Fish, Amphibians and
Reptiles
Physiology and Breeds
Species/ Breeds of
Freshwater Fish
• Egg laying fish- reproduction is
by fertilization of sperm with the
eggs from females that lay them
http://www.koisale.co
m/dicksfish/1kohaku5
00b.JPG
Freshwater-Egg laying
• Koi are a member of the goldfish
family used in cold water aquariums.
Prefer water temperatures between
32-68 deg F. Koi are moved to
outside pools once they reach 5” in
length and may grow to 3’ in length in
a pool of adequate size. They occupy
all levels of the pool or aquarium.
Colors range from yellow or orange to
multi-colors of blue, white, and red
Freshwater-Egg laying
• Goldfish- Hardy and easy to keep
freshwater fish who prefer pools or
cold water aquariums that have
temperatures in the range of 32-68
deg F. Recommended for the
beginning ornamental fish pet
because as long as water is kept
clean, the type is not critical
http://www.dainichi.com/PrexistingIm
ages/images%20for%20Goldfish/Gold
fishZebra.jpg
Freshwater-Egg laying
• Betas- Freshwater fish that are very
aggressive. Males must never be
put in the same aquarium. One or
two females and one male may be
put in a community aquarium, but it
may affect their coloration. Most
people them in a species-only
aquarium. Betas prefer a 80 deg F
plus/minus 3 deg
http://www.117.ne.jp/~moland/fish
/beta.jpg
Freshwater-Egg laying
• Tetras- These are easy to
medium care ornamental fish
that prefer soft water that is
slightly acidic. It is a very
sociable fish and does well in
community aquariums. Tetras
average 1 ½ to 3” in length
http://www.petfishtalk.com/ima
ges/neon_tetras_001_w240.jpg
Freshwater-Egg laying
• Barbs- freshwater fish that like
water 73-77 deg F. They
occupy lower levels and
average 2-4” in length. They
eat all types of food
http://www.aquariumfish.net/i
mages_01/tiger_barb_001_w1
80.jpg
Freshwater-Egg laying
• Catfish- species grown as
ornamentals include the
Upside-down catfish, Glass
catfish, and the Electric catfish.
Prefer their water temperature
to be 70-80 deg F
http://www.planetcatfish.com/images/f
ull/mochokidae/synodontis/nigriventris
/1.jpg
Freshwater-Egg laying
• Chinese algae eater- soaking loach
that grows up to 10” long when
aquarium size permits. It has large
fleshy lips, can cling to vegetation,
rocks of the sides of glass
aquarium. They are good
community fish and feed off algae.
They prefer a water temperature of
70-80 deg F
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et.tripod.com/fis
hphotothumbnail
s.htm
Freshwater-Egg laying
• Headstanders grow 3-5” long and
are best known for the way they
position themselves vertically with
their head down while at rest. They
are middle to bottom dwellers that
are excellent in community
aquariums where the water is
maintained at 79 deg F.
http://www.aqualandpetsplus.com/Tetras132.jpg
Freshwater-Livebearing
• Give birth to live young. Live in
shoals or groups of five or more.
Reproduction is accomplished by
deposit of sperm by male inside the
female to fertilize the eggs until
they develop into nearly full formed
fish
Freshwater-Livebearing
• Guppies- Most popular and
varieties only differ in shapes of
their fins and tails. Water
temperatures for guppies are
between 68-75 deg F. May
average giving birth to 50 young,
but adults may eat the young fry
http://www.aquariumfish.net/images_01/guppy
_male_red_var.jpg
Freshwater-Livebearing
• Swordtails- like environment
similar to guppy, known for its
sword-like caudal fin.
Swordtails average 3-4 ¾” long
and prefer water temperatures
between 68-70 deg F
http://www.fishdeals.com/livebearers/swo
rdtails/home.jpg
Freshwater-Livebearing
• Mollies- most molly species are
black and differ only in the size of
their fins. Prefer water
temperatures to be 72-82 deg F.
Like groups or schools, Mollies
have problem with large fins may
have fins grow so large swimming
is difficult. Mollies prefer to dwell
in large schools
http://www.aquariumfish.net/images_01
/dalmatian_molly_w270.jpg
http://home.clara.net/xenotoca/blacksfm.jpg
Freshwater-Livebearing
• Platys- these fish are very
popular. They average only 2
½” in length and like water
temperature to be 68-77 deg F
http://www.aqualogisch.de/bilder/image012.jpg
Species/ Breeds of
Saltwater Fish
• Live in saltwater and require the
addition of sodium chloride
(salt) to create a marine
environment
• Most saltwater species of
ornamental fish are egg layers
Saltwater fish
• Angelfish- some can live in
freshwater. They have a delicate
appearance but are very hardy.
