Keeping freshwater fish indoors is a practice that has evolved over the last two thousand years. In the ancient Roman Empire, the first freshwater fish to be brought indoors were sea barbells. Around the year 50, the invention of glass gave the Romans the ability to greatly improve the view of fish in marble tanks. A Chinese Emperor established a porcelain company in 1369, which specialized in the creation of porcelain fish tanks for freshwater fish (more specifically, goldfish).There are now approximately sixty million aquarists all over the world, with keeping an indoor fish tank currently being the second most popular hobby in the United States. Specifically in the United States, it’s estimated that around 40% of fish owners keep at least two tanks.

SPECIALIZED CARE NEEDS OF FRESHWATER FISH

Most pet care experts agree that keeping a fresh water fish tank requires significantly less work than keeping a salt water tank. However, this is not to say that fresh water fish aren’t without their own pet fish care needs. Keeping a fresh water fish tank clean is the best thing that an aquarium owner can do to ensure that their fish remain healthy. Many people view aquarium keeping as a hobby that requires little or no work, when actually the opposite is true. Maintaining a tank as a habitable environment for fresh water fish does require a significant amount of work, as well as designated testing of water quality. Many fish also have specific dietary needs, which make caring for certain fresh water fish slightly more difficult. In general, most fresh water fish will thrive off of a diet that has varied ingredients, and that contains both dried and fresh foods.

SETTING UP A FRESHWATER FISH TANK

It’s best to purchase all of the supplies that you will need for your fresh water fish tank well before you plan to purchase any fish. Setting up a fresh water fish tank should be done at least three days before you plan to bring any fish home, since this will give you time to ensure that your tank is functioning properly. Most fish tank owners use tap water to fill their tank, which is usually the best option. However, due to the high chlorine levels in tap water, it’s essential that any tap water used for a fish tank be de-chlorinated well before any fish are added to the tank. Be sure to purchase a water filter that is designed to cycle the total volume of your tank approximately four times per hour.

LONG TERM FRESHWATER FISH CARE

Extended maintenance of fresh water fish can be relatively simple, as long as you keep your fresh water fish tank clean and free of contaminants. The best way to do this is to replace approximately 10% to 15% of the water in your fish tank every week. This can be done with a siphon system, which is available for purchase at most pet supply stores. When replacing any siphoned water, be sure to use water that has already been de-chlorinated.

Puffer fish have long been regarded as one of the more exotic and unique species of fish that are sometimes kept in home aquariums. The history of the pufferfish’s discovery is fairly easy to trace, namely due to this fish’s unique appearance. The first documented history suggesting interaction with puffer fish actually dates all the way back to 2700 BC, in Ancient Egypt. Many engravings of the puffer fish have been found in ancient tombs, and it is even thought that the puffer fish was dried to be used in some primitive ball games. Puffer fish are also known to be native the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean. Consuming puffer fish is a very dangerous ritual still practiced to this day in Japan, with the threat of succumbing to the deadly poisons in the puffer fish somewhat of a status symbol in certain cultures. It is said that the poison contained in the puffer fish is so potent in certain areas (such as the ovaries and liver), that even a touch of this poison can cause instant death if consumed by humans.

APPEARANCE

Some pet fish care enthusiasts say that the appearance of a puffer fish is one of its most endearing qualities. The frontal appearance of the puffer fish includes large, expressive eyes, an elongated nose and a flat snout. Some people liken the facial appearance of the puffer fish to a panda bear, a pig or sometimes even a dog. The unique inflating property of the puffer fish is its ability to rapidly appear to greatly increase in size. This is accomplished when the fish sucks in a large quantity of water to its incredibly elastic stomach. The downside of this defense is that if taken out of the water, puffer fish will sometimes activate this defense mechanism and become completely inflated with air.

