What type of freshwater fish should i get

On the other hand though, it is quite complicated to care for, thus making it a tougher choice for beginners. First of all, everyone would like to own 1 or 2 Bettas, because of their special look. They come in many different colors, but the most important aspect when you look at them, is the fin in the back. This covers half of their body, making them look very special, compared to most other species on this list. But being among the most beautiful fish, comes with a price: they rarely get along with others.

Usually, Bettas hardly get along with each other. Because of this, adding other species to the tank should be done carefully. The Siamese Algae Eater, like its name suggests, is most commonly known for its algae eating capabilities. Most people who add this breed to their aquarium, do it because this species will clean the tank from most of the algae. If you want a fish that works well with most other breeds, the Siamese Algae Eater is a great choice.

It is a peaceful species, that lives well in community tanks. If you want to, you can keep only 1 or 2 of them in the tank as well. They thrive, no matter their numbers. They are omnivores, so feeding them will be quite easy.

They will mostly eat the algae that in the water, but you should give them other food supplies too. Pellets and wafers that sink to the bottom of the tank, are a good choice. The Otocinclus breed, is another fish, that is well-known for its algae eating capabilities.

Because of this, feeding them will be quite easy, similar to the Siamese Algae Eaters. There is a difference however:. The Otocinclus Fish, is an herbivore species. So, avoid giving them meat, or other food products that include meat as well. A good choice, would be the algae wafers you can buy at any fish store. Usually, 1 piece at every 2 days is enough to feed them. Green vegetables are loved by the Otocinclus.

Lettuce, spinach and zucchini are great, if you cut them into small pieces. If you have a tank of small, fresh water fish, the Otocinclus can prove to be a great addition.

Due to its peaceful nature, it will thrive with other peaceful species in a community tank. The Danios are a bigger family of fish. They come in many different versions. You need at least a gallon tank for housing Zebra Danios. Being so small and peaceful, makes them great choices for community aquariums.

Differently from many other species in this article, the Zebra Danios will thrive in colder waters, just as well as warm ones. But a great water filter is a must. They need a crystal clean water, to thrive in. Make sure you buy a cleaner that does a good job at this. The Rainbowfish is a popular breed, both among beginner and experienced fish keeping enthusiasts.

They are small fish, that live well together with other community fish species. Because of their small size, you should avoid putting bigger fish in the same tank as them Bettas for instance.

They are schooling fish, so make sure you have 5 or 6 at least in a group. This way, they will feel at home in their new environment. If you keep multiple ones together, the males will exhibit their best colors towards the females. The group will look much better because of this. Feeding them is pretty simple, since the Rainbowfish are omnivores. You can give them earthworms, pellets, simple vegetables, or specially made food for their kind.

However, they are not bottom dwellers, like others on this list. Make sure, they have plenty of space in the aquarium, because they like to swim around in groups. Usually, a gallon tank is enough for a group of 6 Rainbowfish. Clown Loaches are a popular breed among fish keepers, due to their look and behavior.

They are schooling fish, that are very active during daytime. Clown Loaches have an orange body, that is covered by v-shaped stripes on both sides this is where its name comes from. Because they are schooling fish, you should keep 3 or 4 in the same group. They are peaceful, so keeping them in community tanks is a great choice.

Almost any other fish breed will prove to be a great tank mate, as long as it is peaceful and happy to live in groups. Differently from many other species in this article, the Clown Loaches are a carnivore breed. They eat both live and dry foods, but they prefer live.

Earthworms are a great source of nutrients for Clown Loaches. But you can buy food products yourself, if that is what you want. If you want something colorful in the aquarium, then the African Cichlids are among the best choices you could pick. These are beautiful fish, that come in all kinds of colors, you could imagine. A community tank will look amazing, if you add some African Cichlids into it.

Depending on the breed yes, there are multiple different kinds , an African Cichlid can live up to 15 years old. So, if you plan to create a long-lasting fresh water environment, these fish can prove a good choice. As with all other aquatic pets, keep up with your regular maintenance schedule to keep their water clean and healthy.

Physical Characteristics: Silver-gold body with distinctive blue-black horizontal stripes running from gill to tail, also come in albino, golden, veil-tailed and long-finned varieties, as well as glo-fish colos. Getting into the aquarium hobby is an exciting experience! Once you have decided on what species to keep, do your homework and plan a suitable aquarium for the fish you get. Keep in mind that all new tanks will need to undergo nitrogen cycling before becoming established systems.

By starting with a low number of fish in a lot of water, you can set yourself up for success. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products.

List of Partners vendors. Standard Goldfish Carassius auratus. Species Overview Length: up to inches Physical Characteristics: Two sets of paired fins and three single fins, no scales on head, exceptionally large eyes, come in red, orange, blueish-grey, brown, yellow, white, and black colors. Neon Tetras Paracheirodon innesi. Species Overview Length: 1 and a half inches 4 centimeters Physical Characteristics: Red, white, blue, silver and black, usually with a turquoise blue line stretching between its eyes to its adipose fin, and a red stripe that runs from the middle of their body to the caudal fin.

Betta Fish. Species Overview Length: inches centimeters Physical Characteristics: Long, elaborate fins and overlapping scales; come in vibrant colors like red, green, purple, and blue. Continue to 5 of 5 below. Zebrafish Zebra danio. Species Overview Length: 2 inches 5 centimeters Physical Characteristics: Silver-gold body with distinctive blue-black horizontal stripes running from gill to tail, also come in albino, golden, veil-tailed and long-finned varieties, as well as glo-fish colos.

