20 best fish for an aquarium
If you want to please a small child, decorate the interior of a room or refresh dry air, then setting up an aquarium will be very useful. The underwater inhabitants are absolutely silent, therefore they will not disturb the natural rhythm of life of all family members. And caring for them is not comparable to the maintenance of, for example, a dog or a cat. However, with the seeming unpretentiousness of aquarium fish, in order to avoid their premature death, before buying, you should familiarize yourself with the features of existing species, compatibility with a long stay in the same container, and service conditions.
Since such a fauna performs a decorative function, then when choosing it, one should take into account the harmony or contrast of the color combination with plants and other accessories of the aquarium. Transparent fish or light-colored fish look good on a dark background, pastel shades of the soil suggest the placement of individuals in bright or dark colors. The unusual shape of the body, the presence of original fins, the ability to quickly adapt to a certain water composition also affect the popularity of the species among novice and experienced aquarists. Our rating contains the most common representatives of the underwater aquarium world.
The best heat-loving fish for an aquarium
5 Cichlis pseudotrophyus demasoni
This representative of the underwater world of African origin is usually of interest to experienced aquarists, since she is very picky about the neighborhood with individuals that are not cichlids. In addition, the fish requires a high level of water purity, a large amount of it, and active filtration. For the stay of one individual up to 10 cm in size, the best option would be a container with a volume of 150 liters. But if the demasoni create ideal conditions, then the reward will be easy breeding. Aquarium inhabitants perfectly tolerate both fresh and slightly salty water; during the spawning period, it should have an average temperature of 27 degrees. By nature, the individuals are very active, curious, able to swim along an uncharacteristic trajectory, even belly upward.
4 Speckled corridor
The albino species is excellent for aquariums with dark coarse sand or fine gravel. Against their background, a fish native to South America can most clearly demonstrate its delicate white-pink color with a golden glow. The main requirements for its comfortable maintenance are a low construction height, an abundance of secluded spots and plants. The amount of oxygen is not so important, since adults periodically enter the upper layers of the water and jump out to replenish it. This thermophilic breed feels best at a liquid temperature of 23-28 degrees. Small (up to 6 cm) corridors are well compatible with haracin and other compact species.
3 Goldfish Oranda
It is a matter of honor for a novice aquarist to acquire one of the varieties of goldfish. Oranda attracts attention with the unusual shape of the head, which is usually called helmet-shaped, beautiful translucent wide fins and bright white-red color. Such a beauty looks spectacular in an aquarium and in photographs. The breed was bred by selection; it differs from all other helmet-like ones by the presence of a dorsal fin. The swollen body of individuals is capable of acquiring a size in length of up to 20 cm. The underwater inhabitant loves a large amount of water, food, and the society of congeners. Therefore, you need to maintain a properly dosed diet with a low protein content and have 4-6 gold individuals at once. The limiting life span of the oranda is 15 years.
2 Swordsman red
This small inhabitant of the underwater kingdom is distinguished by its slender body and characteristic tail fin-sword. It belongs to the Peciliaceae family, the male can reach a maximum of 12 cm in size, and the female 15 cm. Owners of aquariums opt for this type, as it is neutral to the composition and volume of water. For a couple of individuals, 6 liters is enough. The most useful for them is the temperature of the liquid medium in the range of 20-25 degrees. Swordsmen prefer the middle and upper layers of the water, so shows with their jumping out into the air are quite possible. For prevention, it is recommended to have a container with a lid. Fish perfectly tolerate the neighborhood with peaceful breeds, but the males of the species can compete with each other.
1 Guppy
There are several varieties of guppies in size, shape and color. Therefore, those who are going to start this popular breed are advised not to place individuals of two or more different colors at the same time. The effect can be unpredictable. In general, the species is characterized by an average size of a male of up to 4 cm, of a female - up to 7 cm. Fish feel good in all layers, quickly adapt to water. The best temperature range for them will be the range of 18-30 degrees. The fish are ideal for living in hard and salt water. With rare exceptions, individuals coexist peacefully with the rest of the fauna. In addition to dry food, guppies happily feed on plankton, small crustaceans and plants such as spirulina.
