Fish Of The World

By Douglas DuHamel

When you walk into an aquatics store to buy fish, how do you make your choice? Is it color or price? Do you know if your tank creates the proper habitat or do you know if the fish will be compatible? By knowing the various species of fish, you will be able to make an informed decision on what to buy, how to decorate your tank and how to take care of your fish.

In the world of today's tropical fish hobbyist, there are eight different distinct species of fish:

• Characins
• Barbs and Danios
• Rainbow Fish, Silversides, Rice Fish
• Loaches, Flying Foxes, Elephant Trunk Fish
• Live Bearers
• Killiefishes
• Labyrinth Fishes
• Cichlids

Characins

These fish belong to the species Characiformes. These are the only fish that have an extra fin inserted between their dorsal and their caudal fins. This extra fin is called the adipose fin. Even though Characins survive in the open waters of rivers and lakes, these fish need a protected area in the aquarium. This may be accomplished by having a densely planted bottom and the use of Mango roots. These fish will exhibit fantastic color only if the bottom of your aquarium has dark sand and the lighting is shaded by floating plants, indirect lighting, or lower wattage bulbs. These fish behave better in groups of ten or more and will only show their natural behavior in these groups.

Barbs and Danios

These fish belong to the species Cypriniformes. Barbs and Danios can be recognized by the small barbs that grow out of their mouths, but you will really have to look to see them. These fish are always confused with Characins, but they do not look the same and do not have the extra fin that the Characins possess. The aquarium should be densely planted in dark colours with lots of open areas for swimming. These fish behave better in groups of ten or more. They are both top and mid tank swimmers.

Rainbow Fish, Silversides, and Rice Fish

Rainbow fish belong to the species Melanotaeniidae, the Silversides to the species Atherinidae , and the Rice Fish to the species Oryziatidae. These fish can be easily recognized by their elongated bodies and slightly flattened sides. Their often-splendid colors generally reach their peak when the fish reaches maturity. All these fish are shoaling fish and do not survive well unless kept in schools of ten or more. These fish are generally a peaceful fish and can be kept with most fish except larger aggressive fish.

Loaches, Flying Foxes, and Elephant Trunk Fish

These fish belong to the species Cypriniformes and very easy to identify with elongated and rounded body, and an over shot mouth. They are well suited for bottom feeding. One word of caution; Loaches have erectile spines below their eyes and you can get seriously hurt on these spines! Frequent water changes is a must. Lots of hiding places are required as these fish are mostly out in the early evening and morning but like to hide during the day. These fish can generally live with all other species.

Live Bearers

Live bearing aquarium fish belong to several different families. What they do have in common is that they do not lay eggs like most other fish but give birth to live offspring. There are many wild forms of these fish but there also are many cultivated forms that are very popular such as the Platy, Swordtail, Guppy, Molly and many more. These are a community fish and it is ideal to keep them in groups of five or more.

Killiefishes

These fish are in the family Cyprinodontiformes. Most Killies have slightly elongated bodies that are round in cross sections. Species living close to the surface have a pronounced under shot mouth, but those living in the mid and bottom levels have only a slight under shot mouth. In the care of these fish, most Killies need a densely planted tank with no circulation with a dark bottom and shaded water. These fish are good jumpers so make sure you have a tight fitting lid for your aquarium. Killies are a non-aggressive fish and should only be kept with other non-aggressive fish. These are one of the more colorful fish in the hobby.

Labyrinth Fishes

Labyrinth fishes are very popular in the aquarium hobby because of their gorgeous colors and fascinating behavior. With many species, courtship, nest building, and parental care can even be observed in a community tank as long as there is not a lot of fish in it. These fish belong to the family Ariabantoidea and are found mostly in Asia but can be found in some parts of Africa. They require very little in the way of water conditions, since they are found in bogs, mud holes and places where there is little oxygenated water. This species should be kept in tanks that are heavily planted with caves and roots.

Cichlids

Cichlids are one of the most interesting and popular species that come from Asia, Africa, Central America and South America. This is due to their colorful appearance and wide variety of species. Their behavior is fascinating, especially watching a mother care for her brood. The easiest way to tell a cichlid is by the dorsal fin. It is made up of two parts; one with hard spiny rays and the other with soft rays. These fish can be kept alone in a tank, or in pairs up to a complete tank full. Tanks should be decorated with caves made out of rock in order to give the weaker fish a place to hide.

This article is only a brief overview of the various fish species. In future articles, I plan to focus on the individual species in order to provide you with breeding tips, dietary requirements, water conditions and behavior patterns.

There is a whole New World in the tropical fish hobby, so go out and enjoy it!

About the Author:

I have been in the tropical fish/aquarium hobby for the past 44 years. Over the years, I have bred over 300 species of tropical fish ranging from the common guppy to the most exotic African cichlids.

Over the past 15 years, I've raised and tamed various breeds of birds from tiny finches to large parrots. Just like a new parent, I've been up all hours of the night hand-feeding baby birds.

It gives me great pleasure to educate up and coming young people in the hobby. Of course, any age can reap the benefits of the aquatic atmosphere!

I would say that the most fulfilling aspect of raising birds is to take very tame birds to hospitals and let the patients interact with these fascinating creatures.

I live on the west coast of Canada with my collection of tanks, 3 cats, a dog and a fine lady. Besides my aquarium hobby, I enjoy playing chess and browsing the Internet to keep myself updated on "fishy" things.

Douglas may be contacted by email at Doug@lovethemfins.com.

Article courtesy of Suite101.com.