Among the huge variety of freshwater fish, novice aquarists prefer to choose those who are the least whimsical, those who can adapt to the changing water parameters of the “young” aquarium.
Most tropical fish are difficult to maintain, they need stable conditions, good equipment for water purification, individual subtleties in growing and reproduction. We picked up fish from different families, some of which are completely incompatible with each other.
But all of them are united by the simplicity of maintenance, undemanding, and the ability to adapt to the parameters of aquarium water.
Table of Contents
Pleco Fish
Pleco fish is an excellent representative of the catfish family for a beginner aquarist. It is easy to care and it can easily adapt to water conditions. It grows about 10-13 cm.
Pleco fish has a flattened horizontal body with a suction mouth. It well “scrapes” algal fouling from glass, scenery, snags, which helps to keep the aquarium clean.
Adult Pleco can damage the leaves of aquarium plants by gnawing holes in them. Pleco can be kept with almost any fish, their aggression is only intraspecific.
Tiger Barbs
Tiger barbs are a charming, bright, and contrasting schooling fish from the cyprinid family. The homeland of the barbs is Indonesia. It grows about 6-7 cm. Barbs have a tall, rounded, flattened laterally body with a triangular head. They have a yellowish color with black stripes.
The barbs are unpretentious and loved by aquarists for their groovy character and interesting behavior. However, barbs can be mischievous in the aquarium by plucking sedentary fish or fish with veil fins.
Suitable tiger barb tankmates are Loaches, Catfish, Tetra Fish, Gourami, etc. Tiger Barbs are omnivorous and do not create problems with feeding, gladly eating all the food offered to them.
Black Skirt Tetra
Black Skirt Tetra is not a large, active, schooling fish from the characin family. It can be safely recommended to beginner aquarists! Black Skirt Tetra is easy to maintain and very unpretentious!
They have a tall, flattened body of silver-gray color. The Black Skirt looks good in a flock of 5-7 fish; they swim in all layers of the aquarium.
Suitable for a common aquarium with peaceful fish, but you need to remember that sometimes the Black Skirts can show increased interest and pluck the long fins of other fish.
Blood Parrot Cichlid
Blood Parrot Cichlid is an artificially bred fish that is not found in nature.
A parrot has a barrel-shaped body with a bow-mouth, it grows about 20 cm. Parrots are very unpretentious. They have a bright color, which makes them even more attractive in the aquarium.
Parrots can be recommended to beginners, however, they need a spacious (from 150-200 liters) aquarium with well-fixed decorations: these fish are active diggers of the soil.
Blood Parrots are not suitable for a general aquarium; smaller fish can be perceived as food. They are ideal tankmates with cichlids
Comet Goldfish
The comet has a fast, elongated body of bright color with long, developing fins. Comets grow up to 20 cm. The fish looks very impressive in the aquarium. Comets are tenacious and unpretentious, perfect for beginner aquarists.
An important condition for the maintenance of goldfish is the presence of a powerful filter and regular water change: they are voracious, eat a lot, and also excrete many waste products.
Comets are not suitable for a general aquarium: firstly, they can eat all the vegetation, secondly, they can be quite large, and small fish can be taken as food, and thirdly, they are cold-water and feel comfortable in cool water, unlike most tropical fish.
Guppy Fish
Guppies are small, vibrant, active, mischievous schooling fishes that are great for beginners! For several centuries, these fish have been favorite among aquarists.
They are unpretentious, adapt well in the aquarium, get along well with other small peaceful fish and, of course, are very elegant and beautiful! A flock of multi-colored guppies with luxurious tails in the aquarium enchants.
Another feature of these fish is a live birth. The female does not spawn but gives birth to fry already formed and ready to swim independently. This process can occur in a general aquarium (in the presence of a large number of plants and decorations) and is very interesting.
Mbuna Cichlid
Pseudotrophies are vivid representatives of the cichlids of Lake Malawi. Pseudotrophaeus is distinguished by an elongated, spindle-shaped, slightly flattened laterally body with a pointed head with thick lips. With this mouth, it is convenient to pluck algal fouling on stones or decorations.
Pseudotropheus is very unpretentious and takes root in the aquarium without any problems. They grow about 12 cm. Like most cichlids, Pseudotropheus are territorial and aggressive but get along well with other same species. To redistribute aggression, they should be kept “harem”: several females per male.
Opaline Gourami
Opaline gourami is an interesting and very unpretentious fish from the labyrinth family. Gourami is beautiful and elegant, perfect for both professionals and beginners. Gourami is kept in the upper third of the aquarium, their pectoral fins have turned into thin probe fibers, which additionally help fish to navigate in the water.
These fish grow up to 10-12 cm. They are great for shared aquariums with civilians. A feature of gourami is the presence of a labyrinth organ that allows the fish to breathe atmospheric air.
Betta Fish
Betta Fish is truly a decoration of any aquarium with peaceful inhabitants. The only thing that upsets is that only one male betta can live in one aquarium.
These fish are extremely aggressive towards male representatives of their species, hence the often found name “fighting fish”. They grow about 5-6 cm.
Male Betta Fish have luxurious tails and fins. The variety of their colors has no limit: red, green, white, blue, silver, black, yellow, and others. At the same time, the males are very tenacious and unpretentious. This is what makes them welcome pets in the home aquarium.
Swordtail Fish
Swordtails are long and dearly beloved aquarium fish for both beginners and professionals. Swordtails got their name for the appendage in the form of a sword on the tail of males.
They belong to viviparous fish, that is, the female produces into the light already formed fry, able to swim and feed on their own. Swordtails are unpretentious and hardy; they are good neighbors for peaceful fish in a common aquarium.
Swordtails grow about 8-10 cm. They look spectacular in the aquarium, especially against the background of delicate greenery.
William Smith is an Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology & holds 5+ years of experience in fishkeeping. Inspired by his grandfather’s aquariums, he created CichlidTips.com to help both novices and seasoned fishkeepers. His expertise spans aquarium setup, maintenance, fish behavior, and health. William constantly researches to provide up-to-date and accurate content, aiming to make CichlidTips.com a trusted resource in the fishkeeping community. He encourages engagement with fellow enthusiasts for mutual growth and improvement in this captivating hobby.