BEHAVIOR

Puffer fish are a relatively bold species of fish, which is perhaps to do with their unique defensive properties. Puffer fish have a combination of fins that allow them to be extremely maneuverable, though fairly slow-moving underwater. Many puffer fish are innately curious, often coming to the edge of their tank to greet their owners during mealtimes. It’s very important to avoid placing a puffer fish in a tank with aggressive breeds of fish, since this can cause a stressful environment for the puffer fish. Puffer fish do not deal well with stress, requiring constant monitoring of their behavior to avoid being over-stressed.

FEEDING

It is a generally accepted fact among pet care experts that puffer fish are not able to survive off of a diet that contains any dry or flaked fish food formulas. Because of this, it is very important to feed your puffer fish a combination of live and frozen food ingredients. If you have other fish in your tank, you may need to use fish tank tongs to ensure that the food is placed in an area where your puffer fish will be able to eat it before other fish. You can also feed puffer fish shelled crabs, since they may otherwise require trimming of their teeth.

The archerfish is actually part of a family of fish that are known for preying on land based insects. There are seven different species of the genus Toxetes, which is the technically name for the Archerfish family. Archerfish can reside in salt water, fresh water and brakish water. Archerfish are native to the waters of Polynesia, Australia, the Philippines and India.

APPEARANCE

The archerfish has a relatively streamlined shape, having a dorsal fin that is set significantly far back from the front of the fish. The profile of the archerfish is entirely straight from mouth to dorsal fin, giving this fish a very consistent appearance. The front of the fish slopes upwards in a gradual line, tapering off at the middle portion of the rounded dorsal fin. The bottom of the fish is nearly a mirror shape of the top, though the slope along the anal fin is slightly more pronounced. Most archer fish have a black striped pattern on their top half, which fades away approximately halfway down the length of their body. The remainder of their body is silver-gray, with the fins sometimes displaying small black color patterns similar to that of the body.

The mouth of the archer fish is by far its most remarkable feature from a scientific standpoint, being protractile in appearance. The lower jaw extends slightly farther than the upper jaw in most archerfish. Inside the mouth, there is a narrow groove that extends the length of the roof of the archerfish’s mouth. This groove is the main reason why archerfish are able to ‘shoot’ jets of water at their land-based prey. The tongue of an archerfish is pressed against this groove, and water is cycled though at an accelerated rate. Archerfish are able to grow up to 12 inches in size, though usually do not reach this length in aquariums.

BEHAVIOR

Most archerfish need to be in schools of eight fish or more. This is the main reason why it’s not recommended that you keep an archerfish in a tank of less than 55 gallons. Though it is possible to keep lone archerfish, due to their size they may not interact well with other smaller species of fish. The unique features of the archerfish involve its ability to shoot a jet of water at land-based prey, which means that it tends to reside close to a tank’s surface. Because of this, it may be possible to keep some bottom-dwelling fish in the tank as well.

FEEDING

In the wild, archerfish have a diet primarily consisting of live or fresh insects. Because of this, it is essential that this type of diet is also mimicked in an aquarium environment. You can feed an archerfish dehydrated insects, which can usually be purchased in the fish care section of most pet care supply stores. It’s very important not to feed an archerfish any food that will quickly sink to the bottom of the tank, since most archerfish will ignore food once it leaves their line of sight. Live insects, worms and other organisms can be carefully placed on the surface of the water, in order to attract the archerfish’s attention.

Angelfish of the freshwater variety are currently very popular for aquarium owners, due to their dramatic appearance. However, angelfish were only domesticated recently for use in home aquariums. The angelfish was first cited by Lichtenstein in the year 1824. The scientific name of the angelfish actually translates to mean “winged leaf”, a note to the appearance of the fish. Angelfish were not successfully bred in captivity in the United States until the 1920s and the early 1930s. A completely new species of angelfish was discovered in 1963, creating much scientific excitement about the angelfish. It’s speculated that there may still yet be certain types of angelfish that remain undiscovered in the Amazon River.

