If Something is characteristic of animal species, such as those belonging to the marine fauna, it would be the clear difference between their members. The natural need for adaptation has allowed living beings to evolve.
Otherwise, survival would hardly have been possible, and life as we know it would have been doomed to disappear.
Fortunately, this is not how it works. In this enjoyable work, we will show you the characteristic features of this cold-water fish. We will also tell you about cold water fish diet and the care they must receive to guarantee survival.
And just like this information, we will also put interesting facts in your hands that will help you to know the most important things about cold water fish. Because of anything but having to talk about the Cold water fish and getting caught off guard.
Who are considered coldwater fish?
For all those requiring temperatures between 10°C and 24°C to survive, although the value usually used is around 20°C, exposing them to different conditions would surely compromise their survival. Hence, relying on reliable resources such as a quality thermometer that accurately validates such conditions is important.
Types of cold water fish
- Goldfish ( Carassius auratus )
- Microrasbora galaxy (danio magaritus)
- Paradise fish (macropodus opercularis)
- Rainbow barbel (notropis chrosomus)
- Chinese neon (tanichthys albonubes)
- Buenos Aires tetra (hyphessobrycon anisitsi)
- Golden barbel (barbodes semifasciolatus)
- Odessa barbel (pethia padamya)
- Pink barbel (pethia conchonius)
- Chinese shark (myxocyprinus asiaticus)
- Sunfish (enneacanthus chaetodon)
- Alligator gar (Lepisosteus osseus)
- Freshwater stingray or stingray (potamotrygon leopoldi)
Pool cleaner
Giant Corydora (Scleromystax barbatus)
Peppercorn Corydoras (Corydoras paleatus)
Minimum requirements for keeping coldwater fish
Nothing is more harmful to coldwater fish than living in an environment with high nitrite and nitrate levels. And what would cause excessive accumulation of this toxic agent? Waste, without a doubt. Hence, it is important to select the appropriate filter based on the size of the aquarium and the number of fish.
Likewise, you must evaluate which water purifier would be most convenient for your case.
Lightning
It is important for fish, but especially for plants. You must not forget that these darlings come from natural habitats where this vital element predominates for survival. Even if you do not intend to incorporate them into your aquarium, you should still consider the use of adequate lighting that contributes to creating pleasant environments.
Water conditioning
Whether you live in cold or warm places, you must use the means to ensure the right water temperature. In this sense, you could use a heater or, failing that, a chiller, depending on the case, because you must not forget that any temperature outside of 18°C and 24°C would undoubtedly compromise the life of cold water fish.
Vegetation
Anything that cannot be eaten or removed is welcome. And why is that? Because they are so mischievous. For example, if the plant is soft, they will eat it. Hence, our recommendation is that you choose ones with a hard consistency.
On the other hand, they are also strong enough to pull them out by the roots. That is why it would be best to secure them with stones. But wait, because cold water fish love floating plants because they use them as labyrinths.
Substratum
It acts as a vitamin supplement par excellence, guaranteeing the well-being of plants and, therefore, their proper appearance.
Type of fish
On the one hand, you must consider the compatibility of coexistence between the different species. If you do not take this aspect into account, you will be far from promoting a harmonious environment, and you will be contributing to the creation of a boxing ring.
We are trying to tell you not to choose cold-water fish that do not fit in your aquarium and could cause discomfort.
Characteristics of cold water fish
Due to the special conditions of the place where cold water fish live, they have some particularities that make them stand out from other species.
Physiognomy
If there is Something that makes cold-water fish unique, it is their rounded shape, which allows them to move with agility. They also come equipped with single or even double fins responsible for their surprising maneuverability. Of course, everything will depend on the species they belong to.
Adaptability
Another peculiarity of cold-water fish is that they have the ability to adapt to temperatures outside their normal range temporarily. By this, we mean, for example, in the summer season, when temperatures could reach 26°C due to ambient heat. Despite this, their life is not in danger. However, as long as you can guarantee ranges between 17°C and 20°C, the better.
