You might not know it but fish are among the most popular pets, with more than 53.8
million households in the US having at least one tank. Aquarium price in USA
And while they’re typically freshwater, a few species of fish can live in saltwater as well; these include saltwater angelfish, black tangs and clownfish.
This post will outline what is often considered to be some of the best freshwater aquarium fish for beginners and enthusiasts alike.
With most of them being hardy and low maintenance, they’re perfect for beginners that want to keep the stress off.
I will include a brief summary of each species to let you know what they are best known for and a little bit about their history, keeping requirements and habits as well as where to buy them if you’re in the US aquarium shop.
I will also include some links to further reading if you want to learn more. If you’re new to the fishkeeping hobby, I strongly urge you to start with a beginner’s guide to keeping fish.
It’s a handy resource that will explain everything from the equipment and setup needed for your tank, to how to cycle it and what kind of fish is best suited for beginners.
American Flagfish The flagfish is a hardy, mid-level freshwater fish that originates from North America. It can survive in a broad range of water conditions, making it an ideal beginner fish.
It is also a schooling fish which means you should get at least 6 of them together. They are very active and the first thing they’ll do when introduced to the tank is form a loose social hierarchy with one or two of them being dominant and the others just following suit.
However, in nature the fish form groups of various sizes. The ones in the larger group will have their own domain while those in the smaller group are free to roam freely.
While they’re great fish for a beginner, they’re also known for being good jumpers and require very little maintenance.
While many people recommend them to be kept with other small freshwater fish such as danios and guppies, you can keep them by themselves with no problems.
They are very hardy and can withstand a range of temperatures ranging from 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Learn more about other types of aquarium fish in fish aquarium
They can live in a saltwater tank as well but generally speaking, they prefer fresh water. All that being said, the flagfish is one of the most popular freshwater fish available today; it’s even been analyzed as one of the top 20 fish in terms of its impact on our waterways and ecosystem.
There are two varieties, a color morph (the green one) and a brown type (shown above). Banded Cichlid The banded cichlid, also known as Herichthys Bicolor is a large freshwater fish native to Mexico, where it has evolved to survive in the waters of the Atlantic lakes and rivers.
The fish reach up to 9 inches (23 cm) in length and are easy to keep as long as you give them enough room and feed them a varied diet of meaty foods.
They can be aggressive, however, and are known to jump out of the tank if startled. The aquarium should be about 36 inches (91 cm) long and at least 5 gallons (18.5 L) in size so you don’t run into space limitations.
