Tropical fish facts for kids
Tropical fish are amazing fish that live in warm, tropical parts of the world. Think of places near the Earth's equator! Many people who love fishkeeping enjoy having tropical fish in their aquariums. These fish can live in either freshwater (like rivers and lakes) or saltwater (like the ocean). The name "tropical fish" isn't a scientific group. It's just a common way to talk about fish from these warm areas, especially the ones kept as pets.
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Tropical Fish in Aquariums
Most tropical fish kept as pets live in heated aquariums. It's easier to keep freshwater tropical fish than saltwater ones. This is because you can use regular tap water for freshwater tanks. For saltwater tanks, you need to mix special sea salt with fresh water. You also have to check the salt levels often because water can evaporate, making the tank too salty. Freshwater tanks are simpler; you just add more fresh water when some evaporates.
Why People Love Them
Tropical fish are very popular for aquariums because they often have bright, beautiful colors. These colors come from special cells in their skin. Some tropical fish are caught in the wild. Others are born and raised in captivity. Some are even specially bred to have unique features, like long fins or special colors.
Freshwater Tropical Fish
Most of the tropical fish you see for sale are freshwater species. Many of these fish are raised on big fish farms. These farms are often in warm places like the Far East or Florida. It's easier to raise fish there because of the tropical weather. Because of these farms, many tropical fish are quite affordable for people who want to start an aquarium.
Popular and Rare Species
Freshwater tropical fish are very popular because they are usually inexpensive and easy to care for. Some types of fish are hard to breed in tanks. These are often caught from the wild and can be more expensive. Some of the most costly freshwater fish include arowanas and flowerhorn cichlids. Some male flowerhorn fish cannot have babies because they are a mix of many different fish species.
Saltwater Tropical Fish
Most saltwater tropical fish sold in stores come from the wild. They are usually caught near coral reefs around the world. Only a few types of saltwater fish have been successfully bred in captivity. Saltwater fish are often more expensive and can be harder to keep alive in an aquarium. This makes them less common as pets compared to freshwater fish.
Growing Popularity
Even though they are harder to care for, saltwater fish are still quite popular. They often have even brighter colors, cooler patterns, and more interesting behaviors than freshwater fish. New technology for cleaning aquarium water and more information about how to care for marine fish are helping more people keep them. Also, more types of saltwater fish are now being bred in aquariums, which is making them more available.
Coral Reef Tropical Fish
Many marine tropical fish that people love to see or keep live near coral reefs. Coral reefs are like underwater cities! They are complex ecosystems with a huge variety of living things. Tropical fish on reefs are known for being incredibly colorful. Hundreds of different fish species can live in a small part of a healthy reef. Many of them are good at hiding or blending in with their surroundings. Reef fish have developed many clever ways to survive in their reef homes.
Reefs and Their Importance
Even though coral reefs cover less than 1% of the world's oceans, they are home to 25% of all marine fish species! Reefs are very different from the wide-open ocean. They offer lots of places for fish to hide, find food, and raise their young.
Sadly, coral reefs and the fish that live there are in danger. Things like losing their homes, pollution, and overfishing (catching too many fish) are big threats. Some fishing methods can also harm the reefs.
