5 Easy Fish Species for Beginners

July 22, 2016

Fish are often times considered a “beginner” pet. But that isn’t always the case, salt water and some tropical fish species can be touchy and difficult to maintain…leave those to the pros. However, that doesn’t mean you as a novice can’t keep fish, you just need to know which ones make good beginner pets. So we’ve taken some of the leg-work out of the journey and have put together a list of 5 easy fish for beginners.

You may be asking yourself, what makes a fish easier to care for…?

The answer is simple. Fish that are considered “hardy” can withstand more or less food (what is a pinch, seriously?) and fewer water changes. You will also want fish that is communal if you plan to set up an entire aquarium.

The Betta (Siamese Fighting Fish)

The Betta aka the Siamese Fighting Fish is known for not only its beauty but its ease-of-care. It can be housed in a bowl or a small aquarium because of its ability to breathe air from the surface of the water. It comes in a wide array of colors and the males can be quite attractive to behold. However, the downfall of the Betta is it cannot be housed with another male Siamese Fighting Fish, as true to its name they will fight one-another to the death. In fact, any long-finned fish will provoke the attack of the Betta.

The Goldfish

Contrary to popular belief, Goldfish do not do well in bowls. These are far to small and don’t provide any filtration, which Goldfish definitely need because they are a “dirty” fish. However, in a proper aquarium, this species doesn’t need a heater and can withstand too little or too much food. But keep in mind, due to the fact that goldfish are cold water fish, you are limiting yourself to only this species.

The Guppy

The Guppy has earned its reputation for being an easy and low maintenance species. The males are brighter and more colorful and can come in a variety of tail colors. However, be aware of stocking your aquarium with both males and females as they are prolific breeders.

Tetras

Tetras are an excellent beginner fish. They are hardy and love to be in schools of at least three. They also come in a wide variety of colors and different species, but are all very communal. You will need a heated tank and a filter to keep these fish healthy. Plus, if you add live plants, your Tetras will be even happier, as they love a heavily-planted home.

The Pleco

You may either view this fish as totally ugly or down-right cool. But when you have a well-established tank you are going to call it “necessary.” The Plecostomus or Pleco for short, is a fish that comes equipped with a sucker-mouth that will clean up all that unsightly algae on your tank walls, ornaments and gravel. This species comes in a variety of colors, but watch out, cause they can get quite large!

Extra Tips

Now that you know which fish are easy to keep, perhaps you are ready to get out there and start this fun and relaxing hobby. Once you have your aquarium set up, be sure to allow it to run for a couple of days; this gives you a chance to make sure everything is in working order and for the temperature to become stable. After that add fish slowly to help built up the biological environment; adding too many fish at one time can create an unbalanced water-world, which can be detrimental to the fish. A good rule-of-fin when it comes to the number of fish is one-inch of fish-per-gallon of water. Another good rule is to only feed your fish how much they can consume in one minute; too much food leads to waste, which can create toxic levels of ammonia in your tank’s water. Lastly, have fun!