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The 7 Best Aquarium Fish for Beginners

By Sean Perry, DVM. Reviewed by Lauren Jones, VMD

Updated Aug. 31/2024

Thinking of starting a fish tank? Many freshwater aquarium fish species make great additions to a beginner fish tank.

The best aquarium fish for beginners are not only rewarding for pet parents, but they also make great first pets for children who can learn about responsible skills such as feeding & fish tank cleaning. You will also need to conduct regular water quality testing, which is required of any fish tank.

Here are some of the best beginner fish for first-time aquarists.

Best Beginner Fish for Aquariums

1. Celestial Pearl Danios

Celestial pearl danios (CPDs) are a small (up to 1 inch), dark blue fish that have either white, yellow, or tan pearlescent dots over their body. Their appearance is sometimes associated with a galaxy, hence their “celestial” name. CPDs could be great residents of a space-themed tank!

These fish like to live in small areas where they can hide within rocks & plants in groups of 10 or more. They also get along well with other community fish, making them an easy addition to any first fish tank. They will eat a variety of food, including flakes, micro pellets, or even some other fish or brine shrimp.

2. Golden Dwarf Barbs

Golden dwarf barbs are small golden fish that have faded black banding. The fish max out at about 1.5 inches as adults & can live 2 to 3 years.

As one of the best aquarium fish for beginners, golden dwarf barbs can be great additions to small freshwater tanks, as golden dwarf barbs are docile & can live with many different species. They are also omnivores & are a schooling species—make sure to have at least 6 to 8 in the tank.

3. Neon Tetras

Neon tetras are colorful freshwater aquarium fish originally from South America. They are considered neon because of their bright blue, red, & white coloration.

Neon tetras reach 1–1.5 inches in size & are a schooling fish, so keeping multiple fish is recommended. Make your beginner fish tank pop from across the room with a school of neon tetras! They are great beginner species because they are peaceful & non-aggressive.

Tetras active swimmers & thrive in a variety of aquariums. They are a relatively easy-to-care-for fish, but as with all fish, make sure to maintain stable water parameters for their health & well-being.

4. Pygmy Corydoras

Pygmy corydoras are small silver & black catfish that are ideal for small aquariums. They are peaceful & can live with other species, making them one of the best beginner fish for new tank keepers.

A 10-gallon tank can hold up to 8 pygmy corydoras—but a larger tank is always preferable to provide plenty of swimming space.

Some precautions should be taken with this species—they should be housed with smaller freshwater fish so they aren’t accidentally eaten by another tank mate.

5. Guppies

Guppies make a great beginner tank fish because they are hardy & will eat just about anything. Guppies are small fish that don’t grow larger than 2 inches. They can have exquisitely designed tails, making them beautiful display fish.

Guppies can be housed as a single species & make a lovely, simpler tank, or they can be housed with neon tetras or pygmy corydoras. Guppies should not be housed with any aggressive fish species.

6. Betta Fish

Betta fish can be great beginner pets for a small aquarium, & you’ll find bettas in virtually any pet store. As one of the most readily available fish to bring home, it’s no wonder betta fish are a common first pet for kids.

But betta fish are aggressive. Males of this species should be housed alone, while females can be housed in groups of 5 to 6 fish called sororities.

Male bettas are typically more colorful with flowing & elaborate fins. Females are less colorful but still have subtle coloration & are a great addition to any tank!

7. Dwarf Gouramis

Dwarf gouramis are a beautiful small red fish with blue vertical striping & make for a vibrant addition to a small tank. Many different color patterns exist, & they range in size from 3.5–4.5 inches.

Dwarf gouramis are a docile fish species that mainly likes to live in the upper portion of the tank. This easy-to-keep fish can live well with other fish species, as they are not aggressive.

But because they are a larger fish, they do require more space. For a 10-gallon tank, you can safely house a single dwarf gourami, but size up for a group. When mixing species, one or 2 will work well with other non-aggressive fish like tetras, rasboras, corydoras, & catfish.

Top Freshwater Fish for Beginners | PetMD

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March 29/2023

 

Top Freshwater Fish for Beginners

By Sean Perry, DVM

11/10/2022

petmd.com

A beginner is able to learn the basics on how to take care of an aquarium with a variety of different  beginner fish species. Numerous fish species such as celestial peal danios, golden dwarf barbs, neon tetras, pygmy Corydoras, guppies, betta fish, & dwarf gourami are great beginner species.

