aquarium fish wallpaper

White Perch (Morone americana)

2010-12-11T04:10:00.000-08:00

The White Perch or Morone americana is a species of freshwater fish that is sometimes referred to as the Silver Perch. Even though this fish is called a perch, it doesn't belong to the same family as the Yellow Perch, and is actually closer to a Bass. This fish is medium sized only growing to about 20" in maximum length and weighing in at nearly 5lbs.

White Perch have large scales and a white underbelly with a gray-green coloration on its back and sides that fades to a silver as you move downward. As you can see in the pictures this fish has a serious dorsal spines so be careful when handling them. They are found in freshwater as well as brackish waters in places like Maine, and other coastal areas.

White Perch are known to eat small Walleye, Yellow Perch, minnows and fish eggs. They can reproduce rather quickly, with the female producing 140,000 eggs in a single spawning session. These eggs will hatch in about a week.

In some places White Perch are loved for their great fight and tasty meat, but other places they are looked upon as a nuisance that destroys other species by their quick breeding and appetite for small fish and eggs. The have been discovered in the Great Lakes and are thought to cause serious troubles for the Walleye population.

beautiful Red Oranda Goldfish

2010-12-03T17:54:00.000-08:00

The beautiful Red Oranda Goldfish usually reaches about five inches in length. Many are about two inches deep. This goldfish has a large growth over its head known as a wen. Although in some fish the wen encases the whole head, except for the eyes and the mouth, in others it may be limited to the cap and cheek, the cap area, or the very highest region of the cap. Red Oranda Goldfish have long fins, including a dorsal fin. They have veiltail type tails and double caudal fins. The caudal fins are divided down about 90 percent of their length. Red Oranda Goldfish can have caudal fins that are about one and a half times the length of their bodies. The pelvic and pectoral fins are usually rounded and of medium length. They are well matched in size and appearance. Nacreous (a mix of metallic and matte) or metallic scale types are acceptable for Red Oranda Goldfish, which are solid red in color.

Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii)

2010-11-29T20:47:00.000-08:00

The Cutthroat Trout or Oncorhynchus clarkii is just one of the many species of Trout from the salmon family. This fish is listed as a threatened species due to lose of habitat and introduction of non-native species to its environment in western North America. Despite this the Cutthroat Trout is the state fish of Idaho and Wyoming and is sought after by many anglers especially fly fishermen and women.

Some kinds of Cutthroat Trout are anadromous which means they spend part of their lives in freshwater and part in saltwater. Most of this species though does spend its time in the freshwater with the exception of those on the coastline. There are many different sub species of Cutthroat Trout including Alvord cutthroat trout, Bonneville cutthroat trout, Humboldt cutthroat trout, Lahontan cutthroat trout, Whitehorse Basin cutthroat trout, Paiute cutthroat trout, Snake River fine-spotted cutthroat trout, Westslope cutthroat trout, Yellowfin cutthroat trout, Yellowstone cutthroat trout, Colorado River cutthroat trout, Greenback cutthroat trout and Rio Grande cutthroat trout.

Cutthroat Trout can grow to about 20lbs (9 kg) maximum and can grow as long at 40" (102cm). There are a few sub species of Cutthroat Trout so this fish can range greatly in size, coloration and habitat. Some are golden while others are more gray in color. All of them have red, pink or orange marks on the underside of their jaws, this is a sure way to tell if you have caught a Cutthroat Trout.

Tropical Aquarium

2010-11-26T18:47:00.000-08:00

Transform your screensaver into a beautiful 3D virtual tropical aquarium. Observe the colorful fish that swim among the coral. Feed them and knock on the window to see them move

Butterfly Koi Fish

2010-11-18T19:17:00.000-08:00

Having Koi fish among garden ponds and aquariums is among today’s popular options when it comes to fish pets. Many breeds and varieties of Koi fish are now widely available in most continents especially in the United States and Japan. Koi fish, which originally came from China, is a type of fish that is being considered as the carp fish’s domesticated and ornamental variations.

Among the most popular varieties of Koi fish is the butterfly Koi fish. This is a variety of Koi that was developed from the Indonesian carp and distinctive of their long tails and fins; hence, they are called Longfin Koi or Long Fin Koi. This type of Koi is also known as dragon carp.

