A Tank, Bowl or other water filled enclosure in which living fish, aquatic animals and plants are kept. An Aquarium is vivarium of any size having at least one transparent side. In this page we discuss about Aquarium Fish | The Popular Aquarium Fish Overview.
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Aquarium Fish:
A Tank usually with glass sides or pool, bowl etc for keeping live water animals and water plants. In which aquatic plants or animals are keep and display. Fish keepers use Aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, aquatic reptiles such as turtles and aquatic plants. A building where such collections are exhibit.
The term “Aquarium” coined by English naturalist Philip Henry Gosse. It combines Latin root aqua meaning water with suffix arium meaning “a place for relating to”. The Aquarium principle was fully developed in 1850 by chemist Robert Warington who explain that plants added to water in container would give off enough oxygen to support animals. So long as numbers of animals did not grow too large. The Aquarium craze was launch in early Victorian England by Gosse. He created and stocked first public Aquarium at London Zoo in 1853 and published first manual “The Aquarium”.
An Unveiling of Wonders of Deep Sea in 1854. An aquarium is water fill tank in which fish swim. Small Aquarium are kept in home by hobbyists. There are large public aquariums in many cities. This kind of Aquarium is building with fish and other aquatic animals in large tanks. A large aquarium may have otters like turtles, dolphins, sharks and whales. Most aquarium tanks also have plants.
An aquarist owns fish or maintains an aquarium typically constructed of glass or high strength acrylic. Cuboid aquaria are also known as Fish Tanks or simply tanks. While bowl shaped aquaria also known as Fish Bowls. Size can range from small glass bowl or few liters in volume to immense public aquaria of thousands liters. Specialized equipment maintain appropriate water quality and other characteristics suitable for Aquarium’s residents.
Aquarium Fish History:
Over 12.5 million households keep freshwater fish in US. They account for largest proportion of pets owned across America and it’s no surprise that they are top choice of pet. Most of species that we will look at here are easy to care for. They bring beauty and color to your homes and they are very relaxing to watch.
Keeping freshwater fish also has many health benefits such as reducing stress and lowering your blood pressure and heart rate. With that said, most people who start off in fish keeping hobby get hook very quickly mainly. Because fish are so beautiful to watch, many have characteristics and personalities all of their own.
Freshwater fish come in huge variety of shapes, colors and sizes. The most popular fish are usually bright, colorful and easy to care for. If you are new to fish keeping, I recommend starting slowing and adding just few fish at any one time. This will give you chance to get to know and understand how to care for each species of fish before you add another?
Make sure you always research species you want to buy to ensure you can give them time and care that they require. This article should only serve as an example of popular types of freshwater fish rather than guide on how to care for each one.
Popular Aquarium Fishes:
In this article, we are going to take look at most popular species available in freshwater Aquarium industry today. Most of species that we will look at here are easy to care for beauty and color to your homes. They are very relaxing to watch.
We give here some Popular Aquarium Fish:
- Neon Tetra
- Guppies
- Platies
- Cherry Barb
- Pearl Gourami
- Swordtails
- Discus
- Rainbow Fish
- Corydoras Catfish
- Goldfish
- Angelfish
- Catfish
A vast number of aquatic species have successfully adapted to live in freshwater aquarium. This list gives some examples of most common species found in home aquariums. We also given below description about Aquarium Fish.
1. Neon Tetra
Neon Tetras are a small easy to care for species. This popular aquarium species is often one of first fish beginner aquarist will buy. They reach around 2.2cm in length and like to be kept in groups. They are great choice for small community aquariums due to their peaceful temperament.
Neon Tetras come in bright colors and have an iridescent blue horizontal strip across their body. They require soft, acidic water with tropical temperatures. It will accept most foods. They are omnivores. So, will feed on brine, shrimp, worms and insects as well as plants.
Did you know: Over 1.5 million Neon Tetras are imported to US each month.
2. Guppies
This colorful and lively fish is able to adapt to variety of water conditions which is one of reasons they are so popular. They are also very easy to care for. You should keep guppies in sets of threes and good guide for tank size. Size is 1 gallon of water per guppy.
