![colorful freshwater fish colorful freshwater fish](https://en.bcdn.biz/Images/2017/8/3/b58f231c-7799-44ee-beff-23db8b7ad0f5.jpg)
Reef habitats are a sharp contrast to the open water habitats that make up the other 99% of the world's oceans. Some recreational scuba divers keep lists of fish species they have observed while diving, especially in tropical marine environments.Ĭoral reefs occupy less than 1% of the surface area of the world oceans, yet they provide a home for 25% of all marine fish species. Reef fish have developed many ingenious specialisations adapted to survival on the reefs. Hundreds of species can exist in a small area of a healthy reef, many of them hidden or well camouflaged. Among ocean inhabitants, tropical fish stand out as particularly colorful. Coral reefs form complex ecosystems with tremendous biodiversity. Many marine tropical fish, particularly those of interest to fishkeepers, are those that live among or in close relation to coral reefs.
#Colorful freshwater fish how to#
The advances in filtration technology and increase in available knowledge on how to maintain marine fish as well as the increasing number of aquarium-bred species is seeing a gradual rise in their popularity. However, because of the more vivid colours, patterns and behaviour of marine fish compared to freshwater fish, they are still reasonably popular. The price of marine fish coupled with the difficulty in keeping them alive in aquaria makes them less of a popular choice for aquarists to keep. This is because only a few species of marine fish have been successfully bred in captivity with any regularity. Marine fish that are sold as tropical fish are generally sourced from the wild, usually from the coral reefs around the world. Some male flowerhorns are sterile due to many cross breedings. Among the bred-in-captivity species, the most expensive freshwater species include arowanas and flowerhorn cichlids. These species are generally more expensive. Some species are difficult to breed in captivity and so are still sourced from the wild.
![colorful freshwater fish colorful freshwater fish](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/6e/c1/57/6ec157c137fd883368d9b6b52fe2fbd8--colorful-fish-tropical-fish.jpg)
Tropical freshwater fish are the most popular group of fish because of the low price and ease of keeping in aquaria. Mass production of tropical fish from farms has led to many inexpensive fish available to aquarists. Most species available are generally bred from fish farms in the far east and Florida where tropical temperatures make the commercial production more viable. Most fish that are sold as tropical fish are freshwater species. Some fish may be hybrids of more than one species. Tropical fish may include wild-caught specimens, individuals born in captivity including lines selectively bred for special physical features, such as long fins, or particular colorations, such as albino. Tropical fish are popular choices for aquariums due to their often bright coloration, which typically derives from both pigmented cells and iridescent cells. Freshwater tropical aquariums can be maintained by simply topping up with fresh water. Salt water has to be monitored to maintain the correct salinity because of the effects of evaporation. Freshwater tropical fish are more commonly kept than saltwater tropical fish due to the common availability of fresh water sources, such as tap water, whereas salt water is not commonly available and has to be recreated by using fresh water with sea salt additions. Tropical fish is a term commonly used to refer to fish that are kept in heated aquariums.