Did you know that fish is one of the most popular pets in the United States? It’s estimated that more than 12% of households own at least one.
Not only are they fun to look at, but they can also benefit your health. More specifically, they can reduce stress, blood pressure, and heart rate.
Are you thinking of starting an aquarium? Looking for some unique fish to keep? If so, you’re on the right page.
We’ll be going over a few popular choices below. Keep reading to find out what they are!
1. Pea Puffer
The pea puffer is the smallest pufferfish in the world. Greenish-brown with white bellies, they can grow up to an inch long and do well in smaller tanks. For example, you can keep a trio of pea puffers in a 5-gallon tank.
While they aren’t too picky about water parameters, they can be finicky about food—preferring live fish food to pellets or flakes. Some of their favourite foods include live copepods, snails, brine shrimp, daphnia, and grindal worms.
Tip: Pea puffers can be aggressive towards other fish. For this reason, it’s best to keep them in a species only aquarium with no other tank mates.
2. Black Ghost Knife Fish
Black ghost knife fish are unique in that they don’t have any scales. Rather, they have a narrow black body that’s shaped like a knife (thus their name). That’s not all—they also have a specialized organ in their tail that allows them to use electromagnetic fields for navigation.
Fully grown, they can reach up to 18 inches in length. Considering that, it’s best to keep them in a tank that’s at least 150 gallons.
Omnivorous, they enjoy a variety of live foods such as worms, insects, small fish, and crustaceans. Some may also feed on flakes or frozen food.
3. Flowerhorn Cichlid
The flower horn cichlid is known for the hump on top of their heads, which is almost always a bright red color. As for their bodies, they can be a wide range of colors from blue to green.
Given their size (they can grow up to be 16 inches), it’s best to keep them in a tank that’s at least 75 gallons (bigger if you plan on having more than one).
And like most fish, they’re omnivorous; they’ll eagerly eat bloodworms, crickets, krill, Mysis, grasshoppers, and earthworms. There are also specialized pellets that you can get that are rich in vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
Choosing Unique Fish For Your Aquarium
There are many types of unique fish that you can keep—from pea puffers to flower horn cichlids. If anything, the most important thing is to familiarize yourself with their needs. That way, you’ll be able to care for them properly.
Did you enjoy this post? Looking for more content like this? Then be sure to check out the rest of our pets and animal section!
