Most fish sold as tropical fish are actually freshwater or brackish water fish. They are sourced from all over the globe, and many species are now captively bred.
Tropical fish keeping is both a blessing an a curse. It can be the most enjoyable and rewarding hobby, but in the same breath, one of the most frustrating. When everything is going well and your tank is thriving, you will find yourself being able to just sit and enjoy watching the inhabitants, but, when it goes wrong it can be very deflating. You can lose stock for no real reason, you can get a disease enter your tank, you can buy that one fish who is supposed to get along with everyone but appears to hate life, there are so many things that can cause frustration!
Tropical fish are generally regarded as easier to care for than marine (saltwater) fish, however, there are species of tropical fish that will require as much attention to detail as the saltwater fish.
Tropical fish are a great gateway to saltwater fish. They teach you the majority of the skills you will need as well as good habits to get into when caring for your tank but generally, the inhabitants of a tropical tank are hardier than saltwater fish, giving you that much-needed breathing room.
