is the ideal choice as it not only presents fish in an aesthetic, pleasing way, the tank is also simple to maintain. Pet fish can come in a variety of colors and sizes, so if you have just purchased an aquarium, youll want to make sure that your fish are compatible and can be easily cared for as well.

1. The Common Goldfish

Of course, most aquariums would be replete if you did not add one popular pet fish the goldfish. Indeed, the goldfish is the most popular, well-recognized aquarium fish as it is both economical and hardy. Originating in China, the goldfish not only comes in orange, it is available in yellow, yellow and black, white, and a combination of white and black as well.

The common goldfish, or the orange variety, is a very docile pet fish and, amazingly, can grow as long as 40 inches. The hardiest of the goldfish species, a common goldfish can live almost half a century! It thrives well in water temperatures from 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. The Guppy

Another popular aquarium fish is the guppy, which is a great fish to choose if youve never owned a pet fish or aquarium before. Males of the species are colorful while females can be considered Plain Janes. As these fish are prolific breeders, you have to make sure they wont, after a time, crowd out the other fish in your aquarium.

3. The Archer Fish

The archer fish is generally a better choice for people who have experience in aquaculture. Peaceful in nature like the common goldfish, the archer fish subsists on a diet of live insects. An enjoyable fish to watch, the fish is a logical pick for home aquariums.

4. The Swordfish

Another fish that is a great choice for beginning aquaculturists, the swordtail grows to about four inches at maturity. While the pet fish basically exhibits a non-aggressive demeanor, the male of the species can, at times be rather belligerent around other males.

Like guppies, the swordtail tends to multiply rather quickly. However, the population can be controlled as the mother fish of the species will eat her babies if you dont separate her from offspring. Other than that small, yet significant, quirk the fish are pretty simple to maintain.

5. The Neon Tetra

The neon tetra is a schooling fish that is a favorite among beginning hobbyists. Therefore, youll want to include at least five the small fish in your freshwater fish tank. Neon tetras live up to their name, showcasing red and blue neon colors on shiny scales. Like goldfish, the fish are a placid species and very easy to keep. However, make sure not to include them in an aquarium with more aggressive breeds that will look at the small fish as prey. If they are kept away from predatory fish, neon tetras live about six to eight years in an aquarium.

Tropical Freshwater Fish That Will Look Good In Your Aquarium – B To C

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Brown Acara – Aequidens portalegrensis (Family: Cichlidae)
The main body color of the adult is reddish-brown, the scales are large and the fins are greenish and marbled with a range of colors. A horizontal line of dark colored bars runs from the eye to near the tail at which there is a dark area surrounded by yellow or green dots.

Although timid, it can grow to more than 15 cms so you need to consider if it is ideal or not for your community tank. The difference between the sexes is subtle. The anal fin of the male is longer and less rounder than that of the female and the colors of the fins are less bright. After mating the pair stay together for life which is a particular feature of the species.

The breeding tank must have rocks and similar stuff removed as the fish can be injured during the vigorous courtship. The pair should be about the same build and be fed on live food. Place a piece of slate in the tank so eggs can be laid on it and when the fry are hatched and able to swim remove both the parents. Feed the fry on infusoria, micro-worms and daphnids.

Cardinal Tetra – Cheirodon axelrodi (Family: Characidae)
One of the most popular tetras and great for a community aquarium as it is active and peaceful. Slim, it grows up to about 7 cms, ideally should be part of a small shoal and giving them live food now and again will keep them fit and healthy.

From the mouth and eye to the tail runs a reddish-brown coloration covering most of the lower body. Above that runs a green fluorescent band. The dorsal and anal fins have no color. The male is less thicker in the body than the female. This species is not easy to breed. Suitable pairs are picked by observation and kept apart feeding with live food to get them ready.

The female is placed in the breeding tank in the morning and the male in the evening. The tank will be thickly planted at one end with nylon breeding mops scattered about. The next day spawning should take place and semi-sticky eggs will be placed in the breeding mops which are then removed to a separate tank at the same temperature. After five days left in darkness you should find fry swimming about which can then be fed on infusoria till they are ready for bigger food such as micro-worms.

Chocolate Gourami – Sphaerichthys osphromenoides (Family: Belontiidae)
Although it can be put in a community tank this fish is quite susceptible to disease so be warned. But once it gets through any illness and gets used to the environment it is then quite hardy. Its aquarium requirements are soft water, a temperature of 26 to 30 degrees centigrade and a densely planted area.

The body color is from dark brown to black and it has several vertical silver white stripes of different shape. The mouth shows tiny teeth and the pelvic, dorsal and anal fins are black. As bubble-nest breeders the eggs are produced by the female after mating, the male puts them in his mouth and blows them into the bubble nest he previously built floating on the surface.

Remove the female after she lays the eggs. The male looks after the eggs; he will replace eggs that fall from the nest, he will maintain the nest structure with additional bubbles and aerate the eggs by swishing his tail near them. Remove the male after the fry start swimming.

Easy-to-care-for Freshwater Aquarium Fish

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Freshwater aquarium fish are just as lovely and relaxing as their saltwater cousins, but are much easier to take care of. While a freshwater tank still has to be kept clean and in the right pH range, there is no salinity to worry about.

Some freshwater aquarium fish are easy enough for a young child to take care of. The best fish are not so sensitive to water quality, and so they make a good, hardy species for the family to enjoy. These popular species are also coldwater fish, meaning the aquarium will not need a heater.

Goldfish

Without a doubt, goldfish are the most popular freshwater aquarium fish. If cared for well, a goldfish will live about six to eight years. People have bred the ones with bright orange scales for hundreds of years. They cost as little as 25 cents each and produce a lot of waste relative to their size; so changing the water in the fish tank frequently is important to the fish’s health.

Angelfish

Domestic angelfish originate from species native to the Amazon River. Their flat, triangular shape is rather uniform, but breeders have produced a range of colors and patterns in their scales. Some have delicate flowing tails and fins while some are more compact.

Angelfish are sometimes known to eat very small freshwater aquarium fish, but in general, if there is enough artificial fish food supplied, an angelfish will not turn on his tank mates.

Neon Tetra

Tetra are very small fish; domestic tetras rarely grow bigger than an inch. But neon tetras have a bright stripe along the sides of their tiny bodies, giving them a big visual impact. They swim in schools, making their colors even more obvious.

Tetras originally came from South American waters. Tetra generally should not be put in a tank with other freshwater aquarium fish because they are liable to be eaten or bullied. They can live up to ten years in a home aquarium.

Betta fish

Betta fish are actually a large family, comprising many members beyond the popular red “Siamese fighting fish”. Siamese fighting fish have elaborate fins in red trimmed in blue, purple or green. Fish keepers say a male betta fish should never be kept in a tank with another male as they will fight. In general, the beta fish needs to be paired with fish that are too big for him to attack and do not have large fins.