APPEARANCE

The angelfish is easily recognizable by its dramatic appearance, which is one of the main reasons why it is currently among one of the more commonly kept freshwater aquarium fish. Some aquarium angelfish have been reported to grow over 40cm in height, though this is relatively rare. In the wild, there have been angelfish reported to be over 50cm in height. The angelfish is easily recognizable by its triangular appearance, which is created by long, pointed fins that grow backwards away from the front of its body. Most angelfish appear to be very laterally compressed, similar to that of the discus fish. However, the pointed quality of an angelfish’s fins and tail make it very distinctly different. Most angelfish are patterned with bi-colored stripes along both sides of their body, which are directly vertical.

BEHAVIOR

Angelfish are widely known for being one of the more intelligent species of fish, being said to even be able to distinguish between different people who approach their tank. Angelfish are classified by most pet care specialists as being in the “semi-aggressive” category of fish, though this is subject to debate among some angelfish owners. Angelfish are able to get along with many other species of fish, though do tend to be more receptive to sharing a tank with certain breeds. An example of some of the fish species that are compatible with angelfish are plecos, tetras and platies. Angelfish tend to form strict mated pairs in their lifetime, and may even refuse to mate again if their current mate ends up dying. However, it is worth noting that most angelfish are extremely difficult to breed when living in an enclosed aquarium environment.

FEEDING

Angelfish will be able to maintain good health as long as they are given a variety of food ingredients in their diet. There are some specialized fish food formulas that meet some of the nutritional needs of angelfish, which are available in the fish care section of most pet supply stores. However, it is best to feed your angelfish a combination of dry (flaked or pellet), live and frozen food. Since angelfish are voracious eaters, it’s essential that you do not overfeed them, even if they appear to still be hungry. There are many dangers associated with overfeeding an angelfish, most notably the tendency of excess fat to shorten their overall life span.

Clownfish are native to both the Pacific and Indian ocean, as well as many areas that host warmer ocean waters. Depending on the species, clownfish can be either extremely common or fairly rare. Most clownfish are very specific to areas in which they can find a ‘host’. The most commonly cited relationship with a clownfish and a host is in the pairing of an Ocellaris clownfish and a sea anemone. The clownfish feeds on undigested material from the anemone, while the clownfish’s fecal matter provides the sea anemone with vital nutrients.

APPEARANCE

Clownfish are relatively small fish, and are well known for their ability to avoid danger. The most visually notable feature of the clownfish is their distinct color patterns, which tend to be alternating stripes of orange, red, black or white colors. However, the most unique feature of the clownfish isn’t easily visible to the naked eye. The entire body of the clownfish is covered with a thick mucus coating, which is the main reason why clownfish are able to reside in sea anemones without being affected by the anemone’s toxins. It’s speculated that the mucus coating of a clownfish is based on sugar substances rather than proteins, which may be one of the reasons why an anemone does not immediately recognize the clownfish as a potential food source.

BEHAVIOR

In the wild, most clownfish reside in small groups that inhabit a single anemone host. The group consists of a male and female breeding pair, as well as several adolescent male fish. If the female fish dies or is killed, the breeding male changes sexes and becomes female, adopting one of the adolescent male fish as a new mate. Clownfish are subject to a unique process called “sequential hermaphroditism”. In tanks, most clownfish are very shy, and will stay close to their host anemone. If there is no anemone in their tank, clownfish will often adopt a small cave or a piece of coral as their home. However, coral is not an ideal host environment for a clownfish, as the coral can damage a clownfish’s skin. Depending on the initial environment of a clownfish, they may or may not have the instinctual desire to reside in a host anemone. However, most fish can be taught to adopt this behavior in captivity.

FEEDING

Technically, clownfish are classified as being an omnivorous species of fish. This means that they have a varied diet, and will eat most any food substance. It is possible to feed a clownfish entirely on a diet of special food pellets or flakes. However, due to the shy nature of this fish, they may not immediately be receptive to surface feeding without a bit of training. In addition to this, if a clownfish is kept in a tank with their host anemone, they will consume a large quantity of the anemone’s undigested food ingredients. It’s best to keep a close eye on a clownfish’s behavior in captivity, since this will help you to understand if they are being adequately fed.