History of Butterfly Koi Fish

The butterfly Koi fish, which is notable for its elongated fins, was first introduced in the mid-20th century. It was the result of Koi fish breeders’ effort to create a variety of Koi with increased hardiness. A notable Koi fish breeder named Wyatt LeFever have interbred a traditional metallic-colored Koi with a Longfin river carp from Indonesia. The result was a Koi fish with longer fins, pompom nostrils, with long barbells and hardier than the traditional Koi.

LeFever called them “butterfly” Koi fish because they have a trait that looks like butterflies. It was then known in Japan as “onagaoi” or sometimes as “hire naga Koi” which means “Long-Tailed Koi” in English. That’s why Buttefly Kois are also popular as Longfin.

aquarium fish wallpaper

2010-10-22T12:34:00.000-07:00

Twin Spot Wrasse (Coris aygula)

2010-10-01T17:10:00.001-07:00

The Twin Spot Wrasse or Coris aygula is just one of the over 500 different species of Wrasse fish on the planet! This saltwater fish can be differentiated from other species by the two dark spots that adorn its dorsal fin when it is young. It will also have a silver coloration with dark spots on its head. As it grows older, it will turn a dark bluish green and develop a white or green band around its body. They will look like a totally different species to tell you the truth.

Cave Transparent Goby (Coryphopterus glaucofrenum)

2010-10-01T17:10:00.000-07:00

The Cave Transparent Goby or Coryphopterus glaucofrenum is a saltwater fish that makes a great addition to most aquariums. This fish is considered to be very easy to take care of, and is certainly interesting to watch. As you can imagine with a name like the Cave Transparent Goby, this fish has a body that is partially transparent along with a series of orange spots that cover its entire body, including its head, fins and tail.

This species of Goby is native to Maldives where it is found around reefs. In an aquarium setting this fish only requires about a 10 gallon tank with the following water conditions, 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025. Like most other Gobies, this fish is quite small, only growing to about 3" in maximum length. Make sure you don't keep similar Gobies in the same tank unless they have plenty of room. They will attack each other if not given enough space. These fish should be fed brine shrimp, table shrimp, mysis shrimp and other frozen meaty foods. If you provide them with branching coral you don't need to feed them quite as much.
Cave Transparent Goby fish are known to spawn in an aquarium setting. Giving them a cave will increase your chances of success. This saltwater fish will lay its eggs on the ceiling of the cave and before you know it, you will have little Cave Transparent Gobies swimming around.

Emperor Red Snapper (Lutjanus sebae)

2010-10-01T16:59:00.000-07:00

The Emperor Red Snapper or Lutjanus sebae is yet another saltwater fish that changes its colors over its lifetime. When this species of Snapper is young it has a series of red and black stripes set against its white body. As it grows larger, these stripes tend to fade, and eventually disappear. By the time it is all over, the fish is a reddish pink and looks completely different then it did when it was younger.Also known as the Sebae Snapper, this fish grows quickly, reaching about 2-1/2' in maximum length over its lifetime. Even though they get this large, people still try to house them in an aquarium. One of 200 gallons or more is highly recommended with the following water conditions, 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4 and sg 1.020-1.025. They are not considered to be very easy to care for and should be kept alone with plenty of room to swim. This fish should be fed a meal of meaty food chopped up like shrimp, fish and scallops daily to keep it healthy and happy.

Bartlett's Anthias (Pseudanthias bartlettorum)

2010-09-14T08:49:00.000-07:00

The Bartlett's Anthias or Pseudanthias bartlettorum is a very colorful fish that originates in the waters off of the Marshall Islands. Also known as the Bartletts Fairy Bass or Christmas Island Anthias, they can grow to about 3-1/2" in maximum length. These fish are made up of purples, oranges and tend to have a yellow on their backs and down into their tales. One crazy fact about this fish is that they can change sexes over their lifetime! If the dominate male dies, the largest female will actually morph into a male!

Bartlett's Anthias fish are kept in an aquarium setting on occasion, although they are not the easiest to care for. They require at least a 80 gallon tank with the following water conditions, 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4 and sg 1.020-1.025. These saltwater fish are best kept with their own species, but also will work in a reef aquarium. They are normally seen around the middle on an aquarium, but like most other fish they love to have a few spots to go and hide in.

Dalmatian Molly (Poecilia latipinna)

2010-09-14T08:33:00.000-07:00

The Dalmatian Molly or Poecilia latipinna is also known as the Marbled Molly and has the ability to survive in freshwater or saltwater. This species of Molly is a hybrid version of the Sailfin Molly which has the same scientific name. As you can imagine, this hybrid version is black and white, much like a Dalmatian Dog.

