Article From SubmitYOURArticle.com: 3 Top Fish For Your Fresh Water Aquarium - From U to W

Three fish for your fresh water aquarium are
described here. Scientific names, preferred
conditions, colors description, sex differences
and breeding advice are given for the Upside down
Catfish, the Variatus Platy and the White Cloud
Mountain Minnow.

Upside Down Catfish - Synodontis nigriventris
(Family: Mochokidae)

As its name describes this fish exhibits
different postures than most other fish do. Its
main position is upside down as it eats from
underneath the leaves. Its upside nature
continues on into its color as its back has the
lighter colors and the belly the darker colors.

They can be kept in a community tank but the
lighting really needs to be dim so select your
choice of occupants carefully to meet this
particular criteria. A water temperature range of
22 to 26 degrees centigrade is adequate. These
fish are scavengers but their food diet must be
varied and consist of a high proportion of
vegetable matter.

A special feature of this fish is the presence of
long barbels that might irritate the other fish
now and again. The eye is particularly large, the
back is a light gray to cream color with dark
brown to black irregular shaped spotting. The
belly of the fish is almost black. It can grow to
about 10 cms.

The large caudal fin is split with spots and
colored tints on it. The dorsal fin has the same
tints. Breeding wise there is no recommended
techniques to pass on although it has been bred
on rare occasions.

Variatus Platy - Xiphophorus variatus (Family:
Poeciliidae)

Due to lots of breeding there are a wide range of
colored varieties. This is an extremely popular
fish with beginners. It is not difficult to
maintain in a fresh water aquarium and will even
breed in it. Platys are not fussy eaters, are
sturdy and temperatures between 20 and 27 degrees
centigrade will be fine.

The male is smaller then the female which is a
bit dull color wise being greenish or silvery. A
males color will depend on its type. For breeding
the pair should be kept apart prior to it and a
breeding tank used. Moving an egg carrying female
is dangerous, unless in the early stages, as the
brood and the mother can be lost.

It can take two months to give birth to over one
hundred fry and most should survive as these fish
are not particularly cannibalistic. Infusoria can
be fed for a short time before you move on to
fine dry food and brine shrimp.

White Cloud Mountain Minnow - Tanichthys
albonubes (Family: Cyprinidae)

Another good peaceful community fish for your
fresh water aquarium and the beginner. There are
no feeding problems and it likes to eat little
and frequently. Too much heat will hurt this fish
so a water temperature range of between 18 and 20
degrees centigrade is best. The water should also
be a bit hard and there needs to be lots of space
for it to swim around in.

The main color is often silver (with purple blue
tints) along the flanks and green on the back.
Adults will reach a size of about 4 cms. In the
young fish there is a blue green stripe on it
that appears to change color as the angle of view
changes. This runs from the caudal peduncle to
behind the eye but gradually fades and cannot be
seen in older fish.

Both the caudal fin and the dorsal fin have a red
area on them. The anal fin is a bit longer than
the dorsal fin. It has a small mouth that faces
upwards slightly. The female is more full bodied
than the male. The male has a longer dorsal fin.

Breeding the white cloud mountain minnow is not
difficult. To start with you need to separate the
selected pair and condition them as this will
help the breeding success rate. The breeding tank
should be planted with thick bunches of fine
leaved plants and have shallow water; about 15
cms.

After getting together the eggs will be laid
among the plants. The eggs are not sticky.
Although there is no reputation for eating their
eggs or fry it is best practice to remove the
parents after spawning. Three days later and fry
should appear. Rear as normal.

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Paul Curran is webmaster at
Fresh-Water-Aquariums-Guide.com and provides a
care information system for fresh water
aquariums. Get your FREE E-Course on how to set
up and maintain a beautiful aquarium, have the
healthiest, happiest fish around AND learn about
more fish for your fresh water aquarium at
http://www.fresh-water-aquariums-guide.com/fish-fo
r-fresh-water-aquarium/

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