Small fish tanks are one of the best ways to get into the hobby of keeping freshwater fish. Small freshwater aquariums can be rewarding & provide entertainment for hours when properly kept.

Best Freshwater Fish Species

Celestial Peal Danios

Celestial peal danios are a small, dark blue fish that have either white, yellow, or tan dots over their bodies. Their appearance is sometimes associated with a galaxy, so that is why they are called celestial.

Males & females can be differentiated by their size & color. Males are thinner, brighter, & have a red stripe that runs through the middle of the fish. Males also have a red belly. Females aren't as brightly colored & their fins are orange to translucent.

These fish like to live in small areas where they can hide within rocks & plants in groups of 10 or more.  It's important to keep more females than males because males can become aggressive.

Golden Dwarf Barbs

Golden dwarf barbs are small golden fish that have faded black banding. The fish max out at about 1.5 inches as adults & can live 2-3 years. Golden dwarf barbs can be great additions to small tanks as this species is docile & can live with multiple fish species.

Males tend to be skinnier than females. Because this species does school, it is best to keep multiple of them together.

Neon Tetras

Neon tetras are vibrant small fish from South America that have blue, red, & white coloration throughout their bodies. They are considered neon because of this bright coloration & their red strip that passes through only half of the body.

Neon tetras max out in size at 1-1.5 inches & are a schooling fish, so keeping multiple fish is recommended. They can live anywhere between 5-10 years of age when kept in appropriate conditions.

Pygmy Corydoras

Pygmy Corydoras are small, silver, & black catfish that are ideal for small aquariums. They are one of the smallest fish for small aquariums & are ideal for these environments. These fish are peaceful & can live with other species. Males of this species are smaller than females & both sexes max out a 1 inch in length.

This species searches for food on the bottom of the habitat, often sifting through the substrate with their barbells. A 10 gallon tank can hold up to 8 individuals of this species. Pygmy Corydoras should also be housed with smaller fish species so they do not accidently get consumed by tankmates.

Guppies

Guppies are fantastic beginner fish. Guppies are a small fish that doesn’t reach larger than 2 inches in size. They can have exquisitely designed tails making them beautiful display fish.

Guppies are viviparous (live-bearing) & breed readily in captivity. If you are interested in breeding these fish, then you should have 1 male for every 2-3 females.

Guppies can be housed as a single species & make a beautiful tank, or they can be housed with neon tetras or Pygmy Corydoras. Guppies should not be housed with any aggressive fish species.

Betta Fish

Betta fish can be great beginner pets for a small aquarium such as a 10-gallon aquarium. This species of fish is aggressive. Males of this species should be house alone, while females can be housed in sororities.

Dwarf Gourami

Dwarf gourami are a beautiful small red fish with blue vertical striping & make for a vibrant addition to a small tank. Many different color patterns do exist. Of all fish mentioned they are the largest—ranging in size from 3.5-4.5 inches.

Dwarf gourami are a docile fish species that mainly likes to live in the upper portion of the water column. This species can live with other fish species as they are not aggressive.

Since they are a larger fish, they do require more space. For a 10-gallon tank, you can safely house about 3 dwarf gourami together. When mixing species, one or 2 will work well with other non-aggressive species.

Small Fish Tank Tips

Cleaning a fish tank is a must. The smaller the fish tank, the more often it needs to be cleaned. Over time, toxic nutrients build up within the water & need to be removed from the system. Biological, mechanical, & chemical filtration are all needed but are often not enough.

Beginning a routine cleaning & maintenance schedule is recommended. This should include water changes weekly (about 10-20% of the water) & gravel vacuuming the substrate. These are 2 easy ways to remove waste products from the fish & leftover food items.

A good rule of thumb that helps you determine how many fish can be safely housed in a fish tank is about 1 fish per every gallon. However, this depends on the size of the fish, how often the fish are eating, the filtration, & the water chemistry of the tank. Water chemistry can be more volatile & influenced easier in smaller tanks compared to larger tanks.

In a small 10-gallon tank you should house 6-8 fish, depending on fish size. Many filters are available can be used for small tanks & provide enough mechanical filtration to ensure healthy water for your fish. Small canister filters can be used for an all-in-one filtration system. Under gravel filters can also be used in these small aquariums. Hang on filtration systems are also commonly used for small tanks.

Depending on the size of your tank & how many fish are within the tank, it may be a good idea to place a larger filter than your total volume of water. Overfeeding small tanks can happen easily. It's important to not overfeed your small tank because you can easily alter the water chemistry & the water can become toxic to the fish.

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