What is the difference between brackish and freshwater fish?

Question

Could you explain the difference between brackish, freshwater, saltwater and pond fish.

Answer 1

Freshwater fish are from streams and lakes that have no (or little) salt content. Pond fish would be freshwater fish but generally would be temperate instead of tropical, requiring cool water, like goldfish and koi. Brackish fish are fish that inhabit estuaries, rivers and marshes that get an mix of fresh and sea water. They take a varying amount of salt - some like higher and some lower levels. Salt water fish are of course ocean fish that need salinity levels comparable with normal sea water.

There are a lot of interesting brackish fish - puffers, gobies, archers, even mudskippers. then you can keep fiddler and mangrove crabs in brackish environments as well. Just do some research on the type fish you want and it's specific requirements. And with brackish, as the salinity is from sea water, you DO want to use salt mix like you would for a marine aquarium - it has a lot of trace elements that aquarium salt doesn't have and you will get a lot better results in your aquarium.

Answer 2

An example of a brackish water fish is the puffer fish found in petstores. And the answerer is right that brackish water is in inlets where salt and fresh water mix. Cichlids are not brackish water fish (they are found in lakes and rivers), rather there are a concentration of minerals in their water (from peat, decomposing vegetation, etc.) It is better to use epsom salts in their water not sea salt, like used in a saltwater tank, and the dilution is usually so many tablespoons/gallon of water added rather than by hydrometer. Sometimes you can put a brackish water fish in with cichlids if you really know what you are doing. But to keep a brackish tank is harder than most tanks except for a saltwater tanks, there is such a delicate balace of the salt content you need to keep. Freshwater and pond fish (are fresh water) go together. Freshwater fish usually denotes that there is no salt in the tank (not necessarily true because often real fishkeepers will ad a smidgen of salt to a tank to cause less stress on their fish. Anyway, freshwater fish denote that the fish are found in fresh water. Pond fish are just freshwater fish found in a pond instead of a tank. Saltwater tanks and fish require a great deal of skill and knowledge to keep properly. Should not be undertaken by ametuers. People like saltwater tanks because the fish are brighter and beautiful. Cichlids are fish from a couple of lakes in Africa or southamerica. They are brighter and usually grow bigger than most freshwater fish and so are enjoyed by advanced fishkeepers for the most part.

Answer 3

Brackish fish, like cichlids, do better when a little salt is added to thier water.

Freshwater fish never add salt.

If you buy brackish fish, ask the dealer what is thier salt content because if it is far from your tank's salt content they could go into shock and die without a prolonged intrduction to the new water.

Some dealers do not use salt and the fish do well but are more prone to health problems.

Ypu'll need a specific gravity device or light device to measure the salt concetration of your tank. Remember, as your tank evaporates, it leaves the salt, so top it off with un-salted water.

You'll lose salt from 'salt creep' where the salt builds up around the top cover. When you remove water and replace water, put your salt in BUT make sure it disolves completly or it could burn the fish.

Do not use sidewalk or table salt. Get the salt from the pet store.

Cichlids from the rift valley in Africa are so colorful, people will think they are saltwater fish.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cichlids

Levi Patrick II
www.TheITDoctor.com

Answer 4

Brackish water has salt blended into it of countless tiers,no longer as seawater,and no longer as freshwater,yet halfway between the two,as you could to discover the place a river meets the sea,on the mouth of the river you detect brackish water.That has lesser salinity than the surrounding sea,and greater salinity than the river,which has none.some lagoons are additionally brackish,once you communicate that of freshwater springs below the exterior that grant freshwater to the area interior the lagoon,inflicting them to be brackish.

Answer 5

Quick answer. Imagine a freshwater river, running into the saltwater ocean. Right where they meet, certain fish live. Its not quiet saltwater, and its not quiet freshwater, its Brackish!

Answer 6

Salt water comes from salt water lakes (rare) or the oceans
Brackwater is the combination of salt and fresh water. This usually occures in sounds and bays that meet the ocean.
Fresh water is just that, fresh water that comes out of a well or stream. it contains lots of oxygen and few if any chemicals.
Pond water is fresh water but is usually less oxygen rich than fresh water.

Answer 7

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.........i don't no

came here fro 2 points................