Shy Hamlet (Hypoplectrus guttavarius)

2010-09-12T06:04:00.000-07:00

The Shy Hamlet or Hypoplectrus guttavarius is a saltwater fish that is found in the Atlantic Ocean around reefs in waters of up to 30 meters deep. This colorful fish has a yellow head that has iridescent blue lines in it. Its body is normally brown or black with its fins yellow to match its head.

Also known as the Bad Lucks, Golden Hamlet and the Vaca Bicolor these fish are often found in pairs near the bottom. They are not very large, only growing to about 13cm in maximum length. Sky Hamlet fish are kept in an aquarium setting, but it is rare to find them in a pet stores.

Squareback Anthias (Pseudanthias pleurotaenia)

2010-09-12T06:02:00.000-07:00

The Squareback Anthias or Pseudanthias pleurotaenia is a saltwater fish that goes by a few different names including the Purple Blotch Basslet, Squareblock, Mirror Anthias, Square-Spot Fairy Basslet and Squarespot. Females of this species are yellow with a purple underside. Males are mostly pink with a purple underside and a lighter colored rectangle on their sides. They are not particularly large, only growing to about 4" in length.

Blue Sapphire Damselfish (Chrysiptera springeri)

2010-09-12T06:01:00.000-07:00

The Blue Sapphire Damselfish or Chrysiptera springeri is one cool looking saltwater fish. This species of Damselfish has a striking pattern of blue up against a dark body that really makes it stick out from the crowd. When the Blue Sapphire Damselfish is in trouble though, they can actually make their blue disappear to help blend in to their surroundings. These fish originate from the Solomon Islands and only grow to about 3-1/2" in maximum length.

As you can imagine, the Blue Sapphire Damselfish is quite popular in the aquarium trade. They are considered very easy to care for and only require an aquarium of about 25 gallons. The following water conditions are recommended for this fish, 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4 and sg 1.020-1.025. Like other Damselfish, they should be provided with plenty of hiding space to keep them happy. They also like to have live rock in the aquarium.

Jackknife Fish (Equetus lanceolatus)

2010-09-12T05:58:00.000-07:00

The Jackknife Fish or Equetus lanceolatus is one of the oddest shaped fish in all of the world. These fish originate from the Caribbean and have very long dorsal and caudal fins. As you can see, these fins almost resemble a jackknife, hence the name, the Jackknife Fish.

These saltwater fish are silver with thick black lines running through their bodies. As you can imagine their strange shape and striking colors make this a great fish to house in a saltwater aquarium. Unfortunately, they are not the easiest fish to care for. They require a tank of 80 gallons or more with the following water conditions, 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025. Jackknife Fish are carnivores that should be fed live foods such as black worms and brine shrimp. The occasionally meaty foods will help as well. These fish require a sandy bottom with lots of hiding spots and plenty of live rock. They will often hide in the beginning, but enticing them with meaty foods will normally bring them out of hiding.

Jardini Arowana (Scleropages jardini)

2010-09-06T18:26:00.000-07:00

The Jardini Arowana or Scleropages jardini is one of the few different species of Arowana fish. These freshwater fish are often called Gulf Saratoga Barramundi, or Northern Spotted Barramundi. They have the classic elongated Arowana body with a bony tongue and markings on their tails and fins. Once very hard to find in the wild, these fish have been successfully bred in captivity, and have since become a popular aquarium fish. You can check out the Jardini Arowana in the video below...

Reaching almost 2-1/2' these fish require a large aquarium of well over 100 gallons with the following water conditions, 75-86° F, KH 1-10 and pH 6.9-7.1. They are not the easiest to care for, and will jump right out of the tank if you don't provide it with a tight lid. They shouldn't be kept with more aggressive species included most Cichlids.

Jardini Arowanas are carnivores that should be fed a variety of foods including krill, small fish and insects.

Goo Obo Gudgeon (Mogurnda nesolepis)

2010-09-06T18:21:00.000-07:00

The Goo Obo Gudgeon or Mogurnda nesolepis is a beautiful freshwater fish that gets its name from the Goo Obo Falls in Papua New Guinea, where is was first discovered. These fish are often kept in an aquarium setting and come in a variety of colors. Females of this species will range from yellow to a dark orange with a red underbelly. They tend to be larger than their male counterparts who can be green or orange with red spots on their body.

