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Message: <blockquote data-quote="sirajstc" data-source="post: 12014545" data-attributes="member: 91140">10 Incredibly Beautiful FishesAs an avid aquarist and ichthyologist, I have been fascinated by fish  for quite some time now.  I thought I’d share some of the more  beautiful species that I know.  These are in no particular order, since  beauty is, of course, in the eye of the beholder. 10 African Cichlids   <a href="http://listverse.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/ahli-m.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://listverse.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/ahli-m-tm.jpg?w=400&h=236" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></a> First off, cichlids is pronounced “Sick-Lids”.  African Cichlids are  fish found in Three lakes in Africa; Malawi, Tanganyika and Victoria.  The Victorian Species are less numerous and usually less colorful than  the others.  These fish usually grow to about six or seven inches long,  with the exception of the Frontosoa Species, which grow to about twelve  to fourteen inches in length.  Fortunately, these fish are freshwater,  and easy to raise in a home aquarium, the only requirement being that  they have water with a higher pH level and plenty of hiding spots (they  can be quite aggressive!). There are also species of Cichlids that live  in the Amazon Basin, but these get much larger and are much more  aggressive than their African relatives.  9 Parrotfish   <a href="http://listverse.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/mez-d8-bullethead-parrotfish-chlorurus-sordidus-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://listverse.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/mez-d8-bullethead-parrotfish-chlorurus-sordidus-2-tm.jpg?w=400&h=300" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></a> Named Parrotfish because of their calcareous bird-like beaks.   Parrotfish use these beaks to crush and eat the small invertebrates that  live in coral.  Much of the sand and sea floor of coral reefs are  actually remains of meals from the parrotfish, they chew the coral, eat  the invertebrates and spit out the leftover calcium.  Like Cichlids,  There are many individual species of Parrotfish, with varying degrees of  color and patterns. 8 Regal Tang   <a href="http://listverse.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/blue-hippo-tang.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://listverse.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/blue-hippo-tang-tm.jpg?w=400&h=300" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></a> Ever since “Finding Nemo” came out, these fish are usually referred  to as “Dory Fish” by children.  Tangs belong to a family of fish called  Surgeonfish, who possess a small, retractable calcareous blade toward  their tail fin.  This blade is mainly used for defense, they extract it  and rub against an attacker, in an effort to fend it off. 7 Coral Beauty   <img src="http://listverse.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/02-angel-coral-beauty-centropyge-bispinosus.jpg?w=400&h=303" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /> A small angelfish, usually available at your local pet store, they  really are a fish one needs to see in person to have a full appreciation  of their color.  These fish are usually keepable in any marine aquarium  and are very hardy. 6 Flame Angel   <img src="http://listverse.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/flameangelwma-ap8sa.jpg?w=400&h=291" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /> A close relative of the Coral Beauty, the Flame Angel has some of the  boldest color of any fish I’ve seen.  As with the Coral Beauty, these  fish are usually easily available and affordable, but from my experience  are a bit more fickle than the Coral Beauty.                                                                                                                5 Koi   <a href="http://listverse.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/koi1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://listverse.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/koi1-tm.jpg?w=400&h=266" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></a> Yeah sure, most of the Koi you have seen are probably nothing more  than orange or white.  However, there are many (probably close to or  more than 100) color variations of Koi (Just pick up a Koi trader’s  magazine the next time you’re at a bookstore).  Koi can comer in many  colors, including orange, red, white, gold, and black.  Certain patterns  are sought after by avid Koi collectors, some of whom will pay  thousands of dollars for a single fish. 4 Moorish Idol   <a href="http://listverse.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/moorish-idol-zanclus-cornutus.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://listverse.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/moorish-idol-zanclus-cornutus-tm.jpg?w=400&h=235" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></a> One of the most difficult fish to keep in a home aquarium (and very  expensive as well), to most aquarists these fish are the pinnacle of the  hobby.  You may think you’ve seen them before, but you’re probably  getting them confused with another species, the Bannerfish (also known  as the False Idol).  In eight years of the hobby, I’ve only ever seen  these fish for sale in shops on three occasions. 3 Lionfish   <a href="http://listverse.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/75378513.cvfnhicy.lionfish02.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://listverse.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/75378513.cvfnhicy.lionfish02-tm.jpg?w=400&h=300" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></a> Probably one of my favorite fish of all time, the Lionfish (or  Zebrafish) is a fascinating species, and is easy to become mesmerized by  one when watching it swim. The spines you see on its back possess a  painful and powerful venom.  Thankfully the Lionfish is somewhat docile  and not a fast swimmer, but all aquarists who own one must take extra  care when cleaning their tank. 2 Discus   <a href="http://listverse.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/pompadour-discus.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://listverse.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/pompadour-discus-tm.jpg?w=400&h=352" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></a> Another freshwater species, Discus are probably the single most  beautiful species of Freshwater fish.  They are also probably the most  expensive Freshwater species, second only to the Koi or the Arowana. A  small 3 inch juvenile can be anywhere from $50-$80. There are many color  variations of Discus, most of which are simply breathtaking.  Although  they are Freshwater species, they do require more experience and care  than some Saltwater fish. 1 Mandarinfish   <a href="http://listverse.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/mandarinfish3-28-77-636x4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://listverse.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/mandarinfish3-28-77-636x4-tm.jpg?w=400&h=256" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></a> A lesser-known species, these are probably the single most colorful  and vibrant fish I’ve ever seen.  There are two varieties, the standard  Mandarinfish and the Psychedelic Mandarin.  The standard typically has  more interesting patterns and colors than the psychedelic, but both are  very beautiful fish. These small fish (usually no more than 6 inches  full-grown) usually don’t cost more than $20 for a specimen, but the  main problem is feeding them.  They only eat small micro-invertebrates  that live within live rock in coral reefs.  In order to sustain one in a  home aquarium, one needs a sufficient amount of live rock that has been  in the tank for at least a month prior to introducing the fish. As with  some of the other species on this list, one really needs to see this  fish in person to witness the amazing vibrance of its color.</blockquote>

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