Freshwater

96
Part II: Fish and How to Care for Them
Freshwater Tropical Fish
and Invertebrates
As you already know from the early chapters in this book, the freshwater
tropical aquarium system does not require any marine salt (however, some
species, such as mollies, enjoy a teaspoon per 5 gallons added) and generally
requires some type of heater. This type of system also usually contains live
plants and has gravel for substrate.
Anabantids
The anabantids are a group of fish native to African and Asian waters. These
fish have a specialized organ called a labyrinth that helps them breathe
atmospheric air in the low-oxygenated waters of their native environment.
This doesn’t mean you should keep them in an aquarium that lacks aeration.
If you do, your fish will eventually become ill due to poor water conditions.
Anabantids are generally peaceful species that swim in the middle to upper
levels of the aquarium tank. They are easy to breed.
Climbing perch (Anabas testudineus)
This amazing fish can live several days without water, and has been known to
travel across land in its native environment as it moves from pond to pond.
Keep climbing perch in water near 80 degrees F and provide plenty of shelter for
them (rock caves and so on). This fish should be kept with its own kind. The
climbing perch grows to 10 inches in length, is carnivorous, and swims in all
levels of the tank. A climbing perch requires a tank of at least 125 gallons and is
a good choice once you have mastered a few of the easier-to-keep species.
Knowing the following terms can help you get
the most out of this chapter.
Carnivore: Any organism that eats animals as
the main portion of its diet.
Herbivore: Any organism that eats plant material
as the main portion of its diet.
Key terms to remember
Omnivore: Any organism that eats both plant
and animal material as the main portion of its
diet.
Community tank: An aquarium where many different
compatible species of fish are kept
together.