Fish can be a prey and predator species.  Freshwater tropical fish require water without marine salt and a heater, a system with live plants and gravel substrate.  Freshwater coldwater fish do not require heating.  Tropical marine fish requires heat and live sand as a substrate.  Brackish fish live in habitats somewhere between saltwater and freshwater.

ACTIVITY LEVEL:   Normal activity is fish:

-          swimming in a horizontal motion, not with head up or down

-          swimming with ease, not struggling to stay afloat

-          swimming around the aquarium instead of lurking or hiding at the bottom

-          breathing normally, not gulping air

SOCIAL PATTERNS:  Fish express aggression by throwing gravel at one another.  Many males become aggressive to females during spawning.  After spawning the pair become so aggressive to each other that they must be separated.   Fish can also become aggressive to their offspring.

NORMAL PHYSIOLOGICAL & BEHAVIORAL CHARACTERISTICS:  Fish are cold blooded which means that their body temperature depends on the temperature of the water that they live in.  They use their fins for locomotion and an internal organ called a swim bladder to stay afloat.  Each fin, the dorsal, caudal, anal, pectoral, pelvic, and adipose fins, each have a special job to do.  Fish are able to swim without creating any turbulence.  Fish breathe by extracting oxygen from water through their gills.   Like humans they have five senses but with some differences.  Fish can see in two directions at once, can’t completely focus, are near sighted, and since they have no eyelids sleep with their eyes open.  Smell plays an important role in locating food and mates. 

Fish require a diet that is the proper combination of carbohydrates, minerals, proteins, and vitamins to stay healthy.   Many people experienced with fish view feeding fish correctly as an art in itself.  Salt water fish require higher protein diets than freshwater fish and some saltwater species eat only live foods.  Some fish are carnivores and some are vegetarians.  CHECK OUT A FISH’S DIETARY REQIREMENTS BEFORE YOU PURCHASE THEM.   Be careful not to overfeed or underfeed.   A general rule of thumb is feed your fish what they can eat in three to five minutes and buy the highest quality food that you can afford.

Depending on breed, fish either lay eggs or bear live young.  Different breeds have different spawning rituals that are specific to them. 

SPAY/NEUTER INFO:  not applicable.

MOST COMMON PROBLEMS:  The most common problems for fish is stress resulting from poor environmental conditions.  These problems can be avoided by following daily, weekly, and monthly preventative measures:  checking the fish, checking the equipment, checking the water.

VET CARE:  There are few vet resources for fish.  Joining fish clubs, good observational skills, becoming knowledgeable about fish diseases and treatments, are the best tools for caring for fish. Treating your fish’s health problems may require you to set up a quarantine tank and/or a hospital tank.