Tropical fish are quite popular in home aquariums due to their exoticism and bright colors. There are species that even a novice will be able to contain without much difficulty. Tropical inhabitants are quite thermophilic, they can be kept in fresh and salt water. Consider the main types that are often found in home aquariums, the conditions of maintenance, feeding and reproduction.
Kinds
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 types.
- Helostomy. This is a fairly peaceful fish that lives in fresh water. They grow up to 15 cm. Their main feature is movable lips, which hide hundreds of small teeth. This fish is able to breathe atmospheric air.
- Neons These are popular freshwater tropical fish in aquariums. They got their name thanks to the bright blue and red stripes running along the body. These are small fish that reach 2.5 cm in length. They usually move in small flocks.
- Melanochromis auratus. Also its name is Malawian cichlid. Fish that attract the eye with their beautiful color, however, they have a rather militant character. In captivity, they often grow more than in nature.
- Apistogram ramirezi. Another representative of the cichlid genus. Small fish are 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 thanks to fins that look like a surgeon's scalpel. They have a huge variety of bright colors.
Conditions of detention
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 suitable for the selected type of size, as well as special devices: filter, heater, aerator, thermometer. It is advisable to place the aquarium in a place that direct sunlight, vibration or noise will not reach.
For a newcomer to content, it is better to choose unpretentious, forgiving kinds of mistakes. When settling different types of fish in one aquarium, it is worthwhile to focus on their compatibility with each other, since not all tropical fish are equally 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 that is attracted to the content). Also important is the lighting necessary to maintain the right microclimate in the aquarium.
Saltwater fish are much more difficult to maintain and maintain. They need large-volume aquariums that require more careful and long-term care.
Feeding
Tropical fish need both protein and vegetable feed. 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 remnants of not eaten food will float on the surface or sink to the bottom, then the next time you should give it less, and catch the remains to avoid contaminating the aquarium.
Food must be selected depending on the type of fish. Predatory fish are fed live food, insects and fish. For certain popular fish species, special ready-made balanced feeds are sold. Fish food should be varied and of high quality, consistent with the recommendations for this species.
Breeding
The easiest to reproduce are viviparous tropical fish. Of the special conditions, they are only demanding on food, it is also necessary to provide a jig for fry or spawning, as many fish are not averse to snack on young animals. Young animals are transplanted into the general aquarium only when they reach a certain size.
Slightly more complicated is egg-laying and mouth-hatching fish. Oviparous need a special container where they are planted for spawning. The female is sent back to the aquarium after she lays her eggs.
In the case of fish incubating in the mouth, such as cyclides, after spawning, it is advisable for the female to be removed from the male so that he does not harm her. Sometimes eggs are taken from a female and incubated artificially.
Thus, tropical fish are frequent inhabitants of home aquariums due to their diverse colors and shapes. There are many types of thermophilic fish that are fairly easy to maintain. There are also species that are more demanding on the content that will suit experienced aquarists. Therefore, it is worth choosing the type of tropical view for the aquarium based on your own experience and the conditions that you can create for them.