Types of Freshwater Fish
Is there anything more relaxing than listening to the gurgling of a fish tank and watching the fish inside the tank as they swim around in their aquatic environment searching for food, or something interesting, or swimming close to the glass of the fish tank to look at you? If you are thinking about getting a freshwater fish tank for your home, there are lots of types of freshwater fish from which to choose. However, you should know that not all types of freshwater fish should live in domestic fish tanks in residences. Some are best left to their natural environments or possibly a regional aquarium that may be located in or near your city or town.
The difference between freshwater fish and saltwater fish is more than just the kind of environment they occupy. The fish actually process water through their gills differently. In the case of freshwater fish, as they are taking in the freshwater, they must somehow regulate the flow of their bodily fluids so that they don’t lose the salts contained there. Also, freshwater fish can actually die if they take in too much water. That can happen if they don’t have enough scales to help regulate the water.
Unfortunately, humans have not been kind to the fish of the world. A large number of fish have become endangered because of pollution and overfishing. In North America, about forty percent of freshwater fish are endangered species.
Listed below are several different types of freshwater fish.
We’ll begin at the bottom.
Catfish: Catfish are bottom dwellers and just as the name suggests, these are fish that live their lives at
the bottom of lakes, rivers, and streams. Catfish may be the best known of the bottom dwellers. They stay at the bottom of the water because their body structure causes them to sink. Also, by being at the bottom they are predatory and tend to eat whatever they come across, dead or alive. Despite the fact, catfish is popular as a dish. Many in the United States are farm-raised. Blue catfish is one of the main species found in the United States. They swim in the Mississippi as well as its tributaries.
Loaches: These fish are not naturally found in North American waters, however, they can be popular for aquarium use. Loaches are also bottom feeders with more than 100 species. They come in a number of colors and patterns which make them very popular for aquarium owners. Loaches originated in Europe and Asia.
Tetra: These are small fish that traditionally swim in schools. They are not naturally found in North America. Instead, they are native to Central America, South America, and Africa. Tetra is very popular for aquarium owners because they are colorful, easy to care for, and swim in schools meaning you can populate your aquarium with them and have a lot of activity instantly. Tetras can also breed under the right water conditions. Female Tetras can lay hundreds of eggs. However, they are also known for eating eggs and baby Tetra.
Platyfish: Platyfish also stay in schools and are naturally found in northern Mexico. However, they have now been established in some freshwater locations in Florida and Montana. Similar to the Tetra, the Platyfish also come in a number of species and are very popular for home aquariums because they are colorful, can be cared for easily, and breed easily.
Guppies: Sometimes the first fish a child may have is a guppy. Another popular fish for home aquariums, guppies are native to the U.S. Virgin Islands as well as South America, Trinidad and
Tobago, Barbados, and the Antilles. Guppies are considered livebearers. That means they don’t lay eggs, they produce live babies. Guppies can reproduce very quickly, sometimes in less than 30 days. Guppies are extremely popular for home aquariums because they come in lots of colors and sometimes are customized to produce vibrant colored species.
Swordtails: These fish are similar to platyfish however like guppies, they are livebearers. Swordtails are found naturally in North America and Central America. They do well in fish tanks and so are popular in home aquariums. One of the most popular species of swordtails is the green swordtail, although they usually aren’t that color.
Salmon: It may be confusing when you mention salmon in the category with freshwater fish because you may think of them as saltwater fish. Well, actually salmon are freshwater and saltwater fish. Salmon are called anadromous which means they are born in one body of water but migrate to another body of water. In the case of salmon, they are born in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. However, you can also find them in the Great Lakes. Salmon is also popularly eaten in dishes around the world. Many promote the eating of salmon because they contain Omega 3 fatty acids which are good fats to have that can help control cholesterol levels.
Trout: Trout are actually distant cousins to salmon. They are also anadromous and found in a number of North American freshwaters. Rainbow trout is very popular in the United States. However, that popularity has led to a threat to the steelhead trout according to the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service.