Keeping pets like cats and dogs is really fun. But for those of you who prefer a calm, clean environment but want to keep animals, keeping freshwater ornamental fish in an aquarium can be an option.
Besides being quiet and not making the house messy, keeping freshwater ornamental fish is also relatively easy to maintain when compared to keeping a dog or keeping a cat. You can also choose various types of beautiful freshwater ornamental fish to decorate your aquarium.
How to keep freshwater ornamental fish
When keeping ornamental fish sometimes makes some people lazy to take care of them. This is because often ornamental fish kept in aquariums or ponds die easily. However, this happened not without reason, it could possibly happen due to an error in the way it is maintained.
It is not easy to maintain and care for freshwater ornamental fish, but it is also not difficult. As long as you know how to maintain it, so that the fish you keep have a long enough life time.
There are several ways to maintain ornamental fish that are recommended. The first is to choose the size of the aquarium or pond according to the size of the fish. Then find out the types of ornamental fish that will be kept. Next, separate the unhealthy fish from the aquarium. Then regulate the flow of water in the aquarium or pond. Don't forget to use clean water. Give food regularly. Finally, if you use an aquarium, don't forget to clean it regularly.
Fresh Ornamental Fish Food
In addition to paying attention and taking care of the place, you also have to provide the best food so that your freshwater ornamental fish stay healthy and grow big. Currently you can use two types of ornamental fish food, namely natural food and artificial feed.
Natural feed is a type of food that comes from natural ingredients without complicated processing. The nutritional value of this natural feed is better than other packaged foods. Meanwhile, artificial feed is a type of fish food that uses natural raw materials and is then processed by factories or home-made products.
Types of natural food for freshwater ornamental fish
Natural food for freshwater ornamental fish can come from various sources. The following are examples.
1. Small shrimp, suitable for feeding small ornamental fish.
2. Water fleas (daphina), this feed is suitable to be given to ornamental fish that have grown and can change their color.
3. Silkworms, this feed is good for the growth and development of your fish because it has a lot of organic content.
4. Mosquito larvae, this feed is a favorite food for ornamental fish because it can make the reproductive process smoother thanks to its rich protein content.
In addition to the four types above, natural food for ornamental fish can also come from vegetables. For example, carrots are very useful for flowerhorn fish. Flowerhorn fish fed carrots can speed up the coloring process and form a more perfect forehead. Other vegetables that can be used are cucumbers that can increase appetite and additional vitamins in fish such as catfish.
Types of freshwater ornamental fish that are suitable in the aquarium
There are two types of freshwater ornamental fish that can be kept in an aquarium, namely seawater fish and freshwater fish. However, the public chooses freshwater ornamental fish species compared to seawater fish species because in addition to having more freshwater ornamental fish species, in terms of care and feed, it is also easier. In Indonesia, there are at least about 363 types of freshwater ornamental fish that have been exported to various countries in the world.
Now for those of you who are confused about what types of freshwater ornamental fish you can keep in an aquarium, here are five types of beautiful freshwater ornamental fish that are ready to decorate your aquarium!
1. Discus Freshwater Ornamental Fish
Discus fish is one of the freshwater ornamental fish originating from the Amazon, South America. Who is not amazed to see this colorful type of fish? Its unique shape, perfected with such a beautiful color makes discus fish a favorite of many people.
Its flat shape when viewed from the front, and will look round when viewed from the side makes this type of freshwater ornamental fish so easily recognizable. This type of freshwater ornamental fish also has large and elongated fins with red eyes. Discus fish can reach 15-25 cm in length.
But unfortunately, this freshwater ornamental fish is not recommended for beginners to keep. This is because discus fish require extra care and attention compared to other types of freshwater ornamental fish.
2. Black Phantom Freshwater Ornamental Fish
This type of freshwater ornamental fish has a pretty scary name, namely black phantom or if translated into Indonesian it means black ghost. This freshwater ornamental fish comes from rivers in the Amazon.
This fish gets the name black ghost because the color of this ornamental fish is almost entirely black, only on the tail which has a white line. The shape of the fins of this freshwater ornamental fish is also wavy and makes it look like a ghost when swimming.
However, there are also some people who call this ornamental fish as ballet dancer fish. This is because this type of ornamental fish has a habit of moving back and forth as if it were dancing. In terms of care, black phantom fish are very easy. This fish eats mosquito larvae, dried worms and pellets. Interested to have?