They have a variety of species and are available in different sizes and colors. This freshwater tank fish is a common feature in every community tank. Their size ranges from The lifespan of this fish can be 5 years or more depending on the suitable conditions. As regards the diet, you can feed Cory Catfish with fish flakes and pellets.

They have a habit of digging tank bottom for leftover foods but that cannot suffice for their diet. Usually, Cory Cats are most comfortable in a school size of two or more with mates preferably of similar types.

It is the favorable tropical aquarium fish from the cichlid family for home aquariums. This big-sized fish of around 35 cms in length needs a minimum 30 gallons tank for better care. Native to South America, Oscar fish is generally peaceful, holds the personality, and quick in recognizing strangers. They live up to 10 years. Though it likes live food but eats flakes when young.

Sometimes they also eat tank mates of smaller size. They prefer a tank with rock ledges, and live plants do not last long in their tank due to their habit of digging. Guppies are tropical aquarium fish that are most widely distributed in the world.

It is one of the most renowned freshwater fish species for the aquarium as it is nice, active, breeds easily, and not demanding in case of diet. These are from the Poeciliidae family. The lifespan of Guppy is about 2 years on average but can stretch to 3 years in the right tank conditions.

The ideal water temperature for them is 50F — 84F C , but the temperature should be kept consistent which can be achieved by using the best aquarium chiller. They have an elongated body with flat sides of 0. Guppies are easy to feed and gladly accept flakes, pellets, and other artificial food. These are peaceful and friendly to tank mates, but they will eat its juveniles.

The Poecilia family has around species of varied, colorful fishes. They are very peaceful and great community lovers to go well along swordtails, mollies, and guppies. They carry eggs inside the body and spawn ready-to-swim entirely formed juveniles similar to them. The size of the fish is 1. They live for about years. Platies are omnivorous, but apart from meats, they need much herbivorous food and preferably a good mix of proteins and a plant-based diet. Swordtails are very hardy fish from the Poeciliidae family which makes them very famous spread tank fish and a perfect freshwater species for the beginner aquarist.

They have a slightly bulkier body similar to the shape of platy or guppy with a sword-shaped extension of the fin. Swordtails are available in different color variations.

The size of Swordtail may be quite large about 4 to 5 inches long and its lifespan is about years. They are quite peaceful in nature but lively and prefer swimming in loose schools of groups. However, every swordtail has its own temperament either timid and shy or aggressive and blusterous. The diet for swordtail fish should be diversified consisting of artificial, live, or frozen food but must contain vegetable food like fish food flakes with vegetable supplements. This small, magnificent fish will be a good tank mate for each of the aquarium fish mentioned above.

This fish is popular among aquarists for its small size, good temperament and on top of that, it is not demanding. It grows up to 2 inches in length, and the lifespan is about years. There is a black spot on its brightly colored body that goes well with its name.

They are a very peaceful one and can be maintained with fish like tetra, gourami, and betta as long as they are not large and a predator. It accepts a variety of food except for any large-grained food that is hard for them to swallow.

The fishes always stay together in the school, and a large school looks fabulous making the aquarium vibrant and vivid with their graceful movement. It is the correct choice for planted community tanks as maintaining them is very easy. This peaceful, calm and good-tempered cichlid species is quite hardy and lives successfully in a standard fish tank. You may find them a little more aggressive, but they are more like to scare other fish rather than attacking or hurting them.

They are just fine living as a single fish, and also a group of species of its kind fits them better. The size ranges from 2 to 5. The lifespan is up to 6 years. They are omnivorous and eat all types of live and frozen food like Bloodworm, daphnia, tubifex, and artificial food. This very small fish is only 2. Brightly colored, White Cloud Mountain Minnow is not aggressive and breeds easily. It may live about 3 years if you take good care of them.

The fish prefers middle water layers, and it likes swimming in a school. White Cloud Mountain Minnow manages well in cold water and, therefore, kept in a pond in the yard in summer by pet lovers.

With so many great fish to choose from, there is never a dull moment in the world of freshwater fishkeeping. Many freshwater fish and freshwater plants have just as spectacular colors as their saltwater cousins.

They are also often more resilient than many marine species. We hope that this list of great fish has given you the inspiration you were looking for. Which fish do you keep in your best freshwater tank? They are one of the most commonly kept Cichlids and are often the species of choice for first time Cichlid keepers.

The Freshwater Angelfish is one of the most popular freshwater aquarium fish. This South American superstar has been in home aquariums for over years.

A 40 Gallon Fish Tank is a great choice for a beginner. You can keep a wide variety of fish in this tank. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Home Freshwater Fish In total there are over 30, freshwater fish species. Some of the most diverse fish, invertebrates and aquatic plants inhabit freshwater habitats.

Are you looking for some good stocking ideas for your freshwater aquarium? Here is a list of the 25 most well-known freshwater fish to get you started. Contents Best Freshwater Fish African Cichlid Angelfish Betta Bristlenose Pleco Cardinal Tetra Clown Loach Convict Cichlid Cory Catfish Discus Dwarf Gourami Goldfish Guppy Harlequin Rasbora Killifish Kuhli Loach Neon Tetra 9. Oscar 8. Otocinclus 7.

Pearl Gourami 6. Pictus Catfish 5. Plecostomus 4. Rainbow Shark 3. Sparkling Gourami 2. Tiger Barb 1. David Thomas. David has been keeping fish since he was a child. In his first tank he kept goldfish and since then he has kept over 30 different species.