15 Low-Maintenance Freshwater Fish for Beginners With Pictures
Finally, they are easy to keep because they eat both plants and flesh so you are under no restrictions when it comes to providing them food. Being so tiny, you can actually keep about 6 of these nano fish in a 10-gallon aquarium. I’ve personally seen them swim together with White Cloud Mountain Minnows in the same aquarium but the Zebra Danios will let any other schooling fish join them.
Betta Fish, known for their stunning colors and elaborate fins, are a popular choice for beginners. These fish are often kept alone due to their aggressive nature, particularly among males. However, their solitary lifestyle doesn’t detract from their beauty or the joy they bring to an aquarium.
The Platy is a small, colorful livebearer that can tolerate a wide spectrum of water conditions and is perfect for easy-care aquarium installations. As social fish, Platies are stunning additions to community tanks, and their adaptability to water temperatures (70-80°F) and pH levels (6.8-8.0) makes them an aquarium favorite. Species of platies (platyfish) are great fish to build up your community aquarium with friendly tropical fish.
These shoaling fish are easy to care for and can thrive in cooler water temperatures, which makes a heater not always necessary for their care. Betta fish are one of the most popular freshwater fish due to their low-maintenance nature and flowing, colorful fins. They have a labyrinth organ, which allows them to breathe surface air in low-oxygen environments. They have simple feeding requirements and will be happy in a tank with plants, a heater, and plenty of space to swim.
In contrast, saltwater aquariums may demand higher salt levels to maintain appropriate salinity, usually around 1.020 to 1.025 specific gravity with marine salt. Recognizing these differences ensures you provide suitable environments for your fish. Another easy tropical fish for beginners to look after is the tiger pleco. This is another type of exotic catfish that spends its time feeding at the bottom of the aquarium. These bottom-feeders are good for keeping gravel in your tank free from algae and other bits of food debris.