Caring for salt water fish and other ocean organisms actually dates back to ancient Roman history. Romans used to keep Venetian glass jars filled with anemones, though these were often kept outdoors. It wasn’t until the 1950s that caring for salt water aquariums began rapidly increasing in popularity, often including bleached coral and crushed rock substrate. This is where today’s hobby of keeping a salt water aquarium first originated.

SPECIAL NEEDS OF SALT WATER FISH

Caring for salt water fish can be slightly difficult, since salt water fish have more specialized pet fish care requirements than fresh water fish. Experts at taking care of your pet agree that a salt water fish tank is not a hobby for novice aquarium owners. There is a lot of special equipment required in order for a salt water tank to be sufficiently habitable for fish. This can involve weeks of preparation, as well as a significant monetary investment.

SETTING UP A SALT WATER FISH TANK

Most pet stores sell salt water “Starter Kits” that include all of the equipment you will need in order to initially set up your salt water tank. Though these kits may seem expensive, it’s usually the best way to ensure that you purchase the proper equipment. It’s very important that your kit include salt water mix, a protein skimmer, specialized salt water filter, Hydrometer/Refractometer and water testing kits. The tank should be fully set up and allowed to operate from 1 to 2 weeks before it should be habitable for salt water fish.

LONG TERM SALT WATER FISH CARE

SALINITY LEVELS
Measuring the salinity levels of your salt water fish’s environment is one of the most essential procedures that you can do to ensure that your fish are being properly cared for. This should be a daily procedure, and usually takes less than five minutes to complete.

TEMPERATURE
Depending on the species of salt water fish that you choose to keep in your tank, you will also have to keep a close eye on the temperature of your tank, adjusting your water heater accordingly.

GENERAL TESTING
It’s very important that you test the pH, nitrate and ammonia levels of your salt water tank at least three times per week. Some fish have specialized needs, and may not be able to survive in an environment that is either over or under their recommended levels. Most testing kits are fairly inexpensive, and can be purchased at a pet supply store.

CLEANING
One of the most important procedures that you need to complete with a salt water fish tank is regular cleaning. However, since a salt water tank requires a set period of time to ‘cure’, it’s not recommended that you completely empty your tank for a thorough cleaning. Beneficial bacteria begin to grow in your tank after it has been operational for a period of time, which promote good health of your salt water fish. It’s best to simply replace 10% to 15% of the water in your salt water tank on a bi-weekly basis. Some fish care specialists recommend that you replace 20% of the water in your tank once per month, though this is still subject to debate.

The koi fish is technically referred to as an ornamental variation of carp, sometimes referred to with the term ‘nishikigoi’ (brocaded carp). The koi fish was first developed in Japan, from a variation of the common carp. In the 1820s, common carp breeding for selective colors became popular in the town of Ojiya. By the 20^th century, many different color patterns had been successfully established in carp, though the most popular was a red-and-white color variation called “Kohaku”. However, other countries did not become aware of this special type of carp until the color variations of the koi fish were displayed at a Tokyo exhibition in 1914. This gave a huge jump-start to the popularity of the koi fish, creating the hobby of keeping koi fish. Today, many types of koi fish are available at pet care supply stores, though certain types of koi are only available from specialized breeders.

APPEARANCE

Since the appearance of the koi fish can vary greatly from different types of varieties, sub-categories were established for koi fish based on three factors: scalation, patterning and coloration. Though the color variation, type and pattern of the koi fish are relatively limitless, there are certain colors which are generally accepted as being more common. These colors are cream, blue, yellow, red, black and white. Depending on the pattern and type of colors on a koi fish, pet fish care specialists have created several different categories. The most popular category for koi fish by far is called “Gosanke”, which includes three koi fish varieties: Sowa Sanshouku, Taisho Sanshouku and Kohaku.

