Freshwater fish are the most common pets in America, with over 12.5 million households keeping them. They are the most popular type of pet in the United States and they bring aesthetics and color to your homes. They are very relaxing to watch.
Many health benefits are also associated with keeping freshwater fish, such as lowering blood pressure and lowering heart rate.
Despite all of that, most newcomers to the hobby get very enthusiastic very quickly because many fish have their own individual personalities and are quite beautiful to watch.
We’ll check out some of the most popular freshwater aquarium species available today.
- GloFish Danio
- Neon tetra
- Killifish Golden Wonder
- Kuhli Loach
- American flag fish
- Indian Glass fish
- Peacock Gudgeon
- Bristlenosis Plecostomus
- Bolivian ram
- Light blue dwarf gourami
- Roseline Torpedo Shark
- Betta Crowntail Fish
1. GloFish Danio
- Maximum size: 2.5 inches
- Life expectancy: 3 to 4 years.
- Minimum tank requirement: 10 gallons
- Water temperature: 64 ° to 75 ° Fahrenheit
- Attention level: easy
GloFish Danios are almost the brightest freshwater fish you can get! These awesome little fish are the perfect starter fish for a kiddie pool or eye-catching specialty aquarium.
These captive-bred danios are available in super bright red, green, orange, blue, and purple. The colors are completely natural and made by genetics rather than artificial dyes so the color won’t fade.
The Glofish Danio is omnivorous and feeds on a staple of tropical flakes and frozen meaty foods. Keep these fish alone in small schools in species ponds or with other non-aggressive companions.
2. Neon tetra
- Maximum size: 1.25 inches
- Life expectancy: 3 to 4 years.
- Minimum tank requirement: 10 gallons
- Water temperature: 68 ° to 78 ° Fahrenheit
- Attention level: easy
Neon tetras are considered the jewels of the fish farming hobby. With their bright, iridescent blue color and bright red tails, these beautiful little fish look absolutely stunning when kept in schools of six or more.
Neons are best placed in a heavily planted tank with hiding places of light and lots of dim, such as caves, driftwood, etc. Provide plenty of open water, as these fish like in the aquarium in the pelagic zone hang out to create a stunning display of bright colors when they swarm together. Neon tetras are peaceful little fish that can be kept in a community with other small, non-aggressive tankmates.
Neons are omnivores, feeding on tropical flakes and micropellets that are supplemented by frozen foods such as bloodworms, brine shrimp, and mosquito larvae. If these fish are fed a good quality diet and kept in the right conditions, they will reproduce easily.
3. Killifish Golden Wonder
- Maximum size: 4 inches
- Life expectancy: 3 to 4 years.
- Minimum fuel requirement: 20 gallons
- Water temperature: 72 ° to 75 ° Fahrenheit
- Attention level: easy
Killifish Golden Wonder is native to the fresh and brackish water streams, swamps, and ponds of Africa, and their name Killy comes from the Dutch for channel or ditch.
These carnivorous fish are brightly colored with a blue to yellow body color that is enhanced by bright orange stripes and spots. Killi is easy to care for and tolerate a variety of water conditions, although they prefer soft, slightly acidic water and are happiest in a tank with lots of plants.
Killifish Golden Wonder are carnivores that eat most live foods such as tubifex, larvae, and brine shrimp. They also accept some frozen and flake foods.
4. Kuhli Loach
- Maximum size: 4.5 inches
- Life expectancy: up to 14 years.
- Minimum fuel requirement: 50 gallons
- Water temperature: 79 ° to 86 ° Fahrenheit
- Level of attention: moderate
The Ringed Khuli Loach is one of approximately 100 species that belong to the Cobitidae family. These fish are mainly carnivores, they live on the substrate and feed. Groupers are scaly fish, which can cause them to become infected with parasites and certain bacterial diseases.
Groupers are shy fish that need an environment with many hiding places and dense vegetation. These nocturnal fish are peaceful and get along well with other benign species.
Feeding these fish can be difficult, as they prefer a live diet, although they do accept freeze-dried Tubifex and bloodworms, and also consume frozen meat. If you invest the time in training your grouper, it will eventually learn to accept tropical flakes as well.
5. American flag fish
- Maximum size: 2.5 inches
- Life expectancy: 2 to 3 years.
- Minimum tank requirement: 10 gallons
- Water temperature: 66 ° to 72 ° Fahrenheit
- Attention level: easy
The fish flag of the United States is a fish – Chat easy to maintain as well known for their eating habits algae and stunning colors.
The fish is named after the American flag, with alternating creamy red and green stripes on its body and shiny scales reminiscent of the flag’s stars. The flag fish US will take place in community pools and even small ponds abroad, preferring a dense planting and covered with floating plants.
With their patriotic coloring, these magnificent fish feed on live foods including larvae, pickled shrimp, tubifex, frozen meat, and tropical flakes. If small algae grow in your aquarium, you will need the nutrition of Flag Fish American with complement waffles with algae.
6. Indian Glass fish
- Maximum size: 5 inches
- Life expectancy: 8 years.
- Minimum fuel requirement: 30 gallons
- Water temperature: 72 ° to 80 ° Fahrenheit
- Level of attention: moderate
The Indian glass fish comes from the clear forest streams of Myanmar. These unusual, almost transparent fish are relatively easy to care for, although on a school they should live in a well-oxygenated tank with excellent filtration and a large outdoor pool.
