If you do not want the added expense and trouble of purchasing a heater for your fish tank, you can set up a cold water aquarium instead. But it is important to choose fish that are perfectly suited for cold water environments. Consider the following:
Goldfish
Goldfish are the most popular of the cold water fish. They come in many different colors and varieties. The main colors of these cold water fish are white, orange, black, and grey. There are fantail goldfish with flowing fins, comet goldfish with sleek body shapes, and specialty goldfish such as bubble eyed varieties. These cold water fish are large waste producers and need a large cold water aquarium to be happy.
Koi
Koi are the popular cold water fish that are mostly seen in outdoor ponds. They are cousins to the goldfish but are flatter of body and more closely resemble catfish. If you purchase koi for your cold water aquarium, you must be aware that they grow quite large and will not be happy in an aquarium very long.
Koi come in many color combinations, many recognized by show breeders. In general, these cold water fish can be any combination or black, grey, white, orange, yellow, or red.
White Cloud Minnows
White cloud mountain minnows are true cold water fish. They are small, silver colored fish. There is an increasingly popular golden or yellow variety. These fish tolerate very cold water conditions, although some loss of color can result if the temperature drops too low.
Other Cold Water Aquarium Inhabitants
There are not many cold water fish that do well in the aquarium. Most are wild varieties that will grow much too large for any cold water home aquarium.
However, if you want more inhabitants for your cold water fish tank, there are other options. Crabs, ghost shrimp, tadpoles, and snails will all do well in cold water aquariums. Most aquatic plants, except specialty tropical varieties, will also survive.
While there is not as vast a choice in cold water fish, there are still many varieties that can interest the fish tank enthusiast. Setting up a cold water aquarium with an assortment of fancy goldfish and invertebrates is a fabulous idea. If you have a large enough cold water aquarium, you can include some native species as long as it is allowed by law. Keeping cold water fish is a great hobby.
