People have always been fascinated by the underwater world and its inhabitants. So it’s not surprising that humans have been keeping river and sea creatures in artificial environments since prehistoric times, such as the ancient Sumerians. There, like in ancient Egypt, the fish were bred for later consumption. The artificially created ponds and aquariums were, so to speak, storage containers. However, it was not until the beginning of modern times that aquariums were discovered as decorative elements in European homes. This trend has been documented in London since the mid-17th century. However, it was not until the middle of the 19th century that aquariums were discovered by the general public.
Aquariums come in all shapes and sizes today. However, if you want to buy an aquarium, you should consider in advance which inhabitants you want to put in it. Because while many ornamental fish only reach a size of two to three centimetres, there are certainly aquatic inhabitants with a body length of ten centimeters or more. Of course, they also need a correspondingly large living space.
These are the largest aquarium fish – provided by -Archiv
The mini shark
Dieter-Florian_CC BY-SA 30
Actually, the term mini shark is not correct, because this fish is actually a West American cross catfish. Its natural habitat is the so-called brackish water, i.e. water with a salt content of up to one percent, at river mouths, while the young fish, which can reach a body length of up to three centimetres, live in fresh water. This fish is called mini shark because its appearance is vaguely reminiscent of a shark.
The western American catfish has its natural habitat on the Pacific coast between southern California and Peru. The West American cross catfish feeds primarily on crabs and smaller fish, but occasionally also eats green fodder. As long as the cross catfish is not fully grown, it lives and hunts in groups. In adulthood, the animal reaches a body length of up to 45 centimeters
The pennant carp
Wimpelkarpen_Lokionly_CC-BY-SA3-0
The pennant carp is a sucker carp whose original home is in India. While the bodies of juveniles are brownish in color with black stripes, adult males have a distinctive red coloring that darkens with age. Typical of this fish are its triangular and high dorsal fin and the fleshy, thick lips. On average, pennant carp reach a body length of 40 to 60 centimetres.
Pennant carp need clean water because they are sensitive to nitrate levels being too high. The fish feel most comfortable when the water has a pH value between 6 and 7 and a temperature of 24 degrees; However, they can also survive if the water – for example in a garden pond – has a temperature around the freezing point at times. In addition to algae, small aquatic creatures and crustaceans are also part of the preferred food of pennant carp. These fish, which can live up to 25 years, are often kept in cold water aquariums.
The European catfish
Europäischer_Wels_Dieter-Florian_CC BY-SA 30
The European catfish, often referred to as river catfish, is considered the largest freshwater fish in Europe. The catfish is mainly active at dusk and at night and feeds on dead and live fish, small mammals and waterfowl as well as invertebrates. The catfish prefers to live in nature in large rivers and lakes, the bottom of which has a muddy subsoil.
An elongated body is typical of the catfish, while the head is broader. In addition, the European catfish has a stocky body in the front area, which becomes slimmer towards the anus. In addition, the European catfish has large and powerful pectoral fins and an extremely small dorsal fin. However, there is no typical coloring in the European catfish, because the color adapts to the habitat of the respective animal, which means that the catfish is always excellently camouflaged. In most animals, however, the upper side is dark and has a gray basic color that can vary in nuances from dark olive green to blackish, the color of the European catfish is usually lighter on the side. Depending on where the European catfish lives, it can reach a body length of up to one and a half meters and a weight of up to 50 kilograms. However, catfish grow throughout their lives, so they can also get significantly larger.
The clown loaches
Prachtschmerlen_VladButsky-CC-By-2-0
Clown loaches have their original habitat in the rivers of the Indonesian islands of Borneo and Sumatra. In order to be camouflaged as best as possible, these fish have black and orange body markings. Even if the clown loach is not a schooling fish in the classic sense, it still lives in its natural habitat in larger social groups that undertake their spawning migrations together.
The clown loach reaches a body length of about 30 centimeters and is considered to be extremely defensive against predators thanks to its eye spines. In Indonesia, clown loaches are valued as popular food fish. They live in groups and therefore form a territory in which they do not tolerate intruders.
The loach is generally a subspecies closely related to the carp. These aquarium fish live primarily on the bottom and appreciate it when they find plenty of opportunities to hide in the aquarium. The aquarium for clown loaches should therefore be dimensioned accordingly generously. Ideally, they should be kept in groups of eight to ten animals.
The jewel cichlid
Juwelenbuntbarsch_Ventus55-CC-By-SA-30
The Lifalilis cichlid, which aquarium enthusiasts are more likely to know under the name jeweled cichlid, is native to central and central Africa and feeds primarily on insects, crustaceans, worms, small fish and plants. It is relatively easy to determine whether it is a male or female animal based on the body shape. Because male jewel cichlids are significantly stronger than female specimens and have a darker red coloration.
The jewel cichlid, which can reach a body length of up to twelve centimetres, has been a popular aquarium fish since the 1970s. If you want to keep more than one pair, you should make sure that the aquarium offers enough space. The reason: Jewel cichlids form territories that they defend aggressively.
This is especially true during the spawning season. Because the perch defend the up to 500 eggs that they lay when spawning, extremely vehemently. Even as soon as the offspring hatch, they are closely guarded by their parents for a period of around two weeks.
Pictures:
- Europäischer_Wels_Dieter-Florian_CC BY-SA 30
- Juwelenbuntbarsch_Ventus55-CC-By-SA-3-0
- Minihai_Xocolatl_CC-BY-SA-30
- Prachtschmerlen_VladButsky-CC-By-2-0
- Wimpelkarpen_Lokionly_CC-BY-SA3-0
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