Angelfish prefer water to be 77-86
deg F. Eggs are carried in the
parents’ mouth and placed either in
foliage or sand as a part of the
incubation process
http://hem.bredband.net/b155331/american/a
ngelfish.jpg
Saltwater fish
• Butterfly fish- like water temperature
to be 75-82 deg F. They are
beautiful and very popular marine
fish. These fish need lots of space
because they are territorial and
need to be separated from other
butterfly fish
http://www.ravencruise.com/images/Bora%20Bora%20%20butterfly%20fish%20eating%20pretzel.jpg
Saltwater fish
• Brasslets- small popular colorful fish
for marine aquariums. They like water
temperatures to be 79-82 deg F and
prefer a diet of brine shrimp. The
royal gamma is the suggested
Brasslet for beginner marine aquarists.
Royal gamma mix well with other fish
species, but must be isolated from
their own species because of their
extremely aggressive nature
Saltwater fish
• Clown fish are known for their
ability to live around the
tentacles of sea anemone in a
mutually beneficial relationship
known as symbiosis. They are
brilliant in color
http://www.terrain.org/column
s/12/images/clownfish.jpg
Saltwater fish
• Sergent Major is a marine fish
that grows to 7 inches in length.
It is silver-blue in color with a
yellow tinge on its body and has
seven vertical dark bands on
each side
http://www.thepetstop.com/adminpics/20606.
jpg
Amphibians
• Newts and salamanders range in
size from a few inches to 5’ or
more. They usually have four legs
and long tails
• Frogs and toads differ in that frogs
make croaking noise, have slender
longer bodies, and moist skin while
toads have rough skin and dry
appearance
Newt
http://www.caudata.org/people/JM/pics/phk2.JPG
Salamander
http://www.dof.virginia.gov/
images/wildlifesalamander.jpg
Amphibians
• Frogs and toads
– True frogs include the American
Bullfrog and may grow to 14” long
– American Toad is the common toad in
the eastern US
– The Green Tree Frog is actually a
yellow-green toad with a yellow stripe
running down its lower jaw back along
its sides
American Bullfrog
http://www.amomentonearth.com/American_Bullfrog.jpg
American Toad
http://campus.murraystate.edu/academic/faculty/howard.whiteman/field/amphibia
ns/amphibiangallery/atoad1-American_Toad-on_grass-by_John_White.jpg
Green Tree Frog
http://www.kookas-bnb.com/photos/frog.jpg
Reptiles
• Boa constrictors are popular
pets because they adjust well to
captivity and tame quickly.
Boas may grow 18’ long. They
like to feed on small animals,
birds, fish, and eggs
Boa constrictor
Reptiles
• Common garter snakes adjust
well in captivity and can be
tamed. Easily recognized by
stripes running the length of
their body and may reach 2-3’
in length
Common Garter snakes
Reptiles
• Green anole is an iguana that is
often found in pet stores. It
reaches a length of 8” and
feeds on insects. It changes
colors from various shades of
gray to brown
http://www.cowboy.net/~ship
man/ANCA2.JPG
Reptiles
• Skinks are very tame and make
excellent pets. They are
secretive and do best with
leaves to burrow under. Skinks
may reach 2’ in length
http://www.eitangrunwald.com/SC3-04/SC304p1_files/SC3-04p1Large/215_Skinks1d.jpg
Reptiles
• The Savannah Monitor is a
lizard that can be used as a pet.
However, they may reach sizes
up to 6’ or more and become
hard to handle
http://www.turtleworldsam.com/sava
hnamonitor.jpg
Reptiles
• Common chameleon is a true
chameleon that reaches about
10” in length. They can change
their colors rapidly to adapt to
their surroundings
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a.JPG
Fish Nomenclature
• Ornamental fish are fish kept for their
appearance (bright colors and fancy
fins), personal appeal to people and
are not usually used for food
• Tropical fish are popular fish for
aquariums that come from the
warmer regions of the world
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mages20441_goldmotion1.jpg
Fish Nomenclature
• Marine fish are fish that are kept in
salt water aquariums. Marine fish are
often more colorful than freshwater
varieties
• Freshwater fish are fish that are kept
in a freshwater tank. Often, they are
the most popular fish for pets
http://www.nzfreshwater.org/thumbnails/rainbow.jpg
Fish Nomenclature
• Community fish are fish that do
well in an aquarium with other
fish species. Examples
include: tetras, barbs, catfish,
mollies, platys, and swordtails
http://www.aquariumfish.net/images_01/blood_fin_tetras_001_w270.jpg
Fish Nomenclature
• Species fish do best in an aquarium
with fish of the same species.