The best cold water fish for an aquarium
5 Danio rerio
A budget-priced option is great for those who are just going to install the first aquarium and have unpretentious inhabitants. The ancestors of the zebrafish live in the rivers of Southeast Asia. From them, the ornamental fish inherited the ability to adapt to unfamiliar surroundings in a short time. Small (up to 6 cm) size, narrow body, beautiful striped color make it possible to populate whole groups of the species in containers. Moreover, even a 5-liter vessel is enough for them, however, the most active life takes place in an aquarium structure from 30 liters, where water filtration and a temperature regime of 18-23 degrees are provided. This breed differs in that it does not look for food at the bottom.
4 Telescope black
Such an underwater hulk is perfect for aquarium designs with light-colored soil, plants and accessories. Against their background, each line of the relief body and fins is clearly visible. As if bulging eyes due to the upper outgrowths give this representative of the underwater fauna a particularly expressive appearance. It is recommended to start the fish to create a color contrast with the rest of the inhabitants. In addition, despite the size of 15-20 cm, they behave calmly and are slow. Therefore, it is necessary to add breeds with a similar character to the company. Aggressive species and adhesions can damage their fins. The most comfortable water temperature for the telescope is 15-25 degrees.
3 Scarlet barbus, or Odessa
The rating participant belongs to the species of natural, not selective origin. He received from nature an attractive silver with a red stripe body color, which is complemented by translucent variegated fins. The barbus attracts lovers of the correct shape. He is friendly to other aquarium inhabitants; individuals of species with large fins can only cause irritation. For a comfortable stay, a fish up to 10 cm in size needs a container with a volume of at least 65 liters. In it, the barb is found mainly in the middle layers. Water should be used moderately soft to hard in a temperature range of 16-25 degrees. The specimen looks most advantageous against the background of dark soil or the back wall of the aquarium.
2 Riukin calico
The representative of the carp family is a traditional participant in the ratings due to its excellent adaptation to the composition of the water.It practically does not react to the hardness and salinity of water, it is perfectly active in the temperature range from 15 to 23 degrees. Riukin prefers fresh water saturated with oxygen, natural light. A low container with a volume of at least 80 liters is suitable for it, since the size of an adult can be about 20 cm.On sale there are fish of the same color, as well as variegated or combined color. The broad body ends with a 3-4-lobed caudal fin. Calm by nature, but curious Riukins love to rummage in the ground. Therefore, for laying on the bottom, you should choose coarse sand or rounded pebbles, and also plant the soil with plants with a strong root system.
1 Lionhead red
The goldfish variety is popular with owners of small-capacity aquarium designs. For one individual, only 50 liters of water is enough. Inside, the interior of the container should be equipped with 5-10 mm soil, smooth stones and snags, behind which you can retire, artificial and live plants. The latter include hard-leaved and bush, which are edible. The red lionhead is distinguished by its large body up to 20 cm in size, the presence of undulating growths on the head and unexpectedly small paired fins of the correct rounded shape. She suits the temperature of the aquatic environment 18-23 degrees with a hardness of 8-25. To preserve the health of individuals, it is recommended to provide high-quality filtration and aeration.
The best fish for a freshwater aquarium
5 Labidochromis yellow
Fish, the body length of which reaches a maximum of 10 cm, are excellent for peaceful coexistence with many other underwater inhabitants. They belong to the cichlov family, and are the best in character. They can be irritated only by breeds with a similar appearance. A rare yellow color for freshwater will acquire a richness if components rich in carotene are added to the feed. In total, about 10 shades of this species are known. Aquarists choose labidochromis for its bright color, unpretentiousness in nutrition, and love for a minimalist interior. Strong filtration, fresh water with a temperature of 24-28 degrees is enough for them. It is better to use fine-grained sand or coral chips of almost any shade as a substrate.
4 Chromis handsome
Wild populations of the ornamental aquarium inhabitant are found in the Congo Basin. The handsome chromis inherited from his ancestors a stubborn character, a love for slow water, a large number of plants. Despite the average size of 10-12 cm, one fish needs a container of water with a volume of at least 40 liters. There she feels spacious, examining not only the succulent parts of the plants, but also the root system. For full comfort, this variety requires filtration and weekly replacement of 30% of the water. Chromis is omnivorous, moderately active. Individuals of opposite sexes can show aggressiveness mainly during the mating season with a dissimilarity of characters. However, they are very caring parents to the detriment of the tranquility of the rest of the inhabitants of the aquarium.
