Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by Ryan from AZ. Ryan Wonders, “Why can some fish only live in freshwater while others can live in saltwater?” Thanks for WONDERing with us, Ryan!
If you like aquariums like we do, you might have WONDERed if the fish in aquariums swim in freshwater or saltwater. As it turns out, aquariums can be filled with either freshwater or saltwater. It just depends upon what kind of fish you want to raise.
There are many different types of fish all over the world. Some live in freshwater, such as rivers and lakes, while others live in saltwater oceans. If you want to raise fish in an aquarium, you need to create a place for them that's similar to their native environment.
You can get a many different kinds of fish at a local pet store or exotic fish store. Freshwater fish frequently come from farms where they are raised to be sold in pet stores. Some types of freshwater fish you may know include bettas, angelfish, goldfish and rainbow fish.
Saltwater fish tend to be wild fish from the ocean imported from all over the world. Saltwater fish require a special environment that includes stable temperature and water conditions. Oceans, because of their size, tend to stay the same most of the time and change very slowly, if at all.
To copy ocean conditions in an aquarium, you may need to use a larger tank that can hold more water. You also have to keep a close eye on the tank's water values to make sure water temperature and chemical levels stay constant.
Some popular saltwater fish varieties include lionfish, clownfish, seahorses, eels, groupers and angels. Angels, for example, are very beautiful, but they can be very difficult to raise because they are sensitive to even the smallest changes in the water.
With the proper care, though, angels can live up to ten years. Just be careful when choosing neighbors for angels. They get along well with other species, but they don't like other angels!
Raising fish in an aquarium can be a rewarding hobby that gives many hours of enjoyment. It's not always an easy task, though! Aquariums need daily maintenance.
Like all animals, fish require regular feeding. You will also need to watch the temperature and quality of the water to make sure you're giving your fish a quality home. And like your room, aquariums need to be cleaned on a regular basis to make sure you keep a safe tank where your fish can flourish!