So you decided to have a pet, well or some pets, you talk to yourself “Dogs and cats are too complicated and needs constant attention, what animals are extremely low maintenance, requires minimal emotion input, quite, independent yet cute” Bingo! Fish is the answer! Do you know that fish is actually the third most popular pet to keep, after dogs and cats. If you are new to fish keeping, it is best to start small, with a fish bowl or small aquarium and two or three hardy, low-maintenance varieties like goldfish. As your interest grows, you can upgrade to a bigger, more expensive or unusual aquarium and more exotic varieties of fish. So, we have summarized 10 best freshwater fish for beginners like you, let’s take a look!
1. Gold Fish
Gold fish come in many varieties of sizes and colors. Many people love the fancier varieties with bubbly heads and fanned tails.
Gold fish are great for beginners who have an unheated aquarium. These fish prefer temperatures between 62-74 degrees Fahrenheit.
Gold fish tend to be messy eaters. So, be sure to change 10 percent of the water each week.
Treating the water with a dechlorinator is also a good idea.
2. Bloodfin Tetras
These small fish are recognized by their silver bodies and striking red fins. These are extremely hardy fish. In some aquariums they live up to 10 years.
They are an active fish that is always on the move. These fish work well in temperatures that range from 64 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
This is a peaceful fish, but it prefers to live in a group.
You will enjoy seeing the group moves together through the aquarium. If you only have one, it tends to be shy.
3. Gruppy(Poecilia reticulata)
Gruppy is classics for any beginner aquarist. The fish is rather not demanding, peaceful and it breeds easily. It’s simple to see between guppy male and female – males are much more brighter and they have elongated anal fin.
The fish female is larger, fatter and its anal fin is shorter, and the main thing is that the fish is gray, only the fluke may be colored. They are live-bearing, which means that guppy juveniles can swim right after the birth and can live on their own.
Guppies should be fed a mixture of plant and animal based foods, you might even consider making your own – it’s easier than it sound
4. Neon Tetra
Neon Tetras are a small, easy to care for species. This popular aquarium species is often one of the first fish a beginner aquarist will buy.
They love being in groups, so the bigger the group, the happier they will be, so don’t be afraid of keeping as many as you want.
Neon Tetras come in bright colors, and have an iridescent blue horizontal strip across their body (so they are visible in dark waters).
They require soft, acidic water with tropical temperatures, and will accept most foods. They are omnivores, so will feed on brine, shrimp, worms and insects as well as plants.
5. Platy Fish
A perfect fish for the community tank. Platies are a very peaceful fish which will live peacefully with any other non aggressive fish. There are lots of varieties to choose from, and they come with a variety of different colours, as a result of selective breeding.
Platies are not picky when it comes to diet. They will eat any type of flake foods, as well as most frozen live foods.
The fish is very easily bred, the idea is the same as for guppy breeding – just keep the fish male and female together.
All the fishes are very bright and active, so you won’t have to search for them and they are always hungry and asking for food.
As for the warnings – just don’t buy a lot of platy males into one tank, since they may have fights.
6. Danio
The Zebra Danios make the perfect beginner fish, they are very easy to care for and can grow up to 5-7cm.
They should be kept in at least a 10 gallon tank, in groups of at least 5. Danios are a schooling fish and will become stressed if their numbers are too lows.
They are not fussy eaters and will eat most foods; the healthiest option for them would be lots of worms, insets and crustaceans to mimic their natural diet, however a good quality flake will also work with a supplement of frozen or live food.
Danios are also known to jump so you may want to keep your tank covered!
7. White Cloud
A White Cloud Mountain Minnow is another small fish that tolerates cold temperatures.
In fact, some people keep these in outdoor ponds over the summer.
They can tolerate temperatures as low as 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
They are a hardy fish that tends to live in the middle and top areas of the tank. They prefer to live in a group. Purchasing 6 or so will help promote good health and color in these fish.
They can live up to 5 years with proper care.
8. Cherry Barb
The Cherry Barb gets its name from the color the male turns when it is spawning. Usually, they are silver/black with a golden lateral line.
They are a peaceful fish which will grow to around 2 inches in length, and they require a minimum tank size of 25 gallons.
They are easy to care for and can be kept in community tanks with open space to swim, but also planted areas where they can hide.
In terms of dietary needs, they will eat just about any type of fish food, although they may not take to it at first, if it’s a new tank. Give them a couple of weeks and they will be eating comfortably.
9. Swordtails
The swordtail is similar in shape to platy and guppy fish, with a slightly bulkier body, and a sword shaped extension of its fin.
There are many different color variations available and they are quite hardy which makes them a perfect species for the beginner aquarist.
Swordtails are usually peaceful, yet lively. They thrive in community tanks, and like to swim in loosely grouped schools.
They breed easily, and if you do decide to breed them, you should keep them away from their parents; Swordtail parents will often eat their fry.
10. Rainbowfish
Rainbowfish originate from Australia and Southeast Asia. They are a peaceful schooling fish that can grow up to 6 inches long.
This is perhaps one of the least common fish that we are featuring here, perhaps because its colors only begin to show as they enter adulthood…
However, if given the right care, in just a couple of years they can display stunning and vibrant colors.
Rainbowfish get along well with other upper level schooling fish such as danios, bards and larger tetras.
Conclusion
Of course, the list isn’t complete and after thinking for a while, we can make it much longer. But the idea was to make the beginners familiar with the most available and easy in care fishes.
If you’re new to fishkeeping, I recommend starting slowing and adding just a few fish at any one time. This will give you chance to get to know and understand how to care for each species of fish before you add another.
Make sure you always research the species you want to buy to ensure you can give them the time and care that they require.
reference:
https://www.fishkeepingworld.com/
http://fishkeepingadvice.com/