BEHAVIOR

Koi fish are variations of carp, which are well-known for being very hardy fish. Most koi will thrive in cold-water environments, though cannot tolerate extended periods of cold temperatures. In general, a koi fish is best kept in a temperature of 59 to 77 degrees F (15 – 25 degrees C). Most koi fish are relatively docile, and can even be trained for hand-feeding over time. Since koi fish detect their environment primarily due to sound vibration (being a near-sighted breed of fish), it’s important to keep your koi fish in a place where they will not be disrupted by any excessive loud noises. Koi fish can on occasion be aggressive, though usually only towards smaller types of fish. This is one of the main reasons that koi fish are often kept in their own enclosure, separate from all other fish.

FEEDING

Since koi fish are classified as being an omnivorous species of fish, they can eat a wide variety of different foods. Many koi owners feed their fish bits of lettuce, peas or watermelon. There are specialized fish food formulas available that are designed to meet the nutritional needs of koi fish specifically. When kept in colder conditions, a koi fish’s digestive system will slow to the point where they will only eat a very small amount each day. If you keep your koi fish outdoors, it’s very important not to overfeed them during cold months. This can result in the food going rancid while awaiting digestion, which can cause health problems.

Discus fish are native to Brazil, though have become a favorite among many home aquarium owners. In the year 1840, Dr. Johann Jacob Heckel wrote about a certain type of discus fish that was native to the Rio Negro area of central Brazil. After his writing went public, many different varieties of discus fish were discovered by scientists. The first discus fish was imported to Europe in 1921, though the fish did not survive long enough to be bred. In 1928, another attempt was made to bring Discus fish to Europe without success. It wasn’t until 1932 that a successful import of a Discus fish was accomplished by a man called H. Hartel. However, the first published story that documents successful discus breeding and hatching wasn’t written until 1960. A controversy arose about the certain types of discus fish, and if there was in reality only one species of discus fish with genetic mutation possibilities. This controversy is still under debate, and is currently being researched by many fish pet care specialists.

APPEARANCE

The discus fish is aptly named, due to its flat, laterally compressed body shape. The eyes of a disculs fish are fairly large, mostly red or orange in color. Unlike some of the other fish species in the same family, Discus fish do not have excessively elongated fins, which contributes to giving them their more ‘rounded’ shape, similar to that of a discus. Most discus fish may be of many color variations, mostly in patterns of blue, brown, red and green. The average discus fish grows to be about 8 – 10 inches long.

BEHAVIOR

Discus fish are well known for their variable behavior, though are cited by most pet care behavioral specialists as having a significant amount of personality. Though discus fish may sometimes display aggressive behavior, this usually only occurs when mating or territory issues arise. If these situations do not occur, discus fish tend to be relatively mild in behavior. It’s best to keep discus fish in groups of four or more, ideally having six discus fish in a single tank. This helps to prevent ‘bullying’ behavior, which can result in injury or death to a smaller fish in a discus fish group. In a larger group, discus fish tend to increase in confidence, making them much less prone to displaying aggressive or defensive behavior.

FEEDING

Though discus fish are able to eat a variety of foods, it’s best to feed them a varied diet consisting of different ingredients. When feeding discus fish a commercially dried food, it’s best for this food to only make up from 50% to 60% of a discus fish’s total diet. The remainder of the diet should consist of either live or frozen proteins, which can be in the form of mosquito larvae, brine shrimp, sliced earthworms, blood worms, prawns or other organisms. Since discus fish are particularly susceptible to developing internal parasitic infections, it’s very important that any live or frozen food only be purchased from a reputable source.

