Aquarium classifications

From the outdoor ponds and glass jars of antiquity, modern aquaria have evolved into a wide range of specialized systems. Individual aquarium can vary in size from a small bowl large enough for only a single small fish, to the huge public aquarium that can simulate entire marine ecosystems.

One way to classify aquarium is by salinity. Freshwater aquarium are the most popular due to their lower cost and ease of maintenance. Marine aquarium require more complex equipment to set up and maintain. Along with fish species, marine aquarium frequently feature a diverse range of invertebrates. Brackish water aquarium combine elements of both marine and freshwater fish keeping Fish kept in brackish water aquarium generally come from habitats with varying salinity, such as mangroves and estuaries. Subtypes exist within these types, such as the reef aquarium, a type of marine aquarium that houses coral

Another classification is by temperature range. Many aquarists choose a tropical aquarium because tropical fish tend to be more colorful However, the cold water aquarium is also popular, which may include fish such as goldfish