3. Freshwater Ornamental Fish Botia
Now this type of freshwater ornamental fish not only has fans from Indonesia, but also has become an idol in various parts of the world. Botia fish is a type of freshwater ornamental fish from the Cobitidae family, and is one of the most sought after freshwater ornamental fish lovers to decorate their aquariums. There are several types of botia ornamental fish that are excellent, including tiger botia fish, clown fish botia, botia morleti fish, and Indian botia fish.
Botia fish are bright yellow with three broad black stripes. The habitat of botia fish is in clear water areas with rocks as the base. This type of freshwater ornamental fish is a fish that is active at night, or better known as nocturnal.
The types of tiger botia fish and clown botia fish are native species of ornamental fish from Indonesia. This fish is one of the freshwater ornamental fish species exported by Indonesia to various countries. Clown botia fish is one of the favorites of many people.
4. The Chef's Freshwater Ornamental Fish
The type of freshwater ornamental fish goldfish is one of the most popular types of freshwater fish among Indonesian freshwater fish lovers. In terms of color, this goldfish does have a beautiful color, which is a combination of white and golden orange. Goldfish can also be regarded as one of the best-selling freshwater ornamental fish species on the market among the types of freshwater ornamental fish from the goldfish family.
Besides having a beautiful color, this goldfish also has a very unique one. Having a "bulky" stomach with large eyes and a tufted tail makes goldfish so attractive to freshwater ornamental fish lovers. This goldfish is a must have in your aquarium!
5. Freshwater Flowerhorn Fish
You could say, louhan fish is one type of freshwater ornamental fish that is quite well known among the public, even among the general public though. This is because the louhan fish has a very distinctive shape, namely the front of the head that protrudes.
In Indonesia, this fish is one type of freshwater fish that is in great demand by professional fish collectors. Its unique shape with beautiful colors makes the louhan fish a symbol of good luck. No doubt the price of this one freshwater fish is very high. Interested in having?
6. Neon Tetra Freshwater Ornamental Fish
It's not complete if you have an aquarium but in it there are no types of freshwater ornamental fish that can emit a more bluish light. With the Latin name Paracheirodon innesi, neon tetra fish are a complementary choice for freshwater ornamental fish in the aquarium.
This type of freshwater fish belongs to the cardinal fish group or freshwater fish that form scullings or schools. The scales in terta neon have a bioluminescent substance, which means they emit light.
7. Lemon Freshwater Ornamental Fish
The next type of freshwater ornamental fish that should be taken into consideration when you want to keep ornamental fish is to keep lemon fish. Its name is taken from one type of fruit because almost 99% of the color of this ornamental fish is lemon yellow.
This freshwater ornamental fish comes from Africa with a characteristic lemon yellow color and a black line on the dorsal fin. This fish is a type of freshwater fish that has territorial characteristics, meaning that it has a territory and includes ornamental fish that live solitary or alone.
8. Freshwater Fish Oscar
Oscar fish is another type of freshwater ornamental fish that is easy to maintain, the initial habitat of this ornamental fish is freshwater waters in the Amazon river. This freshwater fish has the Latin name Astronotus ocellatus, in its development the Oscar ornamental fish can be cultivated
This fish is a type of aggressive freshwater fish, so to keep this fish, do not mix it with other types of freshwater ornamental fish. Like flowerhorn fish, Oscar fish care is very easy, just feed it right and clean the aquarium from fish waste.
9. Molly Freshwater Ornamental Fish
Molly fish is a type of freshwater ornamental fish that is easy to cultivate. The uniqueness of this freshwater ornamental fish species lies in its fat and shy body shape. So if you see an enemy or foreign object quickly this freshwater fish will avoid and hide.
Although the body is fat, the movement of this fish is very agile. Molly fish including freshwater fish species that flock in small numbers. But you have to be quite careful about the problem of providing molly fish feed. Feed conditions in the aquarium must always exist.
10. Freshwater Ornamental Fish Manfish
Manfish is a type of freshwater ornamental fish that you often encounter as a type of freshwater fish that is used as an option to decorate an aquarium. This type of ornamental fish is very easy to maintain because it can be mixed with other types of ornamental fish in one aquarium. Manfish is a type of freshwater ornamental fish with the characteristics of having a flat body and elongated fins
To get this freshwater fish, there are lots of color choices that you can choose according to your taste. The price is also relatively cheap, so it's easy if you want to get this type of freshwater ornamental fish.