3 koi carp
The decorative variant of the carp family is distinguished by a variety of colors. In addition to the usual red, black and yellow, koi of exotic shades were obtained through selection, which affects the cost of individuals. The fish have a flattened body shape on top, their size ranges from 12-17 cm. It is important that not only a glass aquarium, but also a backyard pond can be chosen as a habitat. Freshwater easily tolerate temperature drops in the range of 10-23 degrees, water composition of different hardness, irregular filtration. Meals can include dry food, live food, combination food, and even ice cream. The fauna of this species is characterized by a long life cycle.
2 Catfish ancistrus
These naturally unusual fish with a protective coloration are very active, inquisitive and sociable.They prefer their peers in terms of sociability, avoiding overly sluggish or scaly breeds. You will give them pleasure if you decide to create dense thickets in which they could be in their rare moments of solitude. Catfish love oxygenated water, so powerful aeration is essential. Cons of the species - a tendency to frequent clarification of the relationship between males and overeating. This can be avoided by keeping a male with females and adhering to a carefully composed, predominantly plant-based menu.
1 Botia clown
Botia attracts attention with its contrasting striped color, wide size range (from 2-3 cm to 20 cm), high sociability. With a large number of positive qualities, this is a bottom fish that prefers the lower layers of water, as if hiding from prying eyes. Here she easily finds food thanks to the lower mouth placement. For her, it is necessary to prepare caves, grottoes, driftwood, in which the aquarium inhabitant could stay on vacation. The rest of the time, she adheres to the flock, so it is advisable to acquire several individuals at once. A spacious aquarium (from 100 liters) with water at a temperature of 21-26 degrees, where constant filtration is provided, is well suited for this species.
The best fish for a marine aquarium
5 Mandarin duck colorful
The spotted inhabitant of marine aquariums stands out for its special charm of multi-colored colors with neon reflections, an amazing combination of a slender body, fins, wings, and expressive eyes. This variety is distinguished by the fact that individuals prefer to lead a sedentary lifestyle. Despite the seeming lack of mobility, males have a high level of aggression towards male relatives. Therefore, it is better to have only one such fish or a heterosexual couple, adding representatives of peaceful breeds of suitable size (up to 8-10 cm) to it. Difficulties can arise with feeding, since the transition to replacement food is slow. The species has a lifespan of 10-12 years.
4 Pseudoheilin six-lane, or Guban-pajamas
Such beauties in their natural environment can be found in several oceans at once. Moreover, the size of their body can vary significantly. In captivity, they are mainly used in a size version up to 5 cm for the decoration of aquariums. By nature, wrasses are very independent, prone to loneliness, but at the same time they are mobile and get along with representatives of other species. Their activity occurs during the day, while at night individuals try to climb to rest in a grotto or a crevice in the stones. It is recommended to keep fish in containers with a volume of 300 liters or more, where the water temperature ranges from 24-27 degrees. Bright color and graceful movements of individuals attract the attention of those who like to observe the life of marine life.
3 Zebrasoma brown
The flat underwater inhabitant is distinguished by a variegated color, easy adaptability to captive conditions, and a high rate of compatibility with individuals of other species. It has a maximum size of 10 cm, but requires an aquarium with a volume of at least 200 liters. It does not need active filtering, but optimal lighting is essential. Zebrasoma feeds mainly on plant foods, including aquarium algae. Therefore, smooth stones overgrown with greens should be placed on the bottom of the container. You can include in the diet and meat of shrimp or squid. To maintain the health of the fish, the water must be maintained in a temperature range of 24-28 degrees.
2 Thalassoma lunar
Nature has awarded this representative of the underwater world with bare skin, which has a shimmering from greenish to blue color with red-purple patterns on the head and fins. In aquarium conditions, individuals grow up to 20 cm. They feel equally comfortable both at medium and large depths. However, they need oxygen, so you should take care of aeration.By nature, these are cleaners that rid the fish of stuck parasites. In their diet, they are unpretentious, preferring small crustaceans, frozen foods. Features of the species - when maturing, females turn into males and do not give offspring under conditions of captivity.
1 Apogon Cowdern tulle
The historical homeland of this small neat fish is Indonesia. It is in demand among aquarists for its silvery-black color, which is complemented by like luminous dots scattered throughout the body. The shape is also considered an advantage of the species, since at a size of up to 10 cm it is distinguished by a symmetrical relief, the presence of a set of predominantly narrow fins. Apogon loves space, despite the tendency to hang in one place for a long time in a favorite position. Therefore, you need to choose large aquariums for them, ideally reef ones. The water temperature should be within 24-27 degrees. In the diet, individuals prefer animal feed, including frozen foods.