Males are much more colorful and vibrant than females. So, if you’re not looking to breed, you may want to just keep males. The ideal water temperature for guppies is 50OF – 84 OF (10-29OC). Most importantly, factor is that temperature is kept consistent.
Guppies should be fed a mixture of plant and animal based foods.
3. Platies
Platies come in almost every color imaginable. They are very easy to care for just two of reasons why they are so popular. They are great community fish, they’re very peaceful and get along well with guppies and mollies.
Although small, platies are very active and love being in groups. A 10 gallon tank is large enough for 5 fish. Whilst they are omnivorous. They do require much more herbivorous food than meats.
Ideally, they need a good mix of plant based food and proteins.
4. Cherry Barb
The Cherry Barb gets its name from color male turns when it is spawning. Usually, they are silver/black with golden lateral line. They are a peaceful fish which will grow to around 2 inches in length.
They require minimum tank size of 25 gallons. Cherry Barbs are omnivorous and will eat most types of food including live, fresh, frozen and flake foods. They also planted areas where they can hide.
Cherry Barb are easy to care for and can be kept in community tanks with open space to swim.
5. Pearl Gourami
The Pearl Gourami is relatively large but peaceful fish and one of most easy to keep Gouramis. The minimum tank size for this species is 30 gallon tank with plenty of hiding places, dark substrate and low lighting.
They can be housed with other fish of similar size and temperament. However, you should not house them with aggressive fish. Pearl Gourami’s are omnivorous and should be fed algae based and meaty foods.
They are well known for eating Hydra. A tiny pest that has tentacles with venom, so make a great solution if you have a hydra problem.
6. Swordtails
The swordtail is similar in shape to platy and guppy fish with slightly bulkier body. It has sword shape extension of its fin. There are many different color variations available. They are quite hardy which makes them perfect species for beginner aquarist.
Swordtails are usually peaceful yet lively. They thrive in community tanks and like to swim in loosely group schools. They breed easily and if you do decide to breed them, you should keep them away from their parents.
Swordtail parents will often eat their fry.
7. Discus
These beautiful and graceful fish can grow to be quite large. Therefore require larger tank, minimum size of 25 gallons. Discus are not recommended for beginners and instead should only be kept by experience aquarists.
They can be housed with other fish that require same water conditions as long as they are not aggressive. Discus will take variety of foods but are carnivorous in nature.
The best diet for them consists of beef heart and blood worms supplemented with flakes to provide vitamins and minerals.
8. Rainbowfish
Rainbowfish originate from Australia and Southeast Asia. They are peaceful schooling fish that can grow up to 6 inches long.
This is perhaps one of least common fish that we are featuring here. Perhaps because its colors only begin to show as they enter adulthood. However, if given right care in just couple of years they can display stunning and vibrant colors.
Rainbowfish get along well with other upper level schooling fish such as danios, bards and larger tetras.
9. Corydoras Catfish
Also known as Cory Cats, these fish are staple in most freshwater tanks. They’re easy to care for calm and peaceful yet active bottom dwellers.
They are very social and whilst you can keep them. Individually, they thrive if kept in group of two or more. They get on well with most community tank fish as long as they are not aggressive.
Corydoras grow up to 2.5 inches in length and are excellent tank cleaners. They’ll pick up left over foods from gravel but also require other foods such as flakes and bottom feeder tablets.
10. Goldfish
When most people think of Goldfish. They think of small fish bowls with fish that was won at the fair. This is not correct way to house goldfish. Few people know that they can actually grow up to 14 inches in wild.
The minimum tank size for goldfish is 20 gallons. You’ll also need filter and to perform 10-15% weekly water changes. There are many different varieties of goldfish and its fine to mix them. As long as they aren’t breeds that would compete with each other for food.
For example, keep single tailed varieties together and normal eyed goldfish together.
11. Angelfish
Angelfish are member of Cichlid family. Which also includes Discus, Oscars and Parrot fish. All common fish among aquarium keepers. They can grow up to 6 inches in length, 8 inches tall and come in variety of colors and patterns.
They are omnivorous, so will need a balanced diet of meat and plant food. There are many different types of angelfish. Their tank should be at least 20 gallons. Water should be slightly soft and acidic. As they mature, they can become aggressive, especially if your tank in overcrowded.
