Fish is one of the most common pets people like to keep. Fish are mostly easy to maintain; however, some species are hard to maintain. Some fish need very dedicated and specialized care. I believe Goldfish, Betta fish, Busynose, Plecos, Neon tetras, Mollies, Zebrafish, Guppie,s White Cloud Minnows, Danios, Harkquin Rasbora, Albino corydoras catfish, Cherry barbs are the easiest fish to take care of in the fish tank.
So, if you are a beginner, you must know which fish are easy to take care of. You should choose the simple ones who will survive even without the full care of their owner.
Keeping fish as a pet is really entertaining and aesthetically satisfying. If you choose easy-maintenance fish, you will find more time to enjoy the company of your beautiful pet.
Easy maintenance fish also need proper care and regular cleaning; however, it does not need too much hard work, particularly if you are just a beginner. These fish do not need much time to maintain. Easy maintenance fish are also budget-friendly as they do not need much money like advanced fish species.
So, if you plan to get some fish as your pet, you must start with simple fish species in easily manageable aquariums. It will make you enjoy your hobby, and you will feel burdened. You can add more tanks with advanced fish when you become more familiar with fish species.
Many fish species are simple and easy to maintain, including goldfish, beta fish, neon tetras, cherry barbs, mollies, busynose plecos, white cloud minnows harkequin rasbora, zebra fish, albino corydoras catfish, guppies, and danios.
These 12 Are The Easiest Fish To Take Care Of
These fish contain beautiful colors to make your aquarium look eye-catching. You can know about taking care of these species to start your journey.
Goldfish
Goldfish is one of the most popular fish as it is environment-friendly and eye-catching. Goldfish is easy to care for and needs a spacious aquarium. You should maintain the water with adequate temperature, stable acidity, and bacterial composition.
The recommended temperature for the tank is around 75 to 80 F. Adding a filter to the tank is recommended, but you still need to clean the water regularly. You should change the water partially after a few days, even if you have installed a good filter. An air filter is highly recommended for goldfish.
Goldfish live happily with fellow goldfish and compatible fish species. Keeping the tank interior functional for the fish is important, such as providing hiding spots is important. Goldfish like alkaline water, so you should have pH strips to check the acidity of the water when required.
Goldfish like a capacious environment. One goldfish needs at least 3 gallons, and every additional goldfish needs one more gallon. This general rule is made to provide adequate space for this fish species. You can take your goldfish easily if you follow these simple steps for your aquarium.
Beta fish
Beta fish is considered the easiest fish to keep as a pet. However, your beta fish will grow longer and better life if you give it a better environment. Beta fish needs a tank of a minimum of 5 gallons because it thrives in a spacious environment.
Beta fish are tropical and it is recommended to keep the tank temperature from 26 to 28 Celsius. If you have a bigger tank, it will become easy to keep the temperature constant.
Beta fish have delicate and long fins, so they are prone to be kicked about by fast-flowing water. You should use an adequate filter and turn the flow in an appropriate direction to avoid your fish being hit by the water flow.
Do not use sharp-edged decoration items in the tank to avoid tattering their fins. Beta fish tend to fight each other, so keeping the male fish separate is better. Female beta fish should be kept together in a roomy aquarium. It is recommended for beginners to keep one beta fish in one tank separately.
The stomach of beta fish is very small, so you should feed it accordingly. Feeding quantity depends on the size of the fish.
Busynose Plecos
Busynose plecos are very easy to keep and keep your aquarium clean. This fish clears any decaying or leftover food from the aquarium. Busynose plecos can survive easily in any condition and eat almost anything.
This fish is called busynose plecos due to the growth on the heads of male fish that makes them look like they are wearing a beard. Male Busynose plecos tend to fight, particularly at breeding time.
Keeping one male fish in one tank is suggested to avoid fighting. However, you can keep a group of busynose plecos in large tanks. Female plecos can be kept in groups, even in a small tank of 10 gallons. Since they are quite against tough tank conditions, they can be considered as the easiest fish to take care of.
Keeping the tank temperature between 78 and 82 degrees would be best. You can add a piece of driftwood, several hidden caves, and a sponge filter with a gentle flow to make fish comfortable. You should add adequate lighting. You should change the tank water partially regularly.
Try to feed them with a range of vegetable foods for healthy growth. You can add a small brine shrimp, bloodworms, Mysis shrimp, or other meats after one or two days.
Neon tetras
The Neon Tetras are very easy to keep tropical fish and a wonderful choice for beginners. Some people think these fish are not that easy to keep; however, these fish can thrive in tanks with little care.
Some people think that if a fish is hardy, you can add it to the tank and let it survive on its own. However, every living being needs some care to survive and grow. The neon tetra is hardy aquarium fish and does not survive in unstable water parameters or inconsistent water temperatures.
If your aquarium is stable and mature, you can easily keep neon tetras alive. Neon Tetras are peaceful fish but can be aggressive if threatened or stressed. These fish are small but need a roomy aquarium to swim freely at a distance.
