Although juvenile fish you see in pet stores may be small, as they grow, many species will become quite large. Some freshwater aquarium fish can be over a foot long! Some fish need a lot of space or live in a school that won’t fit in your aquarium.
Breeds of fish that are easy to maintain include the tetras, betta fish (although these cannot be kept in a tank with other fish), some breeds of barbs, mollies, guppies, small catfish, and platies. [2] X Research source For example, discus are considered to be a challenging breed of fish. They like pristine water, so you’ll need to change their water twice a week. Discus can also carry diseases more commonly than other fish. [3] X Research source Gourami fish species are one of the options to start with. Gouramis are very hardy and easy-care species of fish that you can keep as a beginner. You can choose opaline gourami, powder blue gourami, or honey gourami.
For example, danios, platies, swordtails, and mollies are all compatible with one another, and also with many species of tetras. Another group of compatible fish includes neon or glowlight tetras, glass fish, guppies, and ghost shrimp.
Beginner-friendly cold-water fish include goldfish, tetras, and the White Cloud minnow. Beginner-friendly warm-water fish include Danios, the Black Molly, Platies, Swordtails, and the Black Skirt Tetra.
Catfish, however, do not eat fish food flakes. They are scavengers, and primarily eat food and organic matter that have fallen to the bottom of the aquarium. [5] X Research source For example, some fish eat only live food, like the knifefish. Both the Jack Dempsey and the Bolivian Ram prefer to eat live foods, such as blood worms. [6] X Research source Some fish may eat invertebrates (which can be expensive), or may even devour your other fish.
Territorial species include breeds of Cichlids, and the Jack Dempsey. [8] X Research source
Local pet stores will likely not carry rare, expensive, or exotic fish. If a specific fish you’ve wanted is hard to find, consider getting a more common fish. If you do not have a reputable pet store in your vicinity, consider purchasing fish online. Use an established pet site, like PetSolutions, PetCo, or LiveAquaria.
If you do buy a male and female of the same species, ask a knowledgeable staff member at a pet store the breeding pair are likely to be aggressive with other fish.
If a sick fish has a communicable illness, and you add it to a tank of healthy fish, you’re putting all of the other fish in your tank at risk of illness and possible death.
