Many people keep fish because of the tranquility they bring. People are fascinated and find watching them therapeutic. Whatever the reason is for you wanting to keep fish, there are many Types Of Pet Fish. Here we’ll discover what type may suit you.
There are Many Types of Pet Fish
Freshwater Fish
The most popular of fish keeping, such as goldfish, guppies and angelfish.
Tetras
Bright, colorful and great to watch. Because of their size, you can have a few in one tank, they are schooling fish, so they like to be kept together. They love tanks with plants in, so you can really jazz up your tank by adding attractive plants. They have a sheen and they will seem to glow if the tank has a light, making the appearance even more attractive.
Swordtails
Peaceful fish that grow to about 4 inches. The male species can be aggressive toward each other and they breed very easily. If you do happen to have babies, make sure you remove the female as they do have a tendancy to eat their young.
Guppies
Sometimes referred to as the millionnaire or rainbow fish. They school together and feed mainly on algae. Although mainly a freshwater fish, they can be included in marine tanks.
Betta
This is a very popular fish and is usually referred to as the Siamese fighting fish. This species has beautiful colors and amazing finns.
Black Molly
This is a peaceful fish and is one of the most popular. Males grow to about 3 inches, whereas the females can grow up to 5 inches. They will generally live for about 3 years but have been known to live for longer. They are susceptible to poor water conditions. They do like a heavily planted environment.
Angelfish
These beauties add color and finess to any tank. They originate from South America and are naturally carnivorous, so it’s important they are fed the correct food. Flakes or pelleted food with occasional live feedings, they can grow to nearly 10 inches. They are generally known as a community fish, however, as they become older they can become aggressive.
Saltwater Fish or Marine Fish
This type of fish is a little more difficult to maintain and stocking the tank is also more expensive. The most common species are detailed below.
Clownfish
Sometimes referred to as anemonfish, they are from the subfamily Amphiprioninae and are usually yellow, organge or a redish colour with snow white patches. The can grow to about 7 inches. In an aquarium this fish will settle in soft corals and will consider this their home and will do everything in their power to defend it.
Gobies
One of the largest species of marine fishes and relatively easy to care for and have interesting behavior. They usually hang out at the bottom of the tank and don’t usually grow more than 4 inches in length. Their size means that they can become snacks for larger fish in the tank, so do be aware of this when stocking your tank. There are different species of gobies, including the Sifter Goby, the Dragon Goby, the Rainford Goby, the Neon Goby, the Clown Gobby, the Catalinia Goby and the Shrimp Goby.
Tangs
Often referred to as Surgeon or Doctor fish, they make any aquarium come to life. If you do intend to keep more than one species of thse fish, introduce different sexes and sizes to limit their aggression toward each other. Again, their are many different types including the Blue Hippo Tang, Achilles Tang, Blonde Naso Tang, Lavender Tang, Powder Brown Tang and many others.
Wrasse
Brightly colored with over 600 species which are typically small in size but are very active fish. These fish are not suited for a reef aquarium as they will feed on crabs, snails and worms. They are ideally suited to an aquarium with rocks and hiding places with a sandy bottom so that they may burrow at night. Species include, Green Wrasse, Red Coris Wrasse, Formosa Wrasse, Radiant Wrasse, Christmas Wrasse, Bluehead Wrasse and many more.
So is an aquarium right for you? If so, what type suits your lifestyle? Watch the video to learn about the different types of aquarium.