Glassfish are fairly peaceful characters, although they have been known to eat smaller grouse. So store your aquarium with that in mind. These striking fish are omnivores and will eat a variety of basic aquarium fish, including tropical flakes, pellets, fresh or frozen foods.
7. Peacock Gudgeon
- Maximum size: 2.5 inches
- Life expectancy: 4 to 5 years.
- Minimum tank requirement: 15 gallons
- Water temperature: 72 ° to 77 ° Fahrenheit
- Attention level: easy
The Peacock Gudgeon is one of our favorite and coolest aquarium fish to enjoy in your home aquarium.
These beautiful little fish are colorful and very easy to care for. Peacock stallions are naturally peaceful and will do well in a community, biotope, or planted aquarium. You can also breed these laying fish relatively easily, as long as the tank is well decorated and has excellent filtration. Once the eggs are laid, you can watch the male fish keep them until the fry hatch.
The Peacock Gudgeon is omnivorous and feeds on frozen and freeze-dried meat-based protein flakes, protein foods, including brine shrimp and bloodworms.
8. Bristlenosis Plecostomus
- Maximum size: 5 inches
- Life expectancy: 5 years.
- Minimum fuel requirement: 30 gallons
- Water temperature: 74 ° to 79 ° Fahrenheit
- Attention level: easy
The Bristlenose Plecostomus is a type of peaceful freshwater catfish that is a special addition to any large community tank. These fish are available in a variety of colors and patterns, including black and albino.
Plecos need a well-oxygenated tank with very efficient filtration and good water circulation. Provide plenty of hiding places, rocks, driftwood, and heavy plants to keep these guys happy. You can Bristlenose Plecos in the race of domestic tanks, and it is fascinating to see the male fish eggs and fry care, especially for children.
These omnivorous fish are not fussy, they get much of the food they need from algae and trap debris in the substrate. That said, you should also supplement this diet with flake foods and seaweed waffles.
9. Bolivian ram
- Maximum size: 3 inches
- Life expectancy: 4 years.
- Minimum fuel requirement: 30 gallons
- Water temperature: 72 ° to 79 ° Fahrenheit
- Level of care: only for experienced people
The Bolivian Ram is also known as the red ram or the goat. These peaceful and sociable fish make great additions to a great aquarium, but they aren’t the easiest to care for. Therefore, we recommend that only experienced hobbyists adopt this species.
In the aquarium, these types need a lot of space to swim in open water, as well as a lot of lush vegetation and caves to breed. Bolivian rams mate throughout their lives and can be encouraged to spawn in a domestic tank provided conditions are right. Once the eggs are laid, both parents take turns attracting the clutch.
These fish are omnivores and ingest a wide variety of foods, including flakes, frozen foods, freeze-dried bloodworms, and live brine shrimp.
10. Light blue dwarf gourami
- Maximum size: 3.5 inches
- Life expectancy: 4 to 6 years.
- Minimum tank requirement: 10 gallons
- Water temperature: 72 ° to 82 ° Fahrenheit
- Attention level: easy
The Gouramis dwarf blue powder is a variation of the color of the ordinary dwarf gourami. I have them in one of my tanks and they are my personal favorites.
These peaceful labyrinthine fish make a great addition to a community aquarium. They are also a favorite of many plants and floating plants and are extremely easy to care for. Need for an effective filtration system, however, and you need to keep your tank clean as Dwarf Blue Gouramis dwarfs are stressed when conditions deteriorate.
If the water temperature is kept at the upper end of the gourami’s preferred range, they will appear light, build bubble nests, and establish areas in the tank. The male fish take care of the eggs and raise the fry, which is fun to watch.
These fish eat a mixture of algae and meaty foods with protein, such as frozen or freeze-dried bloodworms, brine shrimp, and Tubifex.
11. Roseline Torpedo Shark
- Maximum size: 4.5 inches
- Life expectancy: 4 to 6 years.
- Minimum fuel requirement: 50 gallons
- Water temperature: 60 ° to 77 ° Fahrenheit
- Attention level: easy
The Roseline Torpedo Shark is also known as the Denison Barb and the Red Lined Torpedo Shark. Unlike other types of spikes, these are peaceful figures that make a nice addition to a great tank.
In small schools, keep these fish in an aquarium with a tight-fitting lid while they jump. You need a setup with a decent flow rate to replicate the fast currents that the Roseline torpedo shark resides in the wild, and the dissolved oxygen levels in the water need to be high.
These active freshwater sharks benefit from an omnivorous diet of flakes and fleshy proteins in the form of frozen brine shrimp, bloodworms, and more.
12. Betta Crowntail Fish
- Maximum size: 2.5 inches
- Life expectancy: 4 years.
- Minimum tank requirement: nano tank
- Water temperature: 75 ° to 86 ° Fahrenheit
- Attention level: easy
If you want to take this opportunity to keep a striking fish with personality, in good shape, you need a Crowntail- Betta!
Betta fish don’t need a huge tank to be happy, but these intelligent creatures do need a lot of stimulation in the form of toys, plants, caves, and other decorations. Bettas are sensitive to sudden changes in temperature and you need an efficient filtration system to keep the water clean.
You cannot keep two male Betta fish together, but most individuals will be fine if they are kept in a peaceful community of similarly sized fish. Bettas are labyrinthine fish and they also build bubble nests. I had a little fraternity of female bettas with my male Crowntail and they showed up right away if you want to grow in my tank, which is good news for Bettas.
These fish are mainly carnivores,, Feed your food high-quality Betta flakes, as well as freeze-dried and frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, and mosquito larvae.
