Currently there is a wide variety of river fish. These animals have a very different habitat from the marine ones, although they both clearly share the characteristic of living underwater, the environment, the composition of the water and even their organism is very different between both species.
What are the differences between river and sea fish?
First of all, we must know what homeostasis means and why it is so important in order to understand the difference between freshwater and saltwater fish.
Very well, homeostasis refers to the course that living beings must have in order to maintain the proper functioning of their bodies even when extreme situations may exist in the environment where they live. This means that, even when the water grazes due to a change in temperature or salinity, the fish will be able to continue living without this harming their system or their health, of course, they will have to go through some adaptations but they will continue to live in the same way as before.
Alright, first let's get to know the Fish characteristics river. These animals have much fewer problems because their environment is not too extreme and the waters where they live do not have a high degree of salinity, so they will not require such a complex process to eliminate the salt that enters their body at the moment. to breathe However, the kidneys of this species are usually very good at being able to carry out the correct filtering and eliminate any saline particles.
On the other hand, the fish that live in the seas have a little more difficulty when carrying out their respiratory process. This is due to the fact that their environment is made up of salty water, which enters their body when they breathe, this means that they must expel much more water that cannot be filtered correctly in their kidneys, as a consequence, the fish of more must drink water more constantly and do this whole process continuously.
Let's meet some river fish
Since we learned a little about the most important difference between freshwater fish and saltwater fish, we are going to learn a little about some river fish and their most outstanding characteristics:
Trout
The common trout is one of the best known river fish in the world. They can be found in almost all European rivers and are easily differentiated from the others of their species due to some markings they have on the sides of their bodies.
Another characteristic that defines it and makes it different from other trout is that the common trout, in general, are much more territorial, for this same reason, they tend to be much more aggressive and energetic, because they do everything possible for defending what they consider to be their property.
european pike
This fish is from the Iberian Peninsula. It is often compared to dolphins, in fact, there are many people who believe that these fish belong to the same group of mammals, however, they do not share any genetic resemblance.
This is a fish that can normally be found near the banks of rivers, that is, they do not spend most of their time in the depths. In general, they manage to camouflage themselves almost perfectly between the areas where there is more vegetation, this is due to the fact that their physical appearance has dark spots that help them to blend in with their surroundings.
These fish can reach up to a meter in length, so they can be considered as large fish.
Common carp
One of the most important fish in Japan and China. These fish from the Asian continent can currently be found in almost the entire planet. In general, we can see them in those rivers that have calm currents or in lakes or freshwater lagoons.
Some European countries have adopted the tradition of eating these fish to celebrate Christmas or good night. It was not something that was part of the ancient culture, but for some time now, they have begun to do this as a new tradition. Within the Japanese country, the koi carp is an emblem that is used in the celebration of Children's Day.
Zander
This fish is usually a bit intimidating, on top of that, they are not very common or easy to see or catch. They are large fish, since they can easily reach the meto with twenty centimeters, this, along with their appearance, are usually the factors that most scare people.
The physical characteristics of this fish are very peculiar, it has two sharp fangs in the lower jaw of its mouth, in addition to that, it has two crests that are located on the upper part of its body and which it extends, to appear larger. and threatening, at times when you feel helpless or at risk.
Largemouth bass
These fish are known as "invasive fish", this is because they are not from the places they now inhabit, but were introduced by man. The introduction of these fish in their current habitats has triggered a strong imbalance in the water ecosystem, this is because perch are ferocious animals that have killed other species of fish and left many others without food. .
Currently, we can find these animals in more than 60 countries around the world, although in most of them, they have been introduced.
Red-bellied piranha
One of the best known and feared river fish by man. They belong to the American continent, specifically South America. Its largest population can be found in the Amazon River.
Although the unfounded fear of these animals on television is a bit exaggerated, we cannot rule out their dangerousness, especially if the attack comes from a school, since a single piranha, although it can cause damage, will not be fatal. Its strong jaws can easily cut the skin of other fish, animals and even human beings, however, a large number of them are required to kill a medium-sized animal.
electric eel
another kind of Amazon fish and the Orinoco River. Although the name of this fish has the word "eel", in reality, these fish do not belong to this species. The habitat of these animals is usually swampy and humid places, since its main characteristic is that it does not need water to breathe, because in fact, they breathe oxygen from the air, something very rare in fish.
These animals are feared due to the strong electrical discharges that can come from their bodies, they use it as a method of defense and to communicate among their own species. The high voltage of these animals can be so strong that they are capable of immediately killing a healthy adult human being.
Iberian common barbel
Characteristic fish and very easy to differentiate due to the whiskers they have on their heads. That's where its name comes from. They are medium-sized fish, as they do not exceed 45 cm. in length even in adulthood. However, it is believed that there are records where specimens have been found that exceed this size and manage to reach a meter in length.
percasol
North American fish that are perfectly capable of adapting to different types of habitat. We can find them in swampy areas, in rivers and in waters with slightly warmer temperatures.
These fish are categorized within the species of omnivorous animals, so they can be both carnivorous and herbivorous. They are not solitary fish, so they can almost always be found in small or very abundant schools.
common goby
These are small fish, which do not exceed 15 centimeters, they are usually highly sought after by fish lovers, because they have very cheerful and beautiful colors. One of their most striking physical characteristics, in addition to their colors, are the stripes and spots that they have on their bodies. In general, they can be seen in schools and their preferred habitat is those rivers that have somewhat rapid water currents, without becoming excessive.
Is it possible to have a fish tank with river fish?
Yes, it is possible to have freshwater fish in home fish tanks. In fact, these are the most sought after among people who like to have fish tanks in their home. This is because they are much easier to care for and are also cheaper. However, there are those who prefer saltwater fish due to their exotic colors and shapes.
Something that we must take into account when wanting to buy river fish to have in a fish tank is that, the pampering must have been raised in a state of captivity, because in this way, they will be accustomed to this lifestyle and it will not be a problem the transfer of the commercial fish tank, to the aquarium that you have at home.
Currently, in almost all countries, it is considered illegal to capture wild fish, especially some vulnerable or protected species, to keep them inside fish tanks. This is because, the probability of life of a fish that has been raised in its natural state and then put into a fish tank, is almost, literally, zero. Very few fish can withstand this change and manage to live a long and healthy life.