Tropical fish and supplies - Anatomy and biology of fishes
ANATOMY AND BIOLOGY Whatever type of aquarium you choose, a minimal knowledge of the anatomy and biology of the species you are raising is an essential prerequisite. The information below, presented in layman’s language, allows you to keep your fish in good health, in the best possible conditions, to feed them appropriately so that they can grow, and to facilitate their reproduction in short, to understand them better in order to take better care of them.EXTERNAL ANATOMY The body A fish is typically drawn as an elongated spindle, and in fact this is the most common form, as it makes it easier to swim in open water. These hydrodynamic characteristics permit rapid acceleration and not inconsiderable speeds (sometimes up to 20 km per hour) in a medium (water) that offers a certain degree of resistance. However, there are other forms, that are also all connected with the lifestyle of the fish in question: bottom- dwellers have a flat stomach, while those that live in water obstructed by plants and branches have compact, thin bodies that enable them to squeeze through the obstacles. This is equally the case with the countless fish in the coral reefs, which thread their way through the blocks of coral. Finally, there are certain fish that are unclassifiable, so varied and strange are the forms they flaunt, although they always correspond to a particular lifestyle. The fins Fish have several types of fins, each one playing a precise role. Their forms and names are often used to classify them into different families. Of the unpaired fins (i.e. consisting of a single fin), the most noteworthy are the dorsal and the anal fins. These serve to stabilize the fish when it is not going very fast or is coming to a halt, and they are tucked in when the fish swims more quickly. The caudal fin (incorrectly referred to as the tail) supplies propulsion, in conjunction with the rear part of the body. In some species, particularly the Characins and the catfish, there is a small extra fin between the dorsal and the caudal fins, known as the adipose fin. although this is not really used. The paired fins, attached symmetrically to each side of the body, are called pectoral and pelvic fins. They are used for stabilizing, stopping, slowing down, or changing direction: vertically, from the water surface to the bed, and vice versa, from side to side, from left to right, from right to left. Fins consist of a membrane stretched on spokes, and they can all be tucked in along the body, with the exception of the caudal fin. The adipose fin is merely a fold of skin, without any spokes. When the spokes are longer than the fins they are known as spiny fins, and they can represent a danger to the aquarist, as in the case of the scorpion fish, for example.
Find out on Discus Fish For Sale why discus fish is the most beautiful and most sold aquarium fish on Earth.