ornamental fish

Ornamental fish is a kind of attractive aquarium pets, they are loved by people for their colourful appearance, elegant and dynamic swimming posture and rich and diverse varieties. The following is a detailed introduction to ornamental fish:

I. Common Ornamental Fish Species

1. Goldfish
   • Grass Species Goldfish: This is the most primitive goldfish species, usually with a spindle-shaped body and red and yellow colours. They are adaptable, easy to keep and suitable for beginners. Representative varieties of grass seed goldfish include grass goldfish and swallowtail grass goldfish.
   • Man species goldfish: Man species goldfish are characterised by a short rounded body, pointed head and mouth, rounded belly, and small, flat eyes that do not protrude outside the eye sockets. Their caudal fins are well developed, with many soft lobes, like a beautiful fan. There are many varieties of the Mandarin goldfish, such as the lion’s head goldfish, the crane red goldfish, the pearl goldfish and so on. Lionhead goldfish head sarcoma plump, like a majestic lion; crane red goldfish head red sarcoma, as if the crane head of the red crown; pearl goldfish scales grains raised, like a pearl as round.
   • Dragon breed goldfish: The eyes of the dragon breed goldfish bulge out of their sockets and gleam like the eyes of a dragon. They have a graceful body shape with a high dorsal fin and a wide caudal fin. Representative species of dragon breed goldfish include the dragon eye goldfish and butterfly tail goldfish. The eyes of the dragon eye goldfish are large and prominent, and come in a variety of colours, such as black, red, white, etc. The butterfly tail goldfish has a wide caudal fin that is as beautiful as a butterfly’s wings.
   • Eggspecies Goldfish: Eggspecies goldfish have a short, rounded body with no dorsal fin. They have a bluntly rounded head, an inflated belly, and a short caudal fin. There are also many varieties of egg-seed goldfish, such as tiger goldfish, lancelet goldfish, and blister goldfish. The Tigerhead Goldfish has a well-developed sarcoma on its head, which is as imposing as a tiger’s head; the Ranshou Goldfish has a rounded body, with a sarcoma on its head and a beautifully curved back; and the Blister Goldfish has two large blisters below its eyes, which are very cute.
2. Tropical Fish
   • Peacock Fish: Peacock fish is a small tropical fish with a small and colourful body. Their tails are as beautiful as a peacock’s open screen, hence the name. Peacock fish are highly adaptable and reproduce quickly, making them a very popular species of ornamental fish. There are many varieties of peacockfish, such as the dress peacockfish, grass-tailed peacockfish, and mosaic peacockfish. The back half of the body of the dress peacockfish is black, like wearing a black dress; the tail of the grass-tailed peacockfish has many tiny spots, like blades of grass; the body of the mosaic peacockfish has irregular coloured spots, like a mosaic pattern.
   • Fighting Fish: Fighting fish are known for their beautiful appearance and aggressive character. Their bodies are brightly coloured in red, blue and green. The fins of the fighting fish are long and resemble a sharp sword. There are two types of fighting fish, Thai fighting fish and Chinese fighting fish. Thai fighting fish has more varieties, such as ponytail fighting fish, half-moon fighting fish and lion king fighting fish. The ponytail fighting fish has a flowing tail like a horse’s tail; the half-moon fighting fish has a tail that looks like half a moon when unfolded; and the lion king fighting fish has a lot of needle-like protrusions on its fins, like a lion’s mane. Chinese Fighting Fish are relatively more monochromatic, but they are more adaptable and easier to keep.
   • The Fairy Fish: The Fairy Fish is an elegant fish with a diamond-shaped body and long dorsal and anal fins that resemble angel wings. Their colours include white, black and grey, and there are some varieties with floral patterns. The fairy fish has a gentle character and likes to swim in groups, making it a very beautiful ornamental fish species. There are many varieties of daffodils, such as the Common Daffodil, Egyptian Daffodil, and Colourful Daffodil. The Egyptian Fairy Fish is bigger and more colourful; the Seven-coloured Fairy Fish has seven colours on its body, which is very colourful.
   • Parrot Fish: Parrot Fish have a round body with bright colours and are as cute as parrots. They look very cute with their small and delicate mouths. Parrot fish is an artificially bred ornamental fish species that comes in many different colours and patterns. Parrot fish have a lively character and like to swim in groups, making them a very popular ornamental fish species.