Neon tetras can eat almost anything that fits in their small mouth. You can feed them flakes or micro pellets as well. Neon tetras are tiny fish and can feel uncomfortable if bigger fish are in the aquarium.
So, keeping them with their compatible fish species would be best.
Mollies
Mollies are also considered easy fish to keep for beginners. It is better to start by keeping one or two fish only. You will get a lot of fish after a few weeks, called live-bearing fish. You never know how many fish your female fish is about to deliver because one can deliver multiple fish simultaneously.
Mollies come in different varieties and many colors. You can keep them in groups to grow about three inches. You can start with a common variety of mollies such as red platy or black molly.
These species are hardy and easy to keep. Some breeds of mollies have inbreeding issues and are not a good option for beginners.
It is suggested to feed them with flakes and a pellet diet. It is good to start with a 10-gallon aquarium for mollies, but you will have to increase the size when population increases. As it is a live-bearing fish, it is recommended to plan more fish.
You can easily rear many generations, increasing the number of fish within a few months. You can reduce the breeding eventually not to overburden your tank. If you want to stop breeding, add a tank divider to separate female and male fish. However, it is better to keep them in separate tanks.
Zebrafish
Originating from Southeast Asia, Zebra fish is a freshwater fish. Zebrafish are beautiful fish that is easy to keep. It is one of the most recommended fish for beginners. Adult zebrafish mostly range between two and three cm and lay hundreds of eggs per production.
Zebrafish can survive at 28 degrees of temperature. However, wild zebra fish settle between 18 and 38 degrees.
Keeping zebra fish in a circulating system that automatically filters the water is recommended to keep the environment healthy and clean. The circulatory system will filter the fish excreta and food particles from the aquarium. You can get tank systems for zebra fish from different companies. However, you should use a system that works efficiently.
You can feed your zebra fish with dry food. Small larvae can take food sizes of about 100 microns, and adult fish can take food sizes of 300 to 400 microns. You can also feed them with live food such as brine shrimps. You can get brine shrimps from local pet-food shops or be hatched in the lab.
Guppies
Guppies originated from the tropical pools and Caribbean waters in South America. This fish comes in several beautiful colors. Male guppies come in more vibrant colors rather than female guppies. Female fish have a larger and rounder size, whereas male fish are smaller. Female guppies usually come in brown-toned colors.
Guppies come with long tails that cover around half of their body’s length. Guppies are usually known as calm and peaceful fish. Keeping these fish in the freshwater aquarium and other peaceful species is highly recommended.
Guppies require very low maintenance, which is considered one of the easiest fish to maintain. You should add minor decorations and plants to the tank to keep them happy. Guppies like to eat micropellets rather than flake foods because it maintains longer nutrition.
Guppies are known to reproduce rapidly. You can keep male and female fish in separate tanks when you want to stop reproduction. If you do not keep them separate, you will overburden your fish tank and will become uncomfortable for fish.
White Cloud Minnows
White cloud minnows are 1.5 inches minnow and have reddish fins and darker bodies with white stripes. White cloud minnows are freshwater fish that are peaceful and easy to keep. This fish is highly recommended for beginners because it requires low maintenance.
However, it is essential to remember that even low-maintenance fish also require some maintenance to thrive.
White cloud minnows are nano fish and can live easily in smaller tanks of 5 gallons. These fish can easily thrive in a wide range of water conditions. However, white cloud minnows prefer a pH close to neutral to thrive happily.
White cloud minnows are recommended to be fed on flakes, pellets, liquid fry preparations, and other processed foods. You can also feed them with tiny live food to make them highly reproductive and brighter in color.
Live food includes tiny invertebrates such as bloodworms, daphnia, brine shrimps, nauplii, and tubifex worms. You can easily get this food from local pet food stores. You can also feed them with vegetables such as blanched spinach or spirulina flakes, as white cloud minnows like these but rarely eat them.
Danios
Danios are highly recommended for beginners because they prefer a slightly cooler temperature. So, if you do not have a heated tank, it will be a great option. Danios tend to swim on the surface, and you should manage the tank accordingly. You can add some floating plants for them to hide in and enjoy.
Keeping a secure lid on the top is wise to prevent them from jumping out. While these fish are easy to maintain, they are very hard to breed. If you want good results, you should separate the fry immediately when they hatch.
Danios will thrive in long tanks with sufficient swimming areas. Danios survive in a wide range of water conditions, so they are recommended for beginners. Water temperature between 70 and 78 Fahrenheit is ideal for danios.
You can use a good aquarium heater to maintain the ideal temperature of the tank. Make sure to keep good filtration and change the water 10 percent after a week or 25 percent after two weeks. Additional circulating pumps or a strong current from the filter can also help them thrive.
Danios live happily and show their best colors if you keep them in a well-decorated aquarium. Keeping them in groups of at least six fish or more is recommended.
