Best aquarium fish for a beginner in 2024

If you are planning to start breeding aquarium fish, then before buying your first pets, it would be nice to learn more about what kind of fish is best for a novice aquarist.

The fact is that at the initial stage after the purchase, the aquariums are not stable, and the water in them does not contain the necessary microflora. Even if special preparations have been added to the water, the conditions created in the new habitat may not suit too delicate pets.

Some species of aquarium fauna can thrive in an almost empty aquarium, while for others it is important to have certain vegetation and water parameters. It is best to dwell on specimens that are undemanding to care for, immune to disease and active, do not show signs of aggression.

What to look for before buying

Before you go to the pet store for the first batch of fish for the aquarium, you need to know the parameters of the water in the tank. This information is very important as conditions may not be suitable for certain species of fauna. To find out the required parameters, you need to conduct special laboratory tests.

Don't buy pets you don't know anything about. If you liked any fish, do not be lazy to read special literature or information about them on the Internet. So you can understand whether these pets are right for you or not. You need to figure out to what size this type of fish will grow, what they eat, how they behave and how active they are.

In most cases, fish are bought during adolescence, so over time they will increase in size. It is possible that not only the size of the aquarium pets will change, but even their colors, behavior and eating habits.

It is worth abandoning the purchase of artificially bred hybrid species of fauna. Such fish have deformed skeletal bones and organs, and are often artificially stimulated before being sold to make them more attractive so that the sale is successful.

Keep in mind that pets will grow as much as the aquarium allows them to do. Therefore, in some cases, the size is insufficient and the fish cannot develop fully. This leads to the fact that the internal organs of such a creature are deformed and as a result you will not have a beautiful pet, but a freak with reduced immunity.

Consider the nutrition of the fish you like and avoid pets that require specific food. It is best to buy varieties that can be fed with the simplest food. Over time, you can make your meals more varied.

So, here are some tips for novice aquarists before buying their first pets:

• Consult with knowledgeable people and use their advice;
• Find out everything about your favorite fish species before buying them;
• Don't make a purchase spontaneously;
• Have an accurate idea of ​​how large the specimen will grow;
• Make a list of fish that you would like to buy right away and those that you want to purchase in the future;
• Know the water parameters in your aquarium to find the right varieties;
• Keep in mind that adult specimens can change dramatically compared to young ones;
• Do not purchase artificial fish species;
• Create conditions in the aquarium that are suitable for the selected creatures, or select varieties that are suitable for your specific aquarium;
• Buy a limited number of pets right away.

What kind of fish to get for beginners

Guppy

These unpretentious viviparous fish are the most famous and most often recommended for the beginner hobbyist. In addition, they are quite attractive: males have veil fins and a brightly colored tail. They are able to live and reproduce in any conditions. The length of females can reach 8 cm, but the size of males is half that.

Keeping thoroughbred guppies is quite difficult, they are very capricious and require careful treatment. But simple guppies are very unpretentious, able to live perfectly in a small volume of water and at a fairly low temperature. For these creatures, it is necessary to create a water hardness of 10-15 degrees, the acidity index should be in the range of 7-8, and the salinity should be 0.5-3 ppm.

These fish feel good at a temperature of 20-26 degrees. It is necessary to protect guppies from sudden changes in water temperature, this has a bad effect on their well-being and changes the color of the fins.

In the diet, guppies are quite unpretentious, they can eat almost any food. Pets of this breed can coexist peacefully in the same aquarium with other peaceful breeds of fish. Guppies reproduce well and are capable of producing from 10 to 180 fry every month. For guppy breeding to be successful, the females need to be transplanted into a separate aquarium before spawning.

• attractive appearance;
• able to live in almost any conditions;
• excellent breeding ability.

• cannot be kept with other fish species that damage the veil fins.

The average price for one fish is from 70 rubles.

About the features of guppy content - in the video:

Cockerels

One of the most attractive labyrinth fish is the cockerel. They have a very tough disposition, for which they were also nicknamed fighting. In one jar, two males are capable of making a great battle. Therefore, it is better to settle them in a spacious aquarium and observe their life and behavior. The average size of males is about 6 cm, while females are slightly smaller in size. The color of the females is inconspicuous and they do not have beautiful veil fins. One pair of cockerels can live in an aquarium of up to 10 liters. You can have one male and several females and place them in an aquarium with a volume of 60 liters or more.

The hardness of the water for the cockerels should be between 2 and 12 degrees, the acidity index is at 7, and the water temperature is optimal from 24 to 30 degrees. Labyrinth fish breathe atmospheric air, so there is no need for males to provide high-quality aeration of the aquarium. You need to carefully monitor the feeding of pets, as males tend to overeat and can even choke on too much food. Males are able to coexist peacefully with other small breeds of aquarium fish. At the same time, male cockerels can be aggressive towards other breeds with veil fins.

• able to exist in a small volume;
• not demanding for aeration.

• are prone to overeating;
• males fight each other and other fishes with veil fins.

The average price of a large fish is 230 rubles.

