Just starting your aquarium adventure and unsure which fish to choose? No worries! In this blog post, I'll share a list of fantastic fish that are perfect for beginners. As an aquarium coach, I've gained a lot of experience with these special creatures. Let's get started!
1. Livebearers: Guppies, Mollies, Platies, and Swordtails
These cheerful fish are not only colorful and active, but also incredibly easy to keep. Take, for example, the Guppy ( Poecilia reticulata ), which is often accessible and can reproduce rapidly.
Mollies ( Poecilia sphenops ) are very forgiving and can handle a variety of water conditions. Platies ( Xiphophorus maculatus ) and swordtails ( Xiphophorus helleri ) are active, friendly, and ideal for a community aquarium.
These fish thrive at temperatures between 22-28°C (72-82°F). For their decor, you can choose vibrant plants and small hiding places made of wood or rocks. They typically eat a mix of standard granulated food and live or frozen foods such as brine shrimp or even various small insects.
By the way, I've written a complete beginner's guide about platies and mollies. Read here how to get started with platies, mollies, and heavytails >
Finally, you must deal with this viviparous Consider the gender distribution. Ensure there is at least one male for every two females. The more females you have per male, the more the "attention" is shared. This, in turn, results in less stress for the female fish.
2. Betta (Siamese fighting fish)
The Betta, also known as the Siamese fighting fish ( Betta splendens ), is a real eye-catcher! With their brilliant fins and colors, they add a stunning look to your aquarium. Bettas are relatively easy to care for and require a temperature between 24-28°C. You can vary the décor with plants and hiding places to help them feel safe.
It's important not to keep them with other male Bettas. Bettas primarily eat specialized Betta food, but they also enjoy foods like live or frozen food, and even dwarf shrimp or small fish. The food I often use for bettas is Vibra Bites from Hikari.
And don't worry! You can keep different fish with Bettas, but you need to know exactly which species. Don't just add fish. That's why I've written a special article about which fish can be kept with a Japanese fighting fish.
3. Tetra Species
| Kind | Latin Name |
|---|---|
| Neon tetra | Paracheirodon innesi |
| Ember Tetra | Hyphessobrycon amandae |
| Redfin Tetra | Hyphessobrycon sweglesi |
| Gold neon tetra | Paracheirodon simulans |
Tetras are fun and active schooling fish that are perfect for beginner aquarists. The Neon Tetra is small, colorful, and has few water requirements. These fish thrive at temperatures of 22-28°C (72-82°F) and grow best in groups of at least 10.
They love lush aquarium vegetation with hiding places, such as plants and wood, as well as open swimming space for schooling. You can feed them standard granulated or flake food, and supplements such as bloodworms, mosquito larvae, or brine shrimp as a treat.
Curious about how to keep cardinals and neon tetras? I've also written a complete neon tetra guide about this.
4. Rice fish
Rice dogs ( Danio margaritatus ), also known as Celestial Pearl Danios, are cute little fish that are ideal for beginners. They are very easy to care for and have few demands on their habitat. These fish thrive in a temperature range of 22-26°C (72-79°F) and enjoy a spacious environment with plenty of plants and hiding places. Rice dogs are harmless and have a playful nature. They primarily eat standard granulated food and will also enjoy live or frozen food.
5. Fan Hand Shrimp and Japonicas
Ideal for planted aquariums with a strong current, the Fan Hand Shrimp ( Atya gabonensis ) and Japonica Shrimp ( Caridina japonica ) help clear algae and are a wonderful addition to your beginner's aquarium.
They are peaceful and add a unique element to your aquarium. These shrimp thrive at temperatures between 20-28°C and maintain a clean environment through planting. They feed on algae and require granulated or specialized shrimp food to complete their diet.
Fan-hand shrimp catch floating food using their hairy legs. Be sure to cover your aquarium properly, as these shrimp are known to crawl out of the tank.
6. Chinese Danios
Chinese Danios ( Danio rerio ) are lively and playful fish that live well with other non-aggressive species.
They are hardy and disease-resistant, making them perfect for beginners. These fish enjoy a vibrant environment with plants they can move among. The ideal temperature is between 22-26°C. While they can tolerate lower temperatures in practice, this is not recommended theoretically.
They mainly eat standard granular food, flakes but will also enjoy small pieces of frozen food or live food such as artemia and mosquito larvae.
7. Corydoras (Albino, Paleatus, Aeneus, and Sterbai)
Corydoras are bottom-dwelling fish that help keep the aquarium clean by eating leftover food. Albino Corydoras ( Corydoras aeneus ) and Sterbai ( Corydoras sterbai ) are popular choices for beginning aquarists.
They are sociable and should be kept in groups of at least four to six. These fish thrive at temperatures between 22-28°C (72-82°F) and prefer a planted aquarium where they feel safe.
They're not demanding in their diet and can be fed granules, flake food, or even special bottom-feeding food. As long as you can get the food to sink, corydoras will eat it. I've written a comprehensive guide on this, as keeping these armored catfish does require some preparation. Read the Corydoras beginner's guide here >
8. Otocinclus
Otocinclus ( Otocinclus sp. ) is a small, cute algae-eater that fits perfectly in a community aquarium. They are sociable and enjoy group life, so it's best to keep them together in pairs. A temperature between 22-28°C (72-82°F) is ideal for Otocinclus. Provide a well-planted aquarium and some hiding places made of wood or rocks. They love algae and can also be fed standard granulated food, but supplements like vegetables are also a good addition.
Provide natural aquarium wood in your aquarium. The otocinclus needs this for its digestion. Without aquarium wood, the otocinclus cannot properly digest its food and will die.
Shop your aquarium wood online with us >
9. Easy Barbel Species
Barbs like the Zebra Barb ( Barbus tetrazona ) are great beginner fish! They are active, colorful, and enjoy socializing. These fish are hardy and can tolerate a variety of water conditions, with a temperature range of 22-26°C. They thrive in a varied setup with plenty of room to swim. They typically eat standard granulated food, but also enjoy frozen foods like mosquito larvae.
They are somewhat faster swimmers and can be a bit more aggressive than the other species on this list, but it's definitely worth it! These beautiful fish have character and are strong! They won't die easily.
10. Endler's Guppies
And last but not least, the Endler's Guppies ( Poecilia wingei )! These small, colorful fish are easy to care for and will add a touch of life to your aquarium. They are sociable and thrive in groups. They require a temperature between 22-28°C (72-82°F) and enjoy a planted tank. These fish are not demanding in their diet and can be fed standard granulated food, but they also enjoy live or frozen food. Just make sure it's small enough!
As with other viviparous fish, you should also take into account 1 male for every 2 females.
Conclusion
These are just a few of the many fish species suitable for beginners. While I haven't included other popular species like goldfish and cichlids in this list, they aren't always suitable for a beginner aquarium. They often require more space and specific care. Start with the fish I've mentioned and build your aquarium skills!
Do you have any questions or would you like to share your own experiences?
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