Feb
Want to start an aquarium at home? There’s plenty of amazing, beautiful fish that you can keep as pets! Creating your own aquarium is a lot of fun, but you’ll want to know as much about the fish species you want to keep as possible.
If you’re ready to set up a new fish tank, there are five amazing fish you’ll want to know about first. These fish are great for everyone, including beginners. Let’s get started!
1. Angelfish
Freshwater angelfish have a recognizable appearance. They’re gorgeous and are sure to make your fish tank much more enjoyable. Angelfish are best suited for large tanks, as they grow quite a bit.
Many people appreciate the striped patterns on the fish, which look great against any aquarium background. Plus, the fish come in a variety of colors so that you can have your pick! The species is also perfect for beginners and is easy for anyone to take care of.
Angelfish Tank Requirements
To take care of your freshwater angelfish properly, you’ll need to meet these tank requirements:
- pH level between 6.8 and 7.8
- Hardness between 3° and 8° dKH
- Temperature between 78° and 84° F
- 55-gallon tank for adult fish
- Freshwater
You’ll also need to have a reliable filtration system and change the water at least 10% per week. Or, you change the water 25% biweekly. Overall, these easy-to-care-for fish are graceful swimmers, and you’re sure to love them!
2. Betta Fish
This fish comes in bold colors and patterns, with flowing fins. They’re one of the most popular fish to own as pets today- and for a good reason! They’re very easy to care for, but you need to make sure you only keep one male in a tank since they’re aggressive fish.
You won’t need a huge tank if you’re only keeping one betta at a time. Bettas also are the perfect beginner fish. You can use the fishkeeping skills you learn from keeping Bettas to support other types of fish.
Betta Fish Tank Requirements
- pH level between 6.5 and 7.5
- Hardness between 5° and 20° dKH (70 to 300 ppm)
- Temperature between 76° and 81° F
- Three-gallon tank for adult fish
- Freshwater
Bettas tend to need very soft water. If yours is too hard, you can add a water softener to the aquarium. Next, make sure to change the water only 10 to 20% per week. Doing small changes like this keeps the water conditions stable for your Betta fish.
Bettas are some of the most vibrant species of fish that you can own as a pet! You’ll have your choice of color, fin shape, patterns, and more when you visit the pet store.
3. Harlequin Shrimp
Harlequin shrimp are some of the most beautiful and unique shrimp that you can find. They are mostly white, with many colorful spots all over their bodies. The shrimp are also very active and exciting to watch in your tank’s ecosystem. They also have unique hunting patterns you can see.
You can pair these shrimp with different saltwater fish too. They look amazing when you choose gobies, clownfish, tangs, and other calm shrimp as their tankmates. You’ll want to decorate your tank with plenty of hiding spots for the Harlequin shrimp.
These shrimp are fairly easy to take care of, although you’ll need to keep their water conditions extremely stable. They also prefer to live in tanks where there isn’t much water current- large filters can be problematic for them.
Harlequin Shrimp Fish Tank Requirements
- pH level between 8 and 8.4
- Hardness between 8° and 12° dKH
- Temperature between 72° and 84° F
- 5 to 10-gallon tank for adult shrimp
- Saltwater
While you can pair them with plenty of saltwater fish, you also have the option of keeping them in a smaller tank by themselves. That way, you can easily see all of their stunning colors and patterns. Plus, their hunting activities will always be on display this way.
4. Clownfish
Clownfish are fun to keep and have a very striking color and pattern. Kids also love these fish, and they’re easy to care for! Clownfish are trendy saltwater fish to own today, so you’ll have no trouble finding information and products for them online.
Clownfish are very hardy, making them perfect for saltwater tank beginners. They also make excellent tankmates with Harlequin shrimp. Finally, clownfish are very peaceful fish- you won’t have to worry about them picking fights with the other creatures in your tank.
Clownfish Tank Requirements
- pH level between 8 and 8.4
- Hardness between 8° and 12° dKH
- Temperature between 75° and 80° F
- 30-gallon tank for adult fish
- Saltwater
Overall, Clownfish are the perfect saltwater fish to get into caring for a tank. Clownfish are also very bright and colorful, making them stand out in any aquarium. If you’re looking to start a reef tank, you can also include this species of fish.
5. Yellow Watchman Goby
The yellow watchman goby is another hardy saltwater fish. They’re easy to care for, and many people love how these fish look with their bright yellow bodies covered in white spots. This goby is also inexpensive and widely available at pet stores.
Plus, the yellow watchman goby is pretty peaceful. They will fight amongst themselves but do just fine with other fish species. Because of this, you should keep one goby per tank. However, they’re extremely vibrant, so they’ll still be very noticeable.
Yellow Watchman Goby Tank Requirements
- pH level between 7.5 and 8.5
- Hardness between 8° and 12° dKH
- Temperature between 72° and 82° F
- 30-gallon tank for adult fish
- Saltwater
Overall, the yellow goby is a favorite among fishkeepers. They build burrows and protect them, making these fish fascinating to watch- they add a lot of life to an aquarium.
Research Your Options
Before getting a pet fish, you should do some research online. You’ll want to ensure that you have the time and resources to give them the care they need. Some fish are more challenging to take care of than others.
