Fishes are fascinating creatures of the aquatic and marine world. According to an estimate, nearly half of the fishes thrive in the freshwater habitat, which means that they are capable of living in lakes, rivers, or wetlands, at the extreme depth. Approximately, 30,000 fishes inhabit freshwater habitats, some of which are mentioned here. Read on!
What Are Some Examples Of Freshwater Fish?
Several species of fish thrive in the freshwater habitat, some of which are:
1: Siamese Fighting Fish (Betta splendens)
The Siamese Fighting Fish is considered the most beautiful fish in the freshwater habitat because of their unique and vivid coloration. These species are extremely aggressive, especially males. Commonly, this fish is native to Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, in the canals, rice paddies, or floodplains.
2: Goldfish (Carassius auratus)
The Goldfish is found commonly in the freshwater habitat of Eastern Asia and China. These species display vibrant color patterns like red, white, brown, orange, yellow, or black. The vivid gold color species are the dominant breed of this family.
3: Oscar Fish (Astronotus ocellatus)
These species belong to a Cichlid family and have many common names like Tiger Oscar, Velvet Cichlid, and Marble Cichlid. The fish is found in the tropical waters of Southern America, Australia, and China and is very popular among the fisheries for consumption. It is very famous to be kept in the aquarium with an expected life period of 10 to 15 years.
4: Discus Fish (Symphysodon)
Though these species are very famous aquarium fish but are very expensive and require extra care. The flattened, round shape of the body looks like a disk with a diverse vivid coloration that even stings the eye. Because of their unique appearance, sometimes it becomes very difficult to distinguish the male and females. In a wild habitat, they live in blackwater lakes or rivers, creeks, and shallow lakes or tropical forests of the Amazon regions.
5: Gourami Fish (Osphronemidae)
These species are considered the most ideal fish to be kept in captivity because they can easily be adapted to all types of habitats. They are mostly found along the swamps, marshes, and steams of Cambodia, Chao Phraya, and Vietnam. These species have second respiratory organs which allow them to breathe properly. They are known to be one of the most aggressive species in the aquarium.
6: Angelfish (Pterophyllum)
The Angelfish are also popularly called Scalar fish which are found living in the deep Amazonian waters. the diversity of their color makes them one of the favorite fish of the freshwater habitat. They exhibit a remarkable vertical swimming pattern and look like a floating sea angel.
7: Betta Fish (Betta imbellis)
These species exhibit a beautiful coloration and a long tail fin which look like a dress, making it easy to identify them. However, these species are unable to breathe under the water which is why they are often found visiting surfaces to inhale. Thus, good care is required to keep them in aquariums While in a wild, they inhabit freshwater habitats like stagnant ponds, slow-moving streams, rice paddies, or marshes.
8: Cardinal Tetra Fish (Paracheirodon axelrodi)
The vibrant coloration and stunning pattern of the Cardinal fishes add color to the aquarium. These species prefer to live in a school of 6 to 8 members. They have long transparent fins which allow them to roam in the freshwater habitat. These species are native to the Northern and Western Amazon basins, Western Brazil, and Eastern Peru.
9: Sauger Fish (Sander canadensis)
It belongs to the Percidae family and inhabits the waters of North America commonly. They have a pair of dorsal fins which are covered with small spines, protecting them from any danger. These species are usually dark and brassy and are 300 to 400 grams heavy. They usually inhabit depths of 0.6 meters and swim with agility without dragging their body through the water current.
10: Tench Fish (Tinca tinca)
These unique creatures are popularly known as Doctor fish. They are olive greenish and have round shape tail fins which help them in swimming activities. Interestingly, the heaviest Tench fish ever recorded is 7 kg heavy. In their natural habitat, they prefer slow-moving rivers with heavy vegetation and soft-bottomed lakes,
Final Verdict
Many species of fish such as Siamese Fighting, Goldfish, Oscar, Discus, Gouram, Angelfish, Betta, Cardinal Tetra, Sauger, and Tench fish are adapted to freshwater habitats. They enjoy living in freshwater habitats, however, during captivity, these species require hygienic conditions to live comfortably.
