The first exotic aquarium fish to arrive in Europe was Carassius auratus (The Goldfish), followed in the 1860s by Macropodus opercularis (Paradise fish). One of the main reasons this fish survived the journey so far from its native haunts of southeast China and Korea was that it is so hardy.
Few fish inspire greater devotion than koi. These large ornamental carp have now established a dedicated following in the West, matching that which they enjoy in their Japanese homeland. Koi were developed primarily for the beauty of their colors and patterning, when viewed from above. This led to great interest in breeding and showing koi varieties, and the most desirable individuals now change hands for huge sums of money. To appreciate these attractive pond fish fully, they must be clearly visible through the water; as a result, koi are most often kept in well-filtered water in a pond containing few or no plants.
Some Asian species are far more popular in their home region than elsewhere in the world, often because of the myths and folklore that surround them. The Dragon Fish of Southeast Asia, for example, is believed to bestow good fortune on its keeper.
Hundreds of plants are available to the freshwater aquarist, and selecting the right species means matching the optimum conditions for the plants to the needs of your fish. Plants and fish should share water chemistry needs and thrive under the same lighting conditions.
The blue body color of the Paradise Fish is broken by vertical coppery-orange bands, and black blotches are evident on its head. This species was probably the first tropical fish to be kept in Europe, its attractive patterning and hardiness making it very popular during the late 1800s.
Being bottom-dwelling species, the loaches are either eel-like or have a triangular body crosssection, their flat bellies being in contact with the substrate. Loaches may have very small scales covering all the body; be partially scaled, in which case the scales are missing from the underside; or naked. When you think about it, the absence of some or all of the scales is a very sensible arrangement, because if scales were present on the belly of the fish, they would be dislodged as the fish moved over rocks and sharp gravel, leaving it open to infection.