Goo Obo Gudgeon are very peaceful and considered to be easy to care for as well. The following water conditions in a freshwater aquarium are acceptable, 74-82° F, KH 2-5 and pH 5.5-7.0. The great part about these fish is that you only need about a 15 gallon aquarium to house them in, because they only grow to about 3" in maximum length. One thing to note about these beautiful fish is that they are quite sensitive to high nitrate levels, so changing the water often is a must!

The Goo Obo Gudgeon are omnivores that should be fed pellet foods, flake foods, brine shrimp and daphnia. They prefer to have a few hiding spaces and if you want them to breed you can do so by raising the temperature a couple degrees and providing them with a small cave. After the pair spawns, be sure to remove them from the tank because they are known to eat their own eggs! It only takes a couple days before the Goo Obo Gudgeon eggs hatch.

Freckled Hawkfish (Paracirrhites forsteri)

2010-09-04T10:23:00.000-07:00

The Freckled Hawkfish or Paracirrhites forsteri is just one of the over 30 species of Hawkfish on the planet earth. As you can see in the pictures, this species gets its name from the freckles that cover their faces and heads. These saltwater fish go by a couple different names as well including the Forster's Hawkfish, and the Blackside Hawkfish.

Freckled Hawkfish are often kept in an aquarium and should be purchased when they are young to fully appreciate them. When they are juveniles this fish will often be burgundy with a yellow tail. As they grow older, they can become brown, pink or olive in color. One thing that stays the same though is the red freckles that make this fish easy to identify from other Hawkfish.

These fish can become quite large for an aquarium, growing to about 9" in length, so an aquarium of at least 80 gallons is highly recommended. Freckled Hawkfish must have gotten picked on a lot in their past lives, because this fish will harass almost all other fish, even ones much bigger than it! If you are keeping it with other aggressive fish be sure to introduce it last to the tank. The following water conditions are recommended for this type of Hawkfish, 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4 and sg 1.020-1.025.

These fish are found in the wild around places like Hawaii and Australia. They are carnivores that feed on small fish and crustaceans. In an aquarium you can feed them marine meats, feeder shrimp and other meaty frozen foods.

African Butterfly Fish (Pantodon buchholzi)

2010-08-30T09:59:00.000-07:00

The African Butterfly Fish or Pantodon buchholzi is an odd looking freshwater fish that is found in many lakes in Africa. As you can see, this fish has a series of strange fins that look like a birds wings, a lot like the Flying Fish of the ocean. African Butterflyfish are speckled with a dark black or brown body. They are not very large only growing to about 4" in maximum length.

This fish's strange appearance makes it fairly popular in the world of aquatic pets. They only require an aquarium of about 40 gallons with the following water conditions, 75-86° F, KH 1-10 and pH 6.9-7.1. Be sure you provide them with plenty of plants to hide in and a tight lid to keep them from jumping to their deaths. In the wild, you will often see these fish toward the surface awaiting their prey to swim by or an insect to fall onto the surface. In an aquarium they are almost always found near the surface as well and should be fed brine shrimp, small fish, insects and other freeze-dried foods.

Blue Star Leopard Wrasse (Macropharyngodon bipartitus)

2010-08-30T09:55:00.000-07:00

The Blue Star Leopard Wrasse or Macropharyngodon bipartitus is one of the over 500 different species of Wrasse Fish in the world. This particular species is from the Labridae family, and goes by a few different names including the Vermiculite Wrasse, and the Divided Wrasse. These fish originate from Africa, and are quite small, only growing to about 5" in maximum length.

As you can see, they are brilliantly colored with yellows, oranges, browns and a series of light blue spots that cover its body. Their distinct coloration makes them a favorite pet for an aquarium. If you are considering buying a Blue Star Leopard Wrasse for your tank you should know that they thrive under the following water conditions, 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4 and sg 1.020-1.025. These saltwater fish are not very easy to care for, and require an aquarium of about 60 gallons or more. They are carnivores that should be fed brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, pellet food, flake food and other meaty preparations.

Scissortail Dartfish (Ptereleotris evides)

2010-08-28T04:04:00.000-07:00

The Scissortail Dartfish or Ptereleotris evides is one of the easiest saltwater fish to care for in an aquarium setting. This fish only requires an aquarium of about 35 gallons with the following water conditions, 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4 and sg 1.020-1.025. They are carnivores that require a meaty diet including brine shrimp, mysis shrimp and other meaty preparations. Pellet food and flake food is acceptable as well.