Useful video about the features of keeping cockerels:

Catfish caridoras speckled

It is believed that catfish are a kind of aquarium orderlies and eat up those food debris that fell on the ground and were not eaten by other pets. From this point of view, the novice aquarist should take a closer look at the catfish of the genus Coridoras and opt for the speckled catfish.The maximum size of these specimens can be 7 cm, while females are slightly larger in size than males.

Catfish are distinguished by their peaceful nature and are able to organize themselves into small flocks. Their distinctive feature of behavior is that they like to bury themselves in the ground, so that the water is not cloudy, it is necessary to provide high-quality filtration. For this breed of fish, you need to select an aquarium with a volume of 50 liters or more. The water temperature should be between +20 and +24 degrees. The acidity index should be in the range from 6.5 to 8, the hardness should be 4-35 degrees.

• small size;
• gets along well with other breeds;
• eat any food.

• they dig the soil and muddy the water.

The average price of a young fish is from 60 rubles.

About the features of the maintenance of speckled catfish - in the video:

Scalars

These pets belong to the cichlid family, which includes many colorful breeds. The color of these fish can be very diverse - there are spotted, striped, monochromatic fish. The size of these pets is impressive - they can reach a length of 15 cm and a height of 26 cm. In the conditions of an aquarium, scalars grow smaller, but still do not forget about the size. These pets require a large volume of water, so the height of the aquarium should be at least 40 cm, and the volume should be from 100 liters. Water parameters suitable for this type of fish are hardness up to 25 degrees, acidity in the range from 6.5 to 7.5, water temperature from +24 to +27 degrees.

These fish are capricious to living conditions and need good aeration, filtration, bright lighting and regular water changes. The scalar is a carnivorous species and feed on live food. Therefore, they do not need to be lodged next to small fish species or those with veil fins. Even taking into account these features, scalars can be attributed to peace-loving pets. You need to feed the scalar carefully, as they can overeat. This breed of fish has a shy nature, so they are afraid of sudden movements and always shy away to the side in this case, because of this they can get hurt.

• large, attractive fish;
• peaceful nature.

• capricious character;
• love to overeat;
• cannot be mixed with small specimens or pets with veil fins.

The average price for a small fish is 350 rubles.

More about scalar - in the video:

gold fish

This is the most famous aquarium fish from the carp family. For the first time such fish was obtained in China. Now many breeds of goldfish have been bred with various colors, unusual outgrowths and veiled tails and fins. These pets are almost omnivorous, they eat any food and do not disdain aquarium plants. Goldfish do not know the measures in food are prone to overeating.

It is wrong to put goldfish in round small aquariums. This type of aquarium pet needs a lot of space. For every centimeter of their body, there should be at least 5 liters of water. With age, the body length of a goldfish can reach 15 cm. The water should have a temperature of +20 to +23 degrees. The indicative acidity should be within 7, and the hardness index should be from 8 degrees.

These pets generate a lot of waste, so they need quality filtration. Aquarium fish of other breeds should not be lodged with this beauty. It is better to settle several goldfish in one aquarium.

• large attractive specimens;
• live up to 30 years;
• eat any food.

• need a spacious aquarium;
• tendency to gluttony;
• do not tolerate the proximity of other breeds.

The average price is 200 rubles for one average fish.

How to keep a fish - in the video:

Danio Rerio

This small fish also belongs to the carp family. These pets are distinguished by an unpretentious, peaceful character, they live in flocks. The specimens are about 4.5 cm long.Their content requires a water hardness of 6 to 20 degrees, an acidity index in the range from 6.5 to 8, water should have a temperature of +16 to +28 degrees.

These creatures gladly eat any kind of food, dry and natural. This type of aquarium pet is best kept in containers with long-stemmed plants. It is best to keep them in groups of 6-7 pieces.

• adapt to any conditions;
• peaceful nature;
• omnivores;
• various bright colors.

• bouncy, the aquarium must be closed with a lid.

The average price for a fish is from 30 rubles.

More about zebrafish - in the video:

Sumatran barbus

Barbs are nimble schooling fish with a playful character. The size of these pets ranges from 5 to 7 cm, the color can be varied. It is necessary to launch at least 5 fish into the aquarium. Moreover, each individual should have at least 20 liters of water. Barbs willingly eat food of any kind, but because of their tendency to overeat, it is better to underfeed them.

For fish of this breed, the following conditions are optimal: water hardness in the range from 8 to 15 degrees, acidity at the level of 6.5 to 7.5, the temperature should be from +20 to +24 degrees. In pursuit of each other, barbs are able to eat the fins of larger fish in the aquarium.

• attractive coloration;
• peaceful nature;
• movable.

• prone to obesity;
• no need to settle in the same aquarium with fish species with large fins.

The average price is from 50 rubles for one fish.

More about barbs - in the video:

The first pets should be launched into a new aquarium only after 2-3 weeks after purchase, filling it with water and plants. During this time, you need to take a closer look at the aquarium, study the principles of its operation, and only then buy the first pets in a trusted store. You need to transport the purchased fish in a special package, best of all with a portable aerator. After arrival, the package is placed in the aquarium and water from the aquarium is added in portions. Only after some time can the fish be released into a new home.