The Differences Between Cold Water Fish & Tropical Fish

Tropical fish tend to have more variety and brighter colours than cold water fish. But, the main difference between cold water fish and tropical fish in aquariums is the water temperature. Tropical fish need warm water temperatures that as they would find in their natural environment. Cold water fish, as the name implies, require colder water temperatures.

Cold water fish usually come from colder climates where the oxygen content of the water is higher. Tropical fish are the opposite. Both kinds of fish need the correct type of environment and temperature to grow and thrive. You can’t really keep a cold water fish together with a tropical fish because their temperature necessities are different.

There are also other factors that differentiate a tropical fish from a cold water fish such as the growth rate, immune system, and metabolism. A tropical fish that is kept in a cold water tank will be a lot more susceptible to disease because the immune system will be lowered. With tropical fish you will more than likely need to keep a heater in the tank to keep the water warm.

Some examples of cold water fish are Comet, Fantail, Pom Pom, Danio, and Axolotyl.
Examples of tropical fish include: Angels, Black Shark, Tetra, Gourami, Barbs, Loaches, and Cichlids.

Types of Fish Food

A good diet is an essential part of keeping your fish healthy. Failure to provide your fish with the correct dietary needs can result in poor growth and an increased amount of waste produced by it. Incorrect diets can also lead to a poor immune system and poor colours.

Most fish foods are available in flakes or pellet form. Some popular brands of fish food include Aqua One and sera and seachem. Flakes can be the primary diet for your fish but it’s a good idea to try to supplement their diet with other types of food every so often. Also available are fresh food and frozen food.

It is also best not to over feed your fish. It is better to feed them twice daily in small amounts than once per day. When feeding your fish they should be able to finish feeding within a minute or two, if not then you are over feeding them. Over feeding can lead to poor water quality in the aquarium and also increase the stress levels of your fish.

Treatment for Sick Fish

It can be difficult to know exactly why our fish are sick and often we need to make an educated guess, but here are a few things you can do for general treatment that might help. Check the water’s pH, nitrate, oxygen, ammonia, and hardness levels to make sure that they’re fine. If your levels are off then you can adjust them with some of the products available on the market, such as: Aqua One .

You can also change 50% of the water in the aquarium on a regular basis, maybe once a week, and add the appropriate conditioners to the water. Another thing you might want to check is the tank’s aeration and filtration system – if it is inadequate consider upgrading those two items.