Fish Glossary
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Surgeonfish (Saltwater Fish)
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These fish belong to the Acanthuridae family. They have a pair of razor shaped spines which are erectable and look like the “scalpels” at the base of the body. This is the reason why they are called the surgeon fish. The scalpel-like spines are quite sharp in these fishes and they are capable of cutting anything just like the knives. They have an oval body shape that is laterally compressed. Their mouth is small and adaptation is observed for nibbling. They can scarp tiny organisms from the coral reefs and rocks. Though some of them are aggressive but most of the species can be kept together. They prefer to sleep inside the caves at night. |
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Sharks (Saltwater Fish)
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The saltwater aquarium will look incomplete if there are no sharks in it. But these sharks require ample space to swim about. They belong to the subclass elasmobranchs. They eat meat in large quantity. The size of the aquarium to fit a standard shark has to be minimum 180 gallons. Sharks can grow minimum 36 inches to 6.5 feet which will need at least a 400 gallon aquarium. They are very much aggressive and predatory in nature. They prefer to swallow their prey. They feed on living gold fish, squids, shrimps etc. Some of them are too large to get adapted in an aquarium. They can smell food easily. |
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Triggerfish (Saltwater Fish)
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This species have colorful looks and they have strange patterns printed on their body. They are very lonesome and intolerant by nature. This is the reason it is not advisable to keep few of them together in an aquarium. They can unlock and lock their dorsal fin and this is why they are called the trigger fish. They are not very good at swimming. In fact they like to make undulating movements and will use the tail fin only in case of emergency. They have sharp teeth that help them eat the sea urchins and invertebrates with shells. In an aquarium they should be fed on brine shrimps, flakes, squids, sliced earthworms etc. |
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Anemones (Saltwater Fish)
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Anemones are invertebrates that belong to the category Cnidaria. The anemones can sometimes look really great and add up to the beauty of the aquarium. Most of them share a symbiotic relationship with certain sea algae. In fact the survival rate becomes very low if you keep any anemone inside an aquarium. There are many fishes which feed on anemone. So if you wish to keep them for long make sure that they are not kept with the anemone fishes. Some of the anemones will need a lot of light inside the aquarium which includes the blue spectrum as well. |
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Corralimorphs (Saltwater Fish)
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These are shaped like flowers and look extremely beautiful in an aquarium. They are considered to be a mixture of the sea anemones and corals as anatomically they bear strong resemblance to the corals. They can be kept quite easily in the aquariums. You will need some sand as substrate, rocks and the air stone. If the amount of organic compounds is low in concentration in the water of the aquarium, the Corralimorphs will become brighter in color. They will require some shade and light combination. They need to be fed with worms, shrimps, fish roe, planktons or substitutes etc. The Elephant ear is one of the most attractive and uncommon species of Corralimorphs. |
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Soft Corals (Saltwater Fish)
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The soft corals are the members of subclass Octocorallia. This means that the polyps of these corals will posses 8 tentacles. The confusing part is that the soft corals are not soft always like the Blue corals, the Pipe organ corals etc. But the soft corals which are generally found in the aquariums are not really the ones with hard skin or skeleton. Some of these soft corals bear a symbiotic relation with the algae called zooxanthellae and this is the reason why they will need a lot of light even inside the aquarium. They need to be supplied with sufficient food in order to survive in captivity. |
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Small Polyped stony corals (Saltwater Fish)
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These corals bear typical stony calcareous skeleton. They come with branches and sometimes with plates as well. They like strong water currents and bright lights. Their body is fragile and can break into pieces to help in propagation. Unlike other species of coral these are quite uncommon in the aquariums. These corals need stable temperature to survive and the water should be low at organic content. It is essential to maintain the balance of elements like strontium, calcium and other trace elements. Some of the species will require feeding and some will not. |
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Tridacna clams (Saltwater Fish)
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The Tridacna clams are quite popular as the habitats of the aquarium now-a-days and they can grow into very beautiful specimens if provided with favorable conditions. The mantle covering the body of the Tridacna clams bear the zooxanthellae and this is why they need a lot of light inside the aquarium. There are some Tridacna clams like crocea which have blue mantles and they need more light to survive than those with brown mantles. In order to grow properly they will need calcium, iodine and strontium. They should be kept away from some species of Wrasse as they often take the clams as food. |
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Zoanthids (Saltwater Fish)
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Zoanthids are a particular type of corals which are easy to keep in an aquarium. They need good and fast flow of water just like other sessile animals as this helps them in getting food and taking away their waste products. Some of them contain zooxanthellae in their body and that is the reason they need strong light. |
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Aquarium plants (Freshwater Fish)
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Plants have always been an indispensable part of the freshwater aquariums. They not only make the aquariums look beautiful but also keep them healthier for the animals that stay in it by creating a natural environment. They also help out the fishes with their hiding places and sometimes act as their food. Ferns and mosses are the most common type of plants that connect themselves with the rocks with their roots. Plants with rosette shape like Cryptocorynes, Duckweed, and Water Hyacinth etc are runners and need some extra care than the others. Then there are stem plants as well which are hardy enough to fit in anywhere inside the freshwater aquarium. Anacharis, Hygrophila, Brazilian Pennywort, Wisteria, Japanese Rush etc are few of them. |
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