3 Tropical Freshwater Fish That Are Great For Your Aquarium - B to C

Three tropical freshwater aquarium fish you can add to your aquarium are detailed here (Brown Acara, Cardinal Tetra and Chocolate Gourami). Information is provided on feeding, colors, breeding, temperament and aquarium temperatures.

Brown Acara - Aequidens portalegrensis (Family: Cichlidae)

The main body color of the adult is reddish-brown, the scales are large and the fins are greenish and marbled with a range of colors. A horizontal line of dark colored bars runs from the eye to near the tail at which there is a dark area surrounded by yellow or green dots.

Although timid, it can grow to more than 15 cms so you need to consider if it is ideal or not for your community tank. The difference between the sexes is subtle. The anal fin of the male is longer and less rounder than that of the female and the colors of the fins are less bright. After mating the pair stay together for life which is a particular feature of the species.

The breeding tank must have rocks and similar stuff removed as the fish can be injured during the vigorous courtship. The pair should be about the same build and be fed on live food. Place a piece of slate in the tank so eggs can be laid on it and when the fry are hatched and able to swim remove both the parents. Feed the fry on infusoria, micro-worms and daphnids.

Cardinal Tetra - Cheirodon axelrodi (Family: Characidae)

One of the most popular tetras and great for a community aquarium as it is active and peaceful. Slim, it grows up to about 7 cms, ideally should be part of a small shoal and giving them live food now and again will keep them fit and healthy.

From the mouth and eye to the tail runs a reddish-brown coloration covering most of the lower body. Above that runs a green fluorescent band. The dorsal and anal fins have no color. The male is less thicker in the body than the female. This species is not easy to breed. Suitable pairs are picked by observation and kept apart feeding with live food to get them ready.

The female is placed in the breeding tank in the morning and the male in the evening. The tank will be thickly planted at one end with nylon breeding mops scattered about. The next day spawning should take place and semi-sticky eggs will be placed in the breeding mops which are then removed to a separate tank at the same temperature. After five days left in darkness you should find fry swimming about which can then be fed on infusoria till they are ready for bigger food such as micro-worms.

Chocolate Gourami - Sphaerichthys osphromenoides (Family: Belontiidae)

Although it can be put in a community tank this fish is quite susceptible to disease so be warned. But once it gets through any illness and gets used to the environment it is then quite hardy. Its aquarium requirements are soft water, a temperature of 26 to 30 degrees centigrade and a densely planted area.

The body color is from dark brown to black and it has several vertical silver white stripes of different shape. The mouth shows tiny teeth and the pelvic, dorsal and anal fins are black. As bubble-nest breeders the eggs are produced by the female after mating, the male puts them in his mouth and blows them into the bubble nest he previously built floating on the surface.

Remove the female after she lays the eggs. The male looks after the eggs; he will replace eggs that fall from the nest, he will maintain the nest structure with additional bubbles and aerate the eggs by swishing his tail near them. Remove the male after the fry start swimming.

Paul Curran is webmaster at Fresh-Water-Aquariums-Guide.com and provides a care information system for fresh water aquariums. Get your FREE E-Course on how to set up and maintain a beautiful aquarium, have the healthiest, happiest fish around AND learn more about your tropical freshwater aquarium