Goldfish are currently the most popular type of fish kept by home aquarium owners. Goldfish are relatively inexpensive, being available at virtually every pet care store. However, this was not always the case. The history of the goldfish actually dates back to over 1,000 years ago, when Prussian carp in Asia began to be domesticated for home keeping. China was the first country to selectively breed goldfish for their colors, which is the main reason why there are so many different color variations of today’s goldfish breeds. The first documented color mutation in domesticated carp was actually during the Jin Dynasty (265 – 420). By 1162, goldfish became a very popular pet for the imperial family, and anyone outside the family was forbidden from keeping the golden yellow type of goldfish. This is because yellow was the imperial color, and not fit for peasants. This affected today’s goldfish breeds, and is the main reason why there are currently more orange goldfish types than yellow. Goldfish first came to North America in 1850, and have rapidly increased in popularity ever since.

APPEARANCE

Goldfish is actually a fairly broad term that refers to all of the different type variations in the goldfish breed. In general, most goldfish are a bright orange color, with medium length fins. It’s possible that a goldfish may change its color pigmentation depending on the light conditions in which they are kept. This is why some goldfish in poorly lit areas will eventually lose their characteristic orange colors, slowly transitioning to a dull gray color. Goldfish are known for being fairly long-lived, with the oldest goldfish on record living for 49 years. If a goldfish is kept in optimal conditions, they may live in excess of 20 years. Most goldfish are able to grow to a length of 6.3 to 7.8 inches, though this is relatively rare. The longest goldfish ever recorded was in the Netherlands, and grew to an astounding length of 18.7 inches.

BEHAVIOR

Goldfish are a fairly hardy breed of fish, being easily able to adapt to different environment changes. This is one of the reasons why the behavior of most goldfish can vary greatly depending on their upbringing by their owners. Behavioral conditioning can be accomplished in virtually any goldfish, with certain fish even being able to learn to obey simple commands. Goldfish have a very strong visual acuity, which allows them to distinguish between different humans on sight. It’s also been suggested that goldfish are able to distinguish between individuals simply by hearing their voice vibration through their tank.

FEEDING

Overfeeding goldfish is a very common problem, since goldfish are characterized as opportunistic feeders. If overfed, a goldfish will not be able to properly digest proteins, resulting in excessive waste. Goldfish require a special food formula different from most fish, since they require more carbohydrates and less protein. This formula is relatively inexpensive, and can be purchased in the pet fish care section of most pet care supply stores. Most goldfish will also thrive when given live brine shrimp in addition to their processed diet.

APPEARANCE

Selectively bred betta fish tend to be very colorful, with vibrant green, orange, violet, pink and red patterns. These colors are usually extremely brilliant, as only the most concentrated color hues are typically selected for breeding betta fish in captivity. This is combined with the large, silk-like fins of the betta fish, which can be approximate twice the length of the betta fish’s total body. Most betta fish grow to a length of 2.4 inches (6.0 cm), though there are some varieties of betta fish that can grow up to 3.1 inches in length. Certain betta fish are also bred in a “Giant Betta” variety, which can exceed a length of 3.1 inches due to a selective manipulation of a mutant gene.

Betta fish in the wild, however, are vastly different in appearance than commercially bred betas. Wild betas are usually a dull shade of brown or green, with relatively short fins. Though betta fish were originally classified as being part of the Anabantidae family, they are now officially classified as being of the Gourami family. There are currently about 50 different types of betas, though only a few select types are often used for commercial breeding.

BEHAVIOR

Betta fish are known for being an aggressive breed of fish, which is why they were used in fish fighting tournaments. In general, however, male betta fish tend to be much more aggressive than female betta fish, though both sexes display aggressive behavior when provoked. As part of their behavioral pattern, betta fish will puff out their gills in order to appear more intimidating. This behavior is also sometimes used in acts of courtship.

FEEDING

Betta fish are natural carnivores, and need to be fed a diet that is high in organic proteins. Because of their upturned mouth, betta fish are designed to be surface feeders. Most betta fish can be fed a commercial diet designed specifically for betta fish, which is usually available in the fish pet care section of most pet care supply stores. In general, the ingredients of commercially produced betta food includes special vitamins, bloodworms, brine shrimp, fish mean and shrimp meal. However, it’s usually best to combine a specialized betta food formula with either live or frozen food.