Harkquin Rasbora
Harkquin rasboras are torpedo-shaped tiny fish species. Rasbiora is freshwater fish. They hold beautiful black and orange color. Black marker runs through their rear and makes them distinguishing. The black color looks stunning with the fish’s metallic color that shines in the light. These fish look enchanting when kept in a group of similar species.
Rasboras are considered one of the easiest to maintain fish and are highly recommended if you plan to keep fish as a pet. Rasboras thrive in low-light environments filled with shady plants and sphagnum moss.
Cryptocoryne and java ferns are low-light plants recommended for keeping harkquin rasbora in the aquarium. These tiny creatures are peaceful and friendly and hence survive with any unaggressive small fish. It would help if you kept them in groups of a minimum of 6 fish to live happily.
These fish are easy to keep as they do not need much hard work. You should set up stable water parameters to keep them healthy. These fish also help clean the tank by eating the remaining food particles.
Rasboras eat a simple diet; hence you do not have to worry about finding particular food from different stores.
Albino corydoras catfish
Corydoras Catfish come in different species. However, the thing that makes them similar is that they are hardy and easy to keep. Thus, many beginners keep them as their pets in their aquarium. These fish are nonaggressive, and you can keep them easily with other peaceful kinds of fish.
Albino corydoras catfish are low-maintenance fish and mostly live on the bottom of the tank to suck up food particles and algae. If you are a beginner without experience in fish tanks, you should use sinking pellets for food.
Alternatively, faster fish kept in the tank will eat all the flakes, and nothing will be left for corydoras.
Corydoras are friendly and can be easily kept with other nonaggressive fish species. It is better to keep them in groups of 5 or more. Corydoras are found in soft water with low pH.
Water temperature between 74 and 80 degrees is considered ideal for these corydoras. If the room temperature is below 74 degrees, you can use an aquarium heater to keep them thriving. You also need to use a filter to keep the tank clean. Water should be changed 25 percent after every two weeks.
Cherry barbs
The scientific name of ‘Cherry Barbs’ is puntius titteya. Cherry barbs are very beautiful and eye-catching. Particularly, male cherry barbs are more colorful and attractive. These fish are considered one of the most peaceful fish species and need low maintenance.
They can live in a range of water parameters and thrive in large temperatures. Cherry barbs are a wonderful option for beginners who want to keep fish as a pet. Cherry barbs originated from Asia and Sri Lanka. These fish will grow about 1.5 to 2 inches when kept in a healthy environment.
Cherry barbs require a temperature between 68 and 81 Fahrenheit. You can use an aquarium heater if your room temperature is below 68. These fish require a spacious place to swim freely.
A 15-gallon tank will be ideal for a small group of cherry barbs. Using an aquarium filter, you should always try to keep the tank clean. Fish always grow healthy if the aquarium is clean. Water should be changed partially after every few days to ensure cleanliness.
Cherry barbs are environment-friendly, so they are always recommended for beginners.
Conclusion
So, if you are a beginner and want to keep fish as pets, you must start with simple species of fish that are easy to take care of. You can gradually increase the fish species in your tank and even add more tanks for different fish with different compatibilities. The above 12 are the easiest fish to take care of.
You can also keep a more advanced type of fish that need special care and proper cleanliness once you become familiar with fish species and their requirements.
Goldfish, mollies, neon tetras, beta fish, zebrafish, guppies, and other fish are known as easy fish to manage. These fish are peaceful and can be kept in a community aquarium.
It would help if you made a tank that contains caves, rocks, small decorations, toys, and plants to create a wonderful environment for fish that is close to nature.
Always remember that if the fish are hardy, it does not mean you can keep them in the aquarium and leave them to grow on their own. Even hardy fish also require some basic maintenance and cleanliness to thrive.
Learn about the basic needs of each fish and try to keep them in a healthy environment. Make sure to use a filter for proper cleaning and change the water partially after every one or two weeks.
Try to grab the right food for all species to ensure they get the right nutrition. You can find proper food from pet food stores easily. When you know how to keep the fish thriving, you can have a beautiful aquarium with eye-catching and colorful fish.
FAQs
Q: Why cannot freshwater fish live in saltwater?
A: Freshwater fish have low ion concentration in their cells than saltwater fish. If they are kept in saltwater, their body water moves out of their bodies, which leads to dehydration and death. Thus, osmolality is the basic reason why freshwater fish cannot live in saltwater.
Q: What is the most low-maintenance fish?
A: Mollies are considered one of the most low-maintenance fish as they can survive in a range of temperature conditions.
Q: What is the easiest fish to keep in a tank?
A: Neon Tetras are considered one of the most friendly and peaceful fish. They can be kept with other nonaggressive fish in a community tank easily.
Q: What is the hardiest pet fish?
A: Hardiest pet fish is zebra danios. It needs low-maintenance, so it is a good option for beginners. However, zebra danios need plenty of swimming space to stay healthy and happy.
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