Tropical fish for an aquarium: species, features of keeping, feeding, reproduction

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Tropical fish are quite popular in home aquariums due to their exoticism and bright colors. There are species that even a beginner can contain without much difficulty. Tropical inhabitants are quite thermophilic, they can be kept in fresh and s alt water. Consider the main species that are often kept in home aquariums, the conditions of keeping, feeding and breeding.

Views

Due to the huge species diversity, tropical fish are very attractive to aquarists. It is difficult not to get confused, seeing a variety of bright colors, sizes and body shapes of fish. Therefore, it is worth highlighting the main features of the most popular species.

• Chelostomy. This is a fairly peaceful fish that lives in fresh water. They grow up to 15 cm. Their main feature is mobile lips that hide hundreds of small teeth. This fish is able to breathe atmospheric air.
• Neons. These are popular inaquarium freshwater tropical fish. They got their name from the bright blue and red stripes that run along the body. These are small fish that reach 2.5 cm in length. They usually move in small flocks.
• Melanochromis auratus. Another name is the Malawian cichlid. Fish that attract the eye with their beautiful color, but they have a rather fighting character. In captivity, they often grow larger than in nature.
• Apistogramma ramirezi. Another member of the cichlid genus. The fish are small in size, quite peaceful, therefore they can get along well with other types of fish. Suitable for keeping in a small aquarium.
• Surgeon fish. These are quite peaceful fish that can live in reef aquariums. They got their name due to the fins, which look like a surgeon's scalpel. They have a huge variety of bright colors.

Containment conditions

Tropical fish are very sensitive to the temperature of the water in the aquarium. Most often, it needs to be maintained in the range from 21 to 28 degrees. To keep the fish, you need an aquarium of a size suitable for the selected species, as well as special devices: a filter, a heater, an aerator, a thermometer. It is advisable to place the aquarium in a place that will not be reached by direct sunlight, vibration or noise.

For beginners, it is better to choose unpretentious, error-forgiving species for content. When settling in one aquarium of different types of fish, it is worth focusing on their compatibility with each other, since not all tropical fishequally peaceful.

It is worth paying special attention to the internal arrangement of the aquarium: the choice of suitable soil, plants and shelters (depending on the species you like to keep). Also important is the lighting needed to maintain the right microclimate in the aquarium.

Fish that live in s alt waters are much more difficult to care for and maintain. They need larger aquariums that require more careful and longer maintenance.

Feeding

Tropical fish need both protein and vegetable food. Fish can be fed live and dry food. It is necessary to feed the fish several times a day, while not overfeeding. Feed should be given exactly as much as the fish can eat in 3-5 minutes. If the remains of uneaten food float on the surface or sink to the bottom, then next time you should give it less, and catch the rest to avoid contamination of the aquarium.

Food must be selected depending on the type of fish. Predatory fish are fed live food, insects and fish. For some popular fish species, special ready-made balanced feeds are sold. Food for fish should be varied and of high quality, meet the recommendations for this species.

Reproduction

The easiest to breed are tropical livebearing fish. Of the special conditions, they are demanding only for food, it is also necessary to provide a jig for fry or spawning, as many fish are not averse toeat young. Young animals are transplanted into the general aquarium only when they reach a certain size.

Slightly more difficult is the case of egg-laying and mouth-incubating fish. For oviparous, a special container is needed, where they are deposited for the spawning period. The female is put back into the aquarium after she lays her eggs.

In the case of fish incubating in the mouth, such as cyclids, after spawning, it is advisable to separate the female from the male so that he does not harm her. Sometimes eggs are taken from the female and artificially incubated.

Thus, tropical fish are frequent inhabitants of home aquariums due to their variety of colors and shapes. There are many types of heat-loving fish that are fairly easy to keep. There are also species that are more demanding in terms of maintenance, which will suit experienced aquarists. Therefore, choosing a type of tropical species for an aquarium is based on your own experience and the conditions that you can create for them.