Popular freshwater tropical fish species

Fish are among the more popular choices of pets. This is mainly due to their being confined to one tank and not making a mess at all. They are not as high maintenance as other pets and can be soothing to watch. Tropical fish are among the more popular kinds of fish that are kept in a home aquarium. Their bright colors and varied shapes and sizes make them so entertaining that many aquarium owners confess to watching their tropical fish swim around for hours at a time.

There are many different kinds of tropical fish. These can come from fresh water and also salt water as long as the species come from the tropics originally. Due to the high demand for tropical fish, many are bred in the United States and are technically not from the tropics anymore but with tropical origins. The following fish belong to the freshwater variety.

Barbs

There are many different kinds of tropical fish under the barb family. These tropical fish are usually placed as a school in a fresh water aquarium. Many of the barb fish have intense colors or patterns on their body. They can be somewhat aggressive to other weaker fish and you may need to choose which other species of tropical fish are compatible with barbs.

Livebearers

Livebearer tropical fish are several species of fish that do not lay eggs. Instead they give birth to their young much like mammals do. Guppies, swordtails, platies and mollies belong to this group of tropical fish. Females are usually larger and less flashy in the fish group so you can expect to see a dowdy female followed around by several males. This group of fish prefers to live in schools so it is best to keep more than four fish of this variety in the tank.

Tetras

Tetras are beautiful fish that come in bright sometimes neon colors. You might need special lights to bring out some of their neon colors. These tropical fish like big spaces but may also need some places to hide, so some vegetation might be necessary. These small fish may be put in schools but they can also survive individually.

Tropical fish are very popular with hobbyists. There are many accessories and lots of equipment that is necessary for the aquarium to function well. Maintenance of a fresh water aquarium is less than that of a saltwater aquarium. The fish species described above are great for beginner aquarists and also for hobbyists.

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