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Cyprinids- There is a great range of sizes and shapes in this family from tiny barbs to the huge Indian Manseer. Barbs are widespread warm-water Cyprinids found across Africa and Asia. They need high levels of oxygen and are lively swimmers. Goldfish require a lot of care because they have no stomach. |
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So they digest their food fast. Rasboras are found in Malaysia and Indonesia, there are 30 species. These are small, fast swimming fish which live in shoals and prefer fast-flowing water.
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| Characins- Many very popular and well-known species of aquarium fish are Characins. Size and body shape can vary widely. Some Tetras are flattened laterally for swimming between plant stems. Others are elongated and have round bodies designed for fast swimming against strong currents. |
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Male tetras have a very tiny hook at the tip of the rays on the anal fin. Tetras are one of the hardest fish to breed. If an attempt is made to breed tetras, they must be given live-food.
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Cichlids- This important group of freshwater fish is found over a wide area, ranging from the southern U.S., Central America, and South America to Africa, the Middle East, and even India. |
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American cichlids are very numerous and varied, although only the smaller species, commonly known as dwarf cichlids, are likely to be kept in an aquarium. Cichlids have many physical characteristics similar to their relative the common perch, particularly the large, spiny-rayed fins.
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| Anabantidae- This group is more commonly known as labyrinth fish because of a special organ they posses which enables them to breathe air from the surface. As a result of this ability they are very adaptable, and can live in conditions which would kill other fish. |
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Siamese fighting fish are a very well known species of labyrinth fish, as are gouramis and climbing perch. Labyrinth fish have remarkably flexible bodies, with all the internal organs compressed into a small space near the head.
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Catfish- Catfish are characterized by having sensory barbells around the mouth which enables them to find food on the bottom of muddy rivers and lakes. There are about 2000 species of catfish, all of which are very different. |
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They can be found in a number of different types of habitats, from clear, fast-flowing mountain streams to slow-moving and sometimes stagnant water.
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| Cobitidae- Loaches are quite widespread, they can be found across Europe and throughout Asia and North America. They resemble the catfish, having barbells around the mouth. |
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| In the wild, loaches prefer fast-flowing rivers, and spend most of their time sheltering among stones waiting for food to be swept toward them. They have no visible scales on the body, which usually elongated and eel-like. |
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