Top 5 Tropical Fish for Beginners
- James
- May 18, 2017
- 5 min read
If you are interested in starting your first home aquarium or if you are looking to add to an existing aquarium, these 5 fish are a great addition. In this article we will include some basic information but would always advise you did further research into your chosen species.
What characteristics should you be looking for?
When first starting in this hobby there is a lot to learn. One of the main things is that some species and types of fish can not live together in the same aquarium. This could be due to a number of different reasons, below you will see a list of recommended fish for a beginner.
1. Hardy fish- These fish are essentially fish that can tolerate harsher conditions. These fish are generally bred in captivity (tank bred) over long periods of time which means they can tolerate harsher conditions of tap water etc. The reason you should look for hardy species is so that when you invest your hard earned pennies in these fish they are less likely to die.
2. Low Maintenance- Being new to the hobby you may not understand the importance or need for water changes 100%, that's fine you are new. There fore you need fish that can tolerate less of a schedule for things like water changes and feeding patterns. Most types of community fish are generally good to start with but the 5 below are what we would recommend.
4. Community Fish- Most aquarium store will display weather a fish is a good community fish or not but do not be afraid to ask. The worst thing you can do is buy a fish that you know nothing about that ends up eating all your neon tetras. You need fish that will not bother each other and get along in the aquarium.
Size. The biggest misconception in fish keeping is "the fish will only grow to the size of the tank" any experienced fish keepers out there will be cringing at this point. If anyone ever tells you this you know they are either inexperienced themselves or if you are buying them from a store you know all the store is after is your money. The best aquarium shops are those that say no to customers when they want to put a baby arrowana in a 100l tank. You know they are not money grabbing and they actually care for the welfare of the fish and are providing good advice. If you have a small tank, buy small fish, it's that simple.
Species we would recommend
Okay so now its time for the good stuff, the species we would recommend. Obviously there are other fish out there that could fit into these slots as well, however, I have had direct success with the following fish, which is why I am recommending them.
1. Danios- This fish comes in a number of varieties, our personal favourites are Zebra danios for smaller tanks and Giant danios for larger tanks 100l+. Danios are one of the hardiest fish you can get, able to tolerate a range of water perimeters due to years of domestic breeding. Danios are a very active fish so will bring like to your aquarium.
They are not fussy eaters so flake food would be fine however I have seen danios eating boiled potatoes, frozen blood worms and cucumber. An interesting fact about the danio species is: If part of their heart is damaged they can repair it in a matter of weeks, just like we are able to mend a broken bone. You can also pick up a small school of these guys for £5-£10 depending on the store you go to.
2. Neon tetras- Not to mistaken for a very similar looking, slightly pricier cardinal tetra, This classic tropical fish, has been kept by almost everyone that has had a had a go at keeping an aquarium. If you haven't then drop a comment below and let me know. Again this fish is extremely hardy due to years of breeding in captivity. The main attraction for this fish is its bright colours and tight schools.
These fish will stick together in your aquarium presenting natural schooling behaviours and will undoubtedly explore every inch of your aquarium. Again these are not fussy eater and flake foods are generally fine, although it is good to provide a varied diet. I have seen Neon tetras being old as little as 90p per fish.
3. Tiger Barbs- One of my personal favourites, this fish is not to be kept with any fish that have large fins. This fish is a notorious nipper and will take chunks out of large fins. Do not however be put off by that, these fish can be kept with most types of tetras and other community species, but again just double check with the store you buy them from.
Like the other fish in this category so far tiger barbs will accept flake foods, feeding these guys is amazing as they feed like piranhas all going crazy and ripping the food apart. These are slightly more expensive and can be from £2.00 upwards per fish. I would recommend doing a species only tank with these fish however they can be kept in a community tank.
4. Live Bearers (guppies, platies and mollies)- These fish come in a range of shapes sizes and colours, if you want a yellow one with a black one with a red one then you can have that. These fish are great to keep if you want to add some colour and movement into your aquarium.
Live bearers are notoriously easy to breed and many people say as long as a male and female are in water together they will mate. These fish are fantastic if you want to try your hand at breeding. These fish do not require lots of space or any special conditions to breed so it is defiantly worth a try. These fish will accept flake foods again but also love blood worms and other frozen/ live foods. If you are going to try to breed, we would recommend live foods as these will enhance colours and breeding behaviours.
5. Corydoras Catfish- This peaceful catfish species is a must for any tropical aquarium enthusiast. There are over 160 known varieties of this catfish with bronze and albino varieties being the most common and cheapest from £1.50 upwards.
My personal favourite variety of Cory Catfish is the Panda Cory, there is something about them that just makes me want to buy them every time I see them. Most stores do not have Panda cords and that is because most of the time they are sold out.......
This fish needs pellet foods however will also clean up any excess flake foods that have fallen to the bottom of the aquarium. They also Love boiled potatoes and other veggies as well.
We would recommend doing your own research on all the species we have mentioned in this post however this gives you a good starting point for some nice, easy fish for your first aquarium. Leave a comment below if you have experience with any of these species, also leave a like for the amazing Panda Cory.
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