II. Key Points for Keeping Ornamental Fish*

1. Aquarium Selection
   • Size: Choose the right size of fish tank according to the species and number of ornamental fish you want to keep. Generally speaking, you can keep 1 – 2 cm long fish per litre of water. If you are keeping large ornamental fish, such as Koi and Dragon Fish, you will need a larger tank. For small ornamental fish, such as peacock fish, fighting fish, etc., you can choose a smaller fish tank.
   • Material: The material of the fish tank has two kinds of glass and acrylic. Glass aquariums are highly transparent, not easy to scratch, but heavier, easy to break. Acrylic fish tank is lightweight, not easy to break, but easy to scratch, and the transparency is not as good as glass fish tank. When choosing a fish tank, you can choose according to your own needs and the actual situation.
   • Shape: Fish tanks are available in rectangular, square and round shapes. Rectangular fish tanks are the most common shape and are suitable for most ornamental fish. Square fish tanks are more suitable for small ornamental fish and can be placed on a table as a decoration. Round aquariums are less suitable for keeping ornamental fish as they have a limited view and tend to make the fish feel nervous.
2. Water quality management
   • WATER TEMPERATURE: Different ornamental fish have different requirements on water temperature. Generally speaking, tropical fish need higher water temperature, usually between 24 – 28°C. Cold-water fish are adapted to lower water temperature, e.g. goldfish can live in water temperature between 18 – 24°C. The use of a heating rod can keep the water temperature stable, especially in winter.
   • Acidity and alkalinity (pH): Ornamental fish also have certain requirements on the acidity and alkalinity of the water. Most ornamental fish prefer neutral or weakly alkaline water with a pH value between 7.0 – 8.0. However, some ornamental fish, such as the colourful fairy fish and crystal shrimp, need acidic water with a pH value between 6.0 – 7.0. You can use a pH tester to check the acidity of the water and adjust the water quality by adding the appropriate regulator.
   • Hardness: Water hardness also affects the growth and health of ornamental fish. Generally speaking, water with moderate hardness is more suitable for keeping ornamental fish. You can use a hardness tester to test the hardness of the water and adjust the water quality by adding softening or hard water conditioner.
   • Water Changes: Regular water changes are an important measure to keep the water clean. Generally speaking, it is more appropriate to change the water about 1/4 – 1/3 per week. When changing water, be careful to use water that has been dried or treated. Avoid using tap water directly, as tap water contains chlorine and other disinfectants that can harm ornamental fish. At the same time, be careful not to change the water too fast, so as not to cause changes in water temperature.
3. Feed selection
   • Type: There are many kinds of feeds for ornamental fish, such as pellet feed, flake feed, live bait and so on. Pellet feed is the most common feed and is suitable for most ornamental fish. Flake feed is suitable for small ornamental fish because they are easier to swallow. Live bait such as red worms and water earthworms are rich in nutrients, but they are easy to carry germs and need to be sterilised before feeding.
   • Quality: Choose good quality feeds that are rich in nutrients and avoid buying poor quality feeds. Poor-quality feeds may contain harmful substances that can affect the health of ornamental fish. You can choose feeds from some well-known brands or consult experienced fish lovers.
   • Feeding amount: Control the feeding amount and avoid overfeeding. Overfeeding will lead to deterioration of water quality and affect the health of ornamental fish. Generally speaking, feed 1 – 2 times a day, and the amount of food each time should be enough for the ornamental fish to finish eating within 5 – 10 minutes.
4. Filter System
   • Types of filters: Common filters include top filter, bottom filter, side filter and external filter bucket. The top filter is easy to install and suitable for small fish tanks; the bottom filter has good filtration effect, but the installation is more complicated and suitable for medium and large fish tanks; the side filter takes up the internal space of the fish tank, but the filtration effect is also good; the external filter bucket does not take up the internal space of the fish tank, is beautiful and has good filtration effect, but the price is relatively high. Choose the right filter according to your tank size and needs.
   • Filter material selection: The role of the filter material is to filter impurities and harmful substances in the water to keep the water clean. Common filter media are filter cotton, biochemical cotton, ceramic ring, bacteria house, etc.. Filter cotton is mainly used to filter impurities in the water; biochemical cotton both filtering effect, but also for nitrifying bacteria to provide habitat; ceramic ring and bacterial house is to cultivate nitrifying bacteria is an important carrier, help decompose harmful substances in the water.
5. Lighting and Oxygen
   • Lighting: Proper lighting can make ornamental fish more beautiful and help the growth of aquatic plants (if there are planted aquatic plants). Choose lighting equipment that suits the size of your aquarium, such as LED lights and fluorescent lights. Lighting time is usually around 8 – 12 hours per day.
   • Oxygen: Ornamental fish need sufficient oxygen to survive. Oxygen pumps can be used to increase the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water, especially in the case of high stocking density or high temperatures in summer, attention needs to be paid to the supply of oxygen.

III. Charms and Values of Ornamental Fishes

1. Ornamental value
   • Ornamental fish bring visual enjoyment to people with their colourful appearance, elegant and agile swimming posture and rich and diverse species. They can be used as part of home decoration to add interest and beauty to life. Whether in the living room, bedroom or office, placing a beautiful fish tank can make people feel happy.
2. Stress Relief
   • Observing ornamental fish swimming and living can make people relax and relieve stress. After busy work and life, sitting quietly in front of the fish tank, watching the fish swimming freely in the water, as if they are also in a peaceful world, forgetting their worries and fatigue.
3. Educational significance
   • Keeping ornamental fish allows children to learn about the ecological habits and living environment of aquatic organisms and enhance their knowledge of nature and awareness of protection. At the same time, it can also cultivate children’s sense of responsibility and patience, so that they can learn to take care of small animals.
4. Social Interaction
   • Ornamental fish enthusiasts can make friends with like-minded people and share breeding experience and insights by participating in ornamental fish exhibitions and exchange activities. This not only enriches people’s social life, but also promotes the spread and development of ornamental fish culture.

In conclusion, ornamental fish is a very beautiful and interesting aquarium pets, they have become an indispensable part of people’s life with its unique charm and value. If you are also interested in ornamental fish, you may want to choose a kind of ornamental fish that suits you and start your breeding journey!