In general though, they are good community fish. Just don’t keep them with very small fish or fin nipping species.
12. Catfish
Catfish are not most spectacular fish in tank. But they serve an important purpose. These low maintenance, bottom dwelling fish consume algae growing in tank.
So, they aid in keeping tank clean. Choose among various catfish species and colors.
Most types of catfish are compatible with the fish commonly kept in community tanks.
Aquarium Fish Food:
Aquarium Fish Food is plant or animal material intend for consumption by pet fish kept in an Aquariums or ponds. Fish foods normally contain macro-nutrients, trace elements and vitamins necessary to keep captive fish in good health. Approximately 80% of fish keeping hobbyists feed their fish exclusively prepared foods that most commonly are produced in flake, pellet or tablet form.
Pelleted forms, some of which sink rapidly are often use for larger fish or bottom feeding species such as loaches or catfish. Some fish foods also contain additives such as hormones or beta carotene to artificially enhance the color of ornamental fish.
Prepare foods are those foods that are non living and made by aquarist or bought already prepare for consumption for fish.
Dry foods:
Flake food is type of proprietary or artificially manufacture fish food consume by wide variety of tropical and saltwater fish and invertebrates.Flake food is bake to remove moisture and ensuring longer shelf life. Dry foods are also available as pellets, sticks, tablets, granules and wafers.
Vacation food
Vacation foods also known as “food blocks” are design to be placed inside aquarium to forgo feeding while owner is absent. These blocks release small amounts of food as they dissolve. Food blocks can be a good choice for smaller tropical fish.
Medicated food
Medicated Fish Food is safe and effective method to deliver medication to fish. The parasites will get treat spot on by medicated food because fish is ingesting it.
Freeze-Dried and frozen Food
Freeze-dried and frozen Fish foods were primarily develop for tropical and marine fish. Food is useful in providing variety to diet or specialist feeding needs of some species. These include tubifex worms, mosquito larvae, blood-worms and water fleas.
Frozen Food
Perishable food can be preserve by frozen storage. It is often sold in blister packs or resealable packets. These can contain variety of ingredients such as blood-worms, Daphnia or brine shrimp. They are commonly use to feed such fish as Discus.
Aquarium Fish Facts:
An Aquarium is place where fish and other animals that live in water are kept by humans. They show fish and other animals they keep in large tanks. It also often protect species that are close to extinction. There are some Aquarium Fish Facts are given below:
- The world’s smallest aquarium is 30 x 24 x 14 mm and contains small baby fish that are replace as soon as they grow.
- A shark helped another shark give birth at an Auckland, New Zealand aquarium in 2009. The first shark bit the abdomen of the second, freeing the pups inside.
- In Japan’s Shima Marineland aquarium, goldfish was thrown into an exhibition tank to be live bait for larger fish.
- Snooty, world’s oldest captive manatee has live at South Florida aquarium almost all his life. On his birthday, cake of fruit and vegetables is made for him.
- Dolphins can communicate with one another over telephone and appear to know who they are talking. In one experiment carried in an aquarium in Hawaii, mother and her two-year-old calf in another tank connected by special underwater audio link recognized each other and talk.
- There is an 82 foot tall aquarium that holds more than 1,500 fish. It has to be cleaned by divers, three or four times each day. The German AquaDom is largest freestanding cylindrical aquarium in world.
- In 1935, shark on display in an Australian aquarium vomited up human arm. The investigation resulted in man shooting himself in head before leading police boats on hours-long chase.
- A Queensland lungfish named Granddad has been living at Shedd Aquarium since 1933. He is estimated to be over 100 years old.
- The Georgia Aquarium offers adult only sleepovers so you can literally sleep with fishes.
- The National Aquarium in Baltimore has a banana plant.
Conclusion:
An Aquarium is place where fish and other animals that live in water are kept by humans. The Aquarium’s Fish Food is plant or animal material intend for consumption by pet fish kept in an Aquariums or ponds. An Aquarium is vivarium of any size having at least one transparent side. The most well known fresh water fishes in list is Neon Tetra, is a small, thin and easy to care fish. Fish keepers use Aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, aquatic reptiles such as turtles and aquatic plants.