An Introduction to Tropical Fish

Chances are, sometime in your childhood, you had a gold fish or other colorful fish in an aquarium or a fishbowl. Tropical fish, or those types of fish that primarily exist in fresh water environments, are a popular home and pond variety that millions of people keep for their color and their beauty. Let’s take a few minutes to talk more about tropical fish in the home environment.

The term tropical fish actually covers many different species of fish, but is often used as general term that encompasses any freshwater fish that have bright coloration. They are often found in aquariums or ponds and many species require very little care outside of normal feeding and water maintenance.

* Aquariums can be found almost anywhere – homes, offices, even at the mall. They can be small as a few gallons or hold thousands of gallons of water. They usually include an aeration device that pumps air into the water as well as a filter that cleans the water to remove dead planet material, waste and other debris. Often, small aquariums have neither a filter nor air pump because they contain only one or two fish and the water is changed manually.

* Artificial ponds are another venue where you will find tropical fish. These can be indoor or outdoor ponds and contain many of the same elements as an aquarium only on a larger scale. Outdoor ponds usually incorporate a heating device to keep the temperature of the water at a suitable level for fish.

* Care and feeding of tropical fish is extremely easy and one of the reasons that people tend to have fish in their home. Many fish only need to be fed once or twice a week, and with a properly working filtration device the water in the tank may need only to be changed every 6 months to a year. Most tropical fish can be mixed in the aquarium or pond together as long as they are non-aggressive. Popular combinations may include goldfish, clown fish and Koi fish.

* If you enjoy seeing large exhibits of tropical fish you may find yourself at one of many public aquariums where tanks can hold as much as 8 million gallons of water! These large aquariums bring together tropical fish from around the world in a setting that lets people observe some of the rarer species that would not be possible to keep at home because of special needs or equipment. Many public aquariums are also a great place to find out information about keeping tropical fish as a hobby.

From a fishbowl on the desk with a single goldfish to tanks that hold millions of gallons of water, tropical fish are a hobby that is enjoyed around the world. Many people find them relaxing and therapeutic to watch and enjoy the low maintenance they require.