30 True Facts About Tropical Fish

The waters are full of fascinating fish, including thousands of tropical fish; not only are they pleasing to look at, they’re also rather interesting too! Check out these 30 facts about some of the world’s most amazing tropical fish.

1. The Western Rainbowfish has large black eyes, two dorsal fins, deeply forked mouth, and black or silver bands running across the scales. The male displays his brightest colors during courtship.
2. The Siamese Fighter/Betta is small with an elaborate color scheme despite its size starting with a dark color around the head, lighter color on the body, and reddish color on its long fins. The male and the female spiral around each other during mating, fertilizing from 10 to 45 eggs each time they spiral until all of the females eggs are released.
3. The Kissing Gourami is a peach and silver colored fish with larger than normal lips for a Gourami. The Kissing Gourami is a normally tolerant species of fish, but the “kissing” that this fish does is actually how the fish fights with other males of its kind.
4. The Moonlight Gourami is an iridescent silver fish that develops a pastel green hue upon reaching adulthood. The really small scales of this species is what gives it its iridescent shine.
5. The Molly Fish ranges in color, they can be orange, green. or black. It is difficult to get Mollies to stop breeding. Buying a few may give you more than you bargained for. Owner beware!
6. The Golden Julie is a three inch long yellow fish with thick black stripes going horizontally across its body. The Golden Julie is very territorial even towards its own kin.
7. The Banded Rainbowfish is a bright, multicolored fish with a horizontal dark black or blueish band stretching from its head to its tail fin. The Banded Rainbowfish scatters the eggs that it lays.
8. The Silver Scat is surprisingly silver in color, and marked with large dark spots. As the scat ages it will develop a hunch back shape on top of its body.
9. The Sumatra Puffer is also known as the Figure 8 Puffer. It is a deep brown color on the upper half of its body, with a white underside. Markings on its back resemble little figure of eights. The Samutara Puffer has a very expressive face due to its facial anatomy.
10. The Polka-Dot Loach become aggressive when not around fish of their own kind.
11. The Siamese Algae Eater you see in fish stores aren’t often these fish. A lot of fish in stores are confused with Siamese Algae Eaters and labeled incorrectly.
12. The Clown Loach is very susceptible to fish diseases.
13. The Cherry Barb tends to be antisocial at times, which makes them look rather lonely – even amongst its own species.
14. The Panda Loach is very expensive and can cost approximately $145 (or approximately £100).
15. The male Odessa Barb, sometimes known as the Scarlet Barb have a bright red stripe on their body, running horizontally from head to tail. The females are silver and pink with a black spot above the pectoral fin.
16. The Black Ruby Barb may just be your favorite! If you don’t like mosquitoes, then you may like this fish because it eats their larvae when available.
17. The female Harlequin, also known as the Red Rasbora, leaves their eggs on the underside of broad leaves.
18. Despite their name, the Blind Cave Tetra have really good eyesight to begin with, but as mature adults they lose their sight.
19. The Yo-Yo Loach is named for the markings on its body that appear to be Y’s and O’s.
20. The female Pindu Fish incubates her eggs in her mouth and releases the fry when the the eggs hatch.
21. Most catfish are normally active at night, however the Peppered Cory Catfish is active more often during the day.
22. The Ghost Catfish, also known as Glass Catfish, are nearly transparent and small catfish.
23. The Emperor Tetra are mostly peaceful fish by nature, only fighting over territory between males. Even with other species of fish they do not act very aggressively.
24. The Upside-Down Jellyfish spends its life upside-down to other species of Jellyfish, because algae lives inside the jelly’s tissues allowing the jelly to take advantage of the process of Photosynthesis and feed off of the food the algae inside it produces.
25. The male Red Platty is much brighter in color and smaller than the female of the species.
26. In captivity, Clown Fish can live up to five years.
27. The Golden Gourami has something called a labyrinth organ that absorbs and sends oxygen directly into the bloodstream.
28. The Rosy Bitterling Fish is a very shy fish, which ideally is in a tank of at least six. The tank should also have plenty of hiding places. They get their name from the color the males change to during the spawning season.
29. The Archer Fish actually “fire” at prey with a a strong and accurate small jet of water.
30. During mating rituals, the male Cobalt Zebra Fish displays ‘egg’ spots on his tail.