Choosing a Tropical Fish
When choosing fish to keep in your aquarium it is wise to chose fish that live in the water and varying depths, depending on the species tropical fish will live at the surface, middle waters or on at the bottom level of the aquarium, by choosing a variation of fish you can maximize the available space you have in your aquarium. While you may chose fish that live in different places in the water it is not uncommon for the fish to wander and check out it's surroundings so be sure not to pack the tank out too much.
As an example you can imagine having Rasboras and Danios who are active surface fish and are constantly on the move, Gouramis, Tetras, Barbs and Angelfish swim a lot slower and are more comfortable living mid water amongst the tall flowing plants. Then you have bottom dwelling fish such as Catfish who are nocturnal by nature and will only come out of their hiding when it is dark.
With certain species of fish preferring to live in the top, middle or bottom of the tank you also find some species that do not conform to any of these levels and swim freely around the tank doing as they please. Here we will give examples of some of the fish that do not conform to any area.
The Swordtail
While green by nature this fish has also been bred into red, black and a mixture of colours, they grow to around 3 1/2 inches in length. They have a long extension on the bottom of their tail, which it gets its name 'Swordtail' from.
The Platy
A peaceful and sociable fish that comes in many variations of colour, the females' colour is usually brighter than a male of the same colour. They prefer a water temperature of around 25C and it is noted for the tank to be well lit to encourage the growth of algae, these fish can be very reliable breeders.
The Molly
Depending on the species they come in green, gold with spots or even all black, these are very common tropical fish that are used in many aquariums.
The Guppy
These fish are known for breeding easily, the term 'guppy' is also used to describe many fish, so you can imagine they have earned this name from being good breeders. The females of the species are less brightly coloured than the males, they are a popular choice because they are inexpensive and easy to maintain.
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