6 Best Fish for Freshwater Aquariums

Whether you’re an experienced aquarist or are just entering the world of caring for a fish tank for the first time, building and maintaining a freshwater aquarium is a very exciting adventure. You’ll be spending a lot of time looking at and taking care of your fish, so you’ll want to make sure they are interesting to watch. Here are six of the coolest fish to get for a freshwater aquarium.

1. Guppies

Guppies are known for their bright, beautiful colors. They also breed very quickly, so unless you want to have a whole tank full of guppies, you should stick with the same sex. They do well in tanks as small as 10 gallons and only require a regular diet of fish flakes.

2. Cherry Barb

If you’re looking for an exciting fish to watch, cherry barbs are for you. Their rich, red color adds vibrancy and interest to any freshwater tank, and their peaceful nature allows them to get along with just about any other non-aggressive fish. They thrive in schools of six or more and enjoy a variety of foods.

3. Cory Catfish

A fish that is known to live up to 20 years and does a wonderful job of keeping a tank clean, the Cory catfish is the perfect addition to any freshwater aquarium. They are peaceful and do well in schools of at least four. Cory catfish will eat just about anything, but they do well on a balanced diet of flake food and bloodworms.

4. Neon Tetra

Neon tetras are brightly colored, very active fish. Their small size of less than 2″ makes them the perfect fish for tanks as small as 10 gallons. They enjoy being in large groups, and the more you have, the more interesting their interactions with each other will be. They are easy to care for and require a diet of fish flakes and bloodworms.

5. Swordtail

Swordtails are aptly named since the males have a sword-like structure at the end of their tails. A fish that has beautiful coloring and a peaceful demeanor, swordtails thrive in communities of five or more. They adapt well to many different water temperatures and a simple, plant-based diet is all they need.

6. Betta

Despite also being known as Siamese fighting fish, bettas are only aggressive toward other bettas. Their gorgeous coloring and long, flowing tails makes them an exciting fish to watch. As long as you keep only one per tank, the betta is an excellent fish for a freshwater aquarium.

If you need something to keep your fish tank maintained, get in touch with Aquatic Warehouse, a leading provider of freshwater and saltwater aquarium supplies. We have everything you need to care for your aquarium properly. Give us a call today at 858-467-9297