Fish Identification
 One of the most difficult things while dealing with fish is to understand and identify different types of fishes. Almost every fish looks similar. Fishes comes in all colors, shapes and sizes. A few of the admired fishes are – Gold fish, Betta and Cichlids etc. It requires time to understand how to identify different types of fish.
There are more than 28000 species of fish in the world. These fishes are classified into the following heads according to their habitats and characteristics:
- Fresh water fish – This type of fish are mostly found in fresh water bodies such as lakes, rivers with salinity less than 0.05%.this category includes 41 % of the total fishes. This category differs from other category physiologically. This category of fish requires gravel at one pound per gallon and a filtration system. These fishes require a filter that's powerful enough to be efficient in the tank. A few examples of fresh water fish are African butter cat fish, Betta fish, Gold fish, African cichlid and Akar betta etc.
They are usually identified by their gills as these fishes involve gills to diffuse water though simultaneously keeping the salts of the bodily fluids inside. Fresh water fish that have lost too many scales get an excess of water diffused in through the skin, causing the fish to die.
- Marine fish – They are also called saltwater fish. It includes nearly 15000 species of fish. They are more colorful than the fresh water fish and require lot of attention and care. It’s not easy to pet marine fishes. They require a big tank because maximum stocking densities are lower than for the freshwater aquarium. This category of fishes generally require tropical climate for their survival. A few examples of marine fish are- Blue whale, bottle nose dolphin, Cuttle fish, Goblin shark, Whales, Jellyfish, Lion fish, Star fish etc. Since they have wild temper therefore this fish are hardly domesticated.
- Tropical fish – This category of fish require warm, medium temperature to survive. This category includes both salt water and fresh water fish. They are vastly admired by people for their aquarium. This category of fish requires regulation of the air flow of the aquarium at 2 liters per hour. This category has narrow optimum temperature ranges and do not usually tolerate unexpected changes in environment. Some of the famous tropical fish are Cat fish, Guppies, Sharks, Flying fish, Puffer fish etc.
Identification of fishes require understanding and familiarizing with different types of fishes. Fish keeping has really become one of the admired hobbies these days. Fishes have some kind of charisma in them which make people forget of their pains and sufferings. Therefore it’s important for people to identify fishes and their needs to add on to make them survive for long.
The simple way to identify fish is by their appearance and physical shape. Different species of fishes have various different profiles when viewed from front, top or from side. Some of them are elongated and slim, while others are round and fat. To identify the fish, you can observe the size, color, and any other markings on the fish body. Most of the fishes have characteristic tails, curves, bumps, and fins which make them different from other species. Take note of all these characteristics and refer a book which will help you to identify the fish.
Studying the characteristics of fishes is important and makes the process simple for fish identification. Observing the habitat and behavior of fish is again necessary for fish identification. All these small and simple observation is necessary for fish identification.
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