Glofish 70 gobies 260–261 breeding 230, 231 suckerlike device 261 goldfish 74, 332–343 breeding 326, 327, 328, 341 designing ponds for 300 diseases 324 feeding 316, 337 hand-stripping 326 indoor tanks 312, 313 origins and ancestry 22, 334 pigmentation and sheen 333 scales 16
Many coldwater fish can be kept indoors in aquariums; indeed, some of the smaller, less colorful species are more visible there than in a pond. Even larger species, such as koi and sterlets, may be housed in a tank when small, but they must be moved outdoors when they outgrow their surroundings. Some coldwater fish cannot survive the winter in a pond, especially in temperate areas, and must be housed indoors until spring.
Introduction to Marine Fish Setting up the tank Heating and filtration Tropical marine fish thrive at water temperatures of between 77°F (25°C) and 81°F (27°C). Their natural reef environment changes little from day to day, so they are poorly adapted to fluctuations in temperature and water quality. As a result, reef fish are far less […]
Assembling the components of the marine aquarium is straightforward, but there are a few important factors, such as the quality of your water supply, that must be considered if you are to achieve a successful result.
Directory of Freshwater Fish Characoids Predatory species DREADED HUNTERS Few fish inspire greater fear than piranhas. While many predatory fish live solitary lives, piranhas are like packs of wolves, living and hunting together in groups and occasionally taking prey as large as horses or even people. Indeed, keeping these notorious fish is outlawed in some […]
It is unclear when people started keeping fish for their aesthetic qualities, rather than as a source of food, but the activity certainly dates back well over a thousand years. It probably began in China with the domestication of goldfish and koi and has spread worldwide with advances in aquarium technology and transportation. Today’s aquatic industry produces a vast range of products to make fishkeeping more rewarding than ever before.
People keep fish for a huge range of reasons, from companionship to competition. Most of us, however, just enjoy the calming elegance and color that fish bring to the home. Choosing what fish to keep, and how to house them, is influenced by many subjective judgments, as well as practical considerations such as cost, available space, and ease of maintenance.
To create a thriving aquarium, the natural requirements of its inhabitants for light and heat must be matched by artificial means. In tropical regions, water temperatures are around 79°F (26°C), changing little from one day to the next, while lighting conditions vary according to environment and time of day. Modern technology allows the optimum conditions to be created with relative ease.
A little forethought goes a long way when setting up an aquarium. Give careful consideration to where you want to site the tank, because if you make a poor choice, you will have to empty the tank and strip it down before it can be moved elsewhere. It is also a good idea to plan the layout of the tank well in advance so that you end up with an aquarium that not only looks attractive but also allows the fish to display their natural behavior.
