1. Fish Breeds, Care, and Management Evan Faison Heritage High School Animal Science 2: Small Animals

2. Fish Terminology and Nomenclature A.Ornamental fish - are fish kept for their appearance (bright colors and fancy fins), personal appeal to people, and are not usually used for food. B.Tropical fish - are popular fish for aquariums that come from the warmer regions of the world. C.Marine fish - are fish that are kept in salt water aquariums. Marine fish are often more colorful than freshwater varieties.

3. Fish Terminology and Nomenclature D. Freshwater fish - are fish that are kept in a freshwater tank. Often, they are the most popular fish for pets. E. Community fish - are fish that do well in an aquarium with other fish species. Examples include: Tetras, barbs, catfish, Mollies, Platys, and Swordtails.

4. Fish Terminology and Nomenclature F. Species fish - do best in an aquarium with fish of the same species. Examples include: Blind Cave Fish, Piranhas, Red-Tailed Shark, Schomburgk’s Leaf Fish, Spiny eels, Killifish (one pair alone in an aquarium), Betas (alone in an aquarium). G. Live-bearers - are fish that give birth to live young. Examples include: Guppies, Mollies, Platys, and Swordtails.

5. Fish Terminology and Nomenclature I.Egg layers - are fish that expel eggs from the female to be fertilized by the male. Examples of egg layers are: tetras, barbs, catfish, and goldfish. J. Shoals - are small colonies of fish. Some species prefer to live in shoals such as African Red fin, Catfish, and Tetras.

6. Fresh Water Fish

7. Egg Laying Fish- Goldfish A very popular and hardy “first” fish for many children. Hardy and easy to keep fresh water fish that prefer pools or cold water aquariums that have temperatures in the range of 32 - 68°F. Goldfish can live in various types of water as long as water is kept clean. Koi are a member of the goldfish family used in cold water aquariums. Koi may grow to 3'in length in a pool of adequate size.

8. Egg Laying Fish- Beta Freshwater fish that are very aggressive. Betas are frequently kept alone as a specimen fish in a species – only aquarium. Males must never be put in the same aquarium. Betas prefer an 80 0 F ± 3° tank.

9. Egg Laying Fish-Tetras These are easy to medium care ornamental fish that prefer soft water that is slightly acidic. It is a very sociable fish and does well in community aquariums. Tetras average 1 ½ - 3" in length. One species is the neon.

10. Egg Laying Fish-Catfish Species grown as ornamentals include the Upside-down catfish, Glass catfish, and the Electric catfish. Prefer their water temperature to be 70 0 – 80 0 F.

11. Egg Laying Fish-Chinese Algae Eater Soaking loach that grows up to 10" long when the aquarium size permits. It has large fleshy lips, can cling to vegetation, rocks, or the sides of a glass aquarium. Chinese algae eaters are good community fish and feed off algae. They prefer a water temperature between 70° - 80° F.

12. Live Bearing Fish-Guppies Most popular and varieties only differ in shapes of their fins and tails. Water temperatures for guppies are between 68 ° – 75 ° F. May average giving birth to 50 young, but adults may eat the young fry.

13. Live Bearing Fish-Swordtail Like environments similar to guppy, known for its long sword-like caudal fin. Swordtails average 3 – 4 ¾ "long and prefer water temperatures between 68° and 70° F.

14. Live Bearing Fish-Mollies Most Mollie species are black and differ only in the size of their fins. Prefer water temperatures to be 72 ° – 82 ° F. Like groups or schools, Mollies have problem with large fins may have fins grow so large swimming is difficult. Mollies prefer to dwell in large schools.

15. Live Bearing Fish-Platys These fish are very popular. They average only 2 1/2"in length and like water temperature to be 68 ° – 77 ° F.

16. Salt Water Fish

17. Angelfish Some can live in freshwater. They have a delicate appearance but are very hardy. Angelfish prefer water temperature to be 77 ° – 86 ° F. Eggs are carried in the parent’s mouth and placed either in foliage or sand as part of the incubation process.

18. Brasslets Small popular colorful fish for marine aquariums. They like water temperatures to be 79 ° – 82 ° F and prefer a diet of brine shrimp. The Royal Gamma is the suggested Brasslet for beginner marine aquarists. Royal Gamma mixes well with other fish species, but must be isolated from their own species because of their extremely aggressive nature.

19. Clown Fish Clown fish are orange in color with three white bands encircling the body. Each white band is edged in black. Fins are also orange edged in black. Clown fish are known for their ability to live around the tentacles of the sea anemone in a mutually beneficial relationship known as symbiosis.

20. Sargeant Major Sargeant Major is a marine fish that grows to 7 inches in length. It is silver-blue in color with a yellow tinge on its body and has seven vertical dark bands on each side.

21. Fish Terminology and Nomenclature K. Spawning - is the reproduction ritual where eggs are deposited and fertilized by egg laying species of fish. L. Gonopodium – Modification of anal fin into a tube-shaped organ in male live-bearers that provides passage for sperm packets to enter the oviduct of the female. M. Scales - are thin, bony plates that develop from and are embedded in dermis. Scales overlap each other and provide protection. The exposed part of the scale is covered with a thin layer of epidermis that produces a slimy mucous which protects the fish from water born bacteria.

22. Water Maintenance A. Freshwater fish do not need to drink water because their body salt concentration is higher than the water. B. Saltwater fish have a lower concentration of salt in their bodies than in the water. Therefore they must drink water to keep from dehydrating.

23. Classification of Fish Based on Feeding Habit Bottom feeders (dwellers) are fish that inhabit the lower level of the aquarium and feed off the bottom. Their mouth may be turned down or “under slung” and they may have barbs to help them locate food. Example: Barbs

24. Classification of Fish Based on Feeding Habit Middle feeders (middle-water fish) primarily occupy the middle layer of the aquarium and usually have small mouths that are straight forward because they are eating feed that is straight in front of them.

25. Classification of Fish Based on Feeding Habit Top feeders usually eat from the surface and occupy the upper levels of the aquarium. Often, their mouths will be turned upward and they will have long streamlined bodies designed for rapid movement to help them catch insects. Some fish like goldfish do not show a preference for the level of the aquarium.

26. Physiology of Fish Respiration Use organs called gills to breathe. Water is drawn through the mouth by constant opening and closing of the mouth. Forces water into the pharynx and out through gills. Dissolved oxygen in water is taken into the blood and CO2 is released into the water from the gills.

27. Physiology of Fish Respiration A few species of fish come to the surface and gulp air into their mouth. They are able to use atmospheric oxygen because part of their intestines allow for intake of oxygen. The air is then swallowed into the digestive system and taken into the blood.

28. Physiology of Fish Movement Fins: Most bony fish have rayed fins that consist of web of skin supported by bone or cartilage rods called rays. Rays can be sharp, soft, or spiny Fins are very flexible Fins are a moveable structure that allows the fish to swim and maintain balance.

29. Physiology of Fish Movement Most fish have at least one fin along their back (dorsal), one underside near the tail (anal), and one tail fin (caudal). Some have a small, fleshy fin located between the dorsal and caudal called an adipose fin. Fish also have a pair of fins located behind the head called the pectoral and the pelvic located behind them.

30. Stocking Rate for Aquariums 1 inch of fish requires a MINIMUM OF: Tropical fish aquarium 10 square inches of surface area Cold water aquarium 30 square inches of surface area Marine aquarium 48 square inches of surface area