Unique Freshwater Fish To Have in Your Home Aquarium

Puffer's don't have any scales and are a sensitive and specialized type of fish.

They aren't the best choice for the beginner fish keeper since they need excellent water conditions.

Keeping most puffer's require a large aquarium of 100 gallons plus.

This fresh water fish has large scales, short fins, a slender shape and large size.

A slight mutation took place in the South American rivers making one specific Arowana to have a glowing appearance.

These fish can cost $10,000 or more.

Some Cichlid species can be found in your local pet store.

They are great when desiring a colorful fish in a freshwater aquarium.

They are sleek in shape and have impressive colors.

The Butterfly fish can grow to be 5.1 inches in length. It has very large pectoral fins and a large well developed swim bladder which enables it to breath at the surface of the water.

The Butterfly fish is a carnivorous and enjoys aquatic insects and smaller fish. A live diet is best, however many do well with canned crickets and insects.

Their eyes are constantly skimming the surface of the water and their turned up mouth is adapted for capturing small insects and small fish on the surface of the water.

They are considered to be a surface hunter. If they are allowed to gain speed in a larger tank, they have been known to jump and glide short distances above the surface.

A female Butterfly fish produces a large amount of surface floating eggs. It takes about seven days for the eggs to hatch.

A 20 gallon tank will be an adequate home to one or two fish. Be sure the lid is a tight fitting one since they are known to jump.

They prefer live plants that float on the surface of the water as well as ones inserted into the floor of the tank.

They prefer temperatures between 73 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Slow to no water current is best for the Butterfly fish. A pH of 6.9 to 7.1 and a KH of 1 to 10 are ideal levels.

The Clown Knife fish is quite unique looking. It has a elongated head, a huge under-slung jaw and a humped back.

The Clown Knife fish is nocturnal and can be seen gliding around the tank at night. Despite the way they look, they are actually quite flexible and enjoy swimming backwards at times.

They are often on the shy side and are a bit skittish at times. The Clown Knife fish has poor vision but other sensory instincts are more pronounced to compensate.

They do require a place to hide and especially need a dark area to sleep during the day. They tend to be picky eaters and most enjoy a diet of live feeder fish. Goldfish and Buenos Aires Tetra fish are a few of the more favorites.

Many Clown Knife fish can grow to be rather large in length and can reach 36 inches long. They prefer and require a large tank. The ideal temperature of the tank should be 76 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. A pH level of 8.2 is ideal for Clown Knife fish.

The Twig Catfish has a peaceful temperament and require moderate care. They are sensitive to water quality and demand stable water parameters and conditions.

They eat a vegetative diet and enjoy sheets of dried seaweed as well as cucumber slices for treats.

They are also great algae eaters. The Twig Catfish should only be introduced to an established tank containing algae. They prefer to be kept alone. They do best with a pH of 6.5 to 7.0 and a water temperature of 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. They grow to be about six and a half to seven inches long and tend to do better in 30 to 36 inch tanks.

The Reed Fish is a peaceful and slow-moving fresh water fish.They are also nocturnal creatures and require dark places to hide during the day time hours.

They have also been known to jump long distances so the tank needs to have a tight fitting lid.

The Reed Fish enjoys a diet of blood worms as well as frozen foods that sink to the bottom of the tank.

Water temperature should be 72 to 83 degrees Fahrenheit with a pH level of 6.5 to 7.5. They do better in larger size tanks of 100 gallons or more.