Scissortail Dartfish are sometimes referred to as Scissortail Goby, Black Fin Dart Goby and the Black Fin Dartfish depending on the pet store. This fish can easily be identified by its elongated body and large dorsal and anal fins. Their coloration is often light blue with a white head and darker tail. They get their name from their black tails which are shaped just like scissors. They are not particularly large, only growing to about 5-1/2" maximum. They are often found in the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean and the Red Sea in and around reefs. This fish is from the family Microdesmidae which are referred to as Dartfish.

One thing to note about this species of Goby is that they like to burrow on the bottom of the tank and therefore should be provided with a few inches of bottom sand. They are also known to jump right out of tank, so be sure to have a nice tight lid on your aquarium. This fish is only considered to be aggressive towards its own kind. A mated pair though will always play nice together.

Redtail Catfish (Phractocephalus hemioliopterus)

2010-08-28T04:02:00.000-07:00

The Redtail Catfish or Phractocephalus hemioliopterus is a large species of Catfish that was first discovered in South America. This fish has since made its way into the aquarium trade, despite its very large size. Reaching 4' and almost 100lbs in the wild, these fish should only be kept in a VERY large aquarium. Due to the lack of space in most aquarium settings, these fish rarely reach over 2' in length in captivity.

Convict Tang (Acanthurus triostegus)

2010-08-28T04:01:00.000-07:00

The Convict Tang or Acanthurus triostegus, much like the Convict Cichlid, gets its name from the vertical stripes that this fish looks like it belongs in a prison. Convict Tangs have six of this vertical stripes that are black in color. Their white or silver bodies, with a bit of yellow really makes these stripes pop out and makes it a great addition to any aquarium.

Convict Tangs are not very big, only growing to about 8" in maximum length. They can live to about 7 years old, and are native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans. In the wild they are almost always found in schools, sometimes these groups can number into the thousands! In many places they are caught and used as food.

Also known as the Convict Sturgeonfish and Manini, these saltwater fish can be kept in an aquarium of 75 gallons or more with the following water conditions, 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4 and sg 1.020-1.025. They get a long well with other peaceful fish, but should not be housed with other species of Tangs. Multiple Convict Tangs can coexist together, but they should all be introduced to the tank at the same time for best results.

Convict Tangs can be bred in an aquarium, but it not an easy task because the fry are so very small and essentially just drift around the aquarium for months. They will often become victims of aquarium filters. If you are lucky enough to get these fish large enough, or simply buy one from a pet store, you should feed them a variety of foods. Plenty of meaty foods along with marine based seaweed and algae at least 3 times a week is recommended.

Chevron Tang (Ctenochaetus hawaiiensis)

2010-08-27T14:02:00.000-07:00

The Chevron Tang or Ctenochaetus hawaiiensis is a species of Tang that goes by a few different names including the Hawaiian Bristletooth, Hawaiian Surgeonfish and the Black Surgeonfish. This saltwater fish was first discovered in the Christmas Islands, which are located in the Indian Ocean.

Chevron Tangs have the classic Tang oval shaped bodies with very large dorsal and anal fins. They have a series of odd markings that change as the fish gets older. When they are young this fish is orange with purple markings, but as it grows older the purple turns to an olive brown and more lines become pronounced.

As you can imagine these fish are quite popular in an aquarium setting, but come with a hefty price tag, sometimes as much as $150 per fish! If you are lucky enough to buy a Chevron Tang you should make sure you provide it with the proper care. They require a tank of about 75 gallons or more with the following water conditions, 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4 and sg 1.020-1.025.

Chevron Tangs can be very aggressive towards other Tangs, but tend to get along with most other peaceful species. These fish are herbivores that should be fed meaty foods along with seaweed and algae to keep them healthy and happy. Once established in a tank they are considered to be quite easy to care for.

Silver Dollar (Metynnis argenteus)

2010-08-27T14:01:00.000-07:00

The Silver Dollar or Metynnis argenteus is a freshwater fish that gets its name from its round shape and silver coloration. Originating in South America, this fish is often kept in an aquarium and is considered to be very easy to care for. They are also inexpensive and can be kept in groups of three or more so they work well in community aquariums. They rarely reach more than 6" in length and can live up to 10 years old. The males of this species will normally have a bit of red on their anal fins.