Examples include: Blind Cave Fish,
Piranhas, Red-Tailed Shark,
Schomburgk’s Leaf Fish, Spiny Eels,
Killifish (one pair alone in an
aquarium), Betas (alone in an
aquarium)
http://www.kargs.net/images/fish.jpg
Fish Nomenclature
• Gonopodium- Modification of anal fin
into a tube-shaped organ in male livebearers that provides passage for
sperm packets to enter the oviduct of
the female
• Live bearer are fish that give birth to
live young. Examples include:
Guppies, Mollies, Platys, and
Swordtails
Fish Nomenclature
• Egg layers are fish that expel
eggs from the female to be
fertilized by the male.
Examples of egg layers are:
tetras, barbs, catfish, and
goldfish
Fish Nomenclature
• Shoals are small colonies of fish.
Some species prefer to live in
shoals such as African Refin,
Catfish, and Tetras
• Spawning is the reproduction ritual
where eggs are deposited and
fertilized by egg laying species of
fish
Fish physiology
• Fish must maintain proper
levels of salt and water in their
bodies. Water flow from areas
of weak salt solution to areas of
strong salt solution by osmosis.
Salt levels
• Freshwater fish do not need to
drink water because their body salt
concentration is higher than the
water.
• Saltwater fish have a lower
concentration of salt in their bodies
than in the water. Therefore they
must drink water to keep from
dehydrating
Classification based
on feeding habitat
• Bottom feeders (dwellers) are fish
that inhabit the lower level of the
aquarium and feed off the
bottom. Their mouth may be
turned down or underslung and
they may have barbs to help
them locate food. Example: barbs
Classification based
on feeding habitat
• Middle feeders (middle-water
fish) primarily occupy the
middle layer of the aquarium
and usually have small mouths
that are straight forward
because they are eating feed
that is straight in front of them
Classification based
on feeding habitat
• Top feeders usually eat from the
surface and occupy the upper
levels of the aquarium. Often, their
mouths will be turned upward and
they will have long streamlined
bodies designed for rapid
movement to help them catch
insects
Classification based
on feeding habitat
• Some fish like goldfish do not
show a preference for the level
of the aquarium
Physiology of Respiration
• Use organs called gills to breathe
• Water is drawn through the mouth by
constant opening and closing of the
mouth
• Forces water into the pharynx and out
through the gills
• Dissolved oxygen in water is taken into
the blood and CO2 is released into the
water from the gills
Physiology of Respiration
• A few species of fish come to the
surface and gulp air into their
mouth. They are able to use
atmospheric oxygen because part
of their intestines allow for intake
of oxygen. The air is then
swallowed into the digestive
system and taken into the blood
Physiology of Movement
• Fins
–Most bony fish have rayed fins
that consist of web of skin
supported by bone or cartilage
rods called rays
–Rays can be sharp, soft, or spiny
–Fins are very flexible
Physiology of Movement
• Fins are a moveable structure
that allow the fish to swim and
maintain balance
• Most fish have at least one fin
along their back (dorsal), one
underside near the tail (anal),
and one tail fin (caudal)
Physiology of Movement
• Fins
–Some have a small, fleshy fin
located between the dorsal and
caudal called an adipose fin
–Fish also have a pair of fins located
behind the head called the pectoral
and the pelvic located behind them
Physiology of amphibians
• Cold blooded animals that have
thin, moist skin that allows them to
breathe through the skin by
osmosis
• Amphibians usually live in moist
environments, but location usually
depends on their skin thickness
Physiology of amphibians
• Amphibians do not have scales
• Amphibians crush their prey and
swallow it whole because they do
not have teeth
• Amphibians live part of their life in
water. Adult amphibians spend
part or all of their life on land
Physiology of reptiles
• Reptiles are cold blooded
vertebrates that have dry scaly
skin and lungs for breathing
• Reptiles have bony skeleton
scales or horny plates that
cover their body
Physiology of reptiles
• Reptiles include crocodiles, lizards,
snakes, turtles, tortoises, etc
• Some give birth by laying eggs
(oviparous), other retain their eggs in
their body until they hatch and give birth
to young (ovoviviparous), and in others
their young develop in a placental sac
and are born live (viviparous)
THE END