Growth
It may seem unbelievable, but it all depends on the physical space they can develop. By this, we mean, for example, that they could reach between 1.5 and 2 meters in a large pond. Seeing cold-water fish up to 70 cm long is unsurprising if you have an equally spacious aquarium.
Breeding season
Whether it is the rainy season or the spring, both are the preferred times for females to build bubble nests. But where would they build them? Any small place hidden among any vegetation near the fertilization site would be great. There, the two or three months necessary for birth to occur would pass.
But what does this mean? That fertilization occurs externally. In this sense, the female would lay the eggs at the same time that the male would spread his sperm nearby. As for surveillance, there are probably fish in charge of caring for the eggs.
Cold warning
Another peculiar feature of cold-water fish is how they let you know they are cold or poorly fed. This is where alarm bells should go off when you see them resting for a long period of time on the bottom. This would tell you that they feel uncomfortable walking around an aquarium with a lower temperature than normal.
Hence, the thermostat is important, as it is the only device that always guarantees an adequate temperature. However, proper ventilation of the environment is another important aspect that ensures an adequate habitat, especially when we talk about heating. This would prevent overheating.
Feeding cold water fish
In this regard, you should first know that cold-water fish are omnivores. What does this mean? You could feed them vegetables or animals daily. And you wouldn’t have to worry about the proportion since products such as granulated food, flakes, and floating sticks are careful in this regard.
There are also vitamin complexes available to stimulate appetite and flavor enhancers. In any case, in the case of vegetables, you could satisfy your child’s taste buds with carrots, spinach, lettuce, and even tomatoes. The aim is to provide a food source that guarantees the necessary nutrients and vitamins.
And let’s not even mention algae, which are responsible for providing coldwater fish with a good dose of magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, and zinc. Likewise, mosquito larvae, shrimp, tubifex, and small worms should not be missing from the menu. And let’s not even mention daphnia or brine shrimp, those small crustaceans that would delight the palate of any coldwater fish.
But be careful. Do not overfeed them because it would be counterproductive for their well-being. Giving them small amounts of food four to six times throughout the day is advisable. This way, you would be getting as close as possible to their natural eating habits, and in that regard, you would not be causing any alterations.
Coldwater Fish Care
Given the peculiar conditions in which cold-water fish live, they cannot be cared for in any way. On the contrary, you must strictly comply with a series of recommendations if you do not want to see their existence compromised.
1. Aquarium size:
This is important because it should be proportional to the number of fish you want. In this way, you would be guaranteed a space where they can move around with complete mobility without bumping into each other. In fact, this will help you observe them better and thus check that they do not have any behavior out of the ordinary.
2. Ensure safe conditions
To avoid incidents, you should plan to place the aquarium out of the reach of children and pets. You should also ensure that the filter is correctly installed and functioning. If not, you would compromise the purity of the water and, therefore, the life of your coldwater fish.
3. Diet
Likewise, you must ensure that your pets consume the food you provide them and do not isolate themselves, as this will inevitably cause them to get sick and consequently die.
4. Ensure they don’t suffer from parasites
no disease is more common in cold-water fish than in white spots. But how would you identify it? It would be very easy to notice since it is a parasite that causes itching. This creates the need for our little friends to scratch themselves, which is why it is very common to see them rubbing against stones. If such a situation occurs, you should request advice from your trusted veterinarian.
5. Ensure harmony always reigns
Unsurprisingly, cold-water fish tend to play around with each other. But one thing would be mischievous interactions free of aggression and another, dealings full of violence. It has been proven that attitudes of this nature are a sign of a lack of space or that there is a sick fish. Recommendation? Increase the space or isolate the sick fish to prevent it from being hurt.
6. Pay attention to the behavior
You must act immediately if you notice that your coldwater fish frequently visit the surface while panting. This would be a clear sign that the water contains impurities that do not allow them to breathe properly. What should you do? Take appropriate action to make the filter work properly as soon as possible.
7. Constantly observe the external appearance
we mean the skin, scales, and fins because these parts of the body of cold water fish would warn you about some disease. In this way, you could take your respective precautions to act on time and